The NSC Boxset: Heart of Stone

by D H Sidebottom

  She turned a little green and pulled her wrist out of my grip. “Just don’t say I didn’t warn you!” she hissed and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

  Jesus! Could this night get any worse? Taking a deep breath, I fixed my make-up and hair and left the bathroom.

  As I walked down the corridor I saw Peterson wobbling towards me; what was I just thinking about the night not getting any worse? It just did!

  Putting my head down I sped up, trying to get back to the bar without him noticing me but just as I was passing him he grabbed the top of my arm, pulled it behind me and pushed me up against the wall, my face squashed sideways in the direction of the bathroom. I wasn’t quite sure how he managed to do it in his highly inebriated state but he was bloody strong.

  “Let me go Simon,” I seethed, trying to wriggle out of his grip.

  “Oh, Olivia.” He chuckled, his face pressed to my cheek. “You know you want this. You’ve been giving me the come on for months now.”

  “No Simon, I haven’t. I’ve been trying to tell you to back off for months!” My heart was pounding and I was desperately trying to keep calm.

  He nudged his knee between my thighs and pushed them open. “Open up, Olivia.”

  Struggling to free myself, I was trying to think how I could get out of this situation when his hand came up the inside of my thigh, slowly making its way up towards my knicker-less crotch. SHIT!

  “Simon, please don’t do this,” I begged, panic now building in me.

  “Now, now, Olivia. Just relax and we can both enjoy this! I’ve wanted to fuck your pretty little arse for so long,” he rasped pushing his groin into me.

  I was panting and sweating, tears were rising and I was shaking so hard that I was vibrating. I was so mad that after years of training in self-defence I still couldn’t protect myself.

  I closed my eyes, silently praying for somebody to enter the passageway and help me when I felt Peterson’s pressure disappear and some shuffling and grunting from behind me.

  I turned in time to see Nate’s fist smash into Peterson’s face, splitting his nose instantly; the blood splattering. Dragging him up, Nate landed another punch. I heard Peterson’s cheekbone crack as his body hit the wall. “YOU FUCKING CUNT!” Nate roared.

  Grabbing Peterson’s hair and pulling him back up, Nate slammed his fist into Peterson’s stomach. His body fell to the floor with a heavy thud, his legs curling into a ball as Nate kicked him over and over.

  “Nate! Stop!” I yelled, grabbing hold of his arm and trying to pull him back as he lost control. “You’ll kill him!” I panicked and look round to see Bert and the barman stood watching. “Will you fucking help me?” I shouted at them.

  They moved towards Nate and each took a hold of his arms, pulling him away from Peterson’s battered body.

  “I’M GONNA FUCKING KILL YOU!!” he snarled at Peterson, struggling to free himself from the hold he was in.

  “Come on, Mr Carter,” Bert pleaded quietly, struggling to hold Nate. “He’s not fucking worth it!”

  “Get him fucking out of here!” Nate raged to Bert, “Before I decide to finish him off.”

  Bert and the barman picked Peterson up, and as they dragged him off, Nate grabbed Peterson’s face in a forceful squeeze and growled at him “You EVER fucking touch her again and I’ll kill you. You’re fucking fired, Peterson.”

  “Let’s take him out the fire doors, it’s more private,” the barman told Bert as they pulled him back down the corridor.

  Nate turned to me, his eyes flicking over my body taking in every detail and checking for any signs of abuse as I stood rooted to the spot now violently shaking as the shock set in.

  He came to stand in front of me and placed his palm on my cheek. “You okay, Angel? I’m so sorry. I didn’t realise he’d come after you until the barman came and told me he’d seen Simon follow you.” The fear was visibly displayed on his beautiful face as his chest heaved in rage.

  Nodding my head slowly, my eyes wide in distress, a single tear rolled down my cheek and a sob escaped my throat. He pulled me into his arms and slumped to the floor, pulling me onto his lap and rocking me as I wept. “Sshhh, Angel,” he whispered into my hair as he pulled me tighter.

  We sat there, on the floor while he continued to rock me and whisper reassurances as people flitted passed en-route to the bathroom.

