The NSC Boxset: Heart of Stone

by D H Sidebottom

  Taking a deep breath I plunged in. “Mason, I want to draw Dane out.” I cringed when I felt him stiffen. I slid round to face him and straddled his thighs. “Baby, I can’t keep looking over my shoulder anymore, it’s driving me mad,” I pleaded and he sighed.

  “I’ll talk to Elijah but only if he’s found a fool proof way to keep you safe, Ava,” he told me seriously and I nodded.

  “That’s fine, thank you.” He looked pained for a moment and I cupped his face, “I promise to keep safe.”

  He rested his forehead on mine. “I don’t like it baby but I agree, we have to do something now.”

  We lay huddled for a while longer both lost in thought, worries and apprehension as we knew what was to come.

  “I’m hungry, baby,” Mason murmured in my ear and I smiled.

  “Yeah me too,” I retorted but didn’t move.

  “I’m really hungry, Ava,” he whispered as he nibbled my ear.

  “Yeah, I could go a real nice prawn and avocado on rye, dollops of mayo and mustard, sprinkled with cayenne pepper with a side order of salted crisps.”

  I bit my lip trying to hold in the laughter. “Awww baby that sounds sooo good.” His tongue was now on my neck as he teased me.

  “Mmm it does,” I nodded but remained still.

  “I’m withering away,” he persisted as his teeth grazed my skin, he knew what he was doing and I squirmed on the bottom of the bath.

  “Me too,” I whimpered as his teeth nipped at me softly. “Bite me,” I rasped.

  He planted a wet kiss. “What’s it worth?” he baited and I groaned.

  “Please, Mason” I was pleading now as I gripped the back of his neck and pulled him further into me.

  “Is it worth one of your delicious sandwiches, Ava?”

  I groaned again as he sucked gently on my skin and his teeth scraped over the soft flesh he was sucking on. “Arghh,” I moaned as my stomach vaulted when his teeth nipped me but it wasn’t near hard enough. “Bite me,” I demanded and he chuckled into my hot skin.

  “You know what to say, Ava,” he said and I tensed immediately, a violent shudder shook my body.

  You know what to say Ava!

  “Baby?” Mason asked cautiously but I shook my head and climbed from the bath, wrapping the towel round me.

  “I’ll go make you that sandwich,” I choked out, biting my lip to keep the memories and tears away.

  “Ava?” Mason shouted as I tore from the bathroom and retrieved my robe from the bedroom, pulling it around me quickly and made my way into the kitchen.

  Mason entered behind me, now donning joggers and nothing else while I pulled ingredients from the fridge. Greg walked in after Mason and approached the fridge, grabbing a bottle of water and then turned to look at us.

  “Everything okay?” he asked hesitantly as his eyes slipped from mine to Mason’s.

  I forced a smile and nodded, noticing Mason shrug at Greg behind me. “Sandwich?” I asked Greg and silently cursed when my voice broke a little.

  You know what to say Ava!

  I rolled my head around my shoulders and started to scoop the avocado into a small bowl and began mashing it with the fork a little too harshly.

  “Ava? What’s wrong, baby?” Mason came behind me but I shrugged out of his grasp and shook my head.

  “Nothing!” I croaked.

  You know what to say Ava! You are such a whore that a fuck from anyone would sate you!

  Another shiver made its way through me body. “Ava, this doesn’t have anything to do with what happened earlier with you and Courtney does it?” Greg asked and I frowned.

  “What?” I asked, a little too harshly.

  Greg frowned at me. “Well, I just don’t want you to feel uncomfortable, you know . . . and you just seem as though something’s on your mind, that’s all . . .” he tried but I cut him off.

  “No, we’re all good, I’m fine honestly.” I turned back to mashing the avocado and tried to concentrate on it and closed my eyes.

  “Ava!” Mason demanded firmly and I swallowed.

  You know what to say Ava! You are such a whore that a fuck from anyone would sate you!

  I spun round and threw the fork at Mason. “Fuck you! Don’t ever talk to me like that again!” I exploded at him and he reared back.

  “Like what?” he asked with confusion.

