Page 51 of A Mistake of Worth
Henri frowned slightly, confused. “What do you mean?”
“If you want me to stop, at any point, you say stop. And I do. No questions, no negotiation.”
The words didn’t register at first.
Stop? That wasn’t... that wasn’t how it worked.
With Marc, there had never been a stop. Not even when he cried. Not even when he bled.
“Could we… now?” Henri asked, barely audible.
“You want to try it now?”
Henri nodded, throat too tight for speech.
Michael turned the box over, scanning the QR code on the inner flap with his phone. Henri watched as the app opened and paired; the interface was clean and efficient, with Michael’s name auto-filling on the registration screen.
Then Michael paused, and turned the phone so Henri could see. A block of text filled the bottom of the screen:
DEVICE REGISTRATION AND SECURITY:
Upon initial pairing with a mobile device, the product becomes permanently and irrevocably bound to said device’s unique identifier. The product cannot be subsequently registered to or controlled by any other device. In the event of mobile device loss, damage, or replacement, the product will be rendered permanently inoperable. No warranty claims or replacements will be honored in such circumstances. User assumes all responsibility for maintaining access to the registered device.
Henri read it twice. His breath hitched. It couldn’t be hijacked. Couldn’t be reassigned. Couldn’t be taken back by Marc.
“Wait,” Henri said, panic flickering at the edges of his voice. “What if—what if Marc already registered it? I didn’t open it, but he sent it to me. What if it’s already linked to his phone?”
Michael shook his head. “The app wouldn’t let me register it if it were. We’d get an error.” He tilted the phone to show the progress bar:
Pairing complete.
Registered to: Michael Taylor
“It works?”
Michael nodded. “It works.”
Henri exhaled.
“He probably expected you to send him the pairing info,” Michael added. “But since you didn’t… he has no access. He never will.”
Henri pressed a trembling hand to his mouth. “Why does that make me want to cry?” He let out a breathless, embarrassed laugh. “It’s such a basic thing…”
Michael didn’t answer. He just wrapped his arms around Henri and held him tight, resting their foreheads together in the quiet.
Henri sank into him. Didn’t speak. Just breathed.
Michael checked the charge, then set his phone aside and stood, drawing Henri gently up with him. The towel fell in a soft heap to the floor, revealing Henri’s arousal.
Michael palmed him gently, drawing a shiver and a quiet gasp. “Beautiful,” he murmured, stroking once, then again, before guiding Henri to turn. “Bed.”
Henri obeyed, moving to the edge and bending over instinctively, gripping the duvet. His breath caught again when he felt Michael’s hand skim down his spine.
“You ready for me, baby?” Michael asked, reaching for the lube.
Henri nodded into the bedding. “Yes. Please.”
Michael hummed softly, spreading the lube over his fingers, then down between Henri’s cheeks, circling his entrance with slow, deliberate pressure. “Still so responsive,” he murmured, dipping one slick finger inside, then pulling back to add another.
