Decay (Heart of Stone Book 13)

by Sidebottom, D H

  “Anyway,” he went on, “I sorted that little problem for you.”

  My blood congealed. “What did you do?”

  “Got rid of the twat.” He was so blasé, but all I could think about as I closed my eyes in despair was my daughter.

  “You bastard.”

  Vaughan held his hands up. “Well here was me thinking I was doing you a favour.” He leaned closer again. “Don’t worry, he didn’t feel a thing… Well, not after the first few seconds. Nice clean take-out.”

  Although I hated Steed, my heart broke for Katie. She was too young to lose her husband so soon, and so coldly. “I’m going to kill you so very slowly, Vaughan. And I’m going to take pleasure in every single fucking second.”

  He laughed loudly and stood up. I tensed when he slowly strolled behind me. “That might be a bit of a problem. You see,” he sighed, “I’m not quite sure how to put this.”

  My body locked up when I felt the cold press of steel in the back of my head.

  “You’re a little too late to the party, Fox,” he jeered, his mouth at my ear.

  Twisting my hands, I tested the restraints once again but they were too tight. There was no way I was getting loose of them. My skin was already chafed after numerous attempts. I had to give that idea up and try and to find another way.

  My teeth sank into my bottom lip when Vaughan dragged the muzzle of the gun through the back of my hair, leisurely circling the top of my head with it.

  “Who’d have thought your own family would ever turn on you, Fox.”

  This time all efforts of escape left me and I paused, prepping myself for his next words. The words I already knew.

  “Imagine my delight when little George Fox came to me with a fucking offer I couldn’t refuse.”

  Fuck!

  Now it all made sense, and I couldn’t do anything but sag into the chair.

  “It all seemed so simple, I would never have guessed he would pull it off. But hey, here we are. You should be very proud of your only son, that boy has a head for this stuff.”

  Closing my eyes, I concentrated on Ava’s beautiful smile, a smile I knew I’d never witness again. This would kill her. First Courtney, and now me. She’d never get over this, and even though I knew I was going to die, all I could think of was how to make it easier for Ava.

  “All you have to do is take out my father, he’d told me, and his empire is yours for the taking.” Vaughan trickled the tip of the gun up and down the back of my neck. “Well who would refuse that? I get the Fox empire, and your son gets what he wants, a dead daddy and limitless amounts of drugs. Win, win for both of us.”

  My own son had betrayed me. I wondered where it had all gone wrong with him, but then I couldn’t help but think he’d always been one for passing the blame. He wouldn’t ever find his peace. And even after everything, I hoped he did. He was still my son after all.

  “You think you’re invincible, Fox,” Vaughan hissed.

  A silence settled around me.

  “But you’re poison.” His voice was rough with excited emotion and hatred as he pressed the gun harder into the back of my skull. “Everything you touch rots, decays until nothing but bitterness remains.”

  Closing my eyes, visions of my beautiful wife settled the rage in my heart. Life had been good; Ava had seen to that. I knew she’d be okay when I had gone. I just wished that my last precious seconds had been with my little warrior. Her perfect smile the last things my eyes would have seen.

  “Pray God allows you mercy. You’ll need it.”

  The gun clicked.

  My heart leapt through my chest.

  My pulse stampeded in my ears.

  Dots of sweat broke out across my forehead.

  The blood in my veins solidified.

  And nothing.

  Vaughan laughed hysterically. “Thought I was gonna shoot you, huh?”

  I bit into my tongue, trying to breathe through the tightness in my lungs and keep my fucking dignity. I refused to freak out in front of the cunt, he’d just love that. And I had greater control that he did.

  “A simple shot would be way too easy for you,” Vaughan declared as he walked back around the front of me. “No, you need to die much more… creatively.”

  When he winked at me and opened the door, my heart finally gave out when another person walked into the room.

  All the fight left me as I stared up at George. There was nothing left of him inside, I could see the insanity staring back at me when he grinned down at me. I wouldn’t fight him. Not my son. In a way he deserved this, he had earned the right to be the one who took my last breath.

