“Fuck!” He flinches away from me.
Stunned, I don’t know what happened, but then I see my hand painted with red. Then his shirt.
“Holy shit, Aiden, what happened to you?”
“I’m sorry.” He braces his hand on my couch, trying to breathe. “I’m going to throw up.”
I grab him, leading him to the sink. It’s not the best option, but it’s the closest. I turn away as he retches, folding into the sink as he heaves. He’s so weak, his toned arms struggling to hold himself up, and he sinks his head into the crook of his elbow resting on the edge of the sink. I look at my red-stained hand. I’m going to be sick myself.
Shaking, I step closer to him carefully as he turns on the sink, letting it rinse his sick away. “I’m sorry.”
“You’ve said.” I don’t know what to do. What is going on? Fear grips me. “You need a hospital.”
“No!” He swallows. “No, I... I just, I need... help.” Shame seems to cloud his eyes.
Gently, I lift his head to look at me. “Hey.” My fingers slowly touch his face, careful not to touch the cuts and bruises. “I got you. You’re safe.” Is he? What is he even running from?
I’m not a violent guy, but one time in college I found out my sister’s ex tried to drug and assault her and I nearly killed him.
Would have if Hunter hadn’t stepped in. My poor friend suffered a black eye from yours truly by accident.
He still gives me shit about it.
Right now, I’d unleash the same fury on anyone trying to hurt Aiden. “If you don’t want to go to the hospital, I need to see how bad it is.” His blood is drying on my hand. “We have to get you to the bathroom.” I notice some blood dripping onto the floor.
I lead him to my bathroom, his eyes drooping.
“I would ask you on a scale of one to ten how much pain you’re in, but I can see we’re a solid ten out of ten.” He gives mea weak smile. I grab the shitty towels I use to clean with, then I wash my hands. “I need to see, okay? We need to take your shirt off.”
Aiden huffs, defeated, before nodding. I grab the medicine kit. I have lots of gauze and bandages in here. I just hope they’re enough. Slowly I help him, lifting off his shirt, and my hand goes to my mouth to stop the noise that crawls up my throat.
Aiden leans forward against the bathroom sink, his head in the crook of his arm, hiding his face and shaking violently. I don’t know what to do. I need something, someone. This is beyond a fight, beyond a simple argument.
This is punishment. “Aiden.” I touch his arm gently, willing him to stand up. “I have to clean this, or you have to go to the hospital.”
His eyes harden and he straightens with a nod.
My heart is breaking. Seeing him crumble is almost as jarring as the lashes across his back. “Okay.”
“I think you need to sit in the bathtub while I do this. There’s so much blood. You can keep your boxers on, but just sit in the tub. I’ll be right back, okay?” Needing some space, I leave him to undress and go to my bedroom. I search through my drawers for a dark-colored shirt and a pair of boxers.
My hands won’t stop shaking, but it’s nothing compared to his trembling. Shock, probably.
Seeing him like this is shaking me. It’s not just the injuries, it’s his demeanor. I’m not used to seeing him so vulnerable.
“Get it together. He needs you.”
Making my way back down the hall, I peek into the bathroom at Aiden sitting in the tub, his battered back to me. “I got you some clothes to change into.”
“I shouldn’t have come here. I just got in my car and next thing I knew I was here.” His words are choked and shaky. I rest a hand softly on his shoulder.
“We’re friends, right?” He looks up at me. “Right?”
His brow furrows before his violet eyes dart away. I see the slight nod of his head, though. I see him sway; the adrenaline must be fading. He’s going to sleep like the dead. “This is going to hurt.”A lot.“I need to clean you up and see how deep the cuts are.” I won’t mention a hospital yet, but if he needs stitches, I am not equipped for that.
I turn on the water in the tub and wait for it to warm up. “I’ll wash your clothes once we’re done here.”
Aiden nods, looking at the kit I have laid out on the edge of the tub. “You have a mini doctor’s office in here.”
