Page 206 of Sticks and Stones

“Come in.”

When he opened the door, Gene was sitting on the side of the bed. His phone was plugged in, but he was silently regrouping for what would go down later.

Or so he assumed.

“Can we talk?” he asked.

Standing, Gene shrugged.

“If that’s what you’d like to do.”

Walking in, he headed toward the man, and he knew that he was difficult to look at. His face was a mess, he needed to get his one tooth repaired, and the missing one replaced.

“I know you’re angry,” Corbin said.

Gene’s body language confirmed that, but he said absolutely nothing.

Sometimes, it wasn’t what you said, but what you didn’t say that spoke louder.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

When Gene opened his mouth, as he was about to reassure him that it wasn’t his fault, he didn’t get a chance. Corbin moved at him, and he hugged him, burying his face in his chest.

That’s when Gene felt the dam break, and the waterworks started.

That made him soften.

He couldn’t kick a Corby when he was down.

Yeah, he was angry, but not at him.

“Hey, it’s okay, Corby. I’ve got you,” he said, holding him.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered, knowing he shouldn’t have snapped at him before. The man was about to break the law and do who knew what to fix this, and Corbin appreciated it.

Gene just ran his one hand up and down his back, gently, and held him.

Corbin was that kid brother you loved to torment, but would die to protect.

“I’m just so angry and I don’t know where to point it. I was wrong. Don’t be angry with me. I need you and Ethan now. You’re all I have to keep my head above water. They almost killed me, or worse, trafficked me, Gene. I didn’t think this could get worse, but it does. I don’t think I’ll ever be the same again.”

Gene let him stay against him, and he could smell Ethan’s shampoo and body wash on the man.

At his words, he sighed.

Yeah, no one could ever say he wasn’t a puddle of mush underneath the angst and anger because right now, he only wanted to protect the man.

To calm him down, he reassured him.

“I’m not upset with you, Corbin. I’m just angry about the whole situation too. Mostly, I’m pissed at the two detectives, the commissioner, and at myself for not stopping you from getting hurt. I guess we both don’t know where to point it. This time, it was at each other. I don’t stay angry long, Corbin. That’s one thing you need to know about me.”

For Corbin, his whole world was falling apart. He didn’t know how to deal with anything. All he wanted to do was hide.

So, he stayed against Gene, clinging to him.

“I wish I called you guys,” he admitted. “Every single second of what they did to me, I wished I’d been smart enough to ask for your help again. I just didn’t want to ruin your vacation again. I knew you were leaving today, and…”

Yeah, no.