Recoiled

Recoiled
Rex sat on the hard metal bench of the holding cell. The surface was cold against his legs even through his pants. His hands were shaking against his knees no matter how hard he tried to make them stop.

His heart was pounding so loud he could barely hear anything else. Not the guards walking by. Just his own heartbeat hammering in his ears like a drum.

He kept trying to understand what had happened. Why was he here? What had he done wrong? The captain’s voice kept playing over and over in his head. The way he had said that one word. Accomplice. Rex was not an accomplice. 

But accomplice to what? 

Rex didn’t even know what crime he was supposed to have helped with. Nobody had explained anything to him. They had just slapped handcuffs on him and thrown him in here like he was already guilty.

After a few minutes, probably almost an hour, footsteps finally approached his cell. A guard appeared with keys jangling from his belt.

“Rex,” he called. “Your lawyer’s here.”

Rex stood up on legs and followed the guard down a hallway.

The lawyer was waiting for him. It was Dante’s lawyer obviously. And by him, Dante stood there watching him intently. This wasn't a new experience for him, but it was the first for Rex. 

So Dante made sure to watch closely if Rex was about to spiral.

“Rex,,” the lawyer said without looking up from his paperwork. “I’m here to get you released. Just sign here.”

Rex signed papers he didn’t bother to read. He answered questions he didn’t understand. The whole process felt like a dream. Like it was happening to someone else.

A few signatures. A few words were exchanged with guards. And just like that, they were free, but Rex had questions.

“Why the hell was I arrested too?” Rex demanded. His voice was louder than he meant it to be. “What does any of this have to do with me?”

Dante looked around at the police officers in the precinct, this wasn't the place to have the talk. . “Not here,” he said quietly. “Let’s get back to the office first. Then we can talk.”

But as they started walking toward the exit, Captain Castelle walked towards them. His face was cold and satisfied. Like he had just won a game Rex didn’t even know they were playing.

Rex felt his anger boil over. All the frustration and confusion exploded out of him at once.

“Why did you arrest me?” he shouted. He pointed an accusing finger at Castelle’s face. “You know I have nothing to do with whatever crime you think happened! You’re the one who’s been working with criminals!”

His voice got louder and more desperate.

“So what was that about? Why did you drag me into this?”

Castelle’s expression was ice cold. “You stopped being innocent the day you started sharing a bed with Dante,” he said. Glaring at Dante who stood beside Rex. “And for the record, I’m not working with anyone. If you think you have proof of that, take it to court. Until then, keep your mouth shut.”

The words hit Rex, making him keep his mouth shut. His face got hot with embarrassment and rage.

Dante stepped closer. His smile was dangerous. He had become quite frequent in the precinct that it was almost annoying. All he wanted to do was shut Castelle up and probably kill him. 

“This isn’t over, Captain,” Dante said. His voice was quiet but full of promise.

“No,” Castelle replied. His own smile was cold and cruel. “It isn’t over. It’s just getting started.”

Dante wrapped his finger around Rex’s wrist and pulled him out of the precinct. He had had his fill of the place and wanted no more. 

By the time they reached Dante’s office, Rex’s chest was burning with rage and confusion and fear all mixed together.

He slammed the door behind them so hard the windows rattled.

“Enough!” Rex shouted. His voice echoed off the walls. “Tell me right now, Dante. Who was murdered? Why am I being dragged into this mess?”

Dante walked to his desk and sat down. He looked at Rex for a long moment before speaking.

“I’m not a saint, Rex,” he said finally. His tone was calm. “I kill people who get in my way. People who threaten me or my family.”

He paused. Let that sink in.

“And yes. I killed Orion’s father.”

Rex felt the breath catch in his throat. He shook his head like that could make the words disappear.

“And the pictures,” Rex said. His voice was getting smaller now, he sounded terrified. “The ones they showed us at the police station. The torture. Was that you? Did you really do those things?”

Dante’s jaw got tight. His voice was, as if he deigned to used those words.

“Yes. I did it. All of it.” He looked directly into Rex’s eyes. “I’m a monster, Rex. The kind of monster you don’t want to know about. The kind that does things that would give you nightmares for the rest of your life.”

The room seemed to tilt sideways. Rex staggered back like he’d been punched. His face went pale. His mouth went dry.

His chest was heaving. Too many emotions were crashing into each other at once. Fear. Betrayal. Anger. Disbelief. Love. Hatred. They were all tangled up until he couldn’t tell them apart anymore.

“I can’t,” he whispered. His voice was broken. Small. “I can’t do this.”

He stumbled toward the door. Dante reached out wanting to stop him from leaving. He wanted Rex to not give up on him. 

However, Rex recoiled like Dante’s touch would burn him alive.

Then he ran.

Rex ran straight out of the office and out of the bar.

He got in his car and drove. He didn’t know where he was going. Didn’t care. He just drove until the buildings turned into suburbs he wanted to run away as if running away from reality.

Finally he stopped. Slammed on the brakes in the middle of nowhere. Got out of the car and stumbled into the trees.

The woods were quiet. Peaceful. The kind of place where normal people came to think and find themselves.

But Rex wasn’t normal anymore. And he wasn’t trying to find himself. He was trying to escape from himself.

He clutched his hair with both hands. Pulled at it like he could rip the thoughts out of his skull. 

The man he had these feelings for, the man he thinks of. The man he had kissed. The man he had trusted.

A monster.

Did that make Rex a monster as well.

And then Rex screamed.