The NSC Boxset: Heart of Stone (46 page)

* * *

At 7pm I knocked on Brian’s door and it swung open to offer Brian’s brilliant grin. “Ava, come in.” He ushered me in as a grey haired, tall elegant woman entered the hallway.

She grinned widely. “Ava, at last.” She huddled me up into a tight embrace, then regarded me thoroughly, “You are so pretty, darling.” I blushed immensely. “Brian told me how stunning you are. No wonder Mason has been pursuing you. You’re simply enchanting,” she declared openly.

My blush grew hotter but I smiled at her sincerity. “Thank you Mrs Cox, that’s very sweet of you. I appreciate your invitation for dinner.”

She grinned widely, winking at Brian. “He told me how sweet you were. I think we are going to get along famously but please call me Brenda, I insist.”

I nodded to her, quite stunned by her directness as Brian took my coat and led me through to the dining table, sitting me down with a glass of wine while Brenda scurried through with the meal.

As she sat in her seat after dishing up, she cocked her head at me, “Have you heard from George, Ava?”

I smiled warmly. “Yes, we speak every couple of days. I can’t go any longer than three days without hearing his voice.” I admitted.

She smiled kindly, “You must miss him, dear.”

I nodded to her. “More than I realised,” I confessed, especially today.

“We were all at odds and ends when he took you in. To be quite frank, I wondered if he had another notion for taking you under his wing and I confidentially asked Brian to keep his ear to the ground. Oh believe me when I say I’m not disrespecting George, I always got on well with him but his reputation precedes him and he’s a hard man. But all credit to him, he loves and cares for you like a daughter.”

I nodded, understanding her worries. “To be honest Brenda, I also thought the same thing when I woke up the next day in a huge comfy bed. After living on the streets for three years and then an older man takes you into his home, you do think there’s something dodgy, but he proved me wrong. George was patient, understanding and full of respect for me. I felt cherished in his care. I always tell people he saved my life and it’s the truth, he did.” I shrugged, amazed by my openness with a woman I barely knew but my instincts were telling me to trust her. They were rarely wrong, so I did.

She smiled again. “And how are you getting on with Mason?”

I smiled tightly, slowly swallowing a piece of meat from the delicious casserole she had made. “Okay.” I nodded slowly, averting my eyes away from Brian’s intense stare.

Brenda frowned. “I take it his temperament is hard work?” she asked gently. I coughed slightly, stabbing a carrot. “Oh, I’m sorry, dear. I’m being nosy.” She chuckled and I smiled back.

“No, it’s fine Brenda. I . . . I handed my resignation in today.” I blushed again and lowered my eyes.

Brian choked on something and gulped at his wine. “Why, Ava?”

I cringed under his surprised stare. “I uhh . . . well were not really compatible.”

I speared a potato, trying to avoid their stunned faces. “But you have only been with him a couple of months,” Brian uttered.

Long enough for him to break my heart.

I smiled again, shifting uncomfortably in my chair, Brenda narrowed her eyes and placed her cutlery down gently. “Ava,” I heard her say but I continued to study my plate. “Ava, look at me,” she demanded gently. I raised my eyes to hers. She tilted her head and searched my eyes and then groaned. “Does that man have no shame?” she growled at Brian and I swallowed harshly.

Brian looked stunned and confused. “What are you on about, Brenda?” he asked but treating his wife with utter politeness.

She reached over and took my hand in hers. “Ava darling, how many times?”

I shook my head, highly ashamed of my behaviour.

“Talk to me, my dear. How many times?” she persisted.

“Once,” I said quietly. “That’s why I have resigned.”

I smiled sadly and her eyes pierced my soul, her gaze penetrating my depths before she gasped. “You love him,” she declared.

I bit my lip. “Brenda!” Brian warned but she ignored him.

“Oh Ava, you must be careful. Mason is a hard ruthless man. He has no shame where seduction is concerned. You must pull yourself back before he hurts you.”

I nodded, taking a quick glance at Brain’s face. He looked fuming; his fists clenched beside his plate. “Too late,” I grimaced.

She sighed. “Oh Ava.” Her voice was full of empathy.

“I’ll kill him.” Brian fumed and I turned quickly to him.

“No, Brian. You mustn’t tell him you know. I have resigned now so that will be the last of it,” I implored and he nodded in resignation. “Anyway, he obviously prefers Rebecca to me so he’ll be glad I’m going,” I added.