  Looking back on my life, I knew I’d been lucky to find Ava. I hadn’t deserved to be loved the way she loved me. I’d been cruel, merciless, a vicious cunt who took whatever he had wanted. But Ava had burst into my life and shown me compassion. She’d taken my ruthlessness and she’d moulded it into love, a love so overwhelming that even though death was upon me I still felt damn lucky.

  Everything had happened for a reason, including me being the one who had killed my own father. And now it had come full circle.

  “Time to play, Daddy,” George giggled… Right before he dragged the knife straight across my cheekbone. “Let’s see how long you can hold out, eh?”

  And then he began.

  Eighteen

  Ava

  Another couple had been escorted into the waiting room, their quiet but distraught weeping across the room grinding me further into the dark recesses of my mind. Something sinister had crept inside me within the last hour. Something was wrong. I couldn’t pinpoint what but I knew deep within my bones that something had been lost to me. A chasm had opened in my chest and I’d been struggling to breathe.

  Katie had fallen asleep with her head in my lap a short time ago. I’d softly stroked my hand over her thick, lush hair, staring at her the entire time and wishing that somehow I could make her smile again.

  She didn’t deserve this. Underneath all her bravado and hardness she was just a woman who craved to feel, who wanted to be loved. Life hadn’t been easy for her, or George. Being a Fox came with a health hazard, and they’d grown up with so much violence and death.

  Mason and I were guilty for that. As much as we’d tried to protect them there was only so much you could shield them from. They’d heard things, seen things that no child should ever witness. But they’d always been loved, insanely so. We’d done our best, and when it came to it, that’s all you could do in life.

  “Sweetheart,” I whispered softly in her ear.

  She stirred, sighing before she slowly opened her eyes. It took her a moment to focus and figure out where she was, but then she stretched and sat up. “Sorry.”

  “Don’t be silly.” I shook my head and smiled. “Let’s go home.”

  She nodded then turned her eyes to me. “Can I come home for a while?”

  “Of course, I expected you to.”

  Standing, I held out my hand for her and as she took it and pulled herself up, the room door opened and Theresa walked in.

  As soon as she looked at me, I knew. Something inside me solidified, preparing me. Her eyes held a sorrow, a devastating sadness, that seeped into me and started to trickle ice through my veins.

  “Ava,” she breathed, tears creeping into her eyes.

  Katie stiffened beside me, her hand in mine tightening.

  Bracing myself, I locked down my emotions. “Mason?”

  Theresa nodded slowly. “I’m so sorry. He was brought in a while ago with multiple stab wounds. I’ve only just found out.”

  My legs wobbled and I gritted my teeth, willing myself to harden up. Swallowing back the bile that was swiftly rushing up my throat, I ran my tongue over my teeth to moisten the dryness that had developed and blew out a breath. “Take me.”

  She nodded, quickly turning.

  Katie and I followed in complete silence. I wasn’t sure how I made it through the corridors. Nothing afterwards made sense to me. M
y feet just moved. My heart just beat. My eyes just saw. My mind fractured. And my soul died.

  We came to a stop outside a room and Theresa turned to me. “Ava, you need to be aware.” I listened but kept my gaze fixed on the door. “He’s been tortured and beaten considerably. He’s lost a lot of blood. The prognosis isn’t good. The doctors have done as much as they can. But now it’s up to Mason.”

  I gave her a short nod.

  “Katie, love.” Theresa slowly moved her eyes to Katie. “I advise you to stay here.”

  “No.”

  “It’s okay,” I whispered, my voice unable to lift any higher. “Stay here, Katie.”

  “Mum…”

  “No.”

  Her hand dropped from mine but I knew she understood this was something I had to do on my own.

  “I’ll be right here,” she said as she squeezed my arm.

  Taking the door handle, I paused and closed my eyes. Fighting for the rage that always lived within me, I begged for it, pleaded with it to grant me the strength to do this. I needed a hardness to take over and shield my heart.

  Calmness descended and I slowly opened my eyes.

  And then I opened the door.

