A year Earlier
"Not Guilty." The forewoman said.
Raf sighed, as he watched Buchanan and his client celebrate as he packed up his things. He walked over to the squad and the vic.
"I'm sorry." Raf whispered as Liv patted his back.
"At least the world knows what kind of human he is now." Julie, the victim said.
Raf nodded and ducked out of the courtroom, going back to his office. He dragged out the paperwork for as long as he could, finally deciding he couldn't hide there anymore he packed up his things. As he headed downstairs, he ordered an uber and 20 minutes later he was outside the door leading to his personal hell. He reluctantly opened the door to his apartment and went in. He sat his briefcase on the chair by the door and hung up his coat, walking into the living room Ellis was sitting on the couch.
"About damn time you came home." He snarled angrily.
"Sorry I had paperwork after court." Raf replied, walking into the kitchen.
"Bullshit, you lost the case and didn't want to come home." Ellis stood up, walking over to where Raf stood.
Ellis grabbed Raf pulling him around to face him. Raf saw he had the keys on the stove already red hot and blanched internally.
"Go into the bedroom, strip. Leave the boxers on… for now." Ellis ordered Raf.
Raf hung his head and walked back toward the bedroom.
"I'm fucked literally and figuredly now." He thought as he stripped down.
Ellis made sure the keys were really hot before walking into the bedroom. When he walked in, Raf was sitting on the edge of the bed. He set the pan on the nightstand, found the handcuffs, and
cuffed Raf against the headboard. Happy with Raf sat there with his arms stretched out he sighed and said,
"Don't look so 'terrorized victim'." He sneered.
"You know you deserve to be punished. You lost the case and you know the repercussions of failure, don't you?"
"Yes." Raf replied quickly, not wanting to add another transgression to be punished for.
"Well then, is there something you want to ask me?"
Raf hesitated too long.
"Ask me! Ask me!" Ellis shouted.
"Please…will you punish me…for my failure." Raf managed to get out before Ellis got any angrier.
"That's right, you need to be punished. I would never hurt you unless you asked me to, which you just did." He said with a grin.
Raf steeled himself for what was about to happen. Trying not to watch as Ellis picked up the tongs to take a key out of the pan with.
"Decisions, decisions." Ellis crooned, before pressing the key to Raf's right nipple and holding it there for a count of 5.
Raf groaned and bit his lip, knowing appearing to be in pain made Ellis even more vicious. He slumped a little when Ellis removed the key and put it back in the hot pan. Raf watched resignedly as Ellis picked up another key.
"Symmetry is necessary I think." He said as he pressed the key to Raf's left nipple and counted to 5. Smiling at the burn mark revealed when he put the key back in the pan.
Raf woke up gasping for air. He looked around, seeing Sonny asleep beside him.
"Dios mio… It was just a dream." He sobbed, quietly.
"Rafi?"
Raf jumped at the hand on his shoulder.
"It's just me Rafi." Sonny whispered.
Raf looked at his shoulder, tears rolling down his cheeks. Sonny sat up,
"Nightmare."
"Yes, but it actually happened." Raf sobbed.
Sonny gently wrapped his arms around him.
"This okay?"
Raf nodded, letting his head rest on Sonny's chest.
"You want to talk about it?"
Raf didn't move or say anything. Sonny gently pulled him down, both laid down, Sonny rubbed his back until Raf fell back asleep. The next morning Sonny woke up, looked around Raf wasn't in bed. He got up, looking in the bathroom not finding him there Sonny made his way to the living room. He found Raf at the bar with coffee.
"Morning." Sonny said before he put a hand on his shoulder not wanting to scare Raf.
Raf didn't say anything, just took another sip of his coffee. Sonny quickly fixed breakfast, he sat down beside Raf after sitting his plate in front of him, Sonny couldn't take the silence anymore.
"Rafi, please say something you're scaring me." Sonny whispered.
Raf sighed... Sat down his coffee.
"Did you hear any of it?"
"No, I woke up to you crying… your father?"
"No…my….." Raf shook his head.
"Ex?"
Raf let a sob out.
"Is he still…"
"In prison life for 1st-degree rape, got the max."
Sonny rubbed his back.
"Do you want to talk?"
Not really, but…. I was at a low point in my life."
"Which was?" Sonny pushed.
"When Abuela passed away in February."
"So your Abuela passed in February. I was injured in mid-September…. Were you still together then?"
"I broke up with him in February, I had Liv and some units to follow me after he threatened me. They eventually arrested him. Also got him on 1st-degree assault. 3-25 yrs, Ellis had an elderly Aunt who thought he was wonderful and essentially bankrolled him. She didn't have long to live, he beat her so much so he pleaded guilty to make sure she wouldn't find out. He must have told her some bullshit story about why he couldn't visit her and when she died she left everything to him like he wanted. Much good it will do him in prison."
Sonny picked up their plates seeing that he was finished and Raf pushed his away. Sonny gently pulled Raf to the couch.
"Is there anything I could do?" Sonny asked.
Raf tightened his hold on Sonny and looked him in the eyes.
"What you're doing, talking to me, holding me."
"I can do that." He said, as he pulled Raf closer.
