Page 80 of Inferno
“Yes.”
“What else?”
“I felt it was safer if we made each other aware of where we were going and how long we’d be.”
“Okay. What else?”
“I wanted to spend our spare time together.”
“Anders,” he says, his tone changing. “Tell me what you did to abuse him, because so far nothing you’ve mentioned is something I’d consider abuse if it wasn’t combined with an unreasonable level of control, which you said wasn’t physical or monetary. Did you ever stop him from leaving your home? Did you ever take his car keys or refuse to allow him to see his friends? Did you set a rule that forbade him from living the life he was living before you started your relationship?”
“I’m not a monster,” I say quietly.
“No, you’re not,” Knight says with a level of certainty that shocks me.
Silent, I stare at my friend, unsure what to say.
“What is the name of your man?” he asks.
“Henry.”
“From the garage?”
I nod. “He’s so young. He was a virgin.”
“Let me ask you a question,” Knight says.
“Okay.”
“If I invited Henry out to the bar for a beer, would you stop him from going?”
“No,” I answer immediately.
“Would you insist he abide by a set of rules?”
“Possibly,” I admit.
“What rules would those be?”
“Don’t accept drinks from strangers. Don’t drink too much. That I’d drop you both off and pick you up again unless someone was a designated DD.”
“Would your rules have been different for your ex?” he questions.
I think back to when Gabe and I were together. He enjoyed going out to gay bars and clubs and regularly stayed out till the early hours of the morning. His only rules were that he was not to get into a taxi alone, that he would call me if he needed a ride, regardless of the time, and that he not do drugs.
“No.”
“If Penn asked Henry to work late, or on a Saturday, would you let him?”
“Of course I would. If he wanted to give up working, I’d be more than happy to support him, but as I think that’s unlikely, I’d never stand in the way of his job.”
“And for Gabe? Same rules?”
Gabe was a freelance photographer, his job took him all over the country shooting anything from gardens to home décor to weddings. When he had a bad shoot or a crappy client, I’d offer to make him a kept man, but I never got involved in his work.
“Yes, the same,” I confirm.
“Would any rules apply?”
