The NSC Boxset: Heart of Stone (38 page)

He said his reward had been watching me flourish into an independent beautiful woman who had loved him for who he really was, not the ruthless hard man people thought he was.

He had taken the opportunity to secure me a job with one of his ‘associates’ for when he left as another personal assistant.

I had told him I would find employment but he been determined that I should carry on with this career as it paid exceptionally well and I was the most loyal, trustworthy person capable of doing the job for the most ruthless of the underworld.

This, he told me is why Mr Mason Fox, one of George’s friends had agreed to take me into his employment, doing the exact same job I had done for George.

George had told me that Mr Fox was one of the hardest and wealthiest of their inner circle, a fairly new man in the criminal world but had quickly built a name and merciless reputation for himself. He had owed George one or two favours and would be glad of the assistance in his private chores, promising to also take care of me for George’s sake.

* * *

So this is why on a drizzly Monday morning I was knocking on the enormous, white double doors of Mr Fox’s home/business premises; my long, curly copper hair piled on top of my head and frizzed within an inch of its life due to the wet weather, with feet already sore in skyscraper heels.

I had gone with a professional look of black pencil skirt and pinstriped white shirt, not sure what his expectations would be as I had yet to meet him.

Mr Fox had been out of the country for the previous six weeks so we hadn’t had the opportunity to meet, this been our first encounter.

I was terribly nervous but George had rung me as I had been preparing breakfast to wish me luck and give me words of encouragement, and to also inform me what time Mr Fox was expecting me.

The door swung open and a good looking man of about 26 stood in a dark suit, a huge grin plastered on his face as he did a swift but blatant perusal over me.

“Hi,” I smiled nervously. “Ava Stone to see Mr Fox.” His eyes stayed on my chest. I already disliked this man.

He swung his arm out with a gesture to enter. I could feel his gaze on my backside as I squeezed past him. “Come in, Miss Stone. Mason’s expecting you but he’s on the phone at the moment. Follow me,” he said and stalked off towards a set of dark wood double doors, opening them both and entering the room.

Following him in I set eyes on a huge rectangular table, also in the same dark wood that seemed to suck the life out of the room.

Six men were sat around the table talking. A man had his back to me pacing in front of large French doors that led to an enormous garden, shouting abuse to someone on the phone.

He wore a pristine fitted white shirt that clung to his hard muscled back, the material straining over his powerful physique. The sleeves were rolled up, giving me a small view of the strength in his arms. His black expensive trousers hung from his hips in a way that sheathed his hard buttocks, the cloth delicately hugging his magnificent arse.

My breath caught in my throat as he turned. His gaze locked on me before he scanned my body in a slow and easy examination, then rested on my face as he held my gaze for a moment too long, his head tipped slightly to the side making me squirm on the edge of my comfort zone.

His eyes were intense but there was something else that flashed across them . . . hunger.

I could tell without the advantage of removing his shirt that his chest was as strong and lean as the rest of him; his dark brown hair was cut short and his square chin had a dusting of stubble.

He was made in heaven, no other words to describe him.

He gestured to a seat at the table. I wobbled over to it, feeling all sets of eyes in the room tracking me, each dropping to stare at my large chest as I sat down.

I hated my breasts. They had been the warrant of many an unwanted attraction and leer from men, as well as some women and had more than once got me into bad situations.

“So Miss Stone, are you looking forward to working for Mason? He can be quite a determined bastard,” the man who opened the door said as he smirked at me, obviously trying to put me on edge.

I smiled politely and lowered my eyes into my lap, nibbling furiously on my little finger, already aware of the intense blush creeping up my neck. An older, grey haired man elbowed him and smiled softly to me. “Ignore this twat love, he can be an arse.” He winked at me with a twinkle in his eye and reached out his hand to me, “Brian Cox, please to meet you, darling.”

I smiled and shook his hand as he gipped me softly. “Ava Stone, very pleased to meet you, sir.”

He regarded me, still with a sparkle in his eye. “So you’re the lovely lady that George is so smitten with.”

I grinned at the mention of George, the mere reference to him lifting my spirits. “As smitten as I am with him, sir. George saved my life,” I said simply and meant every word.

