Book 2. New Life Old Pains.

Between suffering and anger

A/N: This chapter is quieter than the previous one but please read it carefully anyway.

Back to Garden Lodge.

-Jim! Jim where the hell are you?!

Surprised by Phoebe's violent intonation, the Irishman rushed out of the kitchen and the first thing he saw was his boyfriend hanging on the arms of Joe and Peter, the gaze lowered towards the ground and visibly ailed.

-For God's sake baby, Jim's voice was filled with distress. What's it happening? What happened to him?

-Push yourself already! Let us lay him on the couch, screamed Peter.

The heart beating, the Irishman stepped back and let them pass. His look lingered for a moment on the stranger who was with them, he didn't seem to be there by chance but Jim was still careful.

-And who are you, he asked firmly.

-I'm Clint Harries sir, I'm Joe's boyfriend, answered the young man.

Jim just nodded then heard Freddie begging his name weakly, he didn't waste a second to join him and take him in his arms.

-I'm here my love.

The singer plunged his head into his neck and gripped his clothes tightly, he was still shaking both in relief but also in shock. The shock of having been attacked in this way but above all to have the felling that Paul's dirty hands are still on him scratching his skin and touching him in the worst way.

-Freddie, whispered his man softly. What happened?

-H-he was here Jim...he was here, pronounced the singer with dread.

-Who? Who was here?

-Prenter, retorted suddenly Peter. He was at the bar and neither of us noticed him.

-Oh no, the young man immediately understood what must have happened. He went after him, didn't he?

-I don't know what exactly happened, continued Phoebe. When I got there was another guy holding Freddie down and Paul tried to...

The last word got stuck in his throat, nobody wanted to hear that and if he threw it like that Jim was going to be devastateded or better, he will hold him responsible.

-And what? What did he tried to do?

Jim can see that the three men giving each other stealthy looks as if to decide who was going to talk, he was suddently seized with a terrible doubt.

-Guys...don't tell me he did what I think he did?

It was finally Joe, looking at him broken down, who confirmed his doubts.

-He tried to rape him...

Jim thought he had just received a violent blow in the face, it was the worst revelation he had ever heard in his entire life. He plunged his head into Freddie's shoulder to hide his apparent tears. A deep feeling of rage invaded him and he began to tremble in his turn while one of his hands went to hang hard to the sofa, he wanted to scream, to get his nerves on something but what would it change anyway other than making the already unberable situation worse? Swallowing his anger he lifted Freddie in his arms and took him to their bedroom.

-Jim...

Joe tried to join him but he was stopped by Peter who make him understand with a simple nod not to disturb them.

-He's furious, huffed the young man. He's never going to forgive us what happened...

-Don't dramatize Joe, it's pointless. All the matters is that Freddie is with him and safe.