Tolerance (Heart of Stone) (18 page)

What the hell was
that???
I reared back as my eyes shot open to greet Mason’s wide eyes. “Oh
my god” I grinned as a huge beam erupted on Masons face as it came again; A
tiny but definite kick in my stomach. “Did you feel it?” I asked him and he
nodded happily and chuckled. He cupped my face and kissed me joyfully as we
both laughed as another onslaught began “Do you think there’s some sibling
rivalry already?” I chuckled as he rolled me over onto my back and settled his
head against my stomach “Hey peanuts, stop fighting. The way your mother eats
there’s definitely enough food to go round” Mason said to my belly and kissed
it twice “Hey” I giggled slapping him playfully on the back “Actually there’s
nothing in there at the moment. They’re probably battering on the walls
demanding breakfast” I grinned as he laughed heartily. I loved his laugh, he
made my tummy do a happy dance and my heart swell knowing at this moment in
time he was happy and with me whilst he was happy “Well hell, we better feed
them before war breaks out in there” he smiled up at me and kissed his babies
again.

I sat up and held his hand before he climbed off the bed
“I have your gift first, before we go downstairs” I said shyly, all of a sudden
nervous of my present to him. He frowned “Aren’t we opening them with the
guys?” he asked and I shook my head “Not his one” I shrugged and looked away,
nibbling furiously on my little finger.

He cocked his head and pulled my finger away gently “Why
are you nervous?” he smiled softly and I leaned over the bed and pulled out the
brown paper gift wrapped box from under the bed and passed it to him. He
grinned widely and sat, crossing his legs as he pulled off the string bow.

I took a deep breath as he removed the lid and pulled the
soft cream silk aside and he inhaled sharply and his jaw dropped, he ran his
finger across the image on the front of the black leather photo album. He
lifted the book out and set it on his knee as he turned the pages, his breaths
getting heavier as he progressed through the twenty pages of erotic poses of
me.

The cover shot was a black and white photograph me naked,
on my stomach with my legs bent at the knee, up in the air. I was gazing into
the camera and had imagined I was staring into Mason’s eyes, my hair mused up
sexily and my lips were painted a bright red and had been left red in the
print, to produce a truly sensual print. The others were various postures and
positions, all naked but tasteful and demure, all intimate parts covered with
another part of my body or a prop. My absolute favourite though, and I
suspected Mason’s too as he lingered on this image for longer, was the one
where I had sat up, leant back on my hands, my eyes closed in pleasure and my
lips parted as the photographer had encouraged me to think of Mason to capture
the desire, but from the angle of the shot my front leg had been bent at the
knee, covering my nipples but the contours of my breasts still visible.

Mason had remained silent all the way through and I was
starting to get nervous. Did he hate it? Find it inappropriate to see me on
display? “I know we’re not going to be together as we want to be so I thought
if you were ever missing me you could…you know, have a quick Erm…” I shrugged
apprehensively.

His eyes finally met mine “Ava…I…” he breathed “You hate
it don’t you?” I said and looked away, tears pricking my eyes. His finger and
thumb grasped my chin and turned me to look at him. I gasped as I locked onto
his eyes. They were glazed, bright and dark at the same time. The desire, love
and utter amazement evident “Baby, these are… breath-taking, incredible and
fucking hot” he murmured “You like them?” he leaned forward and kissed me, a
deep, sensual kiss that made me forget to breathe “Jesus Ava, you are so
beautiful. I’m going to look at these every minute we are apart. Thank you
baby, Thank you!!!” he grinned, placed the book aside and knelt before me
cupping my face

