CHAPTER TWO
Dead. Michael paused, his gut twisting,
the mere thought that these criminals could have murdered Christy threatening
to overwhelm him. And he sure as hell didn’t want Christy looking at pictures
of dead people. “He’s been gone from Greece for a year. How would he know who
they are?”
“By
his own admission, at least nine were on the yacht with him when he was there.”
He
gave Nero a wary look. “It wouldn’t be good for Christy to see those pictures,
especially after the kidnapping.”
Nero
nodded. “You’re probably right. Tell me, has Christy spoken to you of fellow
victims?”
Michael
shook his head. “Never.”
“Do any children
or young men appear in his paintings for General Sotiras?”
“I
haven’t seen any, but I haven’t seen all of his paintings.”
“Has
he ever spoken of his abusers?”
Michael
thought about this. “When he showed me the scars on his inner thigh, he told me
the branded letters were the initials of his abusers and that his dad didn’t
care what they did to him. Then, when General Sotíras came here two weeks ago, he said
the general’s boss was in the paintings.”
“Did
he ever mention a woman?”
“No.
Why?”
“They
arrested a woman who they believe to be a madam for the victims. General
Sotíras is concerned that this is a much larger problem than pedophilia by a
few powerful politicians and influential business men.”
“A
trafficking cartel?” Mac asked.
Nero
nodded somberly.
And the hits just keep on coming. Michael
shook his head slowly. He didn't know why it surprised him. The men—the animals—who
had abused Christy were the most heinous criminals conceivable. He’d wanted to
protect Christy from the moment he’d met him and saw the horrid scar around his
neck. His sole mission had been to keep Christy safe, to
never let anything happen to him, and he’d failed. “It wouldn’t be good for
Christy to see those pictures, Mr. Santini. Can we...at least give him some
time to recover from the kidnapping before you ask him to look at them?”
“General
Sotíras can’t hold the woman without testimony from someone and it is too soon
to question the victims who survived.”
Michael’s
gut twisted again with simultaneous anguish for Christy and hatred for Yosef. Christy
had trouble dealing with bad memories and when he was afraid, he retreated
into himself.
He stared into space and mentally went to a place where he couldn’t hear
Michael—and couldn’t always come back without his dad’s medical intervention.
It made Michael feel so damn helpless. He’d be damned if he’d let anything
upset Christy and he never wanted to feel that helpless again. Ever. “He’s a
lot stronger than he used to be, and he’s determined to get better no matter
what, but the kidnapping brought it all back. It’s all raw and close to the
surface again. Have you asked Rob about it?”
As
if on cue, Rob
Villarreal,
Christy’s psychiatrist, entered the room.
“Speak
of the devil,” Mac greeted pleasantly as they shook hands.
“Were
you?” Rob responded with a smile.
“Michael
just mentioned you.”
Rob
shook Nero’s hand before he turned to Michael and cuffed his shoulder gently. “Michael.”
“Hey,
Rob. We need your advice.”
Nero
succinctly explained the situation.
Rob’s
brow knitted in consternation. “This
is horrible news.”
“No
shit,” Michael said bitterly.
The
lines around Rob’s eyes creased ever so slightly at Michael’s profanity. “Christy
has grown a great deal over the past year, and he’s become considerably
stronger since he met Michael, but I can’t speak to what his reaction will be.”
Rob paused before continuing. “Having said that, he’ll be furious if you withhold
information from him and he finds out about it later.”
Michael’s
gut twisted a little more. He should have thought of that. “Totally.”
“I
would rather Nero questioned him here where I have everything I need to assist
him if he becomes upset,” Mac said.
“When
do you expect to discharge him?” Rob asked.
“Barring
unforeseen complications in the x-rays of his legs, I hope to discharge Michael
and him tomorrow morning.”
“Seriously?”
Michael asked, his gut easing a fraction and his spirits lifting.
“I
think so. You needn’t remain in the hospital to continue physical therapy.”
This
was the best news Michael had heard yet. “What about Jake and Sophia?”
“A
few more days for them, but they’ll be home soon.”
Michael’s
heart soared.
Nurse
Carol, their regular nurse, wheeled Christy into the room. He held a huge bowl
of cherry Jell-O in his lap.
Michael’s
heart melted at the sight of him and his anger and frustration died away.
