Angel (NSC Industries) (33 page)

The
blackness was overwhelming; everywhere I looked it was black.

The
voices were far away, mumbled low sounds. His voice was too far away, I wanted
it closer, and I wanted his whispers in my ear, his breath caressing my cheek.

I
needed him to take away my pain, a pain so excruciating I couldn’t breathe. I
needed to look into his beautiful eyes and not focus on anything but those
pure, bright blue eyes but everything ebbed away, dragging me back in to the
peace of nothing.

The
blackness was back, the voices were back but his voice was nearer. He was
whispering my name, over and over again.

I
tried to tell him I was here, that I was right here but the words wouldn’t come
out, my lips wouldn’t move.

His
anguished cries broke through the blackness, broke through my own pain as I
heard the agony in his sobs, the grief in his screams and I tried so hard to
reach him but the nothing came and took me again, the calmness surrounding me.

The
black had turned to grey and my throat was so dry, so scratched raw I couldn’t
swallow and I desperately needed to, needed to get rid of this damn thing
scratching my tonsils.

I
needed to pee, my bladder full to bursting and I was growing anxious that I
might just have to urinate here… wherever here was.

I
could smell him, his scent drifting through my nostrils, calming me
immediately.

I
could hear his ragged breaths, his hushed sobs, and his soft voice telling me
he loved me. I tried to tell him I loved him but the annoying thing stuck in my
throat wouldn’t let the words out.

I
was getting angry, I wanted to tell him, and I desperately needed to tell him,
tell him that I loved him too, more than life.

The
nothing was trying to take me back again but I fought against it, I needed to
tell him I loved him. I felt his hand in mine, his thumb relentlessly stroking
over my knuckles, back and forward, back and forward.

The
rhythm was soothing to my pain, to my anguish that I couldn’t tell him. The
calm won again and I slipped into it, the need to rest taking over my body.

This
time there was light and my eyes were open. The room was too vivid; the
dazzling bulb above my face was blinding me. The damn thing, whatever it was,
was still stuck in my throat and it was choking me, scraping my tonsils as I
tried to breathe.

My
body hurt so much and as I tried to move, it halted me, the pain screaming
through my tender muscles.

His
hand was still in mine but his head was laid on top of it, his breathing slow
and regular. He was asleep. I needed him, I needed to see his eyes and I needed
his smile but I couldn’t bloody talk and I needed him.

I
tried to squeeze his hand but it took more effort than was normal, the regular
task of squeezing my fingers seemed greater work than lifting a house. I tried
again, willing god to help me out. I needed my man, my lover, my other half.

My
fingers curled slightly and as I gave it more effort I managed to squeeze his
hand, gently clasp his fingers in mine and he stirred, a low groan rumbling
from his chest.

My
heart hitched as I saw his head slowly rise and as his eyes focused on mine he
let out a sob so anguished and relieved it broke my heart.

To
see the pain, relief and desolation in him took my breath away.

 “Liv?”
It came out a strangled whimper and his hand shot up to my brow, pushing a lock
of hair away from my forehead. “Baby?” he sobbed and squeezed my hand.

I
tried to talk but it came out a croak and he smiled through his tears. “Baby,
hang on. I need to fetch the nurse. Hang on, Angel” he pleaded as he released
my hand and dashed out of the door, shouting a nurse.

He
turned back to face me and as his legs gave way, he gripped on to the
doorframe, the relieved sob gutting him as he sank to the floor.

A
nurse and a doctor rushed into the room as Jay came in and lifted Nate and
walked him over to a chair in the corner.

Things
happened rapidly then; torches in my eyes, needles in my arms and just about
every crevice tested by something or prodded by something.

The
tube was taken from my throat and I was offered a sip of water as Nate held a
straw to my lips, gently encouraging me to take small sips.

I
could see Beth, my mother and the kids through the window of the room, all of
their faces ashen and exhausted.

The
doctor smiled down at me as I closed my eyes again, the calm taking me from the
hectic pace of the intrusions and hubbub in the room.

