The NSC Boxset: Heart of Stone

by D H Sidebottom

  He stroked his hand over their hair as I put my arm around his waist and held him close. We stood, silently watching George and Katie and then I led him back out and into the kitchen.

  “You want a coffee?” I shouted to Elijah who popped his head round the door and nodded. I smiled in understanding. “You can shout and scream, they won’t wake,” I told him with a wry smile and he returned his own. “They have been brought up with plenty of noise and screaming . . . after all, me and Mason are their parents,” I chuckled bitterly.

  George frowned at me. “What’s he done now?” he asked as he sunk into a chair around the table. Elijah was stood in the kitchen and he stealthily backed into the lounge. I appreciated his discretion. I passed the mug to George and took Elijah his then settled at the table with my wine and filled George in on everything that had happened.

  He remained silent; as I knew he would and he didn’t speak until I had finished. “Where is he?” he asked and I shrugged.

  “George, I never know what filters through his mind lately,” I sighed and gulped at my wine.

  “It was just the coke, Ava. Don’t take any of it seriously,” he said sadly.

  I nodded. “I know.” I smiled weakly, “but I can’t have a drug addict as a father for my children. He won’t come near them until he’s off the stuff.”

  George nodded in agreement then reached forward and took my hands in a firm grasp. “And how are you bearing up, princess?”

  I shrugged but nibbled on my lip to hide my internal turmoil. “You know me George; I’m used to the shit life throws at me.”

  I looked away and heard him sigh, “I must admit, you must have killed a few fucking robins in your life, Ava” he laughed without humour and I scoffed.

  “One or two,” I agreed.

  George leaned back in his chair and puffed. “Why the hell didn’t he finish him before?” he asked angrily and I shook my head.

  “No George, don’t go there. He was Mason’s best friend throughout his life; I wouldn’t be able to hurt Courtney either. I don’t blame Mason, not one bit.”

  George regarded me and then shook his head sadly and stood up, “Listen, it’s late and I’ve sorted out accommodation at Brian’s.” He held up his hand to halt my protests as he continued. “You don’t have room Ava, what with the babies and the strapping bodyguards,” he whispered with a twinkle in his eyes.

  I rolled my eyes in exasperation at him. “I’ll be back tomorrow, I’ll text you before I turn up” he revealed as a knock came to the door. I frowned, my heart in my mouth. George was instantly in front of me, his arms and legs wide protectively. I didn’t think I could love him more than I did in that exact moment.

  “It’s okay, its Neo,” Elijah shouted from the room, “its shift change,” he informed us as we walked into the lounge.

  A huge dark skinned man with the darkest eyes I had ever seen tipped his head and smiled at me. “Miss Stone, I am this evening’s entertainment,” he winked with a wicked smile. I liked him immediately.

  I smiled back but frowned as George pulled him to one side and whispered in his ear. Neo nodded every now and again, I knew he was on the receiving end of George’s protectiveness and security of me.

  I rolled my eyes again and turned to Elijah. “Thank you for today, I know it’s not your typical first day with a new client.” I shrugged apologetically but he frowned slightly and took one of my hands in one of his enormous ones and leaned towards me.

  “Ava, whatever happens or whoever pays my wage, I am here to protect you and your children, and I will do whatever it is that makes you comfortable, secure and relaxed.” he said quietly and my breath hitched as his warm breath whispered across my cheek.

  What the hell is wrong with you Ava? Simmer down!

  I gulped and smiled at him. “Thank you.”

  He nodded. “I’ll be back at midday tomorrow, sleep well Miss Stone” he said and tipped his head to Neo and George then left.

  “Where do you sleep?” I turned my head from the sofa and regarded Neo.

  He smiled widely. “I don’t sleep, Miss Stone.” His face held a slight hint of humour and I grimaced.

  “Sorry.” He shook his head from his stance by the door. “Can’t you sit down? It makes me nervous you just stood there?” I asked timidly and he smiled again.

  “I can.” He moved to the chair, sinking his huge frame into it.

  “What do you do all night then, while I sleep?” I asked and he shrugged.

  “I have my iPad and laptop Miss Stone, I usually do all the technical work for Elijah,” he disclosed.

  “Is Elijah the executive then?”

