'Witness' - The White Bridge Crime Series 3 - LGBT, manXman

17

Adrian was about to lean over and turn off the bedside lamps when Mia barked loudly from the kitchen.

"Who the fuck is that?" Dom groaned, withdrawing his arm from around Adrian's waist and sitting up.

"Either Tom or Freddie, I'm guessing," Adrian said wearily. "Freddie was going to tell Tom the truth tonight."

"God," Dom yawned widely and slid out of bed, pulled on his dressing gown and padded downstairs.

He'd barely pulled open the front door when Tom stumbled through it, sobbing wildly. He reached out and gripped Dom's arms, supporting himself, his entire body quaking.

"Tom," Dom caught hold of Tom and steered him into the living room, calling for Adrian.

Aidy was there in moments; he quickly fetched a glass for Tom and poured a generous measure of whiskey.

Tom slopped most of the drink down his shirt when he took the glass with a shaking hand.

"I need to stay here," he blurted out, his voice trembling as badly as his hand.

"I take it Freddie told you everything," Dom said.

Tom's head snapped up.

"You knew?" He demanded, shooting to his feet. "You both knew? And you never told me?"

"We only found out a few weeks ago," Adrian said. "And... we thought it was Fred's place to tell you, not ours."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Tom hissed, looking apoplectic with rage.

He violently thrust his glass back at Adrian, who look it, looking alarmed.

"I've been living with a rapist!" Tom roared. "I had a right to know!"

Dom and Adrian stared at Tom for a moment, before they both took hold of one of his arms and pulled him back down to the sofa.

"Who told you Freddie was a rapist?" Dom asked.

"Freddie." Tom spat. He paused. "Well, no, he was about to. Then, I remembered why we were fighting, months ago. I remember what he said to me. Then, I remembered the guy in the room, Elliot; he told me everything."

"So... you didn't give Freddie the chance to explain everything?" Adrian asked.

Tom snorted.

"What, so he could feed me more lies?" He growled.

"Tommy, Fred isn't a rapist. We'll swear to that, both of us. We saw the actual police reports from back then. And we spoke to the two detectives who investigated." Dom explained gently.

"You have to go back and let Freddie explain properly," Aidy insisted. "Please, Tom, he did nothing wrong."

Tom hiccoughed and sank back against the sofa.

"But Elliot told me-" He began.

"Are you seriously going to believe the man who held you prisoner and tortured you was telling you the truth?" Dom demanded, getting angry himself.

"Maybe," Tom said churlishly.

"Well, then, you don't deserve Freddie," Dom snapped, standing up and shooting Tom a filthy look. "Close the front door on your way out."

Adrian watched Dom stomp upstairs, before turning to Tom.

"It's Freddie's story to tell," he said quietly. "And it's one that you need to hear. Go home, Tommy."