  Theresa was right behind me. And I thanked God for that.

  She caught me when a scream ripped from me, the force of it tearing the lining of my throat. The hardness I’d found did nothing to protect me. My soul crumbled within me when an agony so raw took my breath.

  “Oh dear God.”

  My head shook from side to side and I slid to my knees at the sight of my broken and mutilated husband.

  “Are you sure it’s him?” I choked out, my eyes fixed on the horrifying sight before me. “That’s not Mason. It’s…”

  “Yes. It’s Mason.”

  Theresa held my hand tightly, trying and failing to give me faith. There was no fucking faith left. All my fucking life I’d given so much; people had taken so damn much. And now it was finally mine and Mason’s time to enjoy each other, to live, fate had mocked me again. Again! A-fucking-gain!

  Well fate was a cunt!

  Fuck you! Fuck you to hell and back!

  My teeth trembled as a liquid ice slithered inside me. I had always relied on that little bit of evil that lived inside me, used it to keep me going. Well now it nurtured me, it possessed me like it was a physical entity. It fucking grew inside me, and it fucking reigned over me. And for the first time in my life, I welcomed it! I opened myself to it and allowed it precedence.

  Slowly rising to my feet, I slid my phone from my bag, my eyes on my husband as I silently made my oath to him.

  My heartbeat settled, my blood flowed gracefully, and my soul rose from its despair.

  “Sam, I want everyone ready.”

  “Ava?”

  “Now. Right the fuck now. And by everyone, I mean everyone. You call in the Devine’s, the Takeshi’s, the Barlow’s, the Krum’s, all of them. Every single fucking name that owes us.”

  Theresa narrowed her eyes on me cautiously when the room started to chill with my wrath.

  “Oh, and Sam…”

  “Yeah,” he answered hesitantly.

  “Tool up.”

  Walking over to my husband, I leaned into him and softly pressed my lips to his head.

  “I promise you, as you did the first day you took my hand, that I will follow you wherever you go. You want to leave? Then I’m right behind you, my glorious bastard. But give me time. You need to wait for me, Mason. You leave without me then I can’t follow you, you understand me? You wait for me.”

  He didn’t even flinch, but I knew in my heart that his soul had heard me.

  “Ava?” Theresa whispered.

  I shook my head, turning my hard eyes to hers. “You keep him alive until I get back.”

  Pure sadness swept over her but she lowered her eyes and nodded.

  “Promise me, Theresa. Promise me.”

  “I promise,” she swore, a resoluteness in her eyes that gave me her vow.

  Katie nodded to me when I stepped outside. She could see and feel the vengeance rule me, because it ruled her too.

  Taking my hand, she blew out a breath. “Time to end this.”

  For the first time ever, mother and daughter would fight together. We would make them all pay. And they would all die a death so gruesome no one would ever dare speak of the events to come again.

  “You ready?” I whispered.

  “Fuck, yes.”

  I promised her I’d give her a smile. I still had that promise and one more to keep.

  But when this was over, I knew it was time to close.

  And, shit, if that didn’t give me a smile.

  Nineteen

  Ava

  Twenty nine people stood in my front room.

  Twenty nine people had come to fight for my man.

  Twenty nine people had come to stand by my side and avenge someone they looked up to and loved.

  “Ava,” Jake Devine greeted me when I stepped inside, taking my hand in his and kissing my knuckles. “Shit, babe, I’m so sorry.”

  Shaking my head, I pulled my shoulders back. “Don’t be sorry, be angry.”

  He snorted, grinding his teeth together, “Oh, I’m that alright.”

  I looked around, taking in all the faces and memorising exactly who had stepped up.

  “Ava,” Grace smiled at me, the sadness in her eyes for the man she also loved making my gut churn. She indicated to two men on her right side. “Frank and Vince. My colleagues.”

  I nodded to them, giving them a grateful smile. “Thank you.”

  “Nah,” Frank mumbled, “Grace’s family is our family.” I knew they were Memphis by the detached void in their eyes, only cold, brutal killers could carry a Memphis badge. But cold and brutal was exactly what was needed.

