RAW Deception (Round 2 in the RAW Instinct Series)

Shane

Listen to the music: Riccardo Polidoro - Flying on my Own. 

"I know I shouldn't be prying, detective. But whoever did this to you has no depth of feeling."

"Is it bad?"

"You're torn inside. Nothing that can't be fixed. Looks like this person didn't use lubrication. It's a small operation, about an hour. I can schedule you for tomorrow morning at the Bedfordview Clinic."

"It won't heal without the operation?"

"It will. But any kind of anal sex from here on in will be extremely painful."

"Do what you must, doctor."

The day passed quickly and most of the time all I could think about was Gregory and the unfortunate series of events after I left Canton's Cottage.

Firstly, I had only known him for two weeks. Where do two people meet and fall in love within two weeks? It shouldn't happen. The entire thing was premature. An infatuation. Everything that transpired must have happened for a reason. My phone got stolen. That meant I couldn't get hold of him, and he couldn't get hold of me. The more I thought about the whole series of unfortunate events, the more I believed that a reason existed. Joe's sudden appearance at the cottage. Our fight.

No matter how many thousands of thoughts entered my head, I felt Gregory, I saw him, tasted him. And I didn't want to let him go. I wanted to be with him. No one else.

Only I could make that happen.

I had no idea that it would be harder said than done.

Raw had asked me to take a turn at the gym a few days earlier and finally I decided to visit and take my frustrations out on the punching bag and speedball.

Joe.

He didn't care. He would never be there for me. In his best moments, he had a smile bright and sweet. He'd give me the world. In his worst moments, he became aggressive and demanding. This time he had taken it too far. He had hurt me so badly that I could never trust him again.

Joe didn't care for trust. To him, trust was just a five letter word beginning and ending with T and nothing between.

I didn't see Raw when I entered the gym, but, on my way out he called me over. "When are you getting your new cell phone?" he asked.

"Tomorrow, via courier."

I must have grimaced when the pain, like a sharp knife, went through my body.

"Is something wrong?"

"No. It's. It's okay. I'm okay. Just a cramp."

"That didn't sound like just a cramp, Shane. What's going on?"

"It's nothing, really."

Raw grabbed my hand and led me into Curisco's refurbished office.

"Sit down."

"I told you it's nothing."

"Shane, you know better than to keep things from me and Edward. I watched you pounding that punching bag. Do you know that you were actually screaming at it?"

"I didn't notice."

"Everyone else noticed."

"Joe."

"Joe?"

"He hurt me."

"Hurt you?"

"He forced himself on me and tore me."