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I sagged against Mac, and a sob left me as pain wracked my body.

“Well, that told her. Let’s get you somewhere comfortable, and I can take a good look at you. Are you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital? I’m really concerned about internal damage. Did he kick you? Punch you here?”

He touched my back, but other than the pain I felt before, there was nothing more.

“He didn’t kick me, but he did punch me several times, and not just my face.” I pointed to a place on my back. “Here. It hurts here.”

I lay on the sofa at his insistence and finally relaxed. Everything hurt.

Gran was quiet while he worked, his hands moving slowly and precisely. I flinched and squirmed, but finally, he sat back on his heels, the inspection over.

“Well? What’s the diagnosis?” Gran asked. “Does he need to go to the hospital?”

“I’d like him to go, if only for that X-ray I mentioned, but other than that, there’s bruising to his body and face. None of the cuts will need stitches, and he’ll more than likely have a black eye for a week or so.”

“I’m right here, you know. You can tell me,” I said and attempted to sit up. I gave up and lay back down. Why was everything such an effort?

“Sorry. Force of habit. Here, let me help you.” Mac helped me sit and sat next to me on the sofa. Gran sat in her usual chair, worrying her hands.

“God, it hurts.” Shallow breaths were all I could manage, and I hoped to God that would ease.

“It will. We’ll get you some pain relief, and then you need some rest, but first, tell us what happened.”

Where to start?

“For a while now, I’ve thought Brian was keeping tabs on me. His friends spy on me, I’m sure of it. You met one of them yesterday, Mac. It’s a small town, and everyone knows everyone, or that’s how it seems. Brian has a lot of contacts, crooks mainly, so I usually have to watch my back, if you know what I mean.”

Gran looked puzzled. “Because you’re his stepson? Seems a silly reason to do that,” she said, her frown deepening.

“No, Gran. Because I’m gay. He’s a homophobic piece of shit.”

“Well, I knew you were gay, but I don’t see the problem.” Bless her. I could have kissed her.

“Anyway. This isn’t the first time it’s happened. I think you probably guessed,” I said, looking at Mac. “Usually, it’s for some stupid reason he makes up in his head, but last night was different.”

“Because that guy saw us yesterday?” Mac asked, concern on his face.

“Yeah, Clive. He must have reported back to Brian. I got in last night and the house was quiet and in darkness. I don’t know where everyone was. Then this morning, before I’d even woken up fully, he stormed into my bedroom and dragged me out of bed.”

“What the fuck, Frankie?” Mac mouthed an apology to Gran, but she wouldn’t mind. I was surprised by her reserve. She was usually the first one to curse up a storm.

“I know. He kept muttering about how he didn’t want the likes of me around his son. That I’d contaminate him or some shit, and all the time, he was punching me. My face, arms, and body. By this time, I was on the landing. I knew I had to get away, because I didn’t know if he was going to stop. Then, he reached for his belt.”

I closed my eyes and took a ragged breath. Fuck, that hurt.

“Take your time, Frankie.” Mac took my hand in his and squeezed. “We’re here for you, okay? Do you want to take a break?”

I shook my head. I needed to get this out. Tiredness threatened to pull me under, but I had to tell them the rest.

“He was in such a rage, he couldn’t undo it quickly enough. If I’d stayed on the floor…” I shuddered, thinking of what could have happened.

“The important thing is that you got out,” Gran said. “I’ve a good mind to go right round there.”

“Please, Gran. Let me handle it.”

“If you say so, but I’ve a few friends I can have a word with. They’ll make his life a misery. No one does that to you and gets away with it.”

I knew trying to persuade her to do nothing was a tall order. Gran believed in justice and doing the right thing.