“Pain can be beautiful,” he says, exhaling a cloud of smoke. “It can transform. It can create.”
“But I don’t want to be in pain,” says Henry hoarsely. “I want—”
“You want to be loved.”
A small, empty sound, half cough, half sob. “Yes.”
“Then be loved.”
“You make it sound simple.”
“It is,” says the stranger. “If you’re willing to pay.”