Page 128 of A Mistake of Worth
A tear slipped down Gabriel’s cheek, and Henri realized he’d never seen his brother cry before.
“So no,” Gabriel said, his voice fierce now. “You will not pay me back. This wasn’t a transaction. This was me finally, finally being able to give you what you should have had all along—freedom. Don’t take that away from me by trying to make it into a debt.”
Henri couldn’t hold back his own tears anymore. They spilled over, hot and fast, years of grief and gratitude tangled together until he couldn’t separate them.
“I’m going to London. With Michael.”
Gabriel’s face did something complicated. “Michael told me he would ask you.”
“Are you angry?”
“Angry?” Gabriel looked startled. “Why would I be angry?”
“Because I’m leaving. Because after everything you did to get me back, I’m just... going away again.”
Understanding dawned in Gabriel’s eyes. “Oh, Henri. No. I’m not angry. I’m relieved. The best thing you can do is get as far from Marc as possible. London is perfect. It’s safe, it’s away from here, and you’ll have Michael taking care of you.”
Something in Henri’s chest loosened slightly. “I don’t want to lose you.”
“You won’t.” Gabriel’s hand squeezed his shoulder. “I’m not going anywhere. We’ll video call, we’ll text, and I’ll visit. But you need distance from this place, from these memories. You need space to become someone new.”
Henri nodded, not trusting his voice.
“Michael’s a good man,” Gabriel continued. “He walked into Marc’s trap knowing it might kill him, just for the chance to get you out. That’s not nothing, Henri. That’s love.”
“I don’t know if I know how to love someone properly,” Henri admitted, the confession tearing out of him. “Everything Marctaught me about love was twisted and wrong. What if I can’t untangle it? What if I hurt Michael because I don’t know how to be in a real relationship?”
Gabriel was quiet for a moment, considering. “You’ve spent twenty years learning what love isn’t. Maybe now you get to spend the next twenty learning what it is. And maybe that’s okay. Maybe it’s okay not to have all the answers right away.”
Henri wiped his eyes with shaking hands. “When did you get so wise?”
“Older brothers are always wise.” Gabriel’s smile was full of cheek.
A smile tugged at the corner of Henri’s lips. “I'm not sure that's true… but thank you,” Henri finally said, the words feeling inadequate. “For paying—”
“Don’t.” Gabriel’s voice was firm. “We’re not talking about the money anymore. It’s done. You’re free. That’s all that matters.”
Henri nodded, accepting it even if he couldn’t quite believe it yet.
“I should let you rest,” Gabriel said, rising. “But Henri? I’m proud of you. For choosing Michael. For choosing to leave.”
“Thank you,” Henri whispered again.
Gabriel squeezed his shoulder once more and then left, closing the door quietly behind him.
Michael returned immediately, as if he’d been waiting just outside. “How are you doing?”
Henri didn’t know how to answer that. He felt scraped raw, emotions too close to the surface, everything too bright and too sharp. But underneath the overwhelm, there was something else. Something that felt almost like hope.
“Tired,” he said finally. “And scared. But... maybe okay?”
Michael smiled and settled back on the bed, pulling Henri close. “That’s a start.”
They lay in silence for a while, Henri listening to Michael’s heartbeat and trying to imagine a future where this was normal. Where he woke up every morning, safe and loved and free to choose what his day looked like.
“I need to tell you something,” Henri said eventually, his voice shaking.
Michael’s hand stilled in its soothing rhythm on Henri’s back. “Okay.”