  “What you said in the bath!” I spat at him, my blood was pumping furiously and I was livid. I knew deep down it wasn’t Mason’s fault but his words had hurt me and made my skin crawl.

  He shrugged at me. “What did I say in the bath?” I spun round and stalked towards the door but he grabbed my arm. “Ava, tell me, what did I say?” he ordered and I shivered.

  “You said . . . you said . . .” I shook my head as tears welled in my eyes.

  I could see Mason racking through his memories trying to find the words that had hurt me. “All I said was ‘You know what to say, Ava’” he stated and I heard Greg groan behind him. Mason turned towards Greg with a furrowed brow and dropped his grip on my arm. I took the opportunity to walk through the door. Greg would explain, I didn’t have the heart at the moment and I just wanted to get out of the house.

  I made my way down the crooked steps and stepped onto the beach as tears streamed my face. I was so mad at myself for succumbing to Dane’s torment even though he wasn’t anywhere near me. This had to end and I had to finish him myself for my nightmares to end.

  Sitting on the warm sand I huddled my knees up then hugged them tightly as I sobbed. The sun settled over the horizon, the beauty of it soaked through to my soul but I still didn’t have the heart to appreciate it.

  Mason’s arms enveloped me from behind and I sobbed harder as he held me tightly. “I can’t get him out of my damn head,” I wept and he tightened his hold.

  “I’m so sorry, baby,” he whispered as he swept my hair over my shoulder and kissed my neck.

  “I want to kill him Mason, slowly and fucking painfully. I wanna whip him until he screams, I wanna burn him so his skin crisps and sears his flesh until he vomits, just like he did with me. I wanna hurt him so bad.” I pulled at my hair in desperation and Mason pulled me round to face him.

  “Ava, please . . .” he begged but I shook my head in frustration.

  “No damn it! It’s always there Mason, in my head, in my dreams, in my fucking soul and I can’t break free from it, it won’t let me free,” I shouted, my anger and frustration aimed at him vehemently as I shot to my feet and raced across the sands, needing to work off my pain and torment.

  I heard him behind me, shouting my name but I kept on relentlessly, pulling the strength and energy from deep within me. I ploughed on, the frantic beat of my heart, the pounding of blood in my veins and the wind in my face cleansing my spirit, erasing the memories from my retinas as my bare feet trampled the sand beneath them.

  He finally reached me and pulled me under him onto the sand as he wrestled me onto my back and held my hands aside my head. “Ava!” he rasped out, “God damn it,” he breathed and I stared at him. My breathing was as erratic as my heart and I bit my lip till it bled. “Ava, stop it.”

  I narrowed my eyes on him, suddenly hating him, hating myself and hating fucking everything.

  You are such a whore that a fuck from anyone would sate you!!

  “Fuck me!” I ordered him and he reared back, his eyes dark and apprehensive.

  I scrambled with his joggers, frantically trying to free his cock.

  You are such a whore that a fuck from anyone would sate you!

  “Fuck me Mason, fuck me hard like the dirty little whore that I am!” I screamed at him as I pulled at the sash of my robe. “Take me Mason, fuck me like an animal cos’ that’s what I am and that’s what I deserve.”

  I bit into his neck savagely as he struggled above me. “Stop it!” he warned but I was relentless in my mission.

  You are such a whore that a fuck from anyone would sate you!

  “Come on Mason,
fuck your little whore!” I snarled and as I managed to pull my robe open, I grabbed him and rolled us over, unsure of where my energy had come from but I took the opportunity and positioned him beneath me and plunged down on him before he could retaliate.

  “Fuck, Ava!” he growled as he grabbed my waist when I drove myself on him with anger and fury.

  “Do I feel good? Your fuck whore, do I feel good Mason? Answer me damn it!” I exploded as I slapped his face.

  He snarled at me and flung me over so I was pinned beneath him. “STOP IT!”

