The NSC Boxset: Heart of Stone

by D H Sidebottom

  CHAPTER 17

  I HAD CLIMBED in to bed an hour after Mason had disappeared and he had not yet returned but I was tossing and turning wondering where he was.

  We had to sort this out, it was an important point of our relationship and I was more considerate and open than he thought I was. If it was something he just wanted to explore just to try and sate his imagination then I’m sure we could sort something out but if he was out rightly denying his sexuality then we had a problem. I considered our sexual relationship and I couldn’t for the life of me imagine him being homosexual; our passion was intense, primal and mind blowing.

  “Jesus,” I groaned and flung the covers back. Wearing just my shorts and vest, knowing the others were asleep I crept downstairs and fixed myself a coffee.

  As I leaned against the counter and dropped my head in my hands I heard a crash behind me. I spun round to see Mason stumbling through the front door.

  “Shit!” I cursed quietly. I remained still when he staggered past the doorway but he spotted me and halted.

  I held my breath in preparation and realised he was drugged up as soon as his eyes landed on me. He cocked his head and curled his lip at me, “Well, well, if it isn’t Miss prim and proper,” he sneered.

  I groaned, realising he’d had a big hit and he was in an angry and mocking mood. Sighing, I decided to leave him to it but as I pushed past him he gripped the top of my arm and slung me up against the wall.

  “You think you’re too good for me don’t you? Like you’re better than the rest of us even though you grew up on the fucking streets with fucking nothing,” he sneered as he pushed me further into the wall, both of his hands now gripping hard on the tops of my arms.

  “Mason, let me go Baby,” I urged calmly but he reared back and scoffed.

  “Baby? Baby?” He laughed hysterically and I bit my lip at his cold treatment. He stopped laughing abruptly and his fingers gripped my hair, yanking roughly. I winced in pain.

  “Mason, please,” I whimpered.

  His mouth crashed over mine as he kissed me roughly and harshly, his teeth biting firmly on my lower lip. I tried to turn my face away but he gripped my jaw cruelly and turned my face back to his as he forced his lips on mine again. “Fucking kiss me!” he demanded.

  I swallowed heavily. “Mason, no,” I hissed but he seemed to be lost in a place of his own, even though he was kissing me with open eyes, he wasn’t seeing me and I wondered if he actually knew I was there.

  His tongue licked down my jaw and onto my neck and I tensed knowing what was coming. “You love my bite don’t you Ava, you need it cause you’re a dirty little bitch aren’t you?” he slurred. “It makes you fucking hot and ready doesn’t it? For how fucking rough you take it!” he growled.

  I cried out in pain as he sunk his teeth deeply into my throat. I could feel his teeth pierce my skin but he carried on sinking down. I cried out in pain again, my toes curling and my brain screaming inside my head at the pain. Struggling underneath him, I froze as his hands started pulling at my shorts.

  “No Mason, Nooo,” I shouted at him but he held me against the wall with his heavy frame and wrenched at my shorts. My hands were now free and I pushed at his chest but he was too damn strong. “MASON. NO. Don’t do this, baby” I pleaded as he had my shorts around my ankles and he started to unzip himself.

  “I’m gonna fuck you fast and fucking hard, just the way you like to be taken,” he snarled and I started to panic.

  “Mason, please,” I whimpered as he grabbed one of my thighs and lifted it up. “Noooo please,” I sobbed as I begged him to stop.

  His fingers twisted cruelly in my hair as he pulled my head to the side and bit into my neck as he thrust into me painfully and brutally, his fingers clawing at me as though he was trying to climb inside me and tear away my soul.

  I was sobbing and struggling. “Mason, no, don’t do this,” I pleaded as I sobbed but he grunted and thrust into me as he continued to take chunks out of my neck and shoulder, his fingers digging into my thigh painfully as his other hand tugged harder on my hair and I’m sure he ripped a chunk out.

  He thrust deeply then stilled and came violently inside me. He cried out as if in pain but by then I had shut down, closed it off and climbed inside my own head.

  He pulled out of me and I sagged to the floor in a crumpled heap, whimpering and sobbing as I curled into myself. I could feel the blood trickling down my neck, the wincing sting in the bites and the throb in my hair follicles . . . or the missing hair follicles, and the soreness between my legs at being taken roughly without being aroused.