  Neo nodded, “Yeah, it’s his business. He built it up from scratch.”

  He reached into his bag and pulled out a bottle of water. I watched his Adam’s apple bob about as he swallowed. “You married?” I asked.

  What the hell is wrong with you tonight Ava?

  He shook his head. “Nah, not my thing” he chuckled and I smiled at his easiness.

  “Well I’m gonna go up. Help yourself to anything and you don’t have to be quiet. As I explained to Elijah, the twins would sleep through the second coming,” I laughed and he smiled warmly.

  “Okay, thank you Miss Stone. Good night.”

  As I stepped through the doorway something occurred to me and I spun round. “Oh, Mr Blackman, uhh . . . my ex Fiancé has a key to the back door which he doesn’t hesitate to use . . . even without my permission. Don’t hurt him if he comes in but I don’t want him here either,” I said, my cheeks heating with embarrassment.

  He smiled at me. “Miss Stone. Your ex Fiancé won’t even get past the security outside so don’t you worry about a thing. Get a good night sleep. . . . you . . . well I would imagine you need one,” he said cautiously.

  I regarded him humorously. “Are you saying I look like shit?” I asked with my tongue in my cheek.

  He shrank back with wide eyes, “No . . . no Miss Stone, I was . . .”

  I laughed and held my hand up to him. “Relax, I was just joking.” He took a large sigh of relief and I winked at him, “Goodnight, Mr Blackman.”

  He smirked at me, “Neo, please.” I nodded then shut the door behind me and left him to it.

  I climbed into bed, my eyes and ears searching frantically for anything unusual. I had left a lamp on and I wondered if I would ever be comfortable in the dark again.

  There was a small knock on my bedroom door and it opened to reveal Courtney stood in the hallway light. I sighed in relief. She smiled at me, stripped down to her underwear and climbed in behind me.

  “Sorry I’m late, Greg needed . . . well, he needed something.” She cringed and I laughed as I shrouded her embrace with my own.

  “I bet he did,” I chuckled and she snorted.

  “I don’t know how to thank him enough, Courtney. Your Fiancé got me through the final day, the worst day and I . . .”

  She tightened her hold on me. “He told me what happened Ava, I hope you don’t mind?”

  I shook my head. “No, it saves me telling you.”

  “I can’t imagine the pain you went through and to be honest I’m amazed . . . proud of you for fighting back when the rest of us would have given up and . . .” she choked.

  “Yeah, a proper little warrior,” I said with bitterness, Mason’s pet name for me making my stomach curl and my heart ache. “You heard from him?” I asked her.

  “No, Greg and Sam are out looking for him.”

  I scoffed and shook my head slightly. “He’s probably high and fucking some tart by now.”

  “Ava, don’t . . .” she warned softly.

  “Anyway how’s your little nugget?” I asked; my own pet name for her baby.

  “Great, I love pregnancy.” I heard the smile in her voice and smiled myself. Courtney had been blessed with a straight forward pregnancy, no morning sickness, no cravings and no backache . . . the complete opposite to what mine had been.

  Her hand settled in
my hair. “Sleep, Ava,” she said as she curled up tight into me. I didn’t think I would be able to sleep but I was soon unconscious and my body welcomed it, the serenity and peacefulness of sleep.

  “Ava . . .” he whispered. My heart froze as I looked around my bedroom frantically. “Ava . . . I’m coming.”

  I backed myself against the wall as he appeared in the doorway. “No please.” I shook my head rapidly as I pushed my body further into the wall behind me, my fingers clawing at the plaster as though I could dig my way through the wall and away from him. He curled his lip at me, that half lip that made my spine shiver.

  “You are such a bad girl, Ava,” he said as he took another step towards me. “And now I’m going to make you pay for running.” He sneered as he held up a red hot poker. I shook my head rapidly, terrified and frozen with fear. He laughed and reached out to me, his hand extended as though I would willingly go with him.

  “Now, come on Ava. Even Mason knows you want me; you love my cock pounding away at you. Even he knows what a whore you are,” he laughed.

  “NOOOOOOO!” I screamed as he lifted the poker to my bare breast.

