The NSC Boxset: Heart of Stone (48 page)

He shrugged, “She’s coping with it better than me. She has to start chemo in two weeks.”

We both sat silent for a while. My heart constricted at his pain, his love for his sister evident in his reactions. “She’ll get through it Mason, there’s a high survival rate with breast cancer,” I encouraged.

He pulled me tighter and nodded. “I can’t lose her, Ava.” He sighed and I felt his tears fall onto my head. I sat up and straddled him, embracing him tightly. “God damn, Ava” he sobbed.

“I’m here, Mason.” I pulled him tight as my heart broke at his ragged sobs, my need to comfort him overwhelming me.

He eventually settled and he looked at me, cupping my cheek in his palm. “I’m sorry.” He laughed nervously, “I’ve never done that before.”

I frowned and shook my head. “Done what?” I asked as his thumb stroked my cheek bone.

He shrugged and seemed embarrassed, “Never cried in front of anybody.”

He dropped his eyes and I tilted his head back, holding his eyes. “Mason, everybody hurts and every single person cries. Don’t be ashamed of loving your sister.”

He gazed at me intensely. “I love
you,
Ava.” He pulled my head down and hovered against my lips, then brushed them over mine tenderly.

He kissed me with so much gentleness and softness that my frozen heart cracked a little more, giving him a piece of it; a piece he needed to help him through the following weeks of watching his beloved sister go through hell.

We held each other for a long while and I gazed out of the window suddenly noticing how dark it was. “I have to go, Mason.” I pulled away and stretched languidly.

He frowned. “Stay.”

He stood and rolled his head round his neck. I shook my head, “I need to take this slow Mason, please bear with me.”

He nodded and stroked my lip. “Okay” he agreed gently. I gave him a quick kiss and went in search of my clothes.

We kissed for a long time on his doorstep; his reluctance to let me go was holding me back. I eventually pulled away although I was quite content snogging him for hours. “Will you stop! I have to go.” I laughed as I skipped down the porch steps and climbed in my car.

He held my door open and reached in for another kiss. “You sure you don’t wanna stay?” He grabbed my hand and placed it over his erection, groaning when I squeezed.

“Go!” I demanded. He sighed heavily and retreated, shutting my door gently and winking before he bounded back in the house.

I was still grinning like an idiot when I reached the gym, needing to work out my arousal; our love-making swimming in my head as I pummelled the punch bag, but still grinning like the cat that got the cream.

CHAPTER 14

AS I ENTERED the house Wednesday morning, Mason, Dane and Greg were sat around the island in the kitchen.

I walked in with the boxes of cupcakes I had baked last night. Mason stood quickly and came round to me, taking the boxes from me and placing them on the island. He turned back to me and pulled me against him, kissing me passionately; his hands gripping my hair and holding me to him like he never wanted to let me go.

I gasped for breath when he pulled away. “Good morning, Mr Fox,” I grinned.

He growled softly at me and shrugged, “I missed you, Miss Stone” he disclosed nonchalantly.

I winked back, “Me too. The punch bag at the gym took a pounding.” I smirked when I saw that he had understood my meaning and his eyes darkened.

A small cough sounded in the kitchen and I flinched, forgetting that we weren’t alone. I turned abruptly, “Good morning gentlemen, can I make you coffee?” I asked politely, not looking at Dane.

Greg smiled and nodded but Dane just grunted something under his breath. Rolling my eyes and not letting him get under my skin, I started preparing the coffee.

Mason slipped his arm around my waist. “We’re gonna take this in my office, baby.” He swept the few locks of hair that had fallen from my bun aside and kissed the nape of my neck. I inhaled heavily, already aroused at the closeness of him and his mouth came round to my ear. “Soon. I need to feel you” he whispered huskily as he sensed my need.

I swallowed and nodded, not trusting my vocal chords. He kissed my ear and pulled back, and they all ascended the stairs to his office.

Ten minutes later with a tray full of coffee and cupcakes I entered his office without knocking. As I walked in Mason quickly flipped a file shut that was on his desk in front of him and Dane and Greg shifted uncomfortably.

I smiled nervously; obviously I had walked in on something private. “Sorry,” I grimaced. “I was just bringing your coffee.”

I placed the tray on his desk and turned guiltily to leave the room. “Ava!” Mason nearly shouted. “Thank you, the cakes look delicious.” He winked and smiled and I heard Dane huff.

