Immaculate

Beaten

Wow! Thank you so much for continuing to read this and vote for it.  I can't get over how you all seem to like it. :D Makes me happy. :D

Gabriel's POV

Jesus Christ, his motherfucking back!  I winced as Dr Green helped him ease his undershirt off.  His back was a mass of criss crossed welts, some of them were bleeding, but all of them looked fucking painful.  I lifted my eyes to Mr B and was not surprised to see anger racing across his face.

"Mr Drew, who did this to you?" he asked, his tone was clipped and hard as steel, and I knew he would get nowhere like that.

"It doesn't matter," he muttered through clenched teeth as Dr Green got up and went to the sink to wash his hands.  I saw Mr B lock the door and then turned back to me, he caught my eye and I saw his unspoken message.

"Yeah, it does, mate," I told Tom and crouched down till I was eye level with him.  "There are very few things that deserve a beating like that, and being gay is not one of them.  Was it Hendricks?" I asked him and he half snorted out.

"No, he always acts as if he cares what happens," he grunted and hissed when the Doc started to examine his back after putting some surgical gloves on.

"Tom, I need to clean your back up and put some cream on to stop infection.  Most of the welts haven't broken the skin, but the ones that have need tending, ok? They need covering."

"You can't bandage it," he said and I saw panic in his eyes. "You can't.  He can't know someone has seen them."

"Alright, alright, hold on, let me see what they're like cleaned up," Doc murmured.  "I'm going to give you a couple of shots; pain meds and antibiotics, ok?"

Tom nodded his ascent and I was pleased that at least it would stop any infection and lessen the pain for him.

Mr B knelt on the floor beside me and some of his anger had gone, leaving him slightly less intimidating.

"Tom, who did this to you?" he asked quietly.  I saw tears well up in Tom's eyes but he forced them down and turned his head away.

"It doesn't matter," he said.

"It fucking well does," I stated.  "That's fucking animal!"

"Ok, Tom, I'm going to clean up your back, it'll be easier on you if you lay face down on the bed," Doc spoke up.

"I'm fine here," he said and again I saw a flash of panic in his eyes.

"Mate, you got to let us help you," I said and plopped down to sit cross legged in front of him.  He gripped his hands together tightly between his knees.

"Mr Drew, Tom, Sang was correct, you can trust us, you are safe with us.  If we can stop..."