A V E R Y

There was something different in the air as my family and I sat in our living room, curled up on sofas and beanbags. Damien was pouring tea and handing out biscuits to Mia and Ivy, and the rest of my sisters... Well, they were all sitting up straight, watching Sienna and I avoid each other's eyes.

I cleared my throat. My head was pounding, and had been since our return from New York three days ago, but I had to make the effort to come here and try to smooth things over. 'How are you feeling, Sienna?'

My sister looked up at me, smiling slightly when she saw the calm expression on my face. 'I'm better. Fine, actually. How are you? You went through much more than I did.'

Beside me, Mason moved his hand and placed it on the small of my back, a warm heat flooding through me at his touch. We still hadn't had time to... be together, probably because both of us had been sleeping, eating, talking for a bit and then falling asleep together again.

I leaned into his touch, grateful for it. 'I'm okay.'

Mason leaned in a little, turning his head to meet my ear and murmuring in that low, silky voice of his. 'You are not. You need rest and some love, and you'll get both when we go home.'

I shivered. Getting turned on in front of the family was a big no-no, but when he talked like that, I couldn't fucking help it. And I missed being close and cuddling with him.

Sienna set her cup of tea down on the table with a soft plink. As much as she said she was fine, seeing that much violence and blood for the first time had dulled her eyes a little bit. As if she didn't quite know if she should be crying for the things she saw or smiling that it was all over.

'Thank you, Avey,' she began, smiling at her use of the familiar nickname my little sisters called me, 'for saving my life.'

I shrugged. 'No big deal.'

She scoffed. 'No big deal? You crazy girl, you were willing to die in order to make sure I got out of there alive. And what did I do? Refuse to listen to you and kick you out of the house.' She hung her head a little, her smile having disappeared. 'I'm so sorry, Avery. I don't know what I was thinking. I guess I was just hurt that you didn't tell me about this huge part of your life that was so important to you.'

I bit my lip, looking down. 'You're my sister. Of course I'd do that for you.'

'And I get it, you know. I understand why you're doing what you're doing.' Sienna's eyes burned into mine when I looked up again, tears beginning to form in those striking blue eyes. 'But mostly I'm pissed off at the man who did this to you, made you do this to feel like you were in control again.'

A tear slipped out of my eyes of its own accord. Mason moved quicker than I could, smoothing it away as he pulled me closer with his arm. He pressed a kiss to my forehead, as if to pass some of his strength into me.

'Thank you.' I whispered, sniffing.

Sienna nodded, tucking her hair behind her ear. 'I'm not done, though. I want to tell you that even though I don't exactly agree with the path you've chosen... I'm so bloody proud of you, Avery. I'm proud of the woman you've become in these past few years, and I'm in awe of how you picked yourself up and aimed to make a better world for everyone else.' She walked over and sat beside me, pulling my hands into hers and squeezing tight.

'Sienna-'

Sienna smiled brightly, shaking her head. 'Still not done.' She didn't bother to wipe the tears from her face when she carried on speaking. Neither did I.

'You need to know, that from now on, I'm all in. I will support you and help you in everything you need. You can trust in me, Avery.'

I choked back on a sob, pulling her into a hug. 'I know, Si. I know. I didn't tell you because I wasn't confident enough to tell you about it.' I pulled back, wiping my face. 'But I am now. Mason has helped me with that, and now I can finally breathe.'

Mason grinned when I turned to face him, his adorable dimple appearing. 'It was all you, love.'

Sienna was looking at us with interest when I faced her. 'Yeah, I'm going to need the whole story of how that happened.'

Vanessa and Emily hummed in agreement from the other sofa, both of them watching Mason with brows raised high over their cups of tea. 'Yeah, we need to hear whole damn story, Ave.'

I laughed, hugging Sienna again. That was a story I was all too willing to tell.

'Mum and Dad would be so proud of you,' she whispered into my ear.

