Page 116 of How Not to Date an Angel

Was it wrong of them to manipulate this human? Possibly.

What was their other option? Stay out of it and let the human authorities mishandle the entire situation? Let Melissa get hurt again?

That, to Rami, was unacceptable. They weren’t letting another person get hurt when they had the power to stop it. This wouldnotend like Atticus’s story.

Rami gazed down at the human man once more, the eyes on their wings attuned to the newfound energy within him: peace—even if hedidn’t deserve it—and yes, thatwasguilt as well, for how he’d treated Melissa.

Rami nodded to themself. Good. This story would have a better ending—they’d make sure