“Well, I fucking won’t!” he growled.

“Brian!” Brenda admonished. “We can still keep in touch with, Ava. In fact I insist. I have a feeling you’re going to be the daughter we couldn’t have.” She said bluntly, her directness finding me blushing again, but I squeezed her hand.

“I’d like that very much, Brenda” I smiled, a tear dripped down my cheek at her kind words.

I would be ever grateful to George, not only had he given me his love but if it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t have met these two wonderful people and I had a feeling I would be needing their care and support in the coming weeks.

CHAPTER 12

THE NEXT MORNING Mason’s house was deadly quiet and I got to work in his office straight away, filing some dodgy tax receipts and dubious orders for the club.

About 11 O’clock I still hadn’t seen Mason and I walked into his bedroom to collect the laundry.

I opened his curtains and a window, trying to get some air into the stuffy room. As I was re-making his bed the bathroom door opened and Mason stepped out, a white fluffy towel draped around his hips.

My mouth dried instantly at the sight of him, drops of water were trickling through his chest hair and I had the urge to lick them off. His abs were wet and delicious and his powerful arms were rippling as he scrubbed his hair with another towel.

I swallowed heavily. He opened his eyes and froze, his eyes were red and puffy but he sported another black eye, his eyebrow was split and his knuckles were once again grazed.

“What the hell happened to you?” I asked as I reached out and tilted his head back to check out his eye.

His hand shot up and he placed it over mine, leaning his cheek into my palm. “You happened to me” he whispered, his eyes boring into me and I frowned.

“What?” I asked, confused.

He shook his head and dropped his hand. “I got into a fight, it’s no big deal. Leave it.” Mr Cross was out to play today. I rolled my eyes and continued with my chores, quickly exiting the bedroom before he decided to drop the towel and dress before I left.

I put on a wash load and went to his office, popping my head around the door. “I’m going out to lunch today, Mason. I should only be about an hour.”

He glared at me. “Sure,” he snapped and looked back down at some paperwork.

Rolling my eyes again I left him to it and went to meet Kerrie.

* * *

I entered the restaurant and scanned the room, having no idea what she looked like. A small woman stood and waved me over. “Ava!” she shouted.

I approached her warily, she looked familiar. I couldn’t determine where I had seen her before until she smiled; a huge face splitting grin, the same smile that the woman in the photograph on Mason’s wall wore.

“Ahh, you’re the woman in the large photo on Mason’s office wall.” I grinned.

She nodded eagerly. “Yep, that was taken a couple of years ago, a birthday present to Mason from my husband.”

“It’s such a happy photo.” I admitted and she grinned again.

“Mason and I have been close all our lives. My parents weren’t really very good at . . . well parenting, so we always relied on each other.” she confessed and I had a sudden envy at their relationship, wondering what it would be like to have close family. “Anyway come on, sit down, I’m famished.” She laughed and waved a waiter over.

“I’ll have a chicken Caesar salad with a cranberry and soda water please,” I told the waiter.

“Ooh sounds good, I’ll have the same please,” Kerrie smiled generously at the waiter and handed back our menus but he kept his gaze on me.

Kerrie rolled her eyes behind his back and I suppressed a smile. “It’s good to meet you finally, Ava” she announced as the waiter retreated.

She was utterly stunning, a natural beauty to her but now that I was closer I could see she had Mason’s intense eyes and full lips. “And you,” I replied honestly.

She sighed heavily. “Have you seen Mason this morning?” she asked, grimacing slightly and I nodded.

“What happened? Do you know?”

She rolled her eyes and nodded, “The usual happened. Mason gets drunk and picks a fight.” She shook her head sadly. “I’ve never seen him like that though, Ava. He wouldn’t listen to me; he kept calling himself a dickhead.” She laughed and then shrugged. “He was really drunk. He kept saying he wasn’t good enough, over and over. I couldn’t get a straight word out of him.”

I frowned, “But I don’t understand. What set him off?”

I smiled to the waiter as he placed our plates and drinks on the table. He winked at me and slipped a piece of paper under my glass, then turned and returned to the kitchen. Opening the folded paper, my eyes widened. “What is it?” Kerrie asked.

“His name and number” I told her with a shake of my head.