  Eventually Nate swept my hair off my wet cheeks and lifted my chin to look at my face. “Let’s get you home, baby,” he whispered and retrieved his phone from his pocket to text Blake.

  Nodding my head he helped me to my feet and picked up my bag, my phone ringing inside. “They can wait,” he stated as he put his arm round my waist and walked me out of the fire door instead of having to exit via the bar.

  I was surprised to see Blake already waiting for us, stood silently at the side of the rear passenger door. He opened the door and gave Nate a questioning frown as we got closer; Nate shook his head slightly and helped me into the seat.

  He closed the door and spoke to Blake, then made a phone call; turning his back to me and shouting down the phone. Ending his call he walked round the car and climbed in next to me as Blake slipped in and raised the privacy screen.

  I climbed onto Nate’s lap as he took my hand in his and curled up, my head resting against his chest. “Oh, Angel” he sighed sadly, as he started to stroke my back.

  “I’m okay Nate. I’ve had worse,” I whispered with a bitter laugh. “But now I’ve got a knight in shining armour to save me.” I smiled gently, looking up at him.

  He cupped my chin and leant in to give me a tender kiss while his thumb stroked my cheekbone and his other hand rested on the back of my head. “I’ll always protect you Liv . . . always!” he whispered into my ear and inhaled my scent.

  When we arrived home, Nate came round and opened my door. He reached in and pulled me into his arms to carry me inside. Blake took the keys from my bag on Nate’s instruction and opened the front door for us.

  “Lock the door and post the keys through please, Blake,” Nate said as he carried me up the stairs.

  When we entered the bedroom he put me on my feet. “Let’s get you into bed, Angel.” He smiled softly. “Turn” he commanded with a twirl of his finger to indicate he wanted me to face away from him. He lowered the zip on my dress and let it drop to the floor. Taking my hand, he instructed me to step out of it. I was now stood in stockings, suspender belt and heels still facing away from him.

  “Shoes.” I stepped out of my heels at his command. He picked them up and moved them to the side. His hands rested on my shoulders and he started to massage my neck, his thumbs pressing gently at the nape. His fingers rubbed down the side of me, down my spine and came to rest on my suspender belt. “Sit” he instructed quietly as he led me to the bed.

  I perched on the edge, my eyes finding his. He was deep in concentration; care and devotion exhibited on his face as he unclipped my stockings from the belt and slowly rolled each sheer nylon down my leg, his fingers whispering my skin as they went.

  “You have beautiful legs, Angel,” he whispered, as if to himself as he continued the cherishing procedure.

  I closed my eyes, letting my head roll back as he lifted each foot to his mouth and licked delicately up each sole, relaxing me completely.

  He picked me up off the end of the bed and carried me to the side, pulled the duvet back and laid me down. Pulling the duvet over me he then stripped himself and climbed in beside me, pulled me back against him and kissed the back of my head.

  “Sleep now, baby,” he whispered and enveloped me, wrapping his arms and legs around me in a display of protection. I was stunned by his endearing performance; his attentiveness to undressing me and his utter tenderness in taking care of me.

  I lay awake for a while, my head spinning by Nate’s reaction to Peterson’s assault. He would’ve killed him if Bert and Barman hadn’t pulled him off; the pure white fury in his eyes had frightened me.

  I ha
d witnessed too much violence in this life and I didn’t want to see any more. The other half of me was overwhelmed by the obvious love Nate had for me; his rage, down to the fact that another man had threatened and hurt me; his own natural instinct to protect the woman he loves.

  My last thought before my eyes grew heavy and sleep took me was that I too would kill any person that tried to hurt the man I loved.

  Chapter Thirteen

  I SQUEEZED MY eyes closed against the torture of the morning sun filtering through the window. It felt too early to wake but my body had other ideas.

  Somewhere in my still sleepy daze I was aware of heavy breathing behind me, a gentle caress on my back and the soft hisses that were escaping Nate’s lips. He was tenderly stroking each of my welts, his fingers softly following the grooves in my skin, his lips following behind as though he wanted to heal them with kisses.

  I reached behind and lay my hand on his side, “Hey?”

