The NSC Boxset: Heart of Stone (75 page)

My first instinct told me I couldn’t hear or smell anything so that was good, however, when the door was open all the way my breath restricted in my throat as I took in the vision before me.

The wall above my fireplace was covered in photographs of me, hundreds of them, all glued to the wall. All of them had been savagely scratched, sliced or dug at with a sharp instrument. The word
‘WHORE’
had been sprawled across them.

I kind of gurgled, my throat filled with vomit but my body wouldn’t move as I was frozen in terror.

I swayed and my brain kicked into gear, spurring me into action. I leapt across to the table and snatching up my phone, I sprinted out of the front door into the garden. I fell on the grass, puking on my damn gladiolas; the ones that had took me months to nurture and grow.

My hands shook violently as I dialled Mason and I was still heaving when he answered.

“Ava?” His voice filled me with hope but as I tried to answer him, my damn stomach exploded again. “Ava? Are you sick again?”

I groaned loudly and swallowed severely. “Mason,” I managed to croak. “Here—now,” was all I could manage.

“Baby, are you okay?” I shook my head.
God damn it Ava he can’t bloody see you!

“Mason,” I rasped as my stomach racked again.

“I’m on my way, Ava. I’ll be twenty minutes, baby. Can you hang on?” he asked, still obviously thinking I was just sick.

“Please, hurry,” I managed. He ended the call promising to hurry.

I collapsed at the side of the stricken gladioli and waited, waited for the man that would make everything alright again, would make me feel safe and protected.

I was still sat there when Mason pulled onto my drive fifteen minutes later with a look of utter confusion on his face at the sight of me huddled next to the poor flowers.

“Oh my god, Ava.” He hurried over to me and crouched down, instantly sweeping my hair away from my face. “Why are you out here, throwing up in your damn nightie?” he asked angrily.

He obviously thought it wasn’t appropriate to puke in your nightwear on the front garden. I looked at him wide eyed and in shock. A deep frown established on his face, “Ava? Baby?”

He was now starting to understand there was something seriously wrong. I still couldn’t talk so I just pointed a shaky finger to the cottage. He narrowed his eyes and looked towards the house. Standing, he walked over to the front door and ran his fingers over the broken lock and then turned to look at me. His jaw was tense and his head was tipped to the side slightly.

I shook my head and whimpered. He bit his bottom lip, now really understanding that things were really, really wrong.

“Wait here,” he ordered sternly and I nodded frantically. No way was I going back in there.

“Mason,” I choked out and he turned back to me. “The . . . the . . .” I pulled at my hair to kick my brain into gear. “The bed. .bed. .room and . . . and . . . the r. .room,” I stuttered out. He narrowed his eyes but nodded once and entered.

I waited and waited, and waited some more and when what seemed like an eternity had passed, he came back out. He was angry; in fact he was
very
angry. He held onto the doorframe in an effort to compose himself. He pulled his phone from his pocket and dialled a number. “Get to Ava’s now,” he snapped and ended it abruptly.

He finally looked over at me. He closed his eyes, took a deep calming breath and came over to me. Plonking down heavily beside me he took my hand, stroking his thumb over my knuckles as he wrapped his other arm over my shoulder and pulled me into his side.

We sat in silence until Sam pulled up on the road in front of us. We must have looked a sight, sat hugging each other in a pool of gladiola and vomit. The expression on Sam’s face as he gazed at us would have been quite funny if there wasn’t a slaughtered rabbit in my bed and a room full of ravaged photographs in my house.

“Mason?” he asked slowly and Mason gestured to the house.

“Room and Bedroom,” he stated simply as he refused to let go of me, huddling me tighter against him. I wasn’t sure who was supporting who at this stage but hey, maybe we needed each other.

“Ava?” Mason said softly. I raised my eyes to his, “Baby, when did you find the rabbit?” His eyes held mine, encouraging me to tell him.

“When . . . when I woke this morning.” I sniffed as my stomach revolted at the image of the rabbit that was swimming through my head.

He clenched his teeth together so severely I heard them scrape against each other. He tightened his hold on me, his breathing had sped up and his eyes had the glassy look I was getting familiar with.

Sam exited the house and walked over to us, the same glint in his eyes as Mason’s. He dropped down on the grass in front of me and pursed his lips, tapping his fingers against his knee.

“Ava,” he spoke sternly to get my attention and I looked at him. “Listen to me now,” he said slowly and I nodded. “This needs to get sorted now; it’s gone on long enough. I need your permission to . . . to . . .” He struggled with the question.

