Free Fortitude (Heart of Stone) by D. H. Sidebottom

Perfect.
    I threw him onto the floor and rammed my foot into his
face. It suddenly seemed so easy and I was on him within seconds, my wrath
taking over after so long dormant. My fists were furious on him, my bare feet
snapping each of his ribs and bruising internally as I let rip and drained the
heartache along with the hatred.
    Arms circled me and dragged me off. “Shit!” A voice
hissed and I stilled.
    “Steed?”
    “What the fuck Ava?”
    I blinked then looked at the teenager. He was
unconscious, blood pouring from him, his body broken and his face smashed. “Oh
my God. What have I done?”
    “It’s okay, it’s okay,” Steed soothed when I started to
panic. “Shush, shush, we’ll deal with it, but first I have to phone Mase, he
needs to know I’ve found you.”
    I don’t want to see him.” I shook my head frantically at
Steed. “No, I can’t. I…”
    “It’s okay,” he said gently as he palmed my face gently
with both of his hands. “Calm down. He just wants to know I’ve found you.
Everyone’s out looking for you.”
    I nodded before I turned and stared at the boy. He was
barely eighteen.
    Oh Jesus.
    “I’ve found her.” Steed spoke into his phone. “No, she’s
fine but I need a clean-up.”
    I winced at the words, reality at what I had done kicking
in. “No, no, she’s fine but some… young knob got the shock of his life by the
look of it. You’ll also need to get Kade onto the park CCTV.”
    Nodding his head, he ended the call then took my arm and
steered me to the bench, turning my back on the boy so I wouldn’t have to look
at him. “Are you okay?” he asked as he studied my body. His eyes swept over me
and I frowned with surprise when I realised he’d seen my head and not even bat
an eyelash at it.
    “I’m fine.” I told him.
    He sighed and smiled sadly at me. “I take it you didn’t
like him?” he asked as he tilted his head to my victim .
    “He… he…”
    Steed took hold of both my hands, “Ava. It’s okay.” He
frowned then uncurled my fingers and looked down. I bit into my lower lip when
he discovered the bag of coke in my grip. I hadn’t even realised I still had
hold of it.
    “Umm…”
    “Ah Christ.”
    He snatched it from me as heavy footsteps approached.
Greg and Sam stood smiling at me.
    “Hey you,” Greg smiled widely and pulled me into his arms
immediately. He felt soft and reassuring and I realised just how much I had
missed them all. “I missed you,” he whispered into my ear.
    “And you,” I told him.
    He smiled as Sam took hold of me and embraced me, “I see
you’re still causing trouble, girl.” He winked and I sighed.
    “I’m so sorry, I…” He shook his head and went to crouch
beside the boy, checking for any signs of life.
    “He’s okay, pulse is strong.” He smiled at me then turned
to Steed. “Take her home while we sort this out.”
    He nodded then led me back to the car. “I want to go to
the cottage.” I told him when he pulled off.
    He narrowed his eyes on me, “I’m not sure that’s a good
idea.”
    “I don’t care what you think, Steed. I want to go home. I
want my own bath, my own house and my own bed. I want to go home.”
    “Okay,” he conceded with a heavy sigh. “But you can bet
your husband isn’t going to be best pleased.”
    “He isn’t my damn husband anymore, he proved that
tonight.”
    He turned to me with a perplexed expression, “Eh?”
    “He was all over my friend. He has obviously moved on.”
    He nodded slowly, his eyebrows twitching with my disclosure.
“And you?”
    “Me?”
    “Have you moved on?”
    I paused before finding the courage I needed. “Yes.”
    He sucked air through his teeth as he pulled up outside
my cottage. “See, I’m not sure you have.” He said when he flung the bag of coke
at me. “Not if you need to eradicate all thoughts with this shit.”
    “Fuck you, you self-righteous bastard!” I spat as I
yanked open the car door and stormed up the path. I lifted the