Everyone was charmed by Leo's bright smile but behind it all, he could barely keep it together inside. From taking care of his sick mother to suffering mental and physical abuse from his father to keeping up his perfect grades in school.
King was th...
Once in my room, I searched my clothes to find something dry and warm while Leo stood there wrapped in my coat and teeth chattering. I needed a better look at his wounds before he could lay down. He was still crying hard with his face buried in his hands, wiping his tears and snot over my coat sleeves. I couldn't help feeling guilty. I never should have let that man take Leo home. I should have known better.
Reaching down to grab the coat, Leo jolted and pulled away, nearly falling on the bed. "Please, d- don't," Leo begged as he wrapped the coat tighter around himself.
"I was already at your house and saw the broken chair and blood. I need to clean the wounds and get you in dry clothes before you get sick. Please," I said, lightly touching his shoulder.
Leo turned his head to the side, biting on his thumb. He didn't say a word as he stood, still shaking from the cold. My hand slowly moved to his neck, and his eyes slowly closed, getting off a low sigh. Stepping closer, I lay my other hand on his cold skin, letting him feel the warmth of mine. His tear-filled eyes blinked open to meet my gaze.
I slid my fingers under the coat. Leo was hesitant but kept our eyes locked as the coat fell from his shoulders to the ground. I couldn't look away from those crystal blue eyes as I stepped closer to lift his shirt. Once it broke our eye connection, I looked down his torso to see a few dark blue and red spots from where his father hit him. The blood was dry along his arms already, making me painfully peel it off. I couldn't believe nothing was broken.
Gripping a clean shirt, boxes, and pants, I changed my mind and took Leo into the bathroom for him to shower. The blood had caked on his arms. "Once you're done, just put on the boxes and sweats so I can bandage your arms before we put the shirt on. Do you think you'll need help?"
He shook his head no, so I started the water for him and headed into the living room.
"Leo's not going back there without someone with him," I told my uncle, who sat in his usual spot at the computer.
"What happened?"
"Gray. He beat the hell out of Leo with a broken chair and threw him outside in the cold like a dog. He's got a few open wounds on his arms. I don't think they need stitches, but they were bleeding a lot. Where is the first-aid kit?" I asked, pacing the floor to keep calm. I didn't want to scare Leo more if he heard me yelling over the shower.
Uncle Ben's mouth dropped open slightly before he let out a sigh and shook his head. "Under the sink in the kitchen and no. He will not be going back there at all. Get whatever he needs from the store."
My fist tightened as I stood in the living. I wanted to punch something to release all this anger building inside me. "I knew something wasn't right. I felt it in my gut," I hissed through clenched teeth. "I should have known this would happen. He could have killed Leo!"
"I can't believe... I'm sorry, King. I should have known when you came to me questioning it, but I never thought Gray would do something like that. He was a good person back in the day and full of love. He wouldn't hurt a fly, but..."
"I don't blame you. I should have seen the signs sooner. It was me who missed them, not you." I sat on the couch, trying to take deep breaths until I heard the water turn off in the shower, then grabbed the first aid kit.
Walking back into the bathroom, I found Leo sitting on the side of the tub staring at his arms. Tears stained his cheeks as I kneeled in front of him and moved carefully so I didn't startle him. I cleaned his arms again with a warm rag before bandaging them. Leo didn't make a sound the whole time as he stared at me.
"I know it's not as good as what you can do, but it will have to do for now," I told him as I finished. "Does it hurt? I can get-"
My words caught as Leo wrapped his arms around my neck, falling into my lap. His head rested on my shoulder, and the tears started again.
"Everything hurts," he mumbled.
My fingers combed through his wet hair as I squeezed him against me. "I know. I'm so sorry, Leo. It's going to get better. I promise it will."
He shook his head, snuffling. "No, it won't. My mom... she's... she's... and I... I wasn't here." His sobbing began to worsen as his arms tightened.
"You were going threw so much. I know she knew that, and I know she forgives you, Leo. It's not your fault."
"I didn't mean to... I don't know what happened. I didn't think I was gone that..., that long. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He sobbed, breaking my heart as I held him as close as I could without hurting him more.
"You're here now. That's all that matters. You're here, and you're safe."
I held him there a little longer before helping him get his shirt back on and moving us onto the bed. We cuddled under the blanket as Leo curled into my chest. I didn't ever want to let go of him again. He didn't deceive all the pain he's suffered.
We stayed locked in each other's arms until Leo's shivering stopped. His tight hold lessened, and breathing became steady. I waited until I heard his soft snoring to ensure he was fully asleep before carefully untangling our bodies.
I didn't want to leave the warmth of my bed, but I couldn't sleep. My mind was racing too much. That couldn't have been the first time Gray abused his son. The day he showed up at my house was at the front of my thoughts. I knew he was lying about a few things that day, but I let it go. I didn't want to push him because of how distraught he was, but maybe if I had, he would have told me the truth.
Every day I spent with him ran through my mind over and over again. Any bruise or red spot came into question. How long had this been going on? Months? Years? Did Isabella know? Then it hit me. The second day I saw him. He walked into class beaten, telling everyone it was from a fight he tried breaking up. The day before, he was in a rush to get home, I knew he was, but he stopped to help me. I made him late getting home because I was too stubborn to accept his help from the start. Did his father beat him for that? Was that my fault?
I felt my stomach turn and turned away from Leo. I needed to do something. I needed to get my mind in a different place than where it was going. Standing from the bed as quietly as I could, I was about to take a walk when I felt a tug on my shirt.
"Please don't go," Leo whispered, and I heard a sniffle. "Don't leave me." I felt his hand tremble as his grab tightened.
Turning around, Leo was still lying, staring at his hand still holding to my shirt like I would fade away if he let go.
"I'm not leaving," I told him, reaching over to the lamp on my nightstand and turning it off. I crawled back under the covers and put a hand on his cheek while we stared at each other. "I won't leave you."
My thumb lightly slid across his wet cheekbone, wanting so much to smooth his fears away.
"King," he whispered.
"Yeah?"
Leo was quiet for a few seconds before his hand grabbed the sleeve of my shirt. "Kiss me."
***
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