 
“And these photos,
these images of you…they pushed the others away…right into the back of beyond
because these are amazing!” he whispered against my mouth and I knew what he
was telling me and a tear slipped free “I’m so sorry Mason, for everything with
Kade” I said sadly. He kissed me softly and fully, silencing me immediately but
I shook my head “I need to explain” I urged “I didn’t go with Kade because I
didn’t love you Mason, I don’t ever want you to think that” I caressed his face
as he bit his lip painfully “I just needed…well…it was the night I killed Dean,
I thought I was losing you to Rebecca, I had just lost my baby…and maybe my
mind” I shrugged and Mason frowned “We had argued, my life was spiralling out
of control and I..I just needed to escape” I explained “But I also don’t want
you to think that I just went with Kade because…well because he was there. I
care deeply for Kade” Mason closed his eyes and I cupped his cheek “I don’t
love him Mason, not like we…us, nothing like what we have. Sometimes when I
look at you, I can’t breathe, you make my insides spark and blood rushes through
me like I’m on fire and the pain at being without you is like nothing I’ve ever
felt…it slaughters me and a piece of me dies when I watch you walk away. My
body craves you so much that it frightens me and the love I feel for you, well
it’s intense, invigorating and just… entire and takes over my soul. I’m so
frightened what’s going to happen to us Mason” I whispered and he sighed and
nodded, then looked at me “I do understand…more than you think Ava” he stroked
his thumb over my cheekbone “I know I’m not an easy person Ava, I’m moody,
controlling and sometimes fucking insane but hell, I want you and I never
intend to let you go…ever! I can’t stop the damn pain sometimes when I think of
not being near you. It crushes me, every fucking bone, every breath, and every
beat of my heart Ava. It’s like I can’t live if I don’t touch you or smell you,
or see your beautiful smile” he rested his forehead on mine “We will always be
together Ava, whatever happens with me and Rebecca, she can never have my heart
baby because it’s yours, every single piece” we breathed and gazed for a long
time, both of us refusing to move away, holding onto each other and never
wanting to let go

“Mason” I whispered after a while “What baby?” he
whispered back “Can we have breakfast now?”

The day flowed wonderfully, fun, laughter, great friends
and my man made it the best Christmas ever. Mason had surprised us all and
hired a chef and waiting staff for the Christmas lunch and as the evening
settled in we were all sat around the fire, wine and chocolate plentiful as we
opened our gifts. We took turns to open and it was my turn to open Kades.

I had purposefully left my phone switched off today as I
knew he would ring me. I had made all the calls I had needed to make this
morning, so now I could relax and enjoy Christmas without the thought of him
ringing while I was with Mason.
 

I was a little nervous about opening it, unknowing what
he had bought me. I could feel everybody’s face’s on me as I
unwrapped
the thin square box and I was hoping it wasn’t jewellery but I was sorely
disappointed. My breath stuck in my throat as I saw the Cartier name emblazoned
across the box “Oh Shit!” I grimaced as I heard Mason’s sharp intake of breath
as I took off the lid and was met with a love bracelet, it was a solid 24ct gold
bangle and housed regular spaced diamonds and what broke my heart was the
inscription on the inside

My love for you is
eternal, Kade

“Holy Shit” Courtney cringed and Mason stood abruptly,
took his coat of the hook and left the house, closing the door quietly behind
him.

I placed my head in my hands and sighed “
Fuck!!”
I wheezed “I told him it was
just a bit of fun, why the hell has he bought me this?
It’s
way too inappropriate” I rubbed my temples “I’ve hurt Mason so much” I said to
the others and Courtney shuffled over to me “No babe, it’s not your fault Kade
went too far. You told him” she placated “But now I have to break his heart all
over again when I finish things with him” I moaned “But he’s going back to
Italy so maybe you can just avoid him until then” she said encouragingly and I
raised my eyes to her “I can’t do that to him Courtney, I need to do this face
to face. I can’t keep this gift but it will crush him if I return it to him. I
don’t know what to do?” I looked towards the front door, my heart aching for
Mason. I had hoped that our talk this morning had crushed all the ‘Kade demons’
for Mason but this…now had resurfaced every single one.

We all paused in our present opening whilst we waited for
Masons return and made hot chocolate and ate chocolate cake and everybody
stared at me when I covered mine with curry paste “Try it, it’s amazing” I said
around a mouthful as the front door opened and Mason walked in. Everybody
turned to him, gauging his mood. He was quiet but didn’t seem angry although I
noticed huge sores and dried blood on his knuckles.

I walked over to him and lifted his hand to my mouth,
kissing his wounds gently. He swallowed and I caught his eyes. He was hurting,
and not from his hand, and I could see each and every painful thought in his
expression “Let’s get these cleaned up” I whispered and pulled him behind me
upstairs’ and into the bathroom, rooting through the vanity for the first aid
kit.

