The NSC Boxset: Heart of Stone (119 page)

I huddled into Courtney, tight into her as she embraced me. I closed my eyes, shut them all out but I could still hear them, cackling and shrieking my name. I cringed at the sound. “TELL THEM TO SHUT UP!” I cried as I covered my ears again.

“Shush, Ava,” Courtney whispered as she clung to me, “It’s okay babe, they’ll be gone soon.”

I looked at her, my eyes wide and delirious as I nodded, “Yes, Yes. They’ll go soon.” I nodded again, more firmly this time. “Go!” I shouted to the shadows.

I froze as a shadow merged into a shape, a human form and I gasped, “Katie?” I laughed and cried and reached for her, “Katie, you came for me. I want to come with you Katie . . . I’m ready Hun.”

I scrambled towards her but Courtney held me back. “No Ava.”

I kept trying to reach her, I needed to get to Katie. She had come all this way for me, to help me and take me with her. “I’m coming, Katie,” I cried but Courtney’s arms got stronger.

“Get off me,” I shouted to her. “I need to go with Katie.” I snarled at her, a proper snarl with my teeth bared and spit flying. “GET OFF ME!!!” I screamed at her but she wouldn’t let me go so I pushed her backwards.

Her eyes widened and she shook her head slowly. “Ava please . . . I’m pregnant Ava, don’t hurt me. I know you don’t want to,” she urged but I looked at her in disgust.

“Then let me go!” I spat but she shook her head.

I slapped her and slapped her again. “MASON!” she screamed as I grabbed the top of her arms and shook her.

“LET ME GO!” I screeched as I scrambled off the bed and onto the floor, crawling desperately to Katie.

Mason’s arms slipped round me and he braced me securely. “NOOOOOO!!” I screamed as Katie reached out to me one last time and then disappeared.

I kicked and wrestled against him. “She’s gone you fucking bastard . . . you fucking cunt . . . she went without me!” I roared at him.

He still had a firm hold on me as he turned to Courtney. “You okay?”

“Yeah, just a slap.” She shrugged but her eyes filled with tears.

“Ring Sam,” he stated bluntly and she nodded then left.

“I hate you, I hate you!” I spat at Mason as I struggled against him.

“I know Ava, I know and right fucking now, I fucking hate me too.” He wrestled me onto the bed as the bedroom door opened and a woman I had never seen before looked at us.

Her eyes looked pained and worried. “Help me,” I begged her, I had no idea who she was but she looked like she might help; she had kind eyes. “They’re trying to drag me into hell but I don’t want to go. Mason won’t let me go with Katie and I just want it to end . . . I want to die!” I sobbed.

She nodded at me. “I know Sweetie, I’m gonna make it all better for you.” She smiled softly at me and stroked my hair.

“She’s very beautiful.” She tipped her head at Mason and smiled softly, her eyes warm and gentle. “I remember her but she . . . she was different then.” She took a breath and cupped Mason’s cheek lovingly. “Do you love her?” she asked him gently and he nodded.

“Help her mum, stop what she’s doing to herself, please . . . just . . . do something to help her.”

She nodded and turned back to me, softly stroking my arm. “You have beautiful skin Ava . . . so soft.”

I cocked my head as her voice mellowed me, soothed me; it was so soft and quiet as her soft strokes lulled me. “Yes. My skin belongs to Mason, I don’t think you’re allowed to touch me,” I told her seriously.

She smiled again as I felt Mason’s hard grip on my arm and a sharp scratch against my skin.

I dropped my head back as whiteness shrouded my vision and my body relaxed, everything seemed to float and I could feel myself slipping, “Thank Y . . .”

CHAPTER 41

MY EYES WERE way too heavy and I felt sick, my mouth was extremely dry and my face was sore.

What the hell?

I groaned against the sunlight that was streaming through the open curtains, swallowing at the dryness but the effort was too much. My body felt heavy and tired but I dragged myself to the edge of the bed and climbed onto the floor. I needed a drink desperately.

“Whoa, Ava.” Mason appeared in front of me and lifted me back onto the bed. “Stay there, baby.” He smiled softly at me and stroked my hair back.

“Drink,” I rasped. He nodded and reached for a glass of water. Sitting me back against the headboard, he placed the glass to my lips and I gulped greedily at it, the soothing liquid calming my throat instantly. “Thank you.” I smiled faintly at him and he pursed his lips.

