“I need another favor,” he said.
Ethan waited.
“I need you to tell me how bad it is,” he whispered. “I need you to tell me how badly they damaged me. I can’t look myself, and I don’t want a stranger touching me. I know it’s a lot to ask…”
Ethan stopped him.
“Hey, I’ll look for you, not as a Fed, but as someone who loves and cares about you. Gene and I will take care of you now, Corbin. You just breathe and heal.”
He relaxed.
Ethan knew why he was asking, and he could do that.
“Absolutely, Corbin.”
When the door opened, in came Gene, and he had a kit. He placed it on the table next to the clothing.
“Do you want me here?” he asked. “Or do you want me outside?”
Corbin sniffled.
“Where is Alice?” he asked, not answering.
Gene was honest.
“They are out there. They are in the lounge, and she’s pacing like a caged animal.”
Corbin made up his mind.
“Can you make sure the door is locked, and they stay out?” he asked. “Then, I need you to get me out of here,” he said.
His voice was an octave higher, and they could see the panicked look in his eyes.
Gently, Ethan lifted his chin with his fingers so that he was focused on his face and nothing else.
“Hey. It’s okay. We’re here and we’ll keep you safe. Breathe. Focus on me, Corbin, and Gene will make sure the door is locked, and I’ll check to see how badly you’re injured,” he said.
The man did as he said, and he matched his breathing to Ethan’s, so he didn’t hyperventilate. His eyes were locked onto Ethan’s, and he didn’t look away for a single second.
The whole time, Gene watched, and he saw that his partner was being the lifeline that Corbin would need to get through this.
In that moment, he loved him even more for his compassion.
And his heart.
As Gene made sure to lock the door, Ethan pulled back the blanket for Corbin, and slid his hospital gown up. He saw the bruising and the brutality of what happened to him.
“How bad is it?” he whispered, his eyes closed, as tears dripped from the corners.
Ethan opened the test tubes that had the swabs in them, and held them in his hand.
“You’re bruised up, but nothing is damaged permanently,” he said. “You have a burn on your inner thigh.”
Corbin knew how, but he said nothing. For now, he wanted to just get out of there. Slowly, he let out the breath he was holding.
“Just get it over with, please. I need to get out of here before I can’t.”
As Gene stood there, his back to the bed, staring at the door, Ethan did the one thing he never thought he’d ever do in his whole life.
