Bound by the Mark of Lies (BL)
Chapter 106 - 101: The better choice (1)

Chapter 106: Chapter 101: The better choice (1)

The silence between them was sharp enough to cut. Gabriel had spent years perfecting the art of patience, measured words, and controlled expressions, but tonight his restraint had worn thin. Damian, too, stood rigid, his frustration barely hidden beneath the smooth veneer of authority. But there was something else beneath it all: an unspoken need, a flaw in his otherwise impenetrable armor.

Gabriel exhaled and pressed his thumb against his temple. "Where do I even begin?" His voice was quieter now, but no less bitter. "You and my family—when did you decide that my life was yours to shape? Was there ever a moment when I had a choice?"

Damian’s golden eyes didn’t waver. He didn’t deny it, didn’t retreat into half-truths. "The moment you spoke up at that hearing months ago and defied the Ministry," he said simply. "That was when you lost the luxury of choice."

Gabriel tensed, the words cutting deeper than he expected. "So that’s it?" His voice was colder now. "You decided my fate the moment I became inconvenient?"

Damian’s jaw tightened. "No." He stepped closer, slow but deliberate. "I chose you, Gabriel."

The weight of the words settled heavily between them.

Gabriel shook his head softly, laughing without humor or warmth. "You mean you claimed me."

Damian’s expression darkened. "Would you rather someone else had? Would you rather take George’s offer?"

The sharp response made something in Gabriel still.

Damian took another step forward, his voice quieter, but the force behind it no less powerful. "You speak of being trapped, but do you think I don’t know that feeling?" His gaze was unwavering. "I’ve had power stripped from me before. I know what it is to have my choices stolen."

Gabriel narrowed his eyes. "Then why do the same to me?"

"Because I couldn’t let them have you," Damian admitted, something raw threading through his voice. "Not the court, not the Ministry, not the ones who would use you and leave you broken."

Gabriel scoffed. "And you think chaining me to you is any different?"

Damian’s expression didn’t shift, but his voice was measured when he replied, "You’re not chained, Gabriel. You agreed to this."

Gabriel’s fingers curled into the sheets beneath him. "Did I? You offered me a way out of a prison I didn’t even know I was in." His dark eyes met Damian’s, defiant. "But it turns out I just traded one cage for another."

Damian’s lips pressed together, and for the first time that evening, he looked away. Not because he was embarrassed, but because, for once, he had no immediate response.

The silence stretched again, thick with everything they weren’t saying.

Finally, Damian let out a slow breath, his voice softer this time. "Then tell me what you want, Gabriel." He met Gabriel’s gaze again, his golden eyes unwavering. "You think I dictate everything, but I’m standing here, asking you. Tell me what you need, and I’ll listen."

Gabriel hesitated. A part of him wanted to respond to Damian’s words, to push against the weight of expectation that had been suffocating him since his return to the capital. But another part, exhausted by the games, lies, and endless maneuvering, desired something different.

Honesty.

Gabriel exhaled, the anger still simmering beneath his skin but no longer as hot. "Fine." He met Damian’s gaze, unflinching. "No more half-truths. No more decisions made behind my back. If I am to stand beside you, then I need to know everything."

Damian inclined his head slightly. "Then ask."

Gabriel studied him for a long moment before speaking. "Did you ever intend to let me go?"

Damian didn’t hesitate. "No."

Gabriel’s breath hitched, but he wasn’t surprised. He had expected the answer. Still, hearing it spoken so plainly did something to him.

"Why?" he asked, quieter this time.

Damian exhaled, as if deciding how much he was willing to admit. "Because I needed you," he said finally. "And not just for the contract. Not just for the court. You are—" He stopped himself, his jaw tightening as he forced the words out. "I won’t let you slip through my fingers, Gabriel. Not when I am only starting to understand you."

Gabriel blinked, surprised by the candor in those words.

Damian ran his hand through his hair, frustration creeping back into his voice. "I don’t know how to handle you," he admitted. "I don’t know how to make this work without making you feel trapped. But I meant what I said: I want you here. With me."

Gabriel swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. He had expected another argument, another battle of wills. He did not expect this. Damian didn’t plead. He didn’t beg. He simply stated. And somehow, that made it feel heavier.

Gabriel let out a slow sigh and ran a hand through his black deshiveled hair, his pijama shirt rising with him. He was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he missed the hunger in Damian’s eyes as he looked at his exposed abdomen.

"So you started planning after that call at the hearing? Gabriel finally asked, jolting Damian out of his stare.

"You could say so, but if you mean being my partner at the ball, that was something I decided the night I gave you the option."

Gabriel’s fingers twitched where they rested on the sheets. He carefully examined Damian’s face, looking for any signs of deception. But there was none. Damian had no reason to lie, at least not to him.

"That night..." Gabriel murmured, his thoughts returning to the confrontation in Damian’s office, to the moment he was forced into a corner and given his so-called option. A bitter taste coated his tongue. "You never intended to give me a choice."

"But I did. You could refuse and stick with George Claymore. You knew that George would get rid of Max’s partner if you asked."

Gabriel’s fingers tightened on the fabric of his sheets, his mind processing Damian’s words. ’George would have gotten rid of Max’s partner if I asked.’

It wasn’t a lie. It was an ugly truth.

Gabriel exhaled slowly. "And you thought that was an acceptable alternative?" His voice was low, but there was no mistaking the sharp edge beneath it.