TW: Same warnings as previous chapter so please feel free to skip if you might find it upsetting. Also, as before, characters are based on real life people but actions are purely fictional (not how I think they would actually act!)
____________________
Seb had been horrified as he glanced down at the leaflets in his hand and had quickly ushered Max into his drivers room where they could be clear of the prying eyes of the media. Max sat down on the small couch but had instantly flown into a panic as Seb went to lock the door behind them. The visions of being locked in the therapy room were so vivid that Max felt for a second that he was back there, trapped, unable to free himself. Seb could see the younger man clutching at his chest trying to get air into his lungs. He knelt down beside him trying to calm him down but Max was shaking so much that Seb considered the possibility that he needed to call for medical assistance.
"No, please" Max managed to stutter breathlessly, not wanting anyone else involved.
Seb reached out his hand and Max gladly took it, squeezing it tightly as he tried to count his breaths in and out. Seb watched him closely, he could see the dark circles under the younger man's eyes, Max really did look exhausted. Even worse the eyes themselves were dull, lifeless, like the spark had gone out. Seb wondered how long Max had been like this and how everyone had missed it. As Max slowly brought his breathing back under control Seb started to question him, trying carefully to tread the fine line between working out what was happening and not stressing Max out too much. Max bit down on his lip trying to hold the tears in as he explained that the the leaflet belonged to his dad and that he had already booked his trip there.
"Don't worry, nobody is going to send you here, okay? I promise, I won't let them." Seb said reassuringly and he meant it, he couldn't think of anything more abhorrent, "They won't hurt you okay?"
With that Max started crying and Seb gently leant in to allow Max to cry on his shoulder. With Max's permission he wrapped the younger man in a hug, holding him softly as Max's shoulders started to rise and fall in a ragged movement as he sobbed loudly. It was then that Seb realised that the leaflet he had been handed had been marked up and a feeling of dread washed over him. Max wasn't just afraid of what might happen to him, he was terrified of what had already happened to him.
Seb tried to ask what had been happening but Max couldn't answer, even if he wanted to he couldn't get the words out of his mouth. He didn't want to explain, didn't want to have to verbalise it. Words would just serve to make it all seem more real and he was desperate to try and block it out. He knew that if he was to open his mouth for too long he would just scream until there was no breathe in his body, until his vocal cords no longer worked. If he started screaming he would never stop.
"Do you have someone you can stay with tonight? You can stay with me if you need to, or if you prefer I can see if you can stay in the room next door. I just want you to be somewhere you feel safe" Seb asked.
"I have somewhere back at the hotel" Max whispered, hoping that Charles would still welcome him into his hotel room like they had always done before, "I just need my things from my drivers room but my dad is there"
"I can come with you to get your stuff, you can wait outside whilst I gather everything" Seb spoke softly and calmly but inside he was furious. Max had made it clear he couldn't face the police being involved at the moment but there was no way Seb could let Jos get away with this. Now wasn't the time though because he needed to get Max somewhere safe.
"Everything will be fine, you are safe now, I won't let anything happen to you okay?" Seb reassured Max and Max allowed himself a small smile as Seb squeezed his hand gently.
As Seb was attempting to calm Max down Jos was busy searching for his son. He had had no luck at Red Bull so had reluctantly had to make his way over to Ferrari. Charles' teammates Carlos Sainz had spotted him hovering around but when Carlos had asked what was going on Jos had snapped at him and then marched off back to Max's drivers room. Watching the exchange from inside the motorhome Charles had realised that this was his chance. As Jos made his way across the paddock Charles burst out of the motorhome to follow him, almost knocking Carlos over in the process. Carlos couldn't help but think that it was a good thing the summer break was coming up because it seemed like quite a few people were in need of a rest.
As Charles made it to Max's room he took a moment to gather himself. He wanted to exude confidence and he couldn't do that until he had steadied his breathing. As he opened the door and came face to face with Jos he tried to remain resolute but the confidence was just a facade and he felt it slowly ebbing away.
"We need to talk about Max" he tried to make his voice sound authoritative, like he was dripping in confidence rather than drowning in nerves.
Jos eyed him curiously. If he was honest he had always seen Charles as being rather weak so he was surprised to see him there, chest all puffed out like he was ready for some sort of confrontation. Jos found it almost amusing and chuckled a little to himself. It seemed Max's boyfriend thought of himself as some sort of hero, Jos wasn't sure if he found it admirable or pathetic.
"And why would we need to do that?" the Dutchman asked.
"I don't know exactly what you have been doing to him but whatever it is it needs to stop right away" Charles stated, his fists clenched as his nerves were slowly eaten up by anger.
"Why is it any concern of yours?" Jos asked bluntly. He knew exactly why Charles was concerned but he was interested to see whether he would lie or not as it would likely give him an indication of how desperate the Ferrari driver was to keep his relationship secret.
"He is my friend and I don't want to see him hurt" Charles answered not wanting to give Jos more information than was strictly necessary.
"Friend" Jos scoffed.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Charles asked, Jos' mocking tone having taken him aback a little.
Jos rolled his eyes, he didn't have time for this, he needed to find Max. Whilst he could admit that the display of heroics was entertaining it was costing him valuable time
"I know you are gay Charles and I know you are fucking my son and I also know that if you don't leave now everybody else will find out sooner than you would like."
Charles was stunned into silence. He tried hard not to let it show on his face but his body suddenly felt like it was overflowing with an unhealthy mix of fear and adrenaline. For the briefest of moments it crossed his mind that Max had told his dad about their relationship but the thought passed by in an instant, he knew Max wouldn't do that without his permission. Then an even worse thought hit him and he felt his heart sink, had Max gone along with whatever his dad had been doing just to protect him? He felt sick at the thought that Jos would manipulate his son in that way. He could see the smirk on Jos' face, but Charles thought Jos must be crazy if he thought for one second he was going to allow him to continue to hurt Max just to protect himself.
"I don't care if everybody finds out. If I have to go around and tell everyone personally I would do that if it kept you away." Charles said confidently.
"I wouldn't bother telling anyone. Max is going away for a few weeks and when he comes back I doubt he will want to see you any more" Jos spoke firmly, like the spiteful words coming out of his mouth were nothing but factual.
"What have you been doing to him?" Charles asked, although in all honestly he was terrified of the answer.
"Fixing him" Jos said plainly, his casual tone making Charles seethe with anger and he felt his breath catching in his chest, his fists balling tighter, teeth gritted, shoulders hunching. The tension now searing through his body, so much energy in every part of him that he was like a coiled spring ready to explode.
Jos watched in fascination, he could see he was getting to Charles but in his mind he was fully justified, he was sure now that it was Charles who had led his son astray.
"And if your dad was still around he would do the same with you, that is if he could bare to look at you long enough" Jos spat out.
The words were barely out of Jos' mouth before Charles flew at him, grabbing him by his shirt and with all his strength pushing him backwards sending him crashing to the floor.
"Don't you ever mention my father again" Charles screamed as he stood over Jos.
"Help me" Jos cried, his tone now completely changed, he sounded weak, like a victim but it didn't sound genuine and Charles wondered what was going on. That was until he followed Jos' gaze and saw Max and Seb stood in the doorway.
"What happened?" Max asked, taking in the scene around him, his dad laid out on the floor with Charles stood over him.
"Your boyfriend assaulted me, aren't you going to do something about it?" Jos stuttered.
_______________
Thank you all so much for reading and for all your lovely comments so far, you are all the best and it is appreciated <3 <3