***

'Are you sure about this, love? We don't have to if you don't really want to. I know Sienna said she wouldn't mind you living here, but it's up to you.'

I stood circled in Mason's arms, my head against his warm chest, looking around his living room. I wanted to live with him. He wanted the same. My sisters were happy with it, and Damien had given his blessing.

Turning my head, I pulled his head forward with the hands linked around his neck and moulded my lips to his. Heat burned in my core as he responded, tracing the outer edge of his tongue with his tongue. 'Fuck,' I muttered, pulling away. Mason chuckled and kissed me on the forehead. 'I'm sure.' I said. 'I want this with you. I need it.'

Mason grinned. 'Well, then I'm all in.'

I raised a brow. 'All in?'

He nodded, a serious look on his face.

'And what exactly are you talking about, Mason?' I purred, running a hand up his chest. He closed his eyes for a second, and when he opened them, there was nothing but love and a fire in them that I knew was a reflection of mine.

'Everything, love. I'm talking about everything.'

My whole body was on fire. I could feel the heat everywhere around me, like some sort of electric charge in the room. 'You know, I'm feeling really hot. Is it just me?' I fanned my face.

In response, Mason pulled off his shirt.

His fucking shirt.

Jesus, we needed a fan in here.

'Hmm,' I said. I ran my hands up his chest, over the contours of his stomach and up to his face. He smiled again, smoothing his hands up my waist.

'What?'

'I remembered something,' I murmured, pulling him further into the room, towards the stairs.

Mason smiled, but this time I saw a hint of mischief in his eyes. 'Are you going to tell me, or am I going to have to get it out of you?'

I kissed him softly. 'I think the second option.'

'Well, you asked for it.'

'What do you-'

Without a warning, the heaven that was his lips descended on my neck. He sucked and kissed his way down to my collarbone as I arched my back and pulled him closer to me.

'Jesus, you really know how to get me talking, don't you?' I gasped, trying to form coherent thoughts.

Mason didn't reply. As his hands skimmed my waist and lifted my shirt up off of my head, I lost basic thoughts. Cold air met my skin as he kissed his way down my chest and lower.

'You're so beautiful, love,' he whispered against my skin, 'So perfect.'

I didn't say anything. Wasn't sure I could.

'Will you talk now?' he said in a low tone, eyes meeting mine from where he knelt, resting his head against my bare stomach.

I nodded, taking a deep breath. 'I love you. So fucking much. I love you so much that it kills me to see you hurt in any way, and I would rather die than not be able to hold you and kiss you and love you every god damn day.'

Mason rose, pulling my face into his hands and welding his lips to mine. When he kissed me, the world fell away. It was slow, and fast, and comforting in the way words sometimes couldn't be.

'I love you, Avery. I love everything about you. And I promise to love you until I die. You are my life now, love. You always will be.' His voice was low and full of emotion. Icy blue eyes stared into mine, with the promise of a life full of happiness.

I ran my fingers down his back, gripping the hard muscles of his back and pulled him closer until there was no space left between his chest and mine. Until the beating of our hearts was as one.

'Bed,' I groaned into his mouth, feeling his hands go around me and then lift so that I could straddle him. Mason kissed me harder, stroking my hair as he walked up the stairs and kicked his door open.

And with the door shut, every pretence fell. Every kiss had a raw intensity as he lay me on the bed, showering my skin with kisses.

My jeans came off. So did his.

And even when I forgot how to speak in coherent sentences, when we were on the brink of euphoria, I remembered his name.

Mason.

He had been my light in the darkness. My anchor in the middle of a storm. He had been the one on my mind all the time, the one I couldn't stop thinking about.

My damnation.

My salvation.

***

Aaaand that's nearly it, folks!

WE ARE AT THE END OF THIS BOOK! 😥

I can't believe I'm writing this, but it's true. We're close to the end of this story, and I'm ready to say good bye and start something new.

Watch out  for the last two chapters!

-M