He cocked his head, his eyes glowing with warmth as he simply gave me a small nod. “Anyway, meet the rest of the guys,” he chuckled.

He gestured to each man as he told me their names. “The prick that opened the door is Dane Winters, Mason’s best friend and right hand man.” Dane leant forward and took my hand, lifting it to his lips and placing a kiss on my knuckles.

“Hello again Ava, it’s about time we had something good to look at in this dismal place,” he sneered and wiggled his eyebrows.

A shiver slithered up my spine and I gulped, much to his amusement. Brian elbowed him again, “Leave the poor girl alone, Dane.” He then turned to the next person; a burly heavy-set man with bright blue eyes, his hair shaved to within a millimetre on his large round head.

“This here is Mason’s Muscle as we like to call him, Sam Taylor.”

Sam nodded and smiled. “Pleasure, Miss Stone. I hope you can make good coffee cos’ Mason’s is pure shit.” He grinned.

I laughed, “I’m sure I can manage a decent coffee.”

Brain then indicated to the next man. He was roughly 40 and his long thin face was covered in scars, the meanest being one that ran from the side of his right eye to the corner of his lip. “This handsome fellow is Mark Scott.”

Mark’s eyes shifted towards me and then back to the paper he was reading on the table. “Miss Stone,” was all he said prompting another blush to creep across my cheeks as the other men laughed at his reception to me.

Brian shook his head and pointed to the dark skinned man sitting nearer the top of the table, “This is Simon Bell, and he’s the baby of us all.”

Simon grinned perfect white teeth that gleamed extra bright against his brown skin. As soon as I saw him I grinned. “Miss Stone, it’s a pleasure to meet you again. Have you heard how George is settling in?”

“George told me that you would be here Mr Bell, and he told me to tell you that the ladies are very, very pretty, his words not mine.”

I chuckled as his smile turned into a grin, “Good old George.”

Simon had done a few jobs for George. I had met him on several occasions and to be honest his familiar face was comforting in the presence of so many strangers.

Brian then turned to the last of the men. “This is Greg Chambers, Mason’s accountant.”

Greg’s eyes flitted down to my chest and then swiftly back up to eye level. “Miss Stone, I’m glad there is finally someone to clean up after that hunk of shit,” he whispered in my ear as he was the closest to me. “Do you know he can’t even make himself a bloody sandwich without trashing the kitchen. Last week he put the bloody laundry into the fucking dishwasher, he’s useless” he winked.

I laughed. “I’m sure I can sort it out,” I told him.

“You can sort me out anytime Ava,” Dane said from across the table, his eyes boring into mine. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. I didn’t like the obvious hunger that glinted in his eyes as they raked over me.

“Dane,” came a deep growl from the man stood by the doors. “Enough!” he snarled at Dane.

“Oh, for fucks sake Mason, chill out. I’m just ribbing her.” Dane protested. Mason continued to glare at him then turned to me, his eyes piercing mine as he observed me.

“Miss Stone, welcome aboard. I have business to discuss with these gentlemen so Sam will show you to the kitchen. If you could manage to work the coffee machine I would be grateful if you could bring us all some coffee.” He spoke with no hint of emotion or expression, his cool eyes fixed on mine as I stood.

“No problem Mr Fox, I’m sure I’ll figure it out.” I smiled and turned to Sam as he rose from his chair and escorted me to the kitchen.

“You think you can manage the machine, Miss Stone?” Sam asked, giving the machine an inquisitive stare.

“Call me Ava please, and I’ll give it a go.”

He nodded and left me alone to brew some coffee. Luckily it was a pretty basic device and I soon had a full coffee pot, cups, sugar and milk on a tray with a plate of biscuits I had found in the cupboard.

I found my way back to the room. Tapping the door with my foot as to not intrude at an awkward moment, the door swung open. Mason frowned at me then dropped his eyes to the tray. “I, uhh, I didn’t want to walk in on any private discussions, Mr Fox,” I explained. His eyes narrowed on me. “I . . . I never entered the room when George was discussing business, sir and I wasn’t sure what . . .” I trailed off as his eyes bore into mine.

He shook his head slightly then snatched the tray from me, turned and kicked the door shut with his foot.