  I could tell he was sad, the image of what I went through raging round his mind. He was quiet for a moment, as though he wasn’t quite sure how to ask. “How did you get these ones, Liv?” His voice was soft, the very tips of his fingers stroking up and down.

  I lay silent for a while, knowing that it would hurt him when I told him; but I knew he needed to know, his own way of helping me through. “He whipped me,” I answered calmly so he didn’t know I was anxious.

  He stilled as he held a breath and his fingers paused their delicate touch. I felt his sigh as he gently kissed across them, his tongue darting out between his lips as he pressed them against my body. He worked the soft kisses up my back to the nape of my neck and then around, sucking gently on the skin of my throat. His hands came round to hold my breasts, gently stroking my nipples as he continued his lip worship.

  I moaned and pressed my bottom against his groin. “I need you,” I whispered to him as I took his ready hardness and slipped it into me.

  He moaned as my inner walls gripped him and took him further. “Angel,” he gasped in my ear. “I love you.”

  Raising my hand behind me I clasped his head as he spooned me and ever so slowly moved in and out, his breath-taking rhythm never wavering as he deliberately pulled out and slid back in. My hands slid round the back of his neck as his fingers moved down to rub my clitoris just as his bar brushed over my soft-spot. I cried his name as my climax shot stars into my brain, its relentless power rendering me blind and pounding blood to my ears.

  “Baby,” he breathed as he came deep into me with a shudder.

  Our breathing was filling the room as we both struggled to come down from the high of our love-making; the slow tender act had us both joined together in more than our bodies, the overwhelming emotions we felt for one another and the pounding in each of our chests.

  He sighed as he slipped out of me and rolled me under him, kissing me with a rawness that told me he was feeling everything I was.

  “Good Morning.” I grinned when he removed his lips.

  Laughing he stroked my cheek, “Good morning, Beautiful.” He grinned back and then moved in for another kiss, his fingers stroking down my neck and along my arms.

  My phone rang from my bag. “Fuck off we’re busy,” Nate shouted over his shoulder to my bag.

  I slapped him away as I scrambled off the bed to answer it when he smacked my bare backside. “Hello,” I answered without looking at the display.

  “Hey babe,” Beth chirped happily.

  “Hey.” I smiled, happy to hear my best friend’s cheerful tones.

  “You still on for lunch, Liv?” she asked as Nate slid off the bed to the floor and started crawling towards me, a gleam in his eyes and a carnal smile on his lips.

  “Yeah we’re still on but it’s your turn, so where are you taking me?” I giggled as I tried to scramble across the floor on my bum.

  “You okay Liv?” Beth asked, curiously.

  “Yeah I’m . . . okay . . .” I squealed as he grabbed my foot and yanked me towards him.

  “What are you doing?” she probed, suspicion in her voice.

  “Well . . . I’m just . . . getting dressed,” I tried.

  I was pinned to the floor as Nate clambered on top of me, laying full length over me so I was squished beneath him unable to move. Laughing he put his mouth to my phone, “She is writhing about naked beneath me.”

  I heard her gasp. “Nate?”

  Taking the phone from my hand when I rolled my eyes, he put it to his ear. “Yes Beth, it’s me,” he chuckled. “Yes,” pause, “Yes,” another pause, “No I won’t. Yes! I promise,” he mocked, “Yes.” He looked at me. “She says she’ll see you in the Blue Bull at one and that you have to tell her every little detail.” he told me grinning. “She especially wants to know how fucking amazing I am in bed,” he added wiggling his eyebrows. I nodded my head and laughed. “She says okay, Beth. She has to go now because she needs to ravish me again.”

  He ended the call, tossed my phone to the side of the room and thrust his face into my chest, inhaling deeply. “Oh baby. Now we need to do something about this again.” He grinned as he took my hand and placed it on his refreshed erection. “It’s not fair how you keep making me hard,” he sighed in mock seriousness, shaking his head.