“Well, he’s very forward.” She laughed with me.

I screwed up the paper and placed it in the bread basket, winking at her. We both tucked in to our food. “Where were we?” Kerrie asked.

“I asked what set Mason off.”

“Oh yes. Well apparently your resignation set him off,” she informed me, her eyebrows raised high.

“But I don’t understand, I’ve told you this. I told him I couldn’t risk getting hurt and he just looked away, he can’t commit and I can’t just do the sex; it’s just not who I am

“Well, you’ve definitely had an effect on him. I’ve never seen him like he was last night.” She took a sip of her drink and regarded me, “I asked him about Rebecca.” She glanced at me and I lowered my eyes, shielding my heart against her next words.

“They were just in his office, sorting out interviewees for Monday’s barmaid interviews.” She grinned slyly.

“Oh” I was stunned, “But . . .”

She laughed at my expression, “Apparently she was all over him though but he says after your . . . encounter he wouldn’t touch another woman again. You blew his mind apparently, his words not mine.”

“But why hasn’t he told me this?” I asked, even more confused.

She shrugged. “He kept saying he isn’t good enough for you. I dunno Ava; I can’t get my head around him sometimes. He has everything he needs but he won’t allow himself any happiness. It’s like he’s frightened to let you in.” She sighed and sat back. I knew she was regarding my reaction.

“I can understand that because I’m the same. I was in foster care and let’s just say it wasn’t pleasant, but it made me difficult to trust anyone. I want to trust Mason but I’m scared of how I feel already about him. If my feelings were to grow even more and he hurt me, I don’t . . .” I trailed off and she took my hand.

“Ava, talk to him. Please” she pleaded.

I shrugged. “He’s hard. One minute he’s flirting and the next he’s mad at me,” I admitted. “But we’ll see what happens. If he wants to talk then I’m here but . . .” I shrugged again. She nodded and left it at that as we changed conversation and enjoyed each other’s company, promising to make it a regular occurrence whatever happened between me and Mason.

* * *

I arrived back at the house but Mason had gone out so I made a coffee and sat at my computer, logging into the electoral register . . . illegally of course. Mason had learnt to trust me straight away with some of his illicit business and I was pleased he had.

I had wanted George to trust me to do this but he had adamantly refused, telling me that he didn’t want to risk anything that could come of it, but Mason had smiled slyly at me and shown me how to do some of the things I hadn’t understood and then when he told me he was amazed I had picked it up so quickly I was absolutely glowing.

I had a feeling I would have loved this job but it was my own fault for not controlling my hormones and now I had to leave.

I had shredded some documents and as I went to throw them in the bin I saw my resignation, torn to shreds sat on the top. I sighed and tipped my own paper scraps on top and went back to work.

* * *

I had finished all the paperwork and decided to make Mason’s dinner so I popped in my earphones, switched my iPod to an upbeat album to lift my spirits, placed it in my shirt pocket and got to work on the fish pie.

Kings of Leon’s ‘
Sex on fire’
was blasting my eardrums and I was happily being the backing vocalist, swaying my hips and dancing around the kitchen when an arm circled my waist, swung me round and Mason’s mouth crashed down on mine, his hands gripped my hair as he pulled me into him. His tongue demanded entry and I obliged, sucking greedily on it as it joined mine.

His passion was feverish and needy. We clung to each other desperately as he pulled me towards the island and lifted me up onto it, his lips never leaving mine as my shoes fell to the floor.

His fingers moved to my shirt, swiftly unbuttoning it and pulling it off, taking my iPod and earphones with it before his mouth moved down my throat, sucking and licking his way down to my breasts.

I gripped his hair. “
Mason”
I breathed.

He groaned loudly. “I need you, Ava” he told me bluntly. I pulled him towards me. Unhooking my bra, he pulled it off, throwing it to the floor as his mouth latched onto my nipple. “You’re so fucking hot Ava, I can’t stop thinking about you,” he declared into my breast.

“Mason. I need your mouth on me. I need your tongue in me,” I groaned.

“Fuck, Ava” he hissed. “Lift your arse, baby. I need to get rid of your skirt.”

I accommodated him and he pulled it over my hips, pulling my knickers with it. Grabbing my thighs, he opened my legs, growling low in his throat at the sight of me on display. “You have a beautiful cunt Ava, just for me.”