  I struggled in his grasp but he pulled out and slowly nudged back in, inch by inch grinding his hips as he slid in gently. “I love you, I love you, I love you. You are so beautiful Ava, from your gorgeous soft copper and blonde curls and the way your blonde eyelashes frame your striking deep green eyes. To the smattering of freckles over your small pert nose, to the way your slightly long canines stroke your tongue when you speak and give you a delicate lisp,” he whispered as he planted small delicate kisses along my jaw and down my neck. “To the way your plump soft pink lips part when you see me, the way your bottom lip trembles when I bring you to orgasm and the way your eyes twinkle and darken, and a little dimple appears in your brow when you look at me.” More tiny wet kisses were trailing across my collar bone. “To the softness of the skin on your neck. The small throb of your pulse at the base of your throat, to your amazing breasts and the way they are covered in the same damn freckles that make you so beautiful and the little heart shaped mole that covers your right nipple, but most of all baby I love your heart and what’s in your head because they are what make you, you,” he whispered as he held me down while taking me softly, gently and tenderly.

  His mouth found mine as he kissed me with so much love and adoration I choked on a sob but his eyes never closed and never left mine while he made love to me. I arched my back and closed my eyes.

  “Open your eyes baby, I need you to see how much I love you, how much I worship you, how much I idolise you and how fucking perfect I see you, because you are Ava, you’re fucking perfect, from your beauty to your heart to your soul and to your amazing strength, determination and gentility. I love you for who you are, even though you don’t see that, well I fucking do, every day, every minute and every waking second I look at you. You’re my little warrior and I love you so much that without you I don’t think the sun would ever rise again, my lungs would never fill again and my heart would never beat again. Be proud of who you are Ava, because I am so fucking damn proud of you.”

  The tears were streaming down my face as he continued with the slow easy but deep strokes as though he wanted to climb inside me and devour me, and protect me from life itself.

  My back arched severely as my orgasm tore through me, his words bringing me to the pinnacle of pleasure and ecstasy. He followed me, crying my name in his release as we both continued to hold each other’s souls with our eyes and our hearts.

  “Ava . . .” he groaned and I pulled him to me, holding him tightly to me, never wanting to let him go and never wanting to see that much pain in his eyes again from my words.

  “I’m so sorry” I whispered into his hair but he shook his head and raised himself with his knuckles.

  “No baby, you have had so much bad stuff happen in the past year I’m surprised you’re still standing.” He stroked his finger along my nose. “But you need to tell me Ava, you need to tell me what you’re feeling otherwise I don’t know and I can’t help.”

  I smiled softly and shook my head. “You have too much shit to deal with at the moment Mason, my shit on top of that doesn’t help you get better.”

  He scowled and knelt back on his heels. “What the hell, Ava?”

  I frowned and sat up, “What?”

  He shook his head sadly. “Jesus Christ, we’re a fucking partnership; we’re in this relationship together. You have singlehandedly dragged me back from the darkest place I have ever been . . . while a man . . . a fucking sick excuse for a person is stalking you, you’ve been raped endless of times, you have been locked up and tortured, you have witnessed your best friend burn to death, you have unwantedly watched me fuck another woman. You have been torn apart by having your baby ripped from your body and then you went through hell to deliver our beautiful babies and to be told that you can’t have anymore. You have watched your lover explode from every single fucking orifice on his body while he pins you to a wall and attacks you while high on fucking heroin. You have had your delicate heart broken while watching me engaged to Rebecca and then you risk your life by freeing me from her, while another evil bastard sent you dead fucking animals and trashed your house and you . . .” He raked his hands through his hair and stood up. “And you think about me . . . again!” he scoffed.

  I frowned. “I don’t understand, Mason?” I swallowed heavily as I watched him pace frantically before me.

  He flung his head back and laughed, loudly and bitterly. “You never think about yourself for one single second, what YOU go through, what YOU have BEEN through, just everyone else!” He grabbed my hands and pulled me up, cupping my face and forcing me to look at him.

  “No fucking more Ava, you understand me?” he demanded, “You start and tell me how you feel, what you’re thinking and what you want even if I don’t like it. It’s time to concentrate on you for once.” I nodded faintly but still couldn’t understand what he was trying to tell me.

  He scooped me up in his arms and walked back along the beach in silence, his mood dark and sullen.