I frowned at him. “You need to what?” I asked and noticed his sad expression.

“Ava, I need to do a detailed search on you,” he grimaced as he told me.

“Okay.” I sighed.

He gave me a guilty smile. “I’m sorry, I don’t want to invade your privacy, but I need to find this bastard Ava, and anything from your past life may just help me.”

“Sam, do it. It’s not a problem.” I smiled. He took my hand and squeezed it.

“Thank you. Right you two get back to Mason’s. I’ll get some people over here to sort it out.”

Mason rose to his feet and grabbed my hand, pulling me up off the grass.

I handed Sam my key and climbed into Mason’s car, taking one last look at my beautiful cottage, wondering if I would ever come back. That thought saddened me and by the time we got back to Mason’s I had slipped into a very dark mood, an angry, self-pitying frame of mind.

Walking into the hallway I turned to Mason. “I’m gonna warn you now. My temper is just under the surface and it’s not gonna take much for me to blow,” I grated through my teeth and turned away from him.

“You wanna go to the gym or cook?” he asked softly.

I shrugged, contemplating my options. “Bath then bake I think, I might get charged for the punch bag if I kill it,” I said seriously but I heard Mason chuckle as I ascended the stairs.

“Oh by the way, Kerrie’s invited us over for lunch,” he shouted as I entered the bathroom.

“Brilliant,” I muttered under my breath. “Life is just fucking perfect!”

* * *

Three hours later, after a long hot soak and an apple and toffee pie we were pulling up in front of Kerrie and Kade’s, my stomach on the floor of Mason’s car and my heart in my mouth.

Mason frowned at me before we exited the car. “What’s wrong? You’ve been weird all the way here.” He questioned and I grumbled at him.

“Oh nothing’s wrong Mason . . . apart from waking up with a dead fucking rabbit staring at me and a redecorated front room,” I snapped, even though these things had nothing to do with the emotions coursing through me at that moment . . . I was shit scared of facing Kade.

Mason looked chastised and I sighed. “I’m sorry. I told you my mood was black.”

He smiled at my apology. “No baby, I should’ve realised instead of being an insensitive twat.” I laughed to hide the guilt twisting my stomach and climbed from the car, gritting my teeth and taking a deep breath.

Mason walked in to the house without knocking. “Kerrie,” he shouted.

“Over here,” she shouted back and popped up from behind the kitchen worktop. She grinned at us. “Wine or coffee?” she asked and we walked over to her.

“Wine of course,” I joked and Mason laughed.

“Fridge,” she directed simply as she stirred something on the hob.

Mason retrieved the wine and pulling a corkscrew from the drawer started opening the bottle. “Where’s Kade?”

Kerrie snorted, “God knows. He was paralytic last night and we had another row this morning, he disappeared about 11 and I haven’t seen him since.”

“You want me to have a word with him?” Mason asked her gently.

“NO!” I cried and then smiled sheepishly as they both looked at me wide eyed. “ . . . He’s probably struggling with everything you’re going through, Kerrie. You know, being a man and all that, they struggle with emotions don’t they.” I shifted self-consciously on my feet and grabbed an empty glass, thrusting it towards Mason.

They seemed to excuse my outburst and Kerrie went back to cooking whist Mason poured the wine.

“Sit down, it won’t be long,” she smiled.

“Smells amazing,” I told her, relaxing now I knew Kade wasn’t here. “Anything I can do?”

“Just eat,” she smiled.

We sat at the dining table as Kerrie placed the mass of serving bowls, tableware and platters full of a traditional roast dinner.

“Wow, this looks great.” I grinned, my stomach rumbling loudly in anticipation.

Mason laughed at me. “Hungry?” he sniggered as I tucked in.

“Very, cos’ you never feed me.” I stuck my tongue out at him. He reached over with his fork and stabbed my Yorkshire pudding, grinning widely as he shoved it in his mouth whole.

“Oh my God! I can’t believe you did that.” I pouted as Kerrie slapped him.

“Hey, guts,” she giggled. We both reached in to his plate with our forks and stabbed a roast potato each, quickly cramming them in our mouths.

His mouth dropped open as he stared gobsmacked at his plate and then at us. “My roasts.” He stuck his bottom lip out, then grabbed my fork and stood quickly. He grabbed me by the waist and flung me over his shoulder. “You are so gonna pay for eating my taters,” he said seriously.

