Andrzej was terrified. Dominik looked like he was on the verge of life and death. He was pale and so haggard as if he hadn't had anything in his mouth for a week. He seemed even more fragile and vulnerable than when Marczak twisted his arm and pressed him to the ground.
'It's my fault,' the photographer thought desperately. 'My fault. I knew what could happen and despite everything I did not prevent this misfortune. '
Andrzej took this frail body into his arms, praying that it would not be too late. Begging for it to only look so bad
Under the influence of the warm touch, Śliwiński's eyes opened slowly, tired and sad, full of deep pain. Eyes that looked at Andrzej as if they didn't see him at all. Those beautiful, aquamarine eyes… At the sight of them something broke in Nowicki's chest.
'I will kill him!' Andrzej felt his rage fill him. "I'll beat him like a dog! Marczak, you are already a corpse! '
But he couldn't say it out loud. There was no time for that anyway. Now he had to save Dominik.
"Hang on, I'll call an ambulance right now ..."
The actor forbade "No" in a weak, strange-sounding voice.
"This time I won't let go. Look at you…
"I'm fine," he assured, trying to smile and sit up on his own. "I'm just tired."
Tired?! Dear God! What could Dominik do to make his body look like this? How many nights did he have to stay awake for his eyes to take on such an unconscious expression and sink into his skull!
However, Śliwiński wanted to prove his good condition so much that Andrzej had no choice but to help him sit down. Dominik hung his arms on him and nestled against his chest like a child in his favorite plush mascot or his beloved mother.
Andrzej hugged him, cold despite the hot summer and the bedding. Fragile despite all sports training. He embraced him strongly, apologizing for not protecting him when necessary, and giving him all the warmth of his body.
"It's okay," Nowicki said in a gentle, soothing voice and stroked the actor's head. "I promise you, nothing bad will happen to you now."
"Um," Dominik nodded, and his grip loosened. Andrzej felt that he was slipping out of his embrace.
He's not losing consciousness, is he ?!
Panic seized Nowicki's heart. What if the actor is really hurt or sick, if he has serious injuries, for example internal, only his pride and stubbornness prevent him from admitting it? What if he has an internal bleeding and life is flowing out of it?
Śliwiński fell heavily on the pillows, but his eyes were open. Feeling unrelenting fear, Nowicki inspected his body as much as he could looking for signs of injuries, but found nothing, no bruising, abrasions or injuries. Unless ... But there wasn't even a drop of blood on the sheets. That calmed him down a little. A little.
"Where does it hurt?"
"Nowhere," he replied softly. "I'm not ... It wasn't like that. You were right!" he exploded and covered his eyes with the back of his hand. In vain. Andrzej knew he was crying. His whole body trembled in spasms of sobbing.
So it wasn't a physical attack this time, thank God, the photographer breathed a sigh of relief. But Marczak did something that hurt Dominik's heart so deeply that he did not have the spiritual strength to get out of bed. How long it took? Judging by his pallor and weakness, it wasn't the first day. Marczak, you ...
Looking at Dominik Nowicki did not feel triumph for being right. He would rather be a hundred times wrong than see this delicate being suffer. Śliwiński's only fault was that he trusted the wrong person and now his heart, and perhaps his mind, was in tatters.
"He ... sold me," Dominik sobbed in a voice full of pain. "He sold me ... to Baptiste's assistant ..."
Andrzej felt as if he had been hit in the head by something heavy. Dominik's lover, the man he loved and trusted, did what? Sold him? Sold him? Like the slave?
Or like a whore?
Or like… an animal?
Without thinking, Andrzej grabbed Dominik into his arms and hugged him with all his might. The small body trembled and Andrzej had the impression that the sobbing would tear Śliwiński's chest at any moment.
'Cry,' he thought. 'Cry out all the tears. Then it's time for your revenge. I'm not gonna let you cry anymore because of that brute.' He hugged him even more, wounded, crushed by the cruelty and selfishness of another human being - someone he loved.
"He will pay for it" Nowicki promised in an icy tone. "And this time you won't protect him, do you understand?"
Dominik could not calm his crying for a long time, and Andrzej could not calm his anger. At this point, Nowicki would have given many, even years of his life, to take some of the suffering off his friend. He knew it was his fault. How could he leave Dominik, the most trusting and naive man he knew, to the prey of the wolf? It was because of him and his carelessness towards friendship that the actor was now filled with pain. It was unforgivable! Both Nowicki and Marczak will pay a high price for these tears.
There will be time for justice and vengeance, however. Now the most important thing was to take care of the actor and his broken heart.
After this sudden outburst of emotions, Śliwiński calmed down and fell asleep. Before he closed his eyes, he looked at Andrzej. Their blue was blurred not only with suffering but also with deep fear. Will this experience take away his trust in people that he was just beginning to build? If so, his loneliness and fear would completely consume his soul. Someone so sensitive and warm cannot be left alone in this cruel, violent and evil world.
'But… he trusted me now. Even after what happened to him and after I treated him badly at our last meeting, he didn't turn me down. Although it's my fault Dominik is suffering now, he didn't reject me. So maybe…'
Maybe this fear has a different dimension and Dominik is afraid to be left alone with his demons?
Anyway, Andrzej has already made his decision.
"I will not move from this house," Nowicki assured him, "until you throw me out. I will not leave you alone. "
The photographer thought he saw relief in his face. Only after this reassurance did Dominik fall asleep, quite peacefully and deeply. Andrzej stayed with him for about half an hour, then he went down to the ground floor and called the only person he trusted completely.