  “Enjoy Ava.” He smirked as he pressed it against me. The scream erupted from my throat, a high pitched blood curdling scream as I felt my skin crisp and singe under the heat and fire. . . . .

  “AVA! GOD DAMN IT!” Courtney’s voice exploded around me.

  I scrambled backwards on the bed, fighting for breath. I saw Courtney by my side and Neo at the bottom of the bed. She took my hand as I looked at her with terrified eyes.

  “It was just a dream babe . . . just a dream, Ava,” she soothed and I nodded frantically at her.

  “Ju . . . just . . . a. . dr . . . dream,” I sobbed and shivered.

  She climbed over to me and pulled me into her arms. “It’s over, Ava. We won’t let him hurt you again, babe,” she said softly and I nodded wildly again.

  Neo gave me a reassuring smile and nodded then left the room as Courtney and I settled back down but it was impossible for me to drift back off and after another hour of tossing and turning I slipped out of bed, grabbed my robe and went in search of coffee.

  “You okay?” Neo asked as I entered the kitchen. He was sat at the table, tapping away frantically on the keyboard. I nodded to him and held up a mug in query. He smiled and nodded as I filled the kettle and made coffee.

  Sitting at the table I took a large gulp and sighed at the caffeine hit. “What are you working on? “I asked and he regarded me over the rim of his cup.

  “If I told you that I’d have to kill you, Miss Stone,” he grinned.

  “Please, call me Ava,” I told him as I reached into the cupboard for a packet of cookies.

  “I’m updating the system with Dane Winters details and loading his profile into the network so it should pop up when we get a hit, either facial or technical,” he told me as he carried on typing.

  “Technical?” I asked around a mouthful of chocolate chips, and he glanced at me.

  “Yeah, hospital admissions.” He smirked, “We presume after the amount of blood left in the shower that he will be receiving hospital treatment.”

  I shrugged. “He deserved every fucking thing he got.”

  “He did,” he agreed as he leant across the table for his own biscuit. “Other things it tracks are card transactions, access to his online accounts, and we have triggered his house to let us know if he enters it or he opens his phone messages.” He frowned at something on his screen but continued typing at a professional speed and ability.

  We sat in comfortable silence for a while as I savoured my coffee and he worked as he demolished the rest of the cookies. My mind started wandering and it wasn’t long before it was thinking of Mason. I refused to let it. I started rummaging about in the cupboards, pulling out ingredients and equipment and I started to bake, needing the relaxing feeling it always gave me.

  A couple of hours later and the worktop was covered in muffins, cookies and cupcakes.

  The sun came up as I iced and creamed them and I was feeling much better by the time I had finished. Neo had been constantly dipping fingers and nibbling at things and we had laughed hard and often and I appreciated his effort to distract my thoughts.

  Courtney joined us early and we were now sat at the table, drinking coffee and eating banana and toffee muffins whilst we chatted. Something beeped on Neo’s laptop and then all hell seemed to break loose.

  CHAPTER 6

  NEO FRANTICALLY TYPED and pressed keys whilst dialling people on three phones. I recognised Elijah’s voice through one of them. “We’ve got a hit,” Neo said calmly and professionally.

  “You got the guys out?” Elijah asked and Neo confirmed that he had. “I’ll be thirty minutes.”

  Neo pressed more keys and then swung the laptop round to me. “Is that him Ava?” he asked. I shivered as I saw Dane’s bloodied face on the screen. I swallowed and Courtney’s hand rested on my shoulder.

  “Yes,” I whispered.

  Neo patted my hand and then continued to rapidly speak to different people on different speaker free handsets, competently and efficiently giving out orders. My heart was in my chest as the two way conversations were frenzied and constant.

  “Where is he?” I asked quietly and Neo’s gaze swung to mine.

  “His house,” he answered calmly.

  I nodded. “I had hoped I had killed him,” I whispered, more to myself than anybody in the room.

  He smiled encouragingly. “Hold that thought, Ava,” he winked.

  I stood and left the room, needing calmness and quietness. I switched on the shower in the bathroom and let it run before I stepped in and winced as the water pounded the sores on my back, reminding me that they would forever more mar and disfigure me. Reminding me of how they got there, how they had been thrust upon me. I closed my eyes and shifted my thoughts and after finishing my shower, I dressed and went in search of smiley little faces.