I
woke a while later to see Nate staring through the window, his back turned to
me as his hands raked through his hair.

“Nate”
I managed to croak and he spun round, a grin on his face as he came and took my
hand in his and cupped my cheek with his other.

“Baby”
he breathed. “How are you feeling?”

I
frowned and assessed my body. My throat was still sore and my stomach was still
painful but other than that it was bearable “I’m okay. Did... did he…?”

I
swallowed harshly.

 “Shush
Baby, everything’s okay now. He’s gone, Angel” his thumb stroked my cheek and I
frowned deeper. “Liv, DC Yale shot him. She said you speed dialled her but she
went to your house first, that’s why it took her so long to get to us. As soon
as James shot you she fired at him, killed him straight out.”

He
let out a small laugh, “Do you know what she did after? She kicked him, really booted
him.  She said she’d wanted to do that for so long.”

He
smiled softly “It’s over, baby.”

 I
wasn’t sure how I felt as the mixed emotions clashed together; relief, pain,
sadness but the most intense was calm, an overwhelming serenity that ripped the
cries and howls from me; tears of relief and a sensation of release and
liberation.

He
climbed on the bed behind me and cradled me, rocking me gently as I wept and
screamed.

He
held me tight as he cried with me, as we finally put James to rest, closing a
chapter of my life that could no longer bear down on me, no longer torture and
hound me, as a new chapter began.

One
that had took us over twenty years to finally arrive at but one I knew without
a shadow of a doubt would be the best chapter yet.

It
tickled; an intense prickle on the new scar across my stomach and I wriggled
but it was persistent, the itch pulling me out of my sleepy daze.

Groaning
I moved my hand down to it but was met with a head full of curls.

Smiling
widely I curled my fingers around the softness and silkiness of his hair. “Good
Morning, babe” I said as I opened my eyes and took in the beautiful sight of my
husband, my other half.

 “Merry
Christmas, Mrs Carter” he grinned as he looked up at me through his long
lashes.

His
tongue swept over my wound then kissed it gently. “Do you know? I always look
at this scar as though it’s my lifeline. The scar that saved my life.”

He
looked sad and I pulled him up to me, cupping his face in my hands and resting
my lips against his, tenderly kissing his beautiful mouth.

 “Hey,
Mr Carter, no sadness today it’s Christmas and the start of our honeymoon.”

We
had wed yesterday, Christmas Eve, in a little chapel surrounded by our family
and friends.

The
day had been perfect and crisp white snow had greeted us as we woke. The pure
freshness of it simulating the new life we were beginning that day, and the
bright sunlight reflecting the light in all of us. 

His
thumb stroked my cheek “I love you Liv, so damn much.”

My
heart flipped at his words, even now they still made me giddy, “And you Nate,
you own my heart.”

He
smiled and then jumped up from the bed, pulling on my hand. “Come on, Santa’s
been” he grinned like a big child and continued to pull me.

“Okay,
okay, I’m up” I laughed as I rose from the bed.

He
growled as he took in my naked form, his eyes darkening and his breathing heavy
as a lazy grin lifted his lips and he sauntered back over to me, gently pushing
me back down onto the bed.

 “Santa
can wait” he breathed as he crawled over me, his hands resting at either side
of my head as his erection pressed into my stomach.

“I’m
sure Santa won’t mind” I grinned back as his lips lowered to mine.

Christmas
day passed in a whir of family and laughter. It was Nate’s proper first family
Christmas since he was young.

His
parents had never bothered to contact him after he moved to Edinburgh, and he’d
had no other family to share the season with and he had always spent the day
working.

It
had broken my heart when he had told me and I was adamant we would have a
happy, fun day as a family and it had been just that, a day filled with new
memories and photos for the wall frieze.

After
we had made love that night we were laid in each other’s arms, both of us lost
in our own minds.

I
lifted my chin to gaze at him, and gently stroked his cheek, “I have another
gift for you.”