  “By the way, that was orgasm of the month number two,” I told him cheekily, trying to lighten the mood and I noticed his lips twitch. “It was your beautiful words that made me come hard, thank you,” I whispered into his ear as I planted a soft kiss against it.

  He pulled me in tighter. “They’re all true Ava, all of them are exactly how I feel about you.”

  I smiled and rested my head back against his shoulder as we both went quiet again.

  “Do I really have a lisp?” I asked seriously and he barked out a laugh.

  “Yes baby, you do but it’s damn sexy,” he chuckled huskily and I squealed as he dug his fingers into my ribs. “Stop talking and relax,” he ordered sternly and I saluted him.

  He smirked and glanced at me. “You’re right; you would be fuckin’ useless in the army.” He grinned as I slapped him and he settled us down on the sand in the exact same spot he’d asked me to marry him a year ago and as the tide lapped our feet and the scent of the orchids teased our nostrils Mason made love to me again, tenderly and lovingly as his eyes worshipped mine and his fingers never broke from their tight hold on mine, never releasing me from his embrace and I knew I never wanted to let go. But that didn’t stop me concentrating on my bottom lip to see if it trembled when I climaxed . . . it did!

  CHAPTER 29

  “OH FOR GOD’S sake,” I groaned as Brooke introduced herself. Mason turned to me and smirked, giving me a mischievous wink.

  “Good afternoon, I’m Brooke and I’m your hostess for your flight.” She grinned seductively at Mason and Greg and I caught Courtney’s scowl . . . it wasn’t just me then!

  “I remember who you are, Brooke. You were our hostess last time we came to France,” I smiled forcibly. “I’ve already buckled Mr Fox in,” I told her as she bent to fasten Greg’s belt.

  “That’s okay; I can still do yours handsome.” She winked at Greg and a small growl erupted from Courtney’s throat. Mason snorted and she glanced at him. “Oh that’s right Mr Fox, you have flight nerves. If there’s anything I can do to help alleviate those fears for you, you be sure to let me know.” She fluttered her eyelashes at him and my lip curled.

  “Oh, I’ll be sure to do that, Brooke,” Mason winked and I narrowed my eyes on him. She beamed at him and placed her hand on his forearm.

  “Bitch!” I muttered under my breath but Courtney nodded at me, obviously I hadn’t said it quietly enough . . . oh dear!

  “Which of your goodies are you offeri
ng on a plate today, Brooke?” I smirked and Mason snorted, but apparently the innuendo in my question filtered straight through her very dim brain because she didn’t even glance at me, just kept her eyes trained on the guys.

  “Well we have champagne, fruit and seafood” she offered and I smirked.

  “I would love to taste your clams, Brooke.”

  Mason lowered his head as Greg’s head shot round to me, his eyes wide with humour. I winked at him, knowing the thick hostess wasn’t very good at reading my sarcastic digs.

  “Would you like anything else to go with them?” she asked as she smiled sexily at Greg.

  “How about a slap?” Courtney asked quietly and Brooke frowned at her.

  “Sorry?” she asked but Courtney smiled sweetly at her.

  “I asked if you had crab . . . s.”

  I snorted and looked out of the window. This was so much more fun with Courtney. Mason chuckled to himself as Greg just sat stock silent. “Yes, I have some delicious crab meat,” she told us. I laughed at Mason’s attempt to hold the laughter back, his face was screwed up tightly and his eyes were full of tears.

  Greg gazed at Courtney, she threw him the filthiest look I had ever seen cover her face.

  “What would you like, sugar?” Brooke asked Mason and I glared at him but I knew it was too much for him to resist.

  “I’d love to taste your juicy plums, Brooke.” I shook my head at him as she grinned at him.

  “Ooh yes, I have some lovely ripe fruit for you today.”

  Mason’s eyes widened at her, “I’m sure you do, Brooke.”

  I scowled now, he was flirting relentlessly. “Darling, can you make sure your babies are secured properly,” I growled at him.

  Brooke glanced at Mason. “Oh, are they yours? I thought they were your assistant’s.”

  I spluttered on my champagne, “Assistant? I’m his bloody Fiancé,” I snapped. Mason swallowed his awkwardness before turning his attention on George and Katie who were fast asleep in their seats.