  He crouched down in front of me and cocked his head to one side. “Don’t cry, baby,” he pleaded softly as he stroked the hair off my face and stroked my cheek lovingly with his fingers. A loud choked sob tore from me at the tenderness in his voice and my heart broke; for me or him I wasn’t sure.

  “WHAT THE FUCK!” I heard Greg thunder as the kitchen light flicked on.

  “Hey,” Mason smiled and swayed, clinging on to the table for support. “Aww baby, he missed it,” he laughed as he slumped into a chair. “Ava likes people to watch us fuck,” he told Greg with a smirk.

  Greg’s wide eyes shifted from Mason and then back to me and then returned to Mason. “What the fuck have you done?” he stuttered and then his brain kicked into gear. “COURTNEY!” he hollered and I saw Mason jolt at the volume.

  Greg crouched in front of me. “You okay, Ava?” he asked gently, pain and sympathy evident in his tight expression as he tenderly pushed my hair off my face.

  I just raised my wide wet eyes to his. He saw my neck and swiped his thumb across the blood. “Ava did he . . . did he?” He was struggling to ask but I nodded frantically at him and started to sob as I saw Courtney racing towards me.

  “Fuck, Ava.” She took one look at me, her face darkened and her eyes glazed over as her breathing slowed and her lips tightened on her face. She spun round and flew for Mason, pummelling him and screaming at him.

  “YOU FUCKING BASTARD!” she roared. I saw Sam and Connor stare at me and then to Mason and as realisation dawned Sam closed his eyes and groaned.

  Courtney was still kicking the shit out of Mason and he just cowered with his arms, covering his face. Sam came over to me, scooping me up as Greg tried to pull Courtney off Mason.

  Connor picked up my shorts and followed behind us, his face full of pity. “I’m so sorry Ava, I should never have left you,” he apologised but I just stared at him. I was numb and I was fucking glad I was numb. I didn’t want to feel, I didn’t want to think and I didn’t want to acknowledge what my lover, my soul mate, my man had just done to me.

  Courtney appeared beside me, her face pale and streaked with tears as Sam laid me on my bed and Courtney went to run me a bath.

  “Watch her while I run the bath” she ordered. Sam looked at me then at the doorway as Greg bellowed for him.

  “Go, I’ll watch her,” Connor told him and Sam scuttled off.

  I heard the front door slam and I cringed, knowing what Sam and Greg would do to Mason. I was still vacant and empty; glad that my emotions weren’t demanding an audience.

  “Is he on coke?” Connor asked quietly and I raised my eyes to his. I nodded hesitantly and he sighed, his eyes full of concern and guilt. “I should never have left you with him,” he admitted but I couldn’t answer as realisation dawned on me.

  I was more hurt by the fact that he’d gone out and scored than by what he’d done to me. The coke always made him like this and I knew tomorrow he’d have no recollection of what he had done tonight but I’m sure the beating Greg and Sam would by now be delivering would be a reminder to him for a while. Why the fuck had he needed to get high? We just rowed like every other fucking couple, yes it was a bad argument but it wasn’t a relationship threatening one. Where the hell had he got the coke from? Surely he wouldn’t know anybody around here, we were miles from home and it was Greg’s cottage not Mason’s but then it clicked.

 
; I shot up, pulled on my shorts and raced down the stairs and out of the front door, a panicking Connor and a now awake Marcy hot on my tail as I ran over to Mason’s car and pulled at the door handle, hoping it wasn’t locked and sighing in relief when the door opened. Scanning the interior I leaned over and opened the glove box before rummaging through it, pulling papers, CD’s and various objects out but no luck with the drugs. I searched through the inside, lifting the carpets and opening each of the various little storage compartments.

  “Ava, What are you doing Honey?” But I didn’t hear her in my mission.

  “Where the fuck are they Mason?” I asked myself as my eyes frantically searched the car. I noticed a section of the centre console didn’t look flush against the next section and I narrowed my eyes on it. Skimming my eyes over the wreck I had caused in the car I grabbed the penknife I had found in the glove box, knowing the action I used it for was the reason Mason kept it in the car. Prising it into the crack of plastic I levered it. The section flipped open to reveal a small clear plastic bag full of white powder.