I
smiled and he frowned as I swung my feet out of bed and walked over to the
wardrobe, retrieving a small gift bag.

Climbing
back on the bed, I passed it him as his eyes took in my grin, and as he pulled
apart the tissue paper I heard him gasp.

He
swallowed hard and I could actually see his heart pumping in his chest as he
pulled out the long plastic item.

A
huge grin emerged on his face as he stroked over the thin blue line on the
pregnancy test.

 “Liv?”
he stammered and I couldn’t contain the chuckle as I nodded “Happy Christmas,
Daddy.”

A
small sob choked from him as he cupped my cheek, his eyes brimming with tears “I
love you, Liv. You’re the other half of me, the Angel of my soul.”

THE END

Catch up with Nate and Liv

and keep reading for a preview from the trilogy

Heart of Stone

‘
Incineration’

Another NSC Industries novel

By D H Sidebottom

Available Now

Heart
of Stone

Book
1

‘Incineration’

CHAPTER 1

I
had met George, 5 years ago, when I had been living on the streets at the age
of 17.

He
had found me beaten and sobbing in the corner of a pub car park and had gently
lifted me and placed me in the back of his Jag, took me to his home and cared
me back to the gentle, fun loving girl that I had once been.

I
came to look on him as a father figure and he treated me as though I was his
daughter, lovingly nicknaming me ‘Princess’.

When
I reached 21 he had bought me a small, rundown cottage that I had the strenuous
but fulfilling pleasure of renovating back to its original state, the love and
attention I put into it gave me an overwhelming sense of pride and pleasure.

Since
the day George had found me I had worked for him as a personal assistant in his
house but only for his daily personal activities, his business was kept well
away from me, behind locked doors, much to George’s specific instructions.

I
knew he was involved with lots of dishonest and crooked dealings in organised
crime, a ‘gangster’ or ‘criminal overlord’ as the term is known but he always
kept me away from this side of him and I respected his choices but sometimes it
exasperated me that he thought I couldn’t handle that side of things, but I
respected his wishes and took care of his private and individual needs.

As
he reached 60 he had decided to retire and move to the Algarve, telling me he
had had enough of the life he led and was eager to get away from it.

He
begged me to go with him but I needed my own space and my own life but I would
be eternally grateful to him for all the time and patience he had given me. 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 took 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 but he had owed George one or two favours and
would be glad of the assistance in his private chores and would 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 and my feet already sore in my 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 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 perusal of me. “Hi” I smiled
nervously “Ava Stone to see Mr Fox.” His eyes stayed on my chest and I already
disliked this man.

He
swung his arm out in gesture to enter and 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 and a man had his back to me pacing in
front of the 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 and 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 and his eyes
scanned my body in a slow and easy examination and then rested on my face as he
held my gaze for a moment too long, making me squirm on the edge of my comfort
zone.

His
eyes were intense but there was something else that flashed across them…Fire! 
He was stunning.

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 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 and I wobbled over to it, all sets of eyes in
the room were tracking me and most dropping to my large chest as I sat down. I
had hated my breasts for many years, they had been the warrant of many an
unwanted attraction and leer from men, and 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 and his eyes glowed with warmth as he simply gave me a small
nod. “Anyway, meet the rest of the guys” he chuckled and 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 and 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” Brian informed me.

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

Marks
eyes shifted towards me and then back to the paper he was reading on the table
“Miss Stone” was all he said and another blush crept into my cheeks as the
other men laughed at Mark’s 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; 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 the man I grinned. “Miss Stone, it’s a pleasure to meet you
again. Have you heard how George is settling in?” he smiled. 

“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 and 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 and 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 and I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.

“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 but 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
said 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 had soon placed a full coffee pot, cups, sugar and milk on a tray
with a plate of biscuits I had found in the cupboard and 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 and Mason frowned at me then down at the tray. “I uhh, didn’t want to walk
in on any private discussions, Mr Fox” I explained and 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 and took 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 as 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” his deep voice said from behind me
making me spin round and observe him 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 of 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?”