The NSC Boxset: Heart of Stone (110 page)

I took a deep breath and nodded. Then he passed me another envelope. “And this is Commissioner Robert Delaney’s copy.” He smiled and passed me an A4 sized white envelope. “And this Ava is a little gift for you that I had undertaken.” He smiled softly at me and I noticed a tear in the corner of his eye.

I frowned and opened the envelope, taking out the document.

I puffed out a large breath and a sob tore from me as I read it and I turned my stunned face to William who smiled tenderly at me. “I had the baby tested as soon as she delivered. Her or Mason didn’t have any idea, I have friends everywhere, Ava,” he explained with a wicked chuckle.

I sobbed out a relieved cry and closed my eyes as I took everything in. “I don’t know what to say, William.”

He shrugged. “It’s a pleasure, Ava. You love Mason so much that you’re willing to risk everything for him and that tells me how much of a good person you are.” He side huddled me and kissed my cheek. “Now go raise some hell,” he chuckled.

I beamed at him and for once everything in my life seemed to be slotting nicely into place.

My phone rang as I exited the bank after I had stored the documents.

“Nate?” I answered hopefully.

“Ava, I’ve managed to secure a meeting for next Friday at 4:30, that was the earliest,” he told me and I smiled to myself.

“That’s perfect Nate.”

I ended the call and made my way to the hospital, desperately needing a cuddle from my babies.

I frowned when I arrived and Mason wasn’t there. “Have you seen Mason this morning?” I asked Glenda, the nurse who had taken care of my babies with me since their birth.

She shook her head. “No, I was surprised by his absence.”

I lifted Katie out of her crib and Glenda placed George into my other arm. “Strange.” I frowned.

I spent the next hour tending to the babies and then went outside to phone Mason.

“Avaaaa . . .” he answered and I froze. Was he drunk? It was only lunchtime.

“Mason . . . are you okay?” I asked cautiously.

He laughed loudly. “Am I? I don’t know, Ava,” he slurred.

“Mason, tell me what’s wrong baby,” I pleaded and my heart froze at his next words.

“Everything’s fucking wrong Ava. You’re fucking wrong, the babies are fucking wrong, hell why don’t I just give up!” he shouted. I knew he had taken some coke.

“Where are you?”

“I have no fucking idea but there are lots of pretty ladies,” he snorted. The bile rose in my throat.

“Mason, I need you to tell me where you are?” I asked more sternly but he ended the call as he said hello to somebody.

My heart was beating too fast and my breathing was heavy and irregular.

I dialled Sam. “Sam, are you with Mason?” I asked quickly as soon as he answered.

“No, why?” he asked hesitantly. I knew immediately he was aware of something going off with Mason.

“Sam, tell me. I don’t care what it is just fucking tell me,” I demanded.

He sighed, “Rebecca’s father is making him move out to America, Ava.”

I closed my eyes and exhaled. “FUCK!” I snarled, “When did he find out?”

“Last night, he rang me in a panic. He didn’t know how to tell you, Ava. Delaney has him by the balls, there’s nothing he can do about it without risking your freedom, Ava. Don’t be angry with him,” he pleaded.

I sighed. “I’m not angry at the situation, I’m angry that he couldn’t tell me,” I fumed. “You’ve no idea where he is?” I asked again.

“No,” Sam said simply.

“Well he’s fucking coked up again,” I declared.

I heard his hiss. “Shit!” He paused, “Listen Ava, you try his house and I’ll try the clubs okay?”

I rushed into the hospital and told Glenda that I would be gone for a while and climbed into my car. I shouldn’t be driving until six weeks after birth but I hated buses with a vengeance. I raced over to his house hoping that Rebecca wouldn’t be there.

I rolled to a stop in front of his house and flew out of my car and into the house, a feeling of unease settling over me. The door was unlocked and I frowned. He must be here if the door was open.

I checked in the kitchen but there was no sign of him, the lounge was empty so I made my way upstairs. He wasn’t in the bathroom either so I walked into his bedroom.

I halted as I stepped in and my world crumbled around me.

He was laid naked on the bed as a thin blonde was riding him, the sounds of slapping flesh and moans loud in the room.

A whimper escaped my throat and my knees buckled as I grabbed hold of the door frame. My heart shattered into a million pieces but then Mason succeeded to grind each tiny little fragment into the carpet with each word that left his mouth.

