After All (Passion Book 3)

Chapter Five

Hen was waiting for him in his office when he got to work. 

She was sitting behind his desk, fiddling with a pen, a knowing look on her face. 

"So," she said. "You got back together with Buck." 

Eddie dropped his bag to the floor, feeling too tired for this conversation. "Yeah. What about it?" 

"I saw you two making out. Which means that everyone saw it." Her voice was grave. 

He swore. He knew what she was talking about. That ill advised kiss after the ceremony. They'd redone the locker room, adding more glass. Of course, she was right. Everyone would have saw that. He was surprised that no one had talked to him about it. 

But the look on Hen's face told him that someone was here now. 

"Fuck," he said. 

She nodded. "Marchand is here." 

Daniel Marchand was commissioner. Eddie's boss now. And he was a hard man. Eddie knew that he was in deep shit. 

The door to his office swung open again, causing Eddie to jump. Marchand was short, sporting a grey mustache and a very bald head. 

"Good morning, Diaz." He growled. "Have a seat." 

He dismissed Hen with barely a look. Eddie's hands curled into fists. "If you're going to fire me, I'd rather be standing." 

Marchand gave him a shrewd look, before sitting behind Eddie's desk. 

"You have a history of misconduct here," the man said. "I believe that wasn't the first time you were caught entangled with someone here. You know how we feel about displays of sexual activity. They are highly inappropriate. And with a man," Marchand scoffed. "I wasn't aware that you were some sort of fucking fag." 

Something in Eddie snapped. "Call me that again, and I'll rip your head off." 

Marchand's eyes narrowed. "You cannot speak to me like that." 

"And you can't speak to me like that! I thought that the point was to be inclusive. Or was it just my race that you liked?" 

"You've disgraced the name of this firehouse with your filthy display. I want you to clean out your desk and your locker by noon." 

"Then I will go to the board and tell them what you called me." 

"It's my word against yours." Marchand snarled. 

"I won't let you belittle me, or anyone else here." Eddie snapped. "Yes, I made a mistake. But I will not tolerate being called a derogatory term. I've spent the majority of my life hiding, and I refuse to do it again." 

"Get out of my sight," 

With pleasure, Eddie thought. 

Picking up his bag, he marched out of the room. Of course, it was Marchand that was sent to deal with him. They had a long history of not getting along, and this was the final straw. He would gladly quit, gladly be fired if it meant that he never had to deal with that man again. 

Hen had a somber look on her face when he emerged. "That fucker!" she hissed. 

"Don't worry about it," he sighed. a headache was forming between his eyes. "He's a bigot anyways." 

"You were the best captain we'd had after Bobby. I could only imagine what sort of chief you would have been." 

"I'm done with this place."