He was silent as I gently cleaned and sanitised him and I
kept shifting my eyes to his but he was in a zone and I wondered if he actually
knew I was there “Who did you argue with?” I asked quietly “A tree” he replied
impassively. I nodded and kissed each knuckle when I had finished “I’m sorry” I
said sincerely and glanced at him. His face had shut down and I knew I wouldn’t
break through to him while he was like this “Let’s go back down” I sighed and
pulled on his hand.

He followed me but still remained detached. Courtney gave
me a reassuring smile as we all sat back down “You wanna talk?” Sam asked Mason
but he shook his head once. The guilt surging through me was unbearable and I
knew I had to return Kades gift, for Mason’s sake. I preferred him angry and
shouting than being like this; emotionless and distant.

My friends all got back into the spirit of the day,
tearing at paper and hugging and thanking each other but mine was now ruined,
my heart breaking for Mason and I could sit and cry but I refused to ruin
everyone else’s day.

It was my last gift and it was Masons. The box was long
and thin and I immediately knew it was jewellery and I cringed. If this wasn’t
as expensive and impressive as Kades I would die for Mason; it would kill him
to be outdone by Kade. I would have been happy with a bloody carrot, it wasn’t
the expense of a present but I knew that’s exactly what it was between Mason
and Kade.

I slowly opened the wrapping and glanced up at Mason but
he was still staring into space, in a world of his own. A pale blue Tiffany’s
box greeted me and my breath caught
Wow!!
I knew know that this would be special. I pulled the lid off and eased back the
silk packaging “
Oh!”
I wheezed.

The platinum necklace took my breath away; it was simple,
elegant and exquisite. It was attached to an oval locket encased with tiny
clear and pink diamonds and I removed it from the box, unclasped it and opened
it.

A choking gurgle erupted from somewhere in my throat “
Oh!!”
I wheezed. I couldn’t speak as my
heart raced and my lungs forgot to draw in air “Breathe Ava” Mason whispered softly
in my ear. My wide tear filled eyes found his “W…w.where…?” I stuttered. He
traced the back of his fingers tenderly down my face as a tear slipped free
“Sam did some digging around” He said softly and my eyes swept to Sam who just
smiled and shrugged “What is it?” Courtney asked

“My parents” I gulped and everyone else gasped. I traced
a finger over their faces. The two pictures were of my parents together. One
showed their close up faces laughing and smiling lovingly at each other and the
second was of the three of us; my mother and father stood side by side and me
in the middle, about 7 years old whilst my dad’s hand was on my shoulder and my
mother looked down at me with an expression of pure love and happiness as I
grinned up at her. Even I hadn’t got a photo of them as they had all been lost
when I had moved from home to home. I had mostly forgotten what they had looked
like, I hadn’t been
 
sure if the pictures
I had of them in my head were real or what I had made up to fill in the gap.

Mason stood, walked over to a cupboard and removed a
small shoe box and placed it in my lap. I frowned up at him but he smiled
tenderly and nodded. I removed the lid and choked back a sob. “Oh!” I rasped.
That was the only word I could manage as I pulled out the few items in the box.

 
There were the two
original photographs that Mason had had replicated into the locket, another few
photos of my parents and a few of me as a baby and a couple of my early
childhood, my birth certificate, a tiny pair of shoes, my christening gown and the
final two pieces; my parents’ wedding rings.

“Oh Mason, I…God…I…” I swallowed and looked up. Courtney
was crying, Marcy had tears in her eyes and the two men were sat quietly
watching me with affectionate smiles on their faces.

“Where did you get them Sam?” I asked. “I scoured all
your old foster homes and the first one you ever attended had
them
stored away in their loft, even they had forgotten
about them. It was Mason’s idea to look for you” he said gently and I just
nodded.

Masons hand twisted into my hair “Thank you…I…” I shook
my head slightly “It’s a pleasure baby” he kissed my forehead and lingered for
a short while before pulling away. I took the rings from the box and ran my
fingers around the smooth metal on each and then placed them back in the box
and returned the lid, locking the items securely away.