“Okay Ava, next time don’t bloody knock,” I grumbled to myself as I ventured back to the kitchen to start on the mountain of pots. “A simple thank you would have done” I muttered to myself.

I was quietly wondering if this job was going to be harder than it looked.

CHAPTER 2

I FILLED IN a couple of hours by cleaning the kitchen and checking the fridge for any items needed to refill it, making notes of basic foods and reminding myself to ask Mason what he liked to eat.

I was bent over the large chest freezer, checking dates and clearing away any old items when I heard a slight cough behind me. Jumping in surprise I banged my head on the lid of the freezer. “
Shit
” I hissed and shot up.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to make you jump, Miss Stone.” A deep voice declared from behind me making me spin round and observe Mason leant lazily against the doorframe, his ankles and arms folded in front of him.

“No, no, it’s my fault sorry, and please call me Ava, Mr Fox.” His gaze dropped to my mouth where I was chewing on the fingertip of my little finger, a habit that I did when I was nervous and one that had proved difficult to break my entire life.

He cocked his head and continued to gaze at my mouth, “Ava.” Just hearing my name roll off his tongue in his low husky tone sent a shiver through me.

His eyes then lifted to my face, “I was wondering if you were ready to go through your schedule and sign some necessary paperwork?”

His face still didn’t display a smile and I wondered if he had ever smiled in his life. “Yeah, that’s fine. Would you like a drink whilst we do it . . . while we get on with it . . . ?” His eyebrow lifted as one side of his mouth curled upwards. I groaned.
God damn Ava!

“Uhh, sorry Mr Fox, I’m a little nervous. Would you like a drink?” I rephrased.

He must have thought I was an idiot; either that or a sex craved nymphomaniac.

He actually smiled then, a grin erupting on his face. The simple action made him even more stunning, his eyes twinkled brightly as his lips curved deliciously. I started to imagine what those soft plump lips could do to sate the throb between my thighs.

Breathe, Ava.

“Yes I’d like that . . . a drink that is.” I was sure the tone of his voice had dropped a level and the throb spread hotter through my lower stomach.

Oh God!

I coughed and smiled tentatively. “Where will you be and I’ll bring it through?” I asked quietly.

His face resumed its usual stern expression. “My office. Up the stairs, first door on the left.” With that he turned abruptly and disappeared through the doorway, leaving me to let out the huge breath I had been holding.

Balancing the tray containing two mugs of coffee, sugar and milk I knocked on the office door. “Yep,” I heard Mason shout.

I opened the door and entered. His office was completely different to the rest of the dark wooded house. It was all chic smoky glass, abstract art. On one wall was a large framed photograph of a pretty dark haired girl in her early twenties. She was laughing at the camera. Mason had his arms wrapped around her waist, lifting her as he tried to spin her round.

An intense jealousy raged through me at the sight of the love obviously shared between them. I gasped at the insane reaction.

On the opposite wall was a huge window overlooking the garden. A ginormous desk was sat in front of it. Mason was sat in a large leather chair with his back to me staring out of the window.

When he heard me enter he swung round and actually smiled at me. “Ava, sit down please.” He motioned to a chair facing his desk.

Placing the tray on his desk I kept my gaze on the coffee. “Sugar and milk?” I asked him without lifting my eyes.

This man made me nervous for some reason. I had always felt comfortable in my own skin, ever since George had nurtured me back to life, yet being in Mason’s presence was bringing out some unknown emotions in me.

I had never really been attracted to any man. Oh, I knew I wasn’t gay, it was just I had never found a man that did it for me, but Mason was making me feel things that were hidden so far away in me it was unsettling.

“Here, I’ll do it,” Mason said as he stood, noticing my hands were trembling.

“If you don’t mind, Mr Fox I’d rather and then I’ll know how you like to have it.” I looked at him and smiled nervously.

“Oh, yeah okay . . .” he frowned; he seemed to be struggling to remember how he took his coffee. He shifted slightly in his chair, clearing his throat. “Uhh, white with one sugar . . .” He pursed his lips and shook his head faintly.

I looked at him now, properly and smiled, “Are you sure?” I couldn’t help the sly smile twitching my lips as one of my eyebrows lifted, mocking him.