Incineration (Heart of Stone) Read Online Free

always insisting that I cook for them
and it gave me a secret proudness of myself, knowing I could create something
that people enjoyed. I placed the baked treats on a plate and placed them in
the fridge, and at 6pm I made my way home.
     
    Pulling up in front of my cottage I noticed my friend, Courtney
sat on my doorstep. Her face was tear-streaked and when she spotted me she
shrugged and gave me a nervous laugh. I cocked my head at her sympathetically
“Not again” I sighed to her as I pulled her up and embraced her.
    She sobbed in to my shoulder as I hugged her “Come on, let’s
go in and open some wine” she smiled and followed me in, slumping onto my couch
as I got the wine and glasses from the kitchen.
    As I returned to her she took one look at me then the tears
flowed again and I quickly pulled her against me “Courtney, why do you keep
doing this to yourself?” I asked and I felt her shrug “I dunno Ava, I love him”
she sobbed and I shook my head “But how many times is he going to cheat on you?
This is the third time and while I can understand you taking him back after the
first, why let it keep happening? I don’t want to hurt you Hun, but he
obviously doesn’t care about you in the same way otherwise he wouldn’t do this
to you” she sobbed and shrugged again and I stroked her hair “Courtney, you are
worth so much more than this” I told her, meaning every word.
    We had met at the business and finance course we had both
done at night school. George had insisted that I get some qualifications as a
backup if anything happened to him and I had made some loyal, great friends; Courtney
being my closest as we had hit it off straight away, having lots in common as
we had discovered we had both grown up in foster care and she was the only one
I could open up to about my childhood. Her experiences of foster care had been
exceptionally better than mine but she still had the same sense of not
belonging anywhere.
    She pulled away from me and reached over for her wine,
taking a large mouthful she turned to me, her pale face even pastier “I walked
in on them this time” she gulped down the tears and my heart broke for her “Oh
No! Courtney” I immediately grabbed her hand but she pulled it away, her brow
furrowing as though she didn’t quite know how to say the next part “It
was…it…it was Tracey” she whispered the name as though it stabbed her.
    I shot off the couch, staring at her in astonishment “What
the Fuck!!! I’ll fucking kill her” I was so angry. Tracey was supposedly one of
our circle of friends, but obviously not. Courtney shook her head vehemently
and pulled on my hand “NO! Ava, I know what you’re like, you’ll kill her!” she
argued “Too damn fucking right I will. The conniving bitch! How longs it been
going on? Did he tell you?” I know I was barraging her with questions but my
rage had taken over. She shook her head again “I don’t know, I just stared at
his arse pounding away at her then just walked out the door and closed it
quietly. I heard him shout my name but I just came over here. I needed to be
with you” she shrugged again and I sat back beside her, taking her hand in mine
again “Courtney, please, for me…don’t take him back this time. This is the
worst betrayal ever” I pleaded and she nodded “I know” she said quietly “I
don’t know which one of them has hurt me the most?” she added and then reached
into her bag and pulled out a bottle of vodka “Let’s get wasted” she grinned at
me and I laughed as my phone beeped a text message:
     
    Ava, the cakes and cookies are orgasmic
    Thank you
    Mason
     
     I grinned at the pleasure curling through me, and then
chastised myself. He was just saying thank you that’s all, nothing more. I
quickly replied after saving his number into my contacts:
     
    You are very welcome Mr Fox…enjoy
    Ava
     
    “What are you grinning at?” Courtney asked, narrowing her
eyes on me. I shrugged at her, feigning