Joey reached out and he took Iestyn's hand gently, but he needed to get this out so they understood. "I believed that it was my fault. That I shouldn't have upset him. He was letting me live in his place, so obviously he should be able to make demands of me... He started to say really cruel things. When we went out together, and I mean even to the grocery store, he would watch every interaction I had with anyone and if he decided anything was even a little flirtatious he would hit me. And I thought I deserved that too."
"Joe-"
"No, just- Let me get it out," Joey said, and Patrick nodded. "I had this great co-worker, her name was Beth. And Brett was the most jealous of her than anyone. Which was ridiculous because she was a lesbian in a committed relationship. But Brett has this idea she was trying to steal me away. And yeah, maybe she was trying to get me away from him but not to fuck me. Anyway- One night he showed up at my work 'to surprise me' though I'm sure it was more to spy. And he caught us shelving things and laughing. We were talking about her girlfriend and somehow he decided I was sleeping with her. He left and waited until I got home."
Joey trailed off for a second, chewing on his lip before he continued. "He beat the shit out of me," Joey breathed. "Just- I couldn't fight back even if I wanted to, because I'm not a fighter and he was twice my size. Then he shoved me into the bedroom and told me he was- Shit shit. Told me he was going to fuck me to remind me what I had. Told me I owed him for fucking around on him. I could hardly see straight."
"I don't know that Iestyn-"
"He didn't-" Joey shook his head, "He didn't get to. He pushed me down on the bed but then told me to wait there and he thought I would! The second he left the room I ran. I ran out of the house without my shoes and I slept in a park. In November. I thought he was going fuck me and then kill me. I thought he was going to kill me. Patrick. Patrick. I think he's going to kill me."
"Shhhh, Joey," Patrick leaned his forehead against Joey's. Joey's hand clenched Iestyn's. "Joey, no one is going to kill you. He doesn't know where you live. You're safe." It wasn't like Lucifer who could sense him where ever he ran.