  “HA! There you are!” I whipped it up and raced back upstairs and hid it under my underwear. Connor and Marcy just followed me silently around the house.

  Courtney popped her head around the door. “Baths ready, babe” she said. I nodded and walked in closing the door behind me. Courtney cocked her head at me and sighed. “Was he high?” I nodded as I climbed out of my clothes and climbed in the bath. She had already prepared an antiseptic wash for my neck and as I lay back, my head resting against the edge of the tub she swept my hair back and started to clean the bites. I winced at every swipe and Courtney silently seethed at the state of me.

  My thigh was covered in a huge purple bruise outlining Mason’s fingers where he had gripped me, my neck had four savage bites that had pierced the skin and one more on my shoulder but it wasn’t these that caused the pain, it was his betrayal at scoring a hit and getting high that hurt me. I was so mad at him. He promised me no more but when the going got tough he’d rather just blot everything out instead of talking about it.

  “Jesus Ava, he’s gone too far this time,” Courtney declared. I just shifted my eyes to hers, my neck too sore to rotate.

  “He was high Courtney,” I defended and her eyes widened on me.

  “Don’t you fucking dare, Ava,” she growled angrily but I sighed.

  “Mason’s having some . . . some issues at the moment and we rowed, he couldn’t handle it so he took a hit,” I told her. “He didn’t mean it Courtney, he didn’t even realise what was happening.”

  She stood up swiftly, her hands clenched along with her jaw. “FOR FUCKS SAKE AVA!” she roared. “When are you gonna fucking wake up and see this fucked up relationship for what it is?” she bellowed at me and I cringed. She was furious and I could see a vein twitching in her neck.

  “Courtney, please,” I pleaded.

  “No Ava, no fucking more. Do you hear me? NO. FUCKING. MORE!” She turned away, her eyes full of tears as she slammed the bathroom door shut behind her.

  I sat up and hugged my knees to me as I pulled in a long quivering breath. What the hell was I going to do? I hadn’t anticipated just how addicted Mason was. His obvious need and craving to score at every single little problem in his life made me realise he had a serious problem and I didn’t know who to turn to. I was going to have to phone George for advice and hoped he would understand without flying off the handle. I had worked out that Mason had been snorting little amounts all day and I wondered if he had been high when he asked Connor to share our bed, it would make sense and it would give him the courage to open his mind to what he wanted.

  I suddenly realised I wanted to see Nate, he always listened to what I had to say without his emotions erupting all over the place. He understood me and listened to me and I knew I couldn’t expect Courtney to take this on her shoulders; she was pregnant and didn’t need her stress levels any higher.

  I climbed out of the bath and went in search of my phone then sat on the bed as I dialled his number, cringing when I realised what the time was.

  “Ava?” He mumbled into the phone.

  “Nate,” I sobbed as I heard his voice.

  “Ava! What’s wrong, sweetheart?” he asked, now sounding awake and alert.

  “I’m sorry for ringing so late but . . . but I need to see you.”

  “I thought you were in Scotland,” he mumbled and I realised he was rubbing his face with his hand.

  I heard him whisper something to Liv. “I am, but I’m gonna drive back so I’ll be there after dinner.”

  He was silent for a while. “Ava, what’s happened?” he asked hesitantly and I gulped.

  “Mason . . . he got high and . . . and, he raped me Nate . . .” I whimpered as the realisation of what he had done slammed into my foggy brain.

  “W . . . w. .what?” he stammered and I choked out a sob.

  “He got nasty Nate and . . .” I couldn’t finish.

  “Listen sweetheart, do you want me to fetch you?” he asked softly.

  “No, I’m gonna take Mason’s car, the drive will take my mind off it. I’m gonna set off soon.”

  I heard him swallow harshly. “How about you just get a taxi back and I’ll pay for it?” he tried.

  “No, I need to drive Nate. I’ll be fine I promise,” I told him.

  He sighed heavily. “Okay, but stop and text me at regular intervals,” he resigned and I smiled.

  “I will. Thank you.”

