Freedom (The F-Word #5) - E. Davies Page 0,62

for those shifts at all.

Damien let out a long sigh and shook his head. “It’s not just that, and you know it. Henry,” he said.

A chill ran down Henry’s spine. He knew what was going on. It was the air-quote voice.

That was the tone people used when they wanted Henry to know they’d happily call him it, and hid behind saying the right name so that he couldn’t technically object.

Like the kids in his old school years ago, Damien suddenly thought he knew Henry better than Henry knew himself. For the first time, he said Henry’s name like it was a special favor that he didn’t deserve and should be grateful for. It was enough to send a sickening wave of nausea through him.

Damien knew perfectly well that he held this power, and he was trying to exploit it. Trying to wake up Henry’s worst demons again. He wanted Henry to feel less than human.

No, worse still. People fell over correcting themselves if they used the wrong name or gender for Cece. But apparently a trans person didn’t warrant that much human decency.

And all of that was packed into a tiny shift in his tone.

“What, then?” Henry’s voice was tight. He was done pretending to be polite.

Ryan hummed the national anthem, loud and awkward, and strode out of the cabin with an armful of lifejackets. The total lack of subtlety would have been hilarious in any other situation, but now it just underscored the thick tension in the room with nobody else there.

No witnesses, either, Henry’s brain reminded him.

“You lied to me,” Damien said quietly, shaking his head.

Henry scoffed. “I’ve sure as hell never lied to you in my life. My personal life is my own damn business and nobody else’s. Now, you never let my being gay hold me back before. Which is how I’ve become one of your best guides.”

Damien paused for a moment, his jaw tight. He conceded that with a slight nod. “You are. That’s what’s so disappointing. I don’t know what trips I’ll put you on now. I’ll have to think about it.”

“No.” Henry forced himself to grit the word out. “No, that’s not good enough.”

Damien spread his hands, then bent to grab the other lifejackets, hooking his fingers through as many straps as possible. “Dunno what else to do. Head home. I’ll call you.”

“No, you really won’t. At least have the decency to tell the truth,” Henry told him quietly. “I always have. I’m every inch the man you thought you knew.”

Damien’s flat stare in return told Henry all he needed to know. This working relationship was over.

He turned and strode on his heel to the car, barely waiting until it was on before throwing it into reverse.

Henry barely remembered the drive. He was shaken to the core, yet too numb to work out what he should do about it.

Even unlocking the front door of his house was a monumental task. His hands shook so badly he dropped his keys.

“Fuck,” Henry hissed, resting his palms and forehead against the door. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

The world hadn’t allowed Henry to be soft or delicate in the early years of his journey. Exactly when he’d been most vulnerable, he’d had to defend himself—against his teachers and classmates, against doctors and friends, and against potential lovers.

The fierce anger he’d been forced to develop as a shield still lay close under his skin. It had come back when he most needed it. But now that he was alone, it melted away and all that was left was the ugly, raw devastation he hadn’t tasted in years.

Henry didn’t want to make a scene on his front porch and get the neighbors involved. So he took several deep breaths and finally bent over, scooping up the keyring and unlocking the door before he could lose his focus.

As soon as he was inside, he called Trip. All he needed to know was whether Damien had shared this little plan with Trip. Trip would have given him a heads up if he’d known—unless he hadn’t wanted to disturb Henry on vacation.

His best friend answered after one ring. “Hey man, what’s up?”

Okay. Thank God. From his tone, Trip had clearly had no idea what was coming.

“Um… it’s bad,” Henry murmured. “He heard. Damien. He must have overheard us. Uh, he’s wiped me from the schedule for the week. We had a talk, and… he said I’ve lied to him, and I think he’s pretty much…” He almost tripped over his words, still hardly able