Page 121 of Sticks and Stones
Corbin had to trust someone, and Ethan had already seen his body.
“Please help me. I don’t care if you see my dick again. I’m beyond that now. I think they recorded what was done to me,” he whispered, remembering a little more of the assault.
That’s when panic set in.
“Oh, God. They recorded it,” he said, his eyes showing the terror that was now rocking his body.
Ethan reassured him.
“We’ll protect you. Do you trust me?” he asked.
Slowly, Corbin nodded.
“Breathe,” Ethan said. “Let me get you undressed and into the shower. Don’t worry about me seeing you naked again. I’ll remind you that you saw me in that cemetery,” he said, trying to break through and help Corbin.
He laughed.
“Yeah, well, yours was impressive at the time. Mine is hiding after this mess.”
He kissed Corbin on the temple. Corbin had nothing to worry about. They’d get him better.
Plus, he had Will.
The man loved him.
“We have this, Corby. Trust and believe that Gene and I will not let you down.”
That was all he had keeping him together right now. If not for the two men he called brothers, he’d be lost. The last thing he could deal with was Alice hovering over him as she made him feel like a child.
“I believe,” he said.
Well, that was the first step.
Helping him out of his clothing, Ethan tried not to be an investigator, but it was damn hard not to see his body and mentally catalog it for the record.
Again, he was faced with the vicious slashes across his back like someone used a belt and buckle against him. There were bruises on his thighs, his back, and his chest. In the light of the bathroom, they were so much clearer.
Blackhawk was horrified, but held it together for his friend.
When Corbin got into the shower, he kept his arm outside of the glass, and Ethan protected it with a towel.
“There is soap, or use whichever body wash you want,” he offered. “You’ll either smell like Gene or me. He’s getting you some things from your apartment, and that way you’ll have your things while you stay with us,” he offered.
“How long can I stay?” he asked.
Ethan was honest.
“As long as it takes, Corbin. As long as it takes.”
That gave him a little calm.
As he stood under the hot water, it felt good on his skin. He turned the temperature up as he wanted to scald away the memories.
Using some soap, he cleaned himself, grateful to have their filth off of him. The whole time, the tears came.
And Ethan let him mourn.
He let him cry.