Mason turned sharply to him and scowled, the anger in his eyes made even me recoil. I didn’t envy Dane being on the receiving end of them. Greg cleared his throat. “Boys, let’s not do this again” he warned. Mason nodded sharply but still glared at Dane.

I left them to it and I had just started to sort out the kitchen when Mason popped his head round the door, “I’m sorry, Ava but I have to go out for a while.”

I laughed at his apology, “It’s fine Mason. We still have to work.”

He grinned and blew me a kiss then left the house with the other two and I went to the office to start some paperwork.

* * *

I rubbed my temples and sighed, the figures on the club wages weren’t adding up and I was grumbling to myself. I had spent the last hour trying to get them to tally but they were about £126,000 out and I was irritated that I couldn’t find the mistake. It was a hefty difference and I was pretty sure I couldn’t be that much out.

Wondering if Mason had some more receipts or documents to help, I went over to his desk and opened his drawer.

There were a few files in there and I pulled them out. The first was an informative document on a guy so I quickly shut it, the second was some buildings blueprints and I put it back. I opened the third and my jaw dropped as I saw my face on a photograph paper-clipped to some papers.

I sat heavily in his chair and frowned as I flipped through the papers, my rage surfacing when I realised what they were.

There were bank statements, deeds to my cottage, hospital documents, social services administration documents on each and every home I had been placed in, and at the back were photographs that Mason’s mother had taken of me the night George had taken me in, supported by her notes on what had happened with my physical and mental evaluation.

Tears sprung to my eyes and my heart broke at his cold invasion of my life, my dark secrets slapped onto paperwork for him to peruse at his leisure.

I had asked him to be patient and trust me but this . . . this was beyond belief.

Flinging the file on his desk, I quickly gathered my things and left, this time slamming the door with such force I heard the framed picture in the hallway smash to the floor.

I phoned Courtney and arranged to meet her at her house, the need for my friends’ comfort wrapping me up. As soon as I reached her house, she was stood on the doorstep waiting for me.

Embracing me tightly, she dragged me in, huddling me up as I wept and cried into her whilst she rocked me tenderly, whispering shushes in my ear.

“Oh, babe.” She sobbed with me. “I could kill that bastard,” she fumed when I told her what I had found.

I sat shocked on her sofa as the realisation of his betrayal sank in. “Why didn’t he just trust me to open up to him in my own time?” The anger was now overtaking the hurt, “Why?”

I refused to cry anymore. Courtney rose from the sofa and taking the vodka, poured us both a large glass. I downed it in one and held it out for her to refill. “Steady Ava, it’s only early afternoon,” she warned.

I shrugged. “I don’t care. I need to obliterate the pain.”

She nodded and filled my glass.

My phone rang and I stiffened as Courtney reached in my bag and checked the display. “Mason,” she said, looking at me. I shook my head and she placed it down on the table.

“You’re gonna have to talk to him, Ava,” she sighed, taking a swill of her own drink.

I shook my head, “No! I’m too mad at him.”

My phone rang again. I reached over and declined it, and took another large gulp.

Courtney retreated to the kitchen and returned with a large Ben & Jerry’s, two spoons and slipped a DVD on. We both curled up on her sofa, demolishing the ice-cream and laughing at the comedy she had wisely put on.

My phone stopped ringing after the twelfth time and a text message came through. I picked it up and read it.

MASON

Where are you Baby? Talk to me, let me explain.

Xxxx

I scoffed and replied.

ME

Fuck you!!!

Courtney laughed and smiled, “Good Girl!” But when another text came through she took my phone and switched it off.

* * *

About an hour later there was a knock on the door and Courtney got up to answer it. I heard her say, “How the hell . . .” and then she started shouting.

Curious, I went into the hallway and was stunned to see Mason stood in the doorway with Courtney blocking his entry. His eyes locked on mine, pleading with me.

Courtney turned and narrowed her eyes on me then turned back to Mason. “She doesn’t want to see you,” she warned.

He swallowed heavily. “Please, Ava” he begged.

I shook my head. “Go away Mason, I don’t even wanna look at you.” I turned swiftly.

“Ava!” he demanded sternly and I heard Courtney gasp at the dominance in his tone.