  I closed my eyes and bit my lower lip. “Hey . . .” he breathed down the phone and I knew he was doing the same. “I love you, sweetheart,” he whispered.

  I swallowed the sob that was threatening to erupt, “I know. I love you too. I’ll see you soon.”

  I ended the call and pulled my case off the wardrobe and flung my belongings in it, making sure to take Mason’s coke with me.

  I ventured down the stairs and scurried through Mason’s coat and sighed in relief as I found his keys. I quickly wrote a note to Courtney and the others about where I had gone and I crept from the house, not wanting to face Courtney’s wrath and refusal to let me leave.

  I hurriedly swept all the contents from Mason’s glove box onto the floor and smiled wickedly as I turned the key and the engine purred. God! I loved this car; it was fast, lean and impressive. Mason had never let me drive it, well by rights he still wasn’t letting me drive it but fuck him!

  I pulled away from the cabin slowly as not to disturb the others and as I pulled off the long driveway I turned the stereo on, selected an album on Mason’s iPod and blasted out some upbeat tunes and grinned as I pushed Mason’s Aston Martin to its limits all the way back down the motorway, stopping at regular intervals but not at the Services Mason and I had pulled into.

  Every time I stopped to text Nate I discovered numerous missed calls on my phone. I sent Courtney a text explaining I had to leave and I would ring her when I got to Nate’s. She sent back an angry reply but I couldn’t be bothered getting upset about it, I had other things to worry about than Courtney’s anger and thanks to Mason’s mean machine I was pulling up to Nate’s driveway gates a little after 1 in the afternoon.

  He opened the front door as I climbed out of the car. My legs couldn’t carry me fast enough as he walked to me and I walked to him, meeting halfway as he pulled me into him and I broke down and cried.

  He scooped me up and carried me into his house where Liv was waiting with a bottle of vodka and two glasses.

  He settled me onto the sofa as he pulled me onto his lap and let me sob hysterically and exhaustingly.

  CHAPTER 18

  I HEARD THE hushed tones when I woke a little while later covered in a blanket. I stretched out realising it was now night time again. I groaned as I tried to roll my head around my stiff neck but realised it was sore not stiff and I winced in pain.

  Liv appeared before me and crouched down in front of me. “Can I pop some cream on it for you, Ava?” she asked gently and I smiled and
nodded.

  She stroked my hair off my face and disappeared as I swung my legs off the sofa and sat up, jumping in shock when I saw Elijah sat in one of the armchairs. “Hey,” he smiled softly and I frowned at him. “You’re back so I’m back,” he informed me with a wink, “Nate rang me to say you had come back early so it’s back to normal I’m afraid.”

  I nodded at him and smiled with a shrug. “That’s fine, I just don’t wanna intrude any more on Nate and Liv,” I told him and he nodded.

  “It was my idea,” I heard Nate say from behind. I turned to look at him and then flinched at the pain.

  He scowled and bit his lower lip in anger. “Nate,” Liv warned as she returned with a tube of something and sat beside me on the sofa. Sweeping my hair aside she grimaced as she saw the wounds properly for the first time

  “Jesus Christ!” Nate hissed and I saw his fists clench. “What the fuck happened?” He asked and my eyes flicked to Elijah. “Would you mind leaving us alone for a while?” Nate asked him. Elijah stood and nodded but not before taking a good glimpse at my neck and wincing. He disappeared through the hallway and into the kitchen as Nate took the place next to me whilst Liv cleaned and applied cream to my bites. “Christ Ava, he’s literally took chunks out of you.” His face was dark and I grumbled as my phone rang in my bag.

  “Shit, I didn’t ring Courtney,” I declared.

  “Relax, I rang her to let her know you got here safe,” Nate informed me as I scuttled about in my bag for my phone and as I saw the name on the display I declined it and placed it on the table.

  “I take it that was him?” Nate asked and I jumped in pain when Liv cleaned the deepest bite.

  “Ava, I really think these need stitches.” She sighed and I closed my eyes and grumbled.

  “Really?”

  She nodded as she grimaced at me. “They’re really deep and one of them has a chunk of flesh missing.” I closed my eyes and grit my teeth as my phone rang again. I could see Nate flick a glance at my phone and his expression blackened.