“How you feeling?”

I shrugged. “My head hurts and I feel a bit sick. How much did I drink?” I squinted against the light in the room.

Mason walked over and pulled the blind closed. I rolled my head around my neck and tried to stand up but my legs felt like jelly. “Ava . . .” Mason shot over to me and caught me before I collapsed.

“I need to pee, Mason,” I scowled.

He nodded and wrapped an arm around my waist. “I’ll take you,” he stated as he scooped me up, deciding it was easier than walking me there.

Leaning me against the wall, he pulled my shorts down and then sat me on the toilet. He crouched in front of me as I peed, a faint smile lifted his lips and I smiled back and shrugged. “You’ve seen worse.” His expression grew serious, his face was agonised and bleak and he gave me a gentle nod.

“Bath?” he asked as he drew a finger over my cheek, over the edge of my ear and across my jaw. I nodded. “Stay sat,” he ordered as he rose and turned on the bath taps, pouring in some bath crème and then turned back to me.

“What did you do last night?” he asked quietly.

I frowned at him. “What do you mean?” I studied him, not quite able to work out his mood.

He cocked his head, “What’s the last thing you remember Ava?” He turned away and swirled the bath water.

I shrugged. “I got drunk and took a shower and . . .” I wasn’t sure, everything was blank after my shower and I scurried through my memories to recall my last actions last night.

Mason sighed and lifted the small mirror off the wall, the one he always used for shaving in and held it in front of me. I gasped and my eyes widened. I gingerly put a finger over one of the scratches, one of many and winced at the soreness. I was covered in what looked like claw marks and deep scratches. “What happened?” I asked hesitantly, wondering if Dane had returned while I slept.

He inhaled deeply. “You did it, Ava.”

I pulled a face at him, “What?”

He turned off the taps and helped me up, stripping me down and then swooped me up and gently placed me in the bath. He stripped naked and climbed in behind me. I stiffened as he pulled me back against his chest. “Damn it Ava, relax,”

I huffed but made myself lean back against him, the first touch of his bare skin touching mine bringing out a deep sigh. I needed him, the closeness of him, the scent of him, and the feel of him along with the security he surrounded me with. I rested my head back on his shoulder. He smiled and kissed my head. “Good girl,” he whispered and I snuggled my head against his neck. “Ava . . .” he sighed.

“Mmmm,” I murmured back.

“You need to see a doctor. I’ve made arrangements for you and I want no arguments, Ava.

I frowned. “What the hell for Mason?”

His legs curled around mine and his foot slipped up and down my calf. “Baby, you . . . you had some sort of . . . hell! I don’t know what it was but it wasn’t good.”

I turned my head to look at him, “Mason I was just drunk.” His sad smile concerned me and I regarded him. “What happened?” I asked warily.

His eyes fixed on mine. “We think you had some sort of temporary breakdown. You . . . you thought angels from hell were coming to take you away and . . . and you clawed at yourself, saying you had to get the evil out.” He tightened his arms and legs round me and I wondered if he thought I was going to do a runner. “Baby, I was so scared, I didn’t understand what was happening and I . . . I had to call my mother out to sedate you.”

I slipped around to face him; my body stretched out over his. His hands cupped my bottom to hold me up to him and I scanned his face “But you don’t . . . you don’t see your mother anymore.” I narrowed my eyes on him. “You never did tell me why but I can’t understand how you would call her out of the blue.”

He sighed and sucked on his lips. “Ava . . .” He lifted a hand to my face and palmed my cheek tenderly. “Ava, I was so frightened, I’ve never seen . . . it broke my heart to watch you . . . like that, you were terrified, really terrified, baby and it was the only thing I could think of . . . to phone my mother. She came straight away and well, we talked, built a few bridges, you know,” he shrugged.

I smiled gently, “I’m glad my fuck up’s came in useful.”

His face darkened immediately. “Don’t say that, Ava,” he hissed and I shrank back a little. “Don’t ever say that again.” He slid backwards so he was sat up more and I was now kneeling between his knees. “You said . . . you said you wanted to . . . to die Ava,” he choked out. I looked away and he narrowed his eyes on me. “How long have you felt like that?” I shrugged. “Ava! I need the fucking truth!”

“I don’t know, Mason!” I stood up and climbed out of the bath. “Leave it!” I asserted as I snatched up a towel.

