Tolerance (Heart of Stone) (13 page)

Everybody was staring at Mason with dropped jaws and wide
eyes and he took a deep breath and turned slightly so he could hold my eyes
“Mark recorded you on his phone the night you shot Dean” he said gently as he
closed his eyes waiting for my reaction.

He didn’t have to wait long; I shot off his knee and
stared at him “W...
w.what
?” I stuttered, shocked and
stunned as he reached out to me “Ava, calm down” I shook my head rapidly not
comprehending what he was telling me “Baby, sit down and I’ll tell you the
rest. I don’t want you getting upset, it’s not good for the babies” he said
gently and I just stood staring at him.

He stood, picked me up and settled us back down in the
chair, wrapping his arms around me tightly “STAY!” he ordered gently. I glanced
over the rest of my friends and they were all sat gobsmacked…pretty much the
same as me then. Another deep breath from Mason and he carried on

“He also took the gun” he glanced at me and my stomach
was now tightly coiled as the nausea had started to creep in “Oh fuck!” I
puffed out and Mason nodded. Now everything was crystal clear! I cocked my head
at Mason “So he’s making you marry his daughter in return for keeping me out of
prison” I said slowly and Mason closed his eyes in distress but nodded slowly.
Now I felt like a fucking fool. All this time screaming and shouting at Mason,
blaming him for leaving me and he had done it to protect me.

I cupped his face and turned him to me “Listen to me,
right now!” I was livid, my fury was bubbling up “You.
Are.
Not.
Marrying.
Her” I said frankly and simply and
Mason looked away “Mason!” I warned “I would rather rot in hell that watch her
get her claws into you” Masons eyes shot to me “No Ava” he warned but I glared
at him “I mean it Mason, I would go to prison for you, you know that!” I
climbed off his lap and walked over to the front door “I need a few minutes” I
snapped and took my coat off the hook by the door “AVA!” Mason shouted but I
held my hand up to him and walked out. I needed air, space and time to calm
down before I wrecked the cabin. This was my entire fault and now Mason was
paying the price for helping me through one of the darkest times of my life. He
had helped me put Katie to rest and start to build my life again.

It was dark but there were lamps scattered around and I
walked a path round the side of the cabin and was greeted by a huge manicured
garden but beyond that was a beautiful serene lake, the moonlight bouncing of
its calm water and I made my way towards it, still numb from Mason’s
revelations. What the hell was I going to do? I would not see him marry
Rebecca, ever!!
Especially not for me.

I grasped some large reeds on my way through the garden
and I noticed a small jetty perched on the edge of the lake. Sitting on the end
of it, dangling my legs over the edge I hugged my stomach and stared out over
the tranquillity and serenity and I knew what I had to do “I need you to
understand what I’m going to do peanuts” I said gently to my babies. I knew I
would go to prison for what I had done and it broke my heart to leave them
“Your Daddy will love and care for you while I’m gone. But never forget that I
will always love you, just like I love your Daddy and that’s why I need to do
this” a tear slipped free and my heart now broke for my children instead of
myself.

 
I knew what it was
like to grow up without a mother, the constant longing for her arms and soft
voice, her arms around you holding you close but I couldn’t let Mason pay the
price for my monstrosity of a life. He had put himself in this position for me,
to help me and alleviate my pain and terror of that night five long years ago.
It was my life and my responsibility and I had to end this nightmare now.

I felt him sit behind me as his legs flanked me and his
arms shrouded mine, holding our babies together. “I know what you’re gonna do
Ava and I won’t let you” he said quietly as his chin settled on my shoulder
“Mason” I said softly “I won’t let you do this for me. Dean was my problem. It
was me that shot him, not you” his arms tightened and he kissed my neck softly
“Baby, I would walk through hell twice over for you, if you go to prison my life
will be over anyway” We were both quiet for a while, looking out over the
calmness of the water and binding this moment to our memories, both of us not
knowing what would happen from here.