I glanced at Kerrie from my upside down position, her smirk showed she was thinking the same as me. “What did you just say, Mason?” I sniggered.

He paused. “I said you are so gonna pay for eating my tat . . . oh!” he chuckled. Kerrie and me started giggling hysterically. He slapped my arse and then slid me back down. “I love it when you eat my taters, baby,” he grinned and I giggled harder.

“Oh my God Mason, please,” Kerrie laughed.

“Well this looks fun,” Kade said from behind us. Mason turned me with him to face Kade.

“Oh, hi,” Mason greeted with a smile. “We’ve only just sat, come and join us,” he said casually, turning back to the table obviously not noticing Kade’s red rimmed hooded eyes and the way he was supporting himself on the doorframe.

I swallowed heavily as he looked at me, a slight curl on his lips as his eyes swept the length of me.

He pushed off the wall and strode towards me. My stomach clenched at the sight of him and I quickly walked back to table and Kade took the seat next to me and filled a glass with wine. Kerrie was sat, giving him a curious look.

“Watch your taters though Kade, Ava likes to eat them.”

Kade spat his mouthful of wine back into his glass. “Does she now?” he smirked.

I coughed slightly and shifted in my seat, then reached over to retrieve my fork from Mason. “You gonna behave Ava?” he joked as he held it from my reach. I scowled good-humouredly and reached over the table further; trying to grab the fork from Mason’s extended hand.

“Not until you promise, baby.” He smirked and I reached over, giving him an eyeful of my cleavage. His eyes dropped fractionally and I made my move, lurching forward and wrapped my fingers around his.

Kerrie was chuckling happily at our behaviour and Mason was grinning widely. “Baby, put your beautiful breasts away. You still need to promise me,” he winked.

“WILL YOU FUCKING SIT DOWN!” Kade bellowed and made us all jump. I quickly shot down in my chair and placed my hands in my lap, thoroughly chastised.

“What the Hell, Kade?” Mason growled at him but Kade just shot him a look and stabbed at a green bean.

Kerrie coughed slightly. “Hey Ava, I was thinking. That spa treat you got me was for two people, you fancy going with me?” she asked hopefully.

My stomach rolled as I fiddled with the food on my plate, “Well . . .”

A look of hurt passed over her eyes. “Oh, it doesn’t matter, just a thought,” she said quietly. Now I felt like a complete bitch.

“No Kerrie, it’s not that I don’t want to go.” Think Ava, think. “It’s just well, I seem to have a stalker after me and I’m not sure it’ll be safe to go. I’m not supposed to leave Mason’s side,” I confessed with a slight lie.

Kade’s face shot to me. “What?” he snarled and I cowered at his tone.

Mason’s hand settled over mine on the table, “Ava?” He looked at me, wanting my permission to tell them and I nodded. “There’s been a sick bastard after Ava for a while now. He broke into her cottage and trashed it; he tried to poison her just before she lost the baby and we received a DVD.” He shrugged sheepishly and Kade scowled.

“What of?” he asked Mason and I cringed.

“It was full of movie clips of me and Ava . . . well you know . . . making love.” He glanced at me to assess my embarrassment and I smiled shyly.

“WHAT THE HELL?” Kade shot up.

“Sit down Kade, for god’s sake. I’m sure Ava doesn’t need your melodramatics,” Kerrie snapped. He sighed and sat back down.

“And well this morning,” Mason continued with his jaw clenched tightly and his eyes glazed over, “she . . . slept alone at the cottage last night and someone broke in while . . . while . . . and . . .”

Squeezing his hand I turned to look at Kerrie, intentionally avoiding Kade’s stony face. “He broke in while I was sleeping.” I sighed and closed my eyes as my fist clenched under the table. “He . . . put a dead rabbit in bed with me.”

I heard Kerrie gasp as Kade growled a deep rumble. I was sure he actually bared his teeth so I carried on quickly, trying to take the attention back to me. “And he filled my wall with photos of me. Hundreds of them.” I shrugged.

The table was silent while the information soaked in. Mason sighed. “Each and every photo had been ravaged, he had . . . he had raked a sharp knife or scissors or something over each picture.” He gulped and took a deep breath.

The pain in his voice made me lean over and plant a tender kiss on his cheek. “Hey, I’m okay.” I smiled softly. His hand swept through my hair then held the back of my head, pulling me towards him. Just as his lips settled on mine Kade shot up, his chair fell backwards with a clang.