A Long Way Back (Unfinished Business #2) - Barbara Elsborg Page 0,88

cut.”

“Does it look bad?” Killian asked as they walked back to his school.

“Yeah.” His brother tugged at Killian’s rugby shirt. “There’s blood everywhere. Mum’s going to be cross. What happened?”

“We won the game and Wes Dower was on the other team.”

Ru flinched. “You should tell someone he bullies you. He scares me. Doesn’t he scare you?”

“If I tell anyone, it will only make things worse. Anyway, I came to tell you to wait while I have a shower. Okay?”

Ru whined. “Dad said he’d take me to look for Bela. He has to be at work by six.”

“I’ll hurry. Don’t leave without me. Promise.”

“Okay.”

Killian ran back into school. Ru’s pet crow, Bela, that came every morning for food, hadn’t appeared yesterday. Ru wanted to go back to where he’d first found her. She’d had an injured wing and Ru had somehow mended it. The bird had hung around their garden ever since, even coming into Ru’s bedroom. Killian hoped nothing had happened to her.

He arrived at the changing rooms to find Wes just leaving.

“Hey, fuckhead,” Wes snapped. “Do me that essay we’ve been set for English and I’ll let you off hitting me in the nuts.”

“Do it yourself.”

Wes stepped right into his space and Killian’s back hit the corridor wall. “You will give me a blowjob sooner or later.”

“You want everyone to know you’re gay?”

“I’m not fucking gay. I just want my dick sucked.”

“By a guy? You’re gay.”

“You fucking…”

“Clear off.” Killian pushed past him, no longer wanting the changing rooms to be empty just in case Wes decided to follow him in. But everyone had gone.

He pulled his gear out of the locker, carried it to the bench nearest the showers and stripped off quickly. After dropping his towel on top of his things, he went into the big open area where there were about fifteen spray heads attached to the walls. He turned on the closest and filled his palm with soap from the dispenser.

Be quick, be quick, be quick. Killian rubbed foam down his arms and legs, wincing when the soap hit grazed skin on his arm, then threaded his fingers in his hair. The moment he’d got rid of the mud, blood and suds, he turned off the water and turned to take the few steps to his towel only to see Iron Balls standing in the changing room. Killian’s heart thumped. He was pretty sure members of staff weren’t allowed to watch pupils taking a shower.

He swallowed hard. He had a choice now over which part of his body to shield. Should he wrap the towel around his waist or put it over his shoulders?

He chose to wrap it around his waist. Maybe Iron Balls hadn’t seen his bruises.

“Who did that?”

Ah shit. “What, sir?” Killian struggled to pull his boxers on over wet skin.

“All those marks.”

How long were you watching? “No one, sir.” He struggled with his trousers as well, but he was too desperate to get dressed to dry himself properly.

“Who did that to you, Byrne?”

“I fell.” Hurry, hurry.

He shoved his arms into his shirt, his fingers fumbling with the buttons.

The teacher moved closer, softened his voice. “Tell me who’s knocking you around. I ought to tell social services. I definitely have to tell the head.”

Killian froze. “Please don’t, sir. It’s not my dad.” Mostly not, and don’t come any closer.

He gave up on his shirt and sat to pull on his socks.

“Does he touch your brother?”

Killian wanted to laugh. Yeah, he did. He loved Ru. He cuddled him, tousled his hair, played games with him. “It’s not my dad. Really.”

He shoved his feet into his shoes, stood and tried again with his shirt.

“Killian…”

I’m Killian now and not Byrne?

“I can’t just walk away from this. Did a pupil from this school do this to you?”

He swallowed hard.

“Who?”

I need to go! Maybe Killian ought to have thought more carefully about what he said, but he didn’t. “If you say anything, I’ll tell the head you watched me shower and…touched me.” Killian stared straight at his teacher’s horrified face. “I mean it.”

Iron Balls features hardened. “I’m trying to help you.”

“I know, but you’ll help me by keeping quiet…sir.”

“And if whoever is doing this goes too far and seriously injures you or kills you? And I’d said nothing?”

“He won’t go too far.” Killian hesitated. “I’m sorry I said that about you touching me. But if you say anything, my life will be even… Please don’t.”

He heaved a sigh of relief when the teacher left. But as he finally managed