I reached my arm round behind me and round his neck “I
need you to promise me something Mason” I whispered as I turned my face towards
him and held his eyes. He nodded once “Look after them” I said softly and he
closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he understood what I was asking for.
As he opened them I could see the strength, resolve and determination in them
“Baby, I won’t need to, because you will” he admonished, his voice low and
steely but I shook my head “I would rather die than see you with that…that
fuck whore
” I snarled and he chuckled
slightly “My little warrior” he breathed and kissed my ear, nibbling on the
lobe “Mason please…” he placed a finger over my lips “Listen to me Ava” his
voice had dropped to the level when I knew not to argue with him “I AM going to
marry Rebecca and I AM going to have an affair with
you
” he whispered “Because I can’t stay away from you; from your
beauty, your laughter, your smile, your sense of fun and spirit, your smart
mouth and your amazing body. It’s
you
that makes me whole Ava. Don’t ever think that I love Rebecca but I WILL marry
her just to keep you. If you go to prison I can’t have you Ava and I am never
gonna let you go!” he rumbled in my ear “But it will be hell Mason; waking
beside her every morning, listening to her grating voice constantly, her paws
all over you every bloody night, her leery bloody grin and the smug glint in
her eyes every time she looks at you and you will have to take it just for me”
I sobbed “And I’ll take it with a fucking smile on my face Ava, just because I
will know that you are there waiting for me with our children” he stated
sternly and I sighed and rubbed my face with my hands “I’m just so tired Mason.
I’m so sick of fighting to live” I sighed and he huddled me closer, wrapping
his ankles round mine “I promise you Ava, we will be together and I swear with
everything that I am that I will make you happy” he tipped my face to his and
brought his mouth to mine in a hot, smouldering kiss; his hand on the back of
my head and his other arm wrapped me tight, holding me to him “You’re mine Ava
and I will never let you go” he breathed against my mouth as he swooped in for
another ownership kiss.

We strolled back up to the cabin as Mason held me into
his side, with his arm wrapped around me tightly. Both of us silent in our own
thoughts and as we approached the door he pulled me to a stop. “I am going to
explain what’s going on and then we forget it for the next three days and enjoy
each other and Christmas” he told me “I need to be with you Ava, without the
worry and stress of all this before I go back” I nodded, understanding him
perfectly. He smiled “Okay, let’s do this but no more running” he stroked my
stomach in a silent warning and I smiled “Okay, I promise” he nodded and kissed
me then led me back in.

We entered the house to the smell of something swoon
worthy “Food!” I cried excitedly and Mason chuckled beside me as we approached
the kitchen where everybody was working together to cook supper. I strolled
over and snooped into each bubbling pot “Yum” I grinned as I found chilli, rice
and garlic bread. Courtney slapped my hand away as I scooped some chilli onto a
spoon “Leave it!” she warned and I pouted “You’re a bitch” I grumbled and she
narrowed her eyes on me “Say that again and I won’t give you my leftovers” she
scolded and I kissed her cheek “Hurry though…please” I pleaded and she shook
her head “Sit mama!” she ordered and I did, picking up my knife and fork and
waiting impatiently.

Greg placed my jar of peanut butter, gherkins and curry
paste on the table and I dived into the gherkins hungrily “Thank you, I so love
you Greg, at least you care” I flirted with Greg to piss Courtney off “Hey, you
leave my man alone. You’ve got your own now” she winked and smiled and I grinned
back as Mason embraced me from behind my chair, slipping his arms around my
shoulders.

 
He turned my hand
over that was rested in my lap and placed a piece of garlic bread in it
secretly and kissed my cheek “Ssshhh” he whispered and I sighed happily,
breaking a piece of and dipping it into the peanut butter. He stared at me wide
eyed “Really? Garlic bread and peanut butter?” he gasped and I nodded “Want to
try?” I asked as I shoved another piece in. He pulled a ‘not on your life’
expression and went to get wine from the wine rack “Red?” he asked everybody
and everyone returned murmurs of agreement. I scowled; the only disappointment
in being pregnant was the lack of alcohol.

Mason walked to a cupboard and pulled out another bottle,
collected the corkscrew and walked back to the table as Courtney and Marcy
placed all the dishes on the table and sat. Mason uncorked a bottle and poured
it into a huge glass and passed it me. I pulled a face at him “Ha fucking ha” I
grumbled and he narrowed his eyes on me “Alcohol free just for you” he scowled
and showed me the bottle “Oh thank you” I grinned at Greg and he nodded “Hope
its decent” he said with a shrug “Well at least I don’t feel left out” I smiled
scooping a huge pile of rice and chilli onto my plate “Hey, we are all going in
the hot tub later.
It’s
gonna be so much fun” Courtney
told us “Ooh God, I don’t think I can stand to have Ava half naked and not be
able to do anything with you...” He went silent as I squirted curry paste on my
meal. I licked my lips in anticipation and shovelled a huge forkful into my
drooling mouth as I realised the room had gone quiet. I swallowed my food
slowly as I looked up and found Mason’s eyes darting from my mouth to my plate;
his
mouth wide open
“What?” I mumbled around my full
mouth “Chilli and curry paste?” he asked completely horrified. I swallowed
loudly and nodded slowly, looking at him like a chastised child.

