The NSC Boxset: Heart of Stone (54 page)

He scurried over to me, gripping my arms. “Ava, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have shouted at you like that. I’m sorry.”

I shrugged from his grasp. “I asked where my shoes are.” I said slowly and he bit his lip, now highly agitated again.

He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest as he silently watched me. I stood and glared at him. “Oh, stop being so bloody childish!” I snapped and stormed out, grabbing my bag from the sofa and pulling my phone out, I rang for a taxi.

Mason strode down the stairs. “Ava, don’t go” he pleaded when he heard my phone call.

I shook my head at him, “I can’t deal with you when you’re like this, Mason.”

He frowned at me curiously. “Like what?” he demanded.

“So bloody angry all the time,” I cried and ran my hands through my hair, still in search of my shoes. “Where the hell are my shoes?” I shouted as the taxi beeped his horn to alert me to his arrival.

He rushed over to me, “Ava please, I’m sorry. I just get so angry when I think of other men touching you.”

I laughed bitterly and shook my head. “And how do you think I feel, Mason? You know I haven’t slept with anybody properly before you. But you . . . you have a string of whores before me, not to even mention Rebecca!” I yelled. “Oh fuck it!” I resigned and exited the house without my shoes.

He stood on the doorstep and watched me climb in the taxi.

He was still stood there as we pulled away and drove off.

* * *

I paid the driver and climbed from the car. As I approached my front door an eerie sensation enveloped me . . . something felt wrong. Quickly glancing around my surroundings and not finding anything untoward I fished my key from my bag and went to unlock the door.

I froze when I noticed my lock had been forced, the wood around it splintered and the catch was hanging off. My heart pounded as I slowly opened the door, peering around as I hesitantly walked in.

At first glance there seemed nothing out of place, until I walked into the kitchen and my legs trembled when I saw a crisp, white lily laid on the table, it had blood streaked over the petals. The sight of the harsh redness against the virginity of the white flower caused my blood to freeze.

Rummaging through my bag without taking my eyes off it, I pulled out my phone.

My throat was starting to close in and I unsteadily sat on a chair, my eyes still nervously flicking around every corner of the kitchen.

Selecting Mason’s number I pressed connect, he answered almost immediately. “Ava, I’m sorry.” He started to apologise for this morning’s behaviour but I shook my head, consciously aware that he couldn’t see but still needing the comfort of doing something normal other than cautiously casting an eye over everything.

“Mason” I croaked, swallowing harshly against the scratch in my throat.

“Ava?” he asked, his tone full of concern.

“Mason . . .”

“Baby? What’s wrong?” He was starting to panic.

“Someone . . . someone’s been in . . . in my house” I stuttered.

“What?” he growled. “The front door lock is broke and there’s a . . . someone has put a . . . a lily on my table.” My voice was trembling and I heard Mason suck in a breath.

“Baby, wait there. I’m coming over” he said harshly.

I nodded absentmindedly. “Ava?” he urged when I remained quiet.

“Yes, yes okay,” I stammered as I heard Mason talking to somebody.

“Baby, Sam’s driving me so stay on the line to me.” I murmured an acknowledgement. “Where are you in the house, Ava?” he asked slowly, recognising my terror.

“ . . . I’m still in the kitchen.” I heard background noise and Sam saying something to Mason. I stood and walked over to the back door, checking it was still locked.

My finger slid over the petals of the lily as I frowned. Who the hell would break in and leave a lily on the table?

“Have you checked the rest of the house Ava, or just the kitchen?” He was speaking slowly but softly.

“Just . . . just the kitchen. There’s a lily on the table,” I repeated stupidly.

“I know Baby, we’re nearly with you.”

I walked through the hall and opened the door to the lounge. I peered in but couldn’t see anything wrong so I climbed the stairs to my bedroom. My legs trembled as I climbed and I had to hold on to the hand rail to keep me upright. “Baby, what are you doing?” Mason asked, apprehension surging through his voice.

I was silent as I listened for any noise, cocking my ears left and right as I tiptoed across the landing. “Ava?” Mason’s voice was harsher now.

“Shush” I whispered.

“Ava, what the hell are you doing?” he asked slowly.

“Shush Mason, I’m listening” I progressed towards my bedroom, anxiety tearing through me when I saw the door ajar. Because it was an old cottage it was always cold so I always shut the doors to keep the heat in each room.

“Ava, what are you doing?” His voice trembled with panic and he hissed at Sam, “Will you put your fucking foot down!”

I shook my head at his temper, “I’m just checking my bedroom.”

“Ava! No! Wait for me!” he demanded but I pushed my door open. As I stepped into the room I gasped loudly and whimpered at the same time. “
AVA!”
Mason shouted as I heard tyres squeal outside then car doors slamming.

I heard Mason shout me as he charged into the house. “AVA?!” he screamed.

“Up here,” I whined quietly, my vocal chords closing up as my whole body trembled.

“Ava?” he cried again as I heard him bound up the stairs with more heavy footsteps following him. He charged into the room and froze behind me. “
FUCK!”
he hissed as he took in the scene.

My bedroom had been trashed; all my bed and bedding had been slashed, feathers and stuffing littering the room. My underwear had been shredded, my bra and knickers cut into strips, multi-coloured pieces of silk and cotton scattered all around the room.

My perfumes and toiletries had been swiped off the dresser and shards of glass were decking the carpet but what really took my breath was the word ‘
WHORE’
splashed across the wall above my bed in red paint, or what I hoped was red paint.

I couldn’t take my eyes off the viciousness in the words, “I’m far from a whore” I rasped.

Mason’s arms circled me, spun me and pulled me into his chest. “Baby, let’s go downstairs,” he breathed gently, leading me from the room.

He sat me in a chair at the kitchen table and started searching through my cupboards as Sam walked into the kitchen talking to somebody on his phone.

Mason glanced at him and Sam gave him a slight shake of his head as he filled a tumbler with the vodka he had found and passed it to me. “Drink that Ava,” he ordered.

I nodded and knocked it back, draining the glass in one. “I need to phone the police” I said quietly.

Mason’s eyebrows rose but he didn’t comment as he took my hand. “Ava, I’ll deal with it but I need to know, is this the first time anything like this has happened?”

“What?” I asked, confused as Sam picked up the lily from the table after searching through my cupboards and placed it into a freezer bag, sealing it tightly.

Mason squeezed my hand, “I’ve only known you for a few months Ava, and I don’t know if you’ve . . . if anything strange has happened before.” I shrugged but shook my head unsure. “Are you sure you’ve not noticed anything?” he asked again, narrowing his eyes on me.

“Well last night I . . . I . . .” I shrugged again.

“You what?” This time it was Sam who interrogated me.

“Well it sounds stupid . . .” I glanced away, chewing on my finger.

“Anything Ava,” Mason urged.

“Well I kind of felt somebody watching me last night, kind of a sensation of being followed.”

I lowered my eyes feeling stupid. “Just the once, Ava?” Sam probed and I shook my head.

“No, a couple of times. It was strange, like my body was frightened but wasn’t sure what of.” I glanced at Sam, he took my hand and squeezed.

Sam was an ex undercover agent and was now paid very highly by Mason as a hit man/bodyguard but he had the sweetest heart and genuinely seemed to care about me.

I saw Mason’s quick glance towards his hand but he seemed to take a quiet breath and relax himself. His attempt to compose himself made my heart swell. I took his hand and squeezed it and he winked at me.

“It’s gonna be okay, Ava but I think you ought to come and stay with me for a while.” He saw my hesitation and carried on, “Please, just until we find the wanker that’s done this.”

I sighed, “Do you think it would be better if I stayed with Court?” I cringed, not sure how he would react.

“No, you will be safer with me,” he stated in a tone that told me not to argue with him. I nodded, knowing I wouldn’t be able to relax in my house.

“This is my home,” I sobbed, angry that some unknown person had taken away my comfort and security in my little cottage.

“I know, baby but I’ll sort it, I’ll get some cleaners in,” he offered but I shook my head.

“No Mason, I don’t want some stranger going through my underwear.” I scowled when he glared and huffed.

“Baby, you’ve got no underwear left,” he shrugged.

I pursed my lips at his bluntness and then shuddered. “Did you see?” I whispered, not wanting to say it out loud for some stupid reason.

He narrowed his eyes at me. “Did I see what?” He stood and went to check the back door as Sam phoned for a locksmith.

“Did you see what he had done on . . . on my bed?” I gulped and retched as the image swam before my eyes.