Christy was his first boyfriend, his first love, his first and only everything.
Christy was his whole world. “Hey, where’d you get that, babe?” he asked as he hobbled
to him.
Christy
swallowed a bite of Jell-O and smiled a small smile. “Hello, Dr. Sattler, hello,
Kýrios Santini, hi, Rob. Carol gave
this to me,” he answered, his Greek accent nearly indiscernible.
“He
nagged me nearly to death over it,” Carol teased.
“Cool.”
Michael held his newly bandaged hand up for a high-five and quickly withdrew it
when Christy threatened to smack it with a sticky spoon. “Don’t want Jell-O on
my bandage.”
Christy
looked uncertain, as if he might have done something wrong. “I did not think of
this. I apologize.”
Michael
brushed a gentle hand down Christy’s long, white-blond curls. “No worries.”
Mac
gave Carol a pointed look. One of those doctor-to-nurse looks that told her she
needed to stay in the room. “Keen on Jell-O, are you?” he asked.
“Keen?”
Christy asked.
“You
like it,” Mac clarified.
Christy
swallowed another mouthful. “I did not know of this until I came to the States.
I do like it.”
Mac
smiled. “It has very little nutritional value. Please be sure to eat more than
Jell-O.”
One
of Christy’s brows dipped creating an odd little frown. From the time Michael first
saw it, he’d adored it.
“It
is not good for me?” Christy asked.
“It
isn’t bad for you. It simply doesn’t offer much in the way of vitamins and
nutrients.”
“Oh,”
he said wistfully, as if Mac had ruined his day.
“You
can still eat it but Dad wants you to eat other things too,” Michael reassured.
Christy
brightened at first then frowned again when he looked at Michael. “Why are you
serious? You look as if you are angry.”
“I
do?”
“Yes.
I can see this in you now.”
“Well,
okay.” Michael scratched his head. “I’m not angry. I’m a little worried, that’s
all.”
“It
was only pictures of my legs, agapiméne
mou. I can do this.”
Michael
smiled at the Greek endearment and his heart swelled with pride. Christy fought
so damn hard for independence and Michael never wanted to do anything to hinder
him.
“I know, but I can worry about you, can’t I?”
“You
worry as if for an entire country of people. I am one man. Do not worry this
much for me.”
“Fine,”
Michael mock scoffed.
“Carol
said you had a good night last night,” Mac ventured.
Christy
looked up at him, his face clouding over. “Last night was good.”
“Are
the dreams about the kidnapping or about other things?” Rob asked gently.
Michael
tensed.
It had taken him a while to get used to Rob’s direct questions. He’d come to know
they were good for Christy because they made him think about important things, but
sometimes they pushed Christy over the edge and ignited his flash temper.
“They are of my time with Yosef in Greece. It
was a very bad time for me. I do not wish to discuss this. I only wish him to go
to the prison.”
Michael
glanced at his dad, who gestured to proceed with the news. Michael squatted
awkwardly next to Christy’s wheelchair, working to keep his bad leg straight.
“Got some good news, babe.”
Christy
swallowed another bite of Jell-O. “The look on the face tells me it is not good news.”
“It’s
good news and bad news. The good news is that the president of Greece revoked
Yosef’s diplomatic immunity this morning. He’s been arrested and he’s in jail
now.”
Christy
closed his eyes, spoon held suspended midway to his mouth. A single tear
escaped from beneath his blond lashes and made a slow trek down his cheek. Michael
cupped his face with a hand and wiped it away with his thumb. “Talk to me.”
Christy
opened his eyes to meet Michael’s gaze and more tears fell. “This was my
greatest wish.”
“Now, it’s a wish come true,” Michael said softly as he gently wiped the tears away.
Christy
wiped another tear away with the back of a bandaged hand. “I make another wish.
I wish him to remain there.”
“He
will,” Nero assured.
Christy
turned soulful eyes to Nero. “You cannot make this promise. You do not control
the actions of others.”
“Rest
assured, I will do everything within my power to keep him there.”
“I
believe this is true.” Christy studied the spoon for a long moment then set it
in the bowl, the Jell-O no longer of interest.
Michael
kissed another rogue tear away. “Mr. Santini has some questions for you about
Greece. Do you feel up to answering them?”
Christy
stared at the Jell-O for another inordinately long moment. “General Sotíras found
the yacht.”
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