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“What is this?” Roman asked in confusion as he turned Hunter’s arm over and saw even more scars on his outer arm.
When he looked up, he saw that Hunter had closed his eyes at some point but tears were still streaking down his skin. Hoarse, choking sobs were rattling deep in his throat.
Roman turned to examine the injuries again and then felt a chill go through him as he started to see the shape of each wound. He shook his head in disbelief as he finally began to understand what he was looking at. It was so unbelievable that he found himself searching out the discarded spoon. The fact that the metal was still warm to the touch should have been answer enough but he took the spoon and held it just above the freshest looking injury that was just now starting to blister. Horror went through him as the outline of the spoon matched up to the injury and in his shock, he dropped the spoon.
“Oh God,” he whispered and as soon as he did, a mournful cry left Hunter’s lips and he pulled his arm free of Roman’s now lax grip and then slowly sank to the floor. Hunter crossed his arms over the top of his head, his forearms hiding his face from view. His sleeve was still pushed up and Roman fleetingly wondered if Hunter had inflicted the same kind of injuries on his other arm.
Roman backed up until he hit the sink. “Why?” he stuttered as took in the sight of Hunter folded in on himself. “Why would you do this?”
Hunter didn’t answer him, didn’t even look at him. Instead he lurched to his feet and rushed out of the bathroom. Roman hurried after him and managed to catch up to him just as Hunter was opening his car door. Sobs were still erupting from his throat and he began fighting Roman the second he touched him.
“Don’t!” Hunter screamed. “Don’t touch me!”
The young man’s pain was so palpable that Roman felt tears filling his own eyes.
“Hunter, please,” he whispered brokenly as he wrapped his arms around the younger man. He could feel Hunter frantically trying to push him away but after several long seconds, Hunter’s whole body gave out and he buried his face against Roman’s neck. Roman could feel hot tears sliding down his throat.
“I’ve got you,” he murmured against Hunter’s head. “I’m here, okay?”
Hunter didn’t answer him but he did feel Hunter’s arms finally close around him. He had no idea how long they stood there for but when Hunter’s crying finally slowed, Roman leaned down and put his lips against Hunter’s ear.
“Come with me, okay?”
Hunter nodded against his chest and wiped at his face when he finally pulled back. The young man was a complete mess and blood continued to drip from the wound on his cheek. Hunter pulled his sleeve down to cover the burns and then swiped his arm over his face again, smearing the blood in the process. Roman took his hand and led him to his rental and got him settled in the passenger seat. As he walked around the car to the driver’s side, his mind began firing through his options. The clear solution was to take Hunter to a hospital where they’d have experts who could help him deal with his obviously scarred psyche but even the thought of Hunter locked away in some psych ward had him mentally shaking his head. No way. He just couldn’t do it.
Roman settled into the driver’s seat and cast a look at Hunter who sat quietly in the passenger seat. He reached out and gently turned Hunter’s face so he could see his eyes. The pain was gone and so was Hunter. All that was left was the same shell of a young man he’d seen being brutalized on that fucking pool table less than forty-eight hours ago. And in that instant, Roman knew exactly what he needed to do.
ChapterFive
“Roman?”
Roman watched his brother’s face go from shocked to thrilled in the space of two seconds and then he was being dragged into Gray’s arms. Under any other circumstances, he would have extricated himself from his brother’s hold as quickly as possible but for some reason he didn’t want to think too much about, he wrapped his arms around Gray and held on as tightly as he could. He felt Gray stiffen slightly and then he was fiercely returning the embrace.
“I need your help,” Roman whispered.
Gray must have heard something in his voice because he put just enough distance between them to make sure their eyes met. “Anything,” he answered.
Relief flooded Roman as he nodded and then stepped back. Hunter was standing quietly at the bottom of the porch stairs, ignoring the large German Shepherd that had darted outside as soon as Gray had opened the door and was now eagerly sniffing Hunter’s lax hands. Roman went down the stairs and took Hunter’s hand. The contact seemed to snap Hunter out of his daze because his hand tightened around Roman’s when he looked up and saw Gray watching them both with concern.
Roman didn’t bother with introductions as he led Hunter inside.
“Everything okay?”
Roman looked up and saw Gray’s boyfriend, Luke Monroe, watching them from the entrance to the kitchen. His eyes swept over Hunter and then shot to Gray. He didn’t say anything as he disappeared towards the back hallway.
“Here,” Gray said as he motioned to the living room couch. By the time Roman got Hunter settled, Luke was back with a small black bag that looked like a shaving kit. He sat down on the coffee table so he was facing Hunter.
“Can I take a look?” Luke said gently to Hunter as he motioned to his face.
“Luke’s training to be a paramedic,” Gray said quietly.
Hunter nodded stiffly. His grip on Roman’s hand hadn’t eased at all and when Luke began cleaning the injury with some kind of antiseptic wipe, he flinched but remained quiet. Luke’s movements were quick and efficient as he added a couple of butterfly bandages to close the small gash.
As Luke started to clean up his supplies, Roman put out his hand to stop him and then forced Hunter to look at him. “We need to show him,” he said gently.
Agony filled Hunter’s eyes. “No, Roman, please…”
Roman ignored Luke and his brother and put his palm over Hunter’s uninjured cheek to hold him steady as he pinned him with his eyes. “You can trust them, I swear it. They won’t judge you.”