He started chuckling and then he was barking with
laughter “Jesus Christ” he laughed and kissed me hard on the lips “I fucking
love you” he grinned and I beamed at him and leaned into his ear “Did you bring
any soap?” I whispered with yearning “I heard that!” Courtney growled.

“Out with it then” Greg said to Mason as we settled back
around the roaring fire with our drinks, me settled on Masons lap again. He
took my hand “You promise to keep calm Baby?” he asked and I nodded “I’ll try”
I promised. “Right, it’s best to start at the beginning. Well you all know what
happened that night with Dean so I’ll go from there” he took a deep breath “Ava
was in a mess so I just concentrated on her the whole time, I had already given
instructions to Sam and Mark about what was to happen after so I could get Ava
out quickly afterwards. I left Mark to clean up and sort out the gun as Sam
drove us home. I had no idea what he was going to do” he looked at me and I
nodded for him to carry on “Rebecca had informed me she was pregnant and I
honestly thought at the time it was mine so I believed her when she told me. I
was confused for a while as we had used condoms but she said we had been high
one time and not used one and I didn’t have any reason not to believe her” he
glanced at me as he knew this had hurt me and I was absolutely delighted to
realise that he had in fact used condoms and it was only me that made him lose
control. “A few weeks later I found out about Kade” Mason cringed and looked
away from me and I winced at the pain in his voice

“I was devastated and lost control, drinking and getting
high but Rebecca was delighted, thinking I would now go back to her but I
refused her, told her I didn’t want her, that I would always want Ava and I
could see in her eyes when I rejected her she was angry” he explained and
rubbed his face “Anyway back to Mark. We all know he was in love with Rebecca
but he was also in a lot of trouble with the police. He had been smuggling
cocaine and heroin and his brothel had been raided the week before all this
kicked off with Dean. They found underage prostitutes and illegals working there
and he was going down big time for it” he sighed and carried on

“So he recorded Ava shoot Dean and kept the gun and took
it to Robert Delaney as leverage for a deal to keep himself out of prison”
Masons eyes darkened and I could feel his fist clenching the back of my shirt
“Rebecca had gone to Daddy crying telling him I’d fucked her over and didn’t
want her or the baby. I have a feeling she had asked Mark to get the dirt on
Ava, and Mark would have done anything for her” he sighed heavily and I stroked
my thumb over his and smiled softly at him, he leaned his head into me and
kissed me gently and then turned back to the others “Delaney came to see me
with the phone and the gun and basically he told me to finish things with Ava
and marry Rebecca and he would lose all the evidence against Ava” I sighed and
frowned “Mason, you do realise that once you have married Rebecca that Delaney
could still out me” I said and he nodded “I know but I still can’t take the
risk Ava” he sighed

“Does Delaney know it’s not your baby?” I asked and he
shook his head “He wouldn’t believe me if I told him. Rebecca is his princess
and he believes every bloody thing she tells him” he stated “Does Rebecca know
you know it’s not yours?” he shook his head again “I don’t think so but…” he
shrugged “I genuinely thought it was mine but when we went for the first scan
they put her dates back and I knew immediately, but at the time I just stewed
on it for a while, not sure what to do about it” I exhaled “That’s why you
didn’t seem excited when you returned from the scan” I said and he nodded and
looked up at me “It’s not the same as seeing our peanuts; the fluttering in
your stomach, the clench in your chest, the lump in your throat and the surge
of your blood
 
when you see them hopping
and kicking about, knowing that we made them” he grinned at me and I smiled
happily “She must be really stupid if she thinks you don’t know” I scoffed and
he laughed “Well for the moment I’m keeping it to myself” he said “Does she
know her father is blackmailing you?” I queried and he snorted “Oh yeah, she
knows I wouldn’t be with her otherwise” he laughed bitterly.