  * * *

  Sat in the Blue Bull waiting for Beth, I was still giggling at Nate’s face after he had dropped me off at the pub so I could have a drink; a full on sulky pout as he declared he couldn’t wait until Wednesday to see me again. We had arranged that I was to spend a few days at his house when the kids went to Portugal with my mother. I hadn’t yet told him I had booked Thursday off work to spend the afternoon with Jay. I just didn’t want to spoil how happy we were. I knew as soon as he found out, that my world would come crashing down and that it would be way more painful than anything James had done.

  I was in my daydream when Beth sat in the seat opposite me and placed her chin in her hands as she rested them on the table. “Olivia May Adams! You sly thing.” She grinned across at me as a blush crept up my face. “Now I know he must be good if he’s got you blushing.” She picked up the bottle of wine I had bought when I got there and filled her glass. “Well?”

  “Well what?”

  “Well since when did you get back together?” she grilled, “I thought I was your best friend. You should tell me straight away when you get laid.”

  Rolling my eyes at her frankness, I filled her in on everything concerning mine and Nate’s progress in the relationship. She sat and listened quietly, nodding her head every now and again and shaking it when she heard I hadn’t yet told him about Jay.

  “Babe, he’s not gonna be happy but he’s gonna be more hurt that you have hid it from him.”

  I nodded glumly. “I know Beth, but I’m scared he’s going to hate me. I’ve just got him back and this is gonna sink the ship when he finds out, and what the hell do I tell Jay? He’s the most important in all this.” I had tears in my eyes. It had been playing on my mind since me and Nate had got back together and now that I was facing it, the tears started to flow.

  “How do you know Nate’s going to react like you think he is, Liv? He might understand. And Jay will be happy, for you and him, babe.”

  “Would you understand?” I scoffed, shaking my head solemnly. “I know I wouldn’t if someone had kept something like that from me.”

  She raised her eyebrows. “Well that’s hardly gonna happen, Liv.” She laughed. “Seriously though, it’s taken you ten fucking years to move on and trust somebody enough to let them in. After how you hide your body I thought you’d never share your bed with anyone ever again. Nate wants you to trust him Liv, he loves you . . . he always did, babe. So trust him . . . and yourself Liv, trust yourself and tell him,” she pleaded, picking up the bottle and topping me up. “Anyway enough morbid talk and tell me all about the sex,” she grinned and winked.

  We ate our lunch and decided to visit the cinema for a movie. Luckily I had put my phone on silent as I popped it in my bag and plac
ed it at my feet. I felt it buzz five times during the film and halfway through I slipped it out of my bag in case it was my mother confirming a time to drop off the kids.

  I was surprised to see there was an actual text message from the unknown caller.

  UNKNOWN CALLER:

  ANSWER YOUR FUCKING PHONE BITCH

  I gasped and Beth caught it, looking over me to read the text. She frowned fiercely and looked at me when I shrugged my shoulders and shook my head, mouthing ‘It’s fine.’

  It was the first time the caller had sent me a message and it unnerved me. It was starting to frighten me a little now and as soon as I got to work tomorrow I would ring and get it changed.

  Relaxing now at my decision to obtain a new number and all this would be over, I enjoyed the rest of the movie.

  I paid the taxi as he dropped me off and walked up to my front door, inserting the key in the lock and turning but it wouldn’t twist.

  Strange.

  Trying again and when it still didn’t budge I tried the handle and the door opened. The kids must have returned earlier than was arranged.

  Stepping through the door I shouted their names but was met with silence, the house was still empty. Mortified that I mustn’t have locked the door, I phoned Nate to check.

  “Hey, baby,” his sexy voice rolled through the phone, making my heart skip a beat.

  “Hi,” I smiled down the phone, hearing his voice always relaxed me. “Did you see me lock the door when we left this afternoon?”

  “No. I locked it for you while you put your tax disk in your car if you remember. Why?”

  “I don’t think you locked it properly, Nate cos’ I’ve just got home and it was unlocked,” I told him, wandering round the house checking I hadn’t been burgled.

  “Oh God Liv, I’m sorry but I could have sworn I locked it,” he apologized. “Have you checked the house?”

  Finishing my inspection without finding anything amiss, I nodded and then realised he couldn’t see me through the phone. “Yeah, just done it and everything’s fine,” I reassured him, checking in the pantry now feeling a little spooked.