The NSC Boxset: Heart of Stone (296 page)

“Sorry, busy day!” the female apologized. They both stuttered to a stop when a baby’s cry echoed around us. “Okay,” the male stated. “Looks like it just got a whole lot busier.”

He glared at me when I pushed past him and ran up the stairs.

Courtney snapped her eyes to me when I burst through the door. Her grin lit my heart. Nestled against her chest was a bundle of pure perfection wrapped in a simple white blanket, a Christmas Angel.

“Hey,” she grinned as I walked over to her and took my new Godson from her, smiling when he opened his eyes and stared at me. “Mason, I’d like you to meet Mason Gregory Chambers.”

My mouth popped open and I stared at her. “Mason?”

She grinned wider when a bloody tear rolled down my cheek. “He’s perfect and now he’s honoured.”

Ava snorted and shook her head but smiled when I narrowed my eyes on her. “He’s so very privileged to share your name, baby.” I nodded, agreeing with her.

Greg slapped me on the shoulder and I pulled him in for a hug.

I frowned when Ava whimpered. Turning round I smiled at George, Kade and Grace when they walked into the room.

“Oh my God,” Ava choked out as she pulled all three of them into a fierce hug. She turned to me with tears in her eyes. “Did you do this?”

“Merry Christmas, baby.”

Chapter Seven

Merry Christmas

Ava

I GRINNED AND swung my hips as Mason sang into the mic. “I’m so glad I finally found you. Yes, that one, the one in a million, yeah. And I wish my lovin’ arms around you.”

It amazed me how he thought he could sing. But I didn’t care. My man made my heart sing every second of the day.

His eyes found mine, the words he so very meant with his soul taking me along for the ride with him. Greg, Nate and Kade provided the backing vocals as me and my girlies danced our hearts out.

Mason walked over to me, still singing with the mic in his hand as the guy’s followed him and we each found our partners.

I couldn’t help it. I started crying. He scowled at me but rolled his eyes. “You know your love, your love keeps liftin’ me. It keeps on liftin,’ your love keeps liftin’ me higher, liftin’ me, higher and higher. Yeah, yeah your love, your love keeps liftin’ me, it keeps on liftin,’ your love keeps liftin’ me higher, liftin’ me higher and higher.”

“I love that song,” I whispered.

“Me too.” He grinned when Marcy came dancing up and thrust a mic into my hands. I shook my head but she rolled her eyes and dragged me up to front where the karaoke was set up. Liv, Katie and Debora were stood already swinging when the music started.

I grinned, throwing away my nerves and sang Sister Sledge’s, We are Family. Courtney sat swaying from her chair in the corner of the room as Mason suckled on her breast. Fuck, that sounded so wrong.

A couple of hours later we were all relaxed and happy, alcohol and food filling our bellies as Christmas music played and lights twinkled.

I stood on the verandah, staring towards the lake and watching as the snow continued to fall and my family laughed and sang in the house whilst I reminisced.

I couldn’t help but smile. What a journey. What a life.

I lifted my face to the sky, smiling as the flakes of cold snow tickled my cheeks. So many memories, so many friends loved and lost. My parents, George, Katie, they were all looking down, holding my hand to lead me into whatever was to come next. But I knew, with my glorious bastard by my side, that it would be anything but boring.

Mason slipped a coat over my shoulders and pulled me back to him as he wrapped his arms around me.

“Hey,” he breathed in my ear, placing a soft kiss on my neck and handing me a glass of champagne. “Dawn’s ready. Are you ready?”

I nodded, smiling as a tear trickled down my face and I took a deep breath.

Lifting our glasses, we raise them to you, our guides and our chaperones. “Goodbye,” we both whisper together. “And thank you.”

Epilogue

Time to go

Dawn

“HI. OH GOD I’m crying again.

When I wrote and published Fortitude last year, I said it was a final goodbye from the Fox’s, yet here we are again.

However, it is finally time to bow out and let Katie and George continue with their parent’s legacy. It is time to turn the last page, close the back cover and let Mason and Ava go. As hard as it is for me, and for you.

Mason and Ava will always hold a special place in my soul, always. They’re not just my characters, they’re my family. Their lives will continue in our hearts and our heads.

I still picture Ava walking through those double doors, the first time she met Mason with her hair a frizzy mess and her knees trembling. And I still see Mason staring at this . . . beautiful blast of strength forcing her way into his life and turning it upside down. My heart still holds their suffering and sorrow, their laughter and their joy. They’ve entertained us, angered us, torn us up and broken us. But yet, we will forever love them for who they are and the story they told.

Their love has been unlike any I’ve ever known. Mason, through all his controlling needs, his dominance and temper loves Ava to the very depths of his soul. And Ava, as much as she has annoyed us, humoured us and saddened us would protect Mason’s soul with her life.

When it’s time for one of them to leave behind this world, we all know, the other will be right behind, running to keep up.

Now they take the journey to the end and we should leave them in peace to do that because to be honest, I could never kill them. And who wants to live forever?

So, with my hand on my heart, I thank you for opening Incineration on the first page and closing Nativity on the very last.”

From The Fox’s, their family and friends, and from me.

Thank you and Goodbye

Finally, the end