I swung round and stomped over to him. “I said fuck off! Leave me alone, Mason” I spat.

He recoiled at the vehemence in my words. “Please, let me explain” he implored, softer now.

“Explain what, Mason? Explain how much you have hurt me, how much you’ve broken my trust in you? How dare you go behind my back.” I was furious now. “I asked you, Mason . . . I asked for your patience and you said you’d wait until I was ready to open up. Why bother though when you seem to think you are fucking God!”

I shook my head sadly, his face broken at my words. “Go home, Mason” I sighed and turned back round.

“Will you be in tomorrow?” he asked hesitantly. I laughed bitterly, shook my head and escaped to the lounge.

I heard him say something to Courtney, she said yes and shut the door, curled up beside me and embraced me. “You okay, babe?”

I nodded and sighed, “Yep.”

I summoned up the strength to swallow the pain but laughed when she asked how he’d found out where she lived. “It’s Mason,” I explained simply.

She nodded then whispered. “He’s so hot though, Ava.” My lips quirked and we were suddenly in hysterics, the vodka finally kicking in.

We gorged on pizza, vodka and chocolate as we watched DVD after DVD, Courtney’s comforting presence and watchfulness helping me through the heartache.

CHAPTER 15

I WOKE IN Courtney’s spare bed, my head refusing to lift off the pillow without bright lights and stars behind blasting my eyelids.

I groaned and swung my legs out of bed, holding my tender head in my hands, pushed myself up and went in search of coffee.

As I entered the kitchen I smirked at Courtney as she sat nursing her own hangover, her eyes lifted to mine and we both groaned together.

“I am so not your friend this morning, Ava” she grumbled. I laughed and slumped in a chair.

“Hey, it was your vodka,” I admonished. “Are you not in work today?” I asked as I poured myself a coffee from the carafe on the table and drank it black; I didn’t think my stomach could entertain the milk.

“No, I phoned in sick.” She chuckled, “And I wasn’t lying, I am fucking ill.” We both scoffed at our condition and drank our coffees in silence for a while.

I went to retrieve my phone and switched it on. It blasted alert after alert at me, telling me I had 6 voicemails and 11 text messages. I deleted them all without opening them, not wanting to listen to any excuses and dialled George’s number, instantly relaxing when he answered.

“Hey, Princess.” His smile came down the phone and enveloped me.

“Hey,” I replied softly. “I hope it’s not too early, George? I just needed to hear you.”

He sighed. “You okay, Ava?” he asked softly and I returned his sigh.

“I just miss you,” I confessed and I did; more than ever.

“Hey girl, none of that. How’s it going with Mason?” I stilled and he sensed my hesitation. “Princess? What’s wrong?”

I forced a smile. “Nothing’s wrong George. I just have a hangover from hell . . . Courtney’s fault.” She shouted her confirmation to George and winked at me. He laughed loudly, his familiar deep rumble filling me with warmth, and shouted Hi to Courtney as I grimaced at the volume of his voice in my poor head.

“Listen Ava, why don’t you come out here for a few days? I miss you too and would love you to visit. Bring Courtney with you and have some fun.” I was tempted and covered the mouthpiece to ask Courtney if she fancied it.

“God, yeah,” she grinned.

“Okay George, we’d love to.” He cheered happily down the phone. “I’ll book our flights and e-mail you with the date and time,” I told him as we said our goodbyes.

Courtney’s hangover seemed to disappear as she happily chatted about how much fun we were going to have.

After managing to secure flights for the next day, I texted Brian and apologised that I couldn’t attend his birthday party.

He replied saying I must join him and Brenda for dinner tonight at the exclusive restaurant ‘Cuisine.’ I confirmed, telling him I would be there for 7 O’clock.

* * *

Around lunch time I made my way home and collapsed on my bed, the comfort of my own belongings cradling me soothingly.

I dozed until I heard a knock at the door and grudgingly left my bed to answer it, frowning when I saw a guy with a huge bunch of flowers in his hand. “Delivery for a Miss Stone,” he drawled, looking bored.

I raised my eyebrows at his dreariness and took them from him, thanking him and closing the door, I went in search of a vase.

I arranged them in the three vases that I needed to accommodate them all and sat on the sofa with the envelope that had been attached, flicking it in my fingers as I debated whether to just bin it. However, curiosity won me over again and I opened it.