He swiftly climbed out behind me and gripped my arms. “God damn it Ava, talk to me, that’s the reason we’re in this mess because you bottle everything in until it breaks you and shatters your mind. You didn’t see yourself last night Ava, you smacked Courtney and shook her like a fucking doll!”

My face paled. “Oh my God.” I shrank back against the vanity, my breathing escalating and my heart clenched.

“Relax, she’s fine but you weren’t you . . . You were . . . well anyway I’ve made you an appointment with a psychologist and you are going whether you like it or not. You need to talk about things, it’ll help I promise.”

I stared at him. What the hell had happened last night? I couldn’t remember a single thing and the thought that I had hurt Courtney sickened me.

I pulled the towel round me and walked into the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed my face with my hands and contemplated everything. Pulling the towel around me tightly as if it would protect me, I walked into the bedroom and perched on the edge of the bed.

Mason knelt between my legs on the floor and took my hands in his, pulling them away from my face. He leant up and brushed his lips over mine. “I need to say one thing Ava and I need you to accept what I say, okay?” He looked at me seriously. “What happened with Dane and Lee and all the other filthy bastards that touched you, that hurt you . . . none of it and I mean
NONE
of it was your fault. You didn’t ask for it, you didn’t give off any signals to make them think you wanted it and you definitely didn’t deserve it. You understand, Ava? It was nothing you did. Some people . . . well some people think because they want something it gives them the right to take it and they don’t care who they hurt while they take it. I don’t think you’re a whore, a slag or that you did anything to warrant everything that’s happened to you. You are the most loving, caring warm person I know, Ava. You are not promiscuous, hell it took me some serious work to break through your shell. You never give yourself openly and flirting doesn’t come naturally for you, so NO you didn’t ask for it baby and that’s the reason I love you, because you have to care before you sleep with somebody, you have to care before you open yourself up, so you definitely did not ask for everything you’ve gone through.”

He framed my face. “I know I’ve let you down Ava, I know I was stupidly blind and let Dane hurt you but I promise I won’t let it happen again and I’m . . . I know I keep saying sorry but I am, wholly and utterly sorry for everything that I put you through . . . Dane, the drugs, Rebecca, the . . . the blonde and every other damn thing I’ve hurt you with.”

I rested my forehead against his and sighed. “I know Mason but there’s one thing you don’t know.” I swallowed. “You saved my life . . . It’s as simple as that. My life before you was . . . well nothing. I didn’t feel, I didn’t live and I certainly didn’t love, but you . . . you’ve brought them all out, Mason. You chipped away at my shell until it cracked open and I finally started to breathe. I can’t thank you enough for your patience and your love because without it I’d still be that empty soulless girl. You woke me up inside, baby.”

I brought my lips to his and kissed him with everything I felt, I needed him to understand. My hands slipped into his hair and I held him to me, devouring and loving him with my mouth. His hands slid into my hair and he wrapped his fingers round it as we held on to each other.

I pulled back and stroked his cheek with my thumb. “Marry me, Mason?” I asked softly. He pulled back and looked at me, his eyes wide and bright, his lips parted and his breathing heavy.

He closed his eyes for a second and then opened them and gazed at me. “You mean it Ava?” he asked quietly and I nodded.

“More than anything Mason, I love you and I can’t live without you. I need you, I want you and I die a little each time we’re apart. I want to be with you for the rest of my life. I’m yours . . . if you want me?”

A large happy grin erupted on his face. “Oh baby,” he breathed and took me in another kiss, this time hard and full as he said yes in that kiss. His passion, his acceptance, his need and his love exploded into me through his kiss and I pulled him further into me.

“Make love to me,” I whispered.

He pushed me slowly down onto the bed as his hands slid down me and opened my towel. His kisses lowered down to my jaw as he nibbled his way across it and his hand gently caressed me, his touch loving and gentle.

His mouth moved down my neck and he oh so softly sank his teeth into my skin. I moaned long and slow, my arousal coursing through me as I tugged gently on his hair. His lips found my hard and ready nipple and he gently stroked it with his tongue as his hand cupped and caressed me.

I arched my back and pushed myself into his mouth. He sucked at me then softly blew on my wet nipple and I breathed heavily. “I need you Mason; I need you inside me, with me.”

One hand slid down my belly and over my mound as he cupped me and stroked along my groove. “Oh baby, you’re so ready for me,” he whispered against my nipple as he continued to worship it. I nodded and pulled him further up me.