  Katie was awake when I entered their room and I swept her up, nuzzling her hair and inhaling her sweet scent. “Good morning peanut,” I greeted softly and she grizzled at me. “Hungry, baby?” I took her over to the changing table and swapped her squidgy nappy for a clean one and took her downstairs before she woke her brother.

  It was still action stations downstairs and Elijah had arrived. “Good morning,” he smiled softly at me and held out his finger to an inquisitive Katie, who ensued to grasp it firmly. He smiled at her and she smiled back, making my heart swell. She was such a good baby, hardly ever complaining and grumbling.

  Courtney held out her bottle for me. I smiled my thanks to her and popped it in Katie’s mouth as I cradled her in my arms. She immediately latched on and guzzled, “Greedy guts,” I chuckled at her and kissed her head. She grinned at me over the teat and I chuckled at her, “You are so beautiful.” I snuggled and she squealed at me. Katie was a proper Daddy’s girl and I wondered if she was missing Mason, I know I was but I refused to let it show. I didn’t need anybody to know how much I was struggling without my man.

  “Have you managed to find him?” I asked Elijah and he shook his head.

  “No, the bastard had gone before our guys got there,” he divulged angrily.

  “Fuck!” I hissed.

  “Precisely,” Neo chuckled. “We’ll get him next time Ava.”

  I nodded and strolled into the lounge, sitting on the sofa with Katie and enjoying our precious time together.

  “What are we gonna do Katie, eh? Do you miss your Daddy?” I smiled down at her as her huge eyes watched me, her facial expressions changing with each of my words as she continued to suck on her milk. “I won’t let anybody hurt you baby girl, I promise.” I kissed her forehead as a tear slipped free and dropped on her cheek. I stared at it as it trickled across her pink cheek and down onto her chin. “I miss him so much, Katie,” I whispered as another tear dripped onto her.

  I swallowed the rest back; I didn’t want to drown her. She grinned at me as though she kn
ew what I needed and a sob escaped my throat at her happy face.

  I felt somebody sit next to me and I turned to see Elijah regarding me with a frown. His eyes dropped to my cheek and he brushed his thumb across my tears. “Don’t cry, Ava,” he whispered and I swallowed at his tenderness.

  I smiled shyly at him and then flinched back from him as Greg entered the room. He came up behind me and kissed the top of my head. “Morning sweetheart, how are you feeling?” he asked as he scanned the room.

  “I’m good and she’s in the kitchen,” I told him. He gave me his cocky grin and winked then went into the kitchen.

  I could feel Elijah’s eyes on me but I didn’t look up. “Do you want me to put a trace on him?” he asked quietly and I glanced at him.

  “Who? Dane?” I asked; confused as I knew they already had him under surveillance, that is if they could ever find him.

  He shook his head. “Mason,” he informed me softly and I sucked in a breath.

  “No, I don’t think I want to know where he is.” I shrugged as he frowned at me and cocked his head questioningly. “He uhh, he has a tendency to fuck anything with tits when he’s high,” I confessed.

  Elijahs’ eyebrows hit his hairline. “And you just, what? Accept it?” he scoffed and I looked away and bit my lip.

  “No,” I said quietly.

  “Fuck!” he hissed and my eyes shot to his. “You don’t deserve that, you know that don’t you?” He narrowed his eyes on me and I gulped.

  “I haven’t . . . I haven’t actually been an innocent party,” I divulged and he sighed.

  “I see,” he said and his eyes dropped to Katie.

  “Nothing like what you’re thinking,” I defended, suddenly needing him to understand. “I . . . well I fell for somebody else when my life was a bit . . . well it was fucking shit at the time and me and Mason were having problems,” I explained.

  Elijah frowned at me. “Ava, it’s none of my business,” he said and I shrugged.

  “I know but I didn’t . . . I didn’t want you thinking I was . . . I was . . .”

  His hand palmed my cheek and I blinked rapidly at him. “Ava . . . I don’t think you are . . . well whatever you think you are,” he scolded firmly and then smiled at me softly. He held my gaze for perhaps a moment too long and his eyes suddenly dropped to my mouth. I parted my lips in a puff of breath and Elijah cleared his throat and stood up quickly.