He turned sharply, “What do you mean ‘what he had done on your bed’?” He looked intrigued but angry at the same time; Mr Cross and Mr What the Hell were playing together.

“He had . . . he had . . . you know.” I couldn’t say it, my stomach churning at the thought.

Sam sat down beside me when he ended his call and took my hand again. “Ava, this is a good thing. I can get a sample from it. So don’t think of it other than a good thing, okay?” I grimaced but nodded.

“Will someone tell what the hell you’re on about?” Mason demanded.

Sam sighed heavily and glared at him. “The bastard masturbated on her bed.” Mason’s face shut down instantly, a haze glazed his eyes, his fists clenched and he bit his bottom lip as he took some deep breaths.

I stood quickly and went over to him; taking his hand in mine as I cupped his face with the other. “Mason” I said softly but he continued to glare at nothing. “Mason” I encouraged a little sterner and the haze cleared but he still seemed somewhere else. I turned his head towards me and brushed my lips over his. “Mason,” I whispered against his mouth. His hand cupped the back of my head and his mouth opened as he deepened the kiss, his tongue invading my mouth.

I saw Sam leave the room and go upstairs as I tried to kiss Mason back to awareness. His hands slipped down my back and cupped my bottom and as I moaned softly I felt him snap back to me.

“Ava,” he whispered. I stroked my thumb across his cheek and smiled gently at him. He studied me for a moment. “I’m sorry about this morning,” he said guiltily.

I nodded, “We’ll talk later.” I smiled and he gave me a brief kiss.

“I better go and see if I can find some clothes to pack, minus the underwear,” I scowled and Mason pulled me back.

“I’ll go and do it. I don’t want you going back in there. I’ll order some underwear to be delivered to mine in the morning.”

I huffed, “Mason, you won’t have a clue what I need.”

He glared at me, “Ava, I’m sure I can grab some clothes for you.”

I persevered and shook my head, “I need some work clothes for tomorrow; you don’t know what I need.”

He narrowed his eyes harshly, “What do you mean ‘work clothes for tomorrow’?”

“I start at NSC tomorrow Mason,” I told him. My stomach flipped when I saw his face darken and I quickly jumped in. “Don’t Mason!” I warned.

He turned away from me. I could see his fists clench and his shoulders rise and fall as he took some deep breaths trying to rein in his temper. “But I just thought you would return to work for me,” he said with a slight growl to his voice but he didn’t turn back around.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Mason.” I told him cautiously, my teeth nibbling rapidly at my finger.

He turned swiftly, gazed at my finger with a slight fire in his eyes but nodded once. “We better go pack then,” he stated and disappeared through the doorway, climbing the stairs two at a time in his temper.

Rolling my eyes I followed him up and grit my teeth as I walked into the chaos that was once my bedroom.

Mason was stood glaring at the intimate deposit on my bed and the pair of knickers that had been used to smear it over my bed, the only pair of knickers that hadn’t been shredded.

I slid my arm around his waist, realising how hard this was for him. He slid an arm back, kissing the top of my head and squeezing me. I smiled at him before I pulled away and dragged the case down from the top of the wardrobe and started to fill it with clothes.

“I’m going to wait here for the locksmith Ava and make a start on this,” Sam said. “Is it possible I could take your house keys so I can unlock the back door as I’ll need to get to the bin?” I nodded, removed my car key and passed them to him as Mason picked up my case and made for the stairs.

He turned back to Sam, “Let me know if you get hold of him.” He said and I frowned.

“Get hold of who?” I asked, narrowing my eyes as they both gave each other a quick glance.

Mason shook his head at me. “No-one, come on let’s get out of here,” he ordered and pulled me towards the stairs.

He placed my case in my car boot and held out his hand for my keys. I frowned and looked at his hand in question. “I’ll drive” he announced, his hand still outstretched.

“Why? I’m quite capable.” I scowled but he shook his head and raised his eyebrows at me. I huffed, shook my head and gave him the keys, finding it easier to give in to his childish behaviour thinking we were going to have a serious chat about his need to control.

CHAPTER 22

MASON WAS ATTENTIVE and sweet that night. He ran me a bath, lit all the candles and brought me a glass of wine. I relaxed lazily in the warmth and security of the bubbled water, while he ordered Chinese takeaway, which we ate curled up on the sofa as we watched an old black and white film.