  My eyes landed on Greg who was stood silently to one side. His gaze found mine and the utter horror that stared back at me made me shiver.

  “You don’t have to be here, Greg.”

  “Yes, I do.” His voice was so expressionless that I had to swallow back a gasp. “Those bastards took Courtney from me. And now they hurt Mase. I have to be here. I have to make them all pay for what they’ve done.”

  My heartrate quickened and I closed my eyes as shame and devastation took me under.

  Katie slipped her hand into mine and I took a breath, looking around the room at my friends, the people who loved me.

  “There’s something you all need to know.”

  Every stare turned to me, every gaze found my face.

  “Rich Vaughan won’t be alone.”

  They all nodded. They all knew this.

  “We take out everyone associated with him. But Rich is mine.” Looking at Sam, I asked, “Do we have somewhere for him?”

  “Yep. All prepped and ready.”

  “Good.”

  My mouth was so dry that I was sure they wouldn’t hear my next words. Sweat broke out over my palms, making Katie squeeze tighter, and the race of my heart was threatening to finish me before we even got in there.

  “There’s one more person who belongs to me.” I moved my eyes to Greg. “And that is my son.”

  Every single body in the room froze as all eyes snapped up to my face.

  Greg’s eyes widened when he figured out what I was trying to tell him. His mouth opened as all the blood drained from his face. Then, very slowly, his head moved from side to side. “No. Ava, no.”

  “I’m so sorry.” My words weren’t adequate for his suffering. My disgrace wouldn’t bring back his wife. Shame hung heavy in my heart and I lowered my eyes, unable to look at his distress.

  Nate was suddenly by my side, his hands gripping my arms in a tight hold. “What the fuck are you saying, Ava?”

  He was angry, and I didn’t blame him. George was his Godson, and Nate loved him like his own. He already knew what George had done, but my oath that I would be the one to wreak vengeance on my own flesh and blood shocked him to the core.


  Addressing the whole room, I choked on my own humiliation. “George killed Courtney. I don’t know why. But I know he did. He also gave information that led to Dane Steed’s murder. And now, I have a suspicion that… that he laid the final blow in Mason’s beating.”

  The whole room was silent, pity and horror all aimed at me.

  “However, George will be dealt with by family. I want him taken to a waiting van where Sam will take him to an undisclosed location.”

  Greg narrowed his eyes on me. He knew I wouldn’t reveal George’s location for reasons everyone understood. I sympathised with his lust for revenge. But whatever atrocity he had enacted, George was still my son.

  Greg closed his eyes, yet he nodded. He wasn’t pleased, and I knew I had just laid the foundations to ruin our close friendship, but I couldn’t, and wouldn’t, allow anyone else at him.

  “Sweetheart.”

  I blinked up at Kade. He smiled down at me softly, the heartache in his eyes gripping my own heart and squeezing it tightly. “I’ll be at the hospital.”

  I nodded. He stared at me for such a long time and I got lost in his deep blue eyes. We shared a grief so powerful, our mutual love for a man binding us in ways we would never experience again.

  “You make him wait for me, Kade.”

  He flinched, his throat bobbing as he swallowed. He understood. Eventually, he nodded.

  Smiling softly, I reached up and wiped away the tear that was slowly rolling down his cheek. “I love you,” I whispered as I stretched up and kissed him. “I promise you vengeance.”

  His arms came around me and he kissed me back. He poured strength into me. He poured love into me. And he gave me his blessing to follow my husband.

  Turning, I nodded to Sam. He pulled four crates into the middle of the room and then started to distribute various weapons.

  Katie was already loaded up with Thelma and Louise, and a few other tools.

  I slipped away and went to the bedroom. I refused to allow myself to look around, to let my heart visit mine and my husband’s intimate area. Sentiment was forbidden until my mind could cope with it all. I was surprised I hadn’t slipped into the realms of crazy again. However, I was so focussed on what I had to do that I don’t think my mind could concentrate on anything but the need for blood spill and slaughter.