“Hey Ava, have you come for that threesome, baby?” He laughed and pushed the girl off him as he stumbled over to me.

His eyes were vacant and wide but his pupils were completely shot and his face was pale and slack. “Hey baby, show my friend your gorgeous pussy.” He smiled sickly and reached out to me.

My fury rose to a new extreme, a level I had never achieved before and I pulled my arm back, way back and punched him so formidably in the face that his nose splattered and his cheek bone shattered as he crumpled to the floor.

The girl screamed and scrambled about for her clothes, pulling them on in frenzy. I kicked him in the stomach as he tried to get up and then I spat on him, turned and walked out while dialling Sam.

“You found him Ava?” he asked out of breath.

“Oh yeah, I found him all right. You’d better get round to his house and peel him off the fucking floor Sam,” I growled as I shook with rage.

“Ava?” he asked quietly.

“I just found him fucking some tart in his bed,” I whispered.

I heard Sam groan. “Ava, wait until I get there sweetheart,” he pleaded and I snorted.

“No Sam, I don’t want to kill him. I’ll be at the hospital.”

I strode into the neonatal, immediately unhooked the equipment from my babies and pulled them in tight and then I sobbed; uncontrollably, loudly and hysterically until a doctor came and sedated me.

CHAPTER 31

“HEY,” COURTNEY SAID softly as I came round. My head was banging and I felt sick.

“How long have I been out?” I asked as I pulled myself up in the hospital bed.

She came and sat down beside me. “A few hours.”

“You okay, Ava?” Greg asked from the corner of the room and I looked over at him. His face was full of pity and anguish as he leant against the wall.

“You heard then?” I lowered my head.

He nodded sadly. “Sam rang me,” he said and looked at the floor.

I bit my lip harshly to stop the tears. “No more, no fucking more,” I breathed.

Courtney nodded grimly. “Oh, babe,” she sighed and huddled me up as Greg took a step towards me.

“It’s just the coke Ava, he won’t have even realised what he was doing?” he explained or excused for Mason, I wasn’t sure which.

“Oh he knew who
I
was.” I snorted, “He asked me to join in.” I laughed bitterly as Courtney’s eyes widened and Greg swore. “I can’t do this anymore, Greg. I have my babies to think of now, I won’t let him keep doing this to me.”

I sighed and swung my legs over the edge of the bed. “Just tell him to stay away from me,” I asked him and he cringed. “Please Greg.”

He tipped his head. “I’ll tell him Ava but I won’t be able to stop him.” He shrugged and I nodded faintly.

Courtney helped me off the bed and took my arm. “I want my babies,” I said and she nodded.

“Come on mama,” she said bleakly and I let her escort me to what I needed more than life itself.

* * *

I arrived home late and smiled to myself. “Get past that arsehole,” I said smugly as I laughed at the new chain I had fitted on the back door and slid it across.

I brewed a coffee, took a muffin from the fridge and climbed up the stairs.

I had been in bed reading for about an hour when I heard the first bang on the front door. I inhaled heavily and turned up the volume on my iPod as the door banged again. I turned it up louder as I heard him shout and then my phone buzzed to life, which I hastily declined.

Mason spent the next hour trying to enter my house until I sent him a text.

ME

Fuck off or I promise I will phone the police!

MASON

Please let me in baby. I’m so sorry Ava, please let me talk to you!!! I love you baby.

ME

Don’t ever call me baby again! Now fuck off before I keep my promise!

MASON

I’m going nowhere until you let me in!

I grinned as I dialled 999 and told them I was been harassed by a man who was trying to enter my house.

I heard the sirens ten minutes later and grinned wider when I watched through the window as they escorted Mason into the back of the car as a policewoman knocked on my front door.

I filled in a statement then went back to bed. I knew he would be furious with me for what I had done but at that moment in time I didn’t give a shit and I hoped they kept him in that cold bloody cell all night.

* * *

I groaned and stretched out the next morning, my head pounding and as I turned to look at the clock, I spluttered as I saw Mason sat in the corner wicker chair.

What the hell?!

“GET FUCKING OUT!” I screamed at him but he just rubbed his face with his hands.

“Ava. . . . Please,” he begged and stood up, taking a step towards me.

I scrambled backwards up the bed. The hurt on his face pleased me immensely. “Ava, I’m not gonna hurt you, baby,” he said quietly.

“I told you to never call me that again!” I yelled, “Now fuck off before I phone the police again.” He sighed deeply and held my phone up. “Give it me, Mason,” I snarled. It was then I saw the huge purple bruise on his cheek and the Steri-strip bandage across his nose. I beamed inwardly, very pleased with myself.

“Ava, please listen to me,” he pleaded despondently but I shook my head rapidly.

“No! No fucking more, Mason. I can’t do this. You have finally succeeded in breaking the remaining piece of my heart . . . shattered it into fucking smithereens! NOW GO!” I sobbed.

He screwed his face up at my words. “No Ava. I won’t let you end this!”

“You don’t have a choice, you bastard!” I yelled as I scrambled off the bed and realised I was naked.

Mason groaned and closed his eyes slowly. I smiled inside. “Take a good look Mason cos’ you won’t be seeing it ever again.”

He gulped and gazed at me, holding my eyes as I stood there daring him to look at my body but give him credit, he managed to keep the hold on my eyes.

I pulled on my robe and scurried into the bathroom to empty my bladder, then switched on the shower, deciding to torture him some more.

He followed me in as I knew he would. I slid my robe slowly down my shoulders and stepped into the shower, leaving the door open to torment him further.

I could feel his eyes on me as I soaped my hands and slithered them round my neck, down my breasts slowly and then down my stomach and in-between my legs.

“Ava . . . please.” I opened my eyes and cocked an eyebrow at him.

“Did you want something Mason?” I asked sweetly.

He groaned and closed his eyes. I cast a quick glance to his groin, smiling wickedly to myself as I saw his obvious hard erection. “I think you’ve got a problem there, Mason.” I gestured to his crotch, “You better go and find another tart to ease the pressure for you.” I sneered.

His face went dark, his teeth biting into his lip then his hand swept across the vanity, scattering and smashing the contents over the floor, glass shattered everywhere. I grit my teeth in anger as he stormed off.

I rubbed my face with my hands and stole a breath as I ventured across the floor, hissing and wincing as I stepped over the broken glass. I hobbled over to the cupboard above the toilet and removed the first aid box as I slipped my robe back on.

I made it down the stairs, trailing a lot of blood behind me and entered the kitchen.

“For Christ’s sake,” I groaned as Mason was stood filling the kettle. “Will you just go.” I sighed and slumped into a chair.

I lifted one foot and rested it on my knee as I took the tweezers from the box. Mason turned to me, his eyes widened as he saw my feet. “What the hell, Ava?” he declared as he crouched before me.

I shook my head in incredulity, “How the hell did you expect me to get out of the bathroom without stepping on the glass?” I pulled a ‘How stupid are you’ face and his expression darkened again.

“Don’t be smart, Ava,” he growled and snatched the tweezers from me.

“Mason, will you just go. I don’t want you here never mind within a foot of me and I definitely don’t want you touching me,” I snapped and grabbed for the tweezers but he moved them from within my reach.

“Ava, will you just . . . please!” he groaned in frustration as he bit his lip again.

“No Mason, you won’t win me round again. I don’t even want to look at you.” I winced as he pulled a piece of glass from the sole of my foot, and jolted back as he laid his hand on my leg to steady me.

“
Don’t fucking touch me,
” I hissed. He winced at the vehemence in my voice but continued, refusing to remove his hand. I bit my lip in temper and from the pain of the glass but tried my best to ignore him and looked away, breathing heavily as he persisted to remove all the fragments. He got a warm bowl of water and started to slowly and delicately clean the bottom of my foot.

We were both silent and I stole a glance at his face; he was pale and his frown lines were prominent, marring his beautiful face, his tongue was poking out of his taut lips slightly as he concentrated on my foot. His eyes were dead, the sparkle and brightness had gone, replaced with a haunted and pained darkness and the remainder of my frozen heart cracked a little.

“Why Mason?” I whispered. His eyes shot up to mine. Tears formed in them and he squeezed them shut tightly.

“I don’t know, Ava. I didn’t even know what I was doing,” he spoke faintly and I could hear the self-disgust in him.

“Well you
knew
I was there, you even asked me to join in your fun,” I spat at him and he grimaced.