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Chapter forty-four

Henry

My entire soul lit up when I spotted Tris leaning against my headboard dressed in a soft off-white T-shirt and light-gray joggers. He was on his phone, probably reading. He told me he liked the convenience of always having his books in his pocket, and I couldn’t fault him for that.

When he glanced up, though, I could see uncertainty in his eyes. Was he still unsure of us after all this time?

Without thinking, I stripped my shirt over my head. One of our new bartenders-in-training had spilled a beer on me just before I left, and it was still wet. I needed to get to the bottom of whatever was troubling Tris, but I could do that without a shirt on.

Once I was shirtless, I dropped to the bed next to the love of my life. Jesus, he was gorgeous, and I hated the frown and furrowed brow currently marring his beautiful face.

I reached over, tucking an errant curl behind his ear as I always did. He smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “What’s wrong, sweet boy?”

His eyes widened almost imperceptibly, but I caught it. Over the last few months, I’d developed quite an affinity for reading his emotions.

“It’s okay. Whatever it is, baby, you can tell me.”

His face instantly softened, and I knew that, somehow, I’d said the right thing. He reached out for my hand, and I took it. “I love you, Daddy.”

I smiled, never tired of hearing that. But I had to confess my stomach knotted up, just a little. “I love you, too, my sweet Angel Baby. Though I sense a ‘but’ coming—and not the fun kind.”

He chuckled lightly, which I took to mean that what he wanted to talk about couldn’t be that horrible. “Maybe a little ‘but.’”

I laughed despite my nerves but kept quiet as I watched him try to figure out how to start.

“I went to see Cameron today, and it went even better than I’d expected.”

I nodded. I’d figured that would be the case. Cameron was a sweetheart.

“But when I got back to my condo to pick up some things, my dad was there.”

Well, shit. That wasn’t good. “Oh, baby, I’m so sorry.”

Tristan’s face scrunched up like he was in pain. “Yeah, it was pretty horrible.” I watched his shoulders heave with a deep breath, and I braced myself for whatever came next. “He said some awful things about both of us. Apparently, he found out I was gay, figured out we were together, even saw us out on our date at the atrium restaurant.”

My gaze flicked back and forth over the comforter as I processed the information. But that would mean . . .

Tris was clearly fighting tears when my eyes shot back to his. “He was the one who called the inspector, gave him those bullshit complaints. Probably blackmailed him to do it, too.”

My eyes shot wide. Everything I’d worked for had been threatened because of the father of the man I loved. How the fuck was that fair?

My fists clenched at my sides as anger flared in my chest. Where the hell did he get off? That was illegal, right? My boyfriend’s fucking father should be in jail. If I ever found him, got my hands on him, I’d—

A quiet sob sounded in the silent room, and my eyes shot to Tris’s face. He wouldn’t meet my gaze, instead launching to his feet and flying from the room before I could stop him.

Shit. I fucked up. Again.

***

Scrubbing my hand over my face—how the hell could I have been so stupid, so thoughtless?—I leapt from the bed and clambered down the stairs. This was a big house, but I suspected Tris would’ve gone down to the basement, to the bathroom where I’d first helped him calm down. I surmised he felt safe there because of that, and my gut told me I was probably right.

And so did my ears as I descended the basement steps. Tristan’s sniffling got louder as I approached the slightly ajar bathroom door.

My heart warmed at the tiny but significant difference between now and the last time we were here. He’d left the door open for me. He trusted me. I’d scared him, upset him, but he still knew he could count on me to be there for him.

I leaned forward, careful not to touch the door so it didn’t creak and startle him. But I heard his breath catch through the small opening. He knew I was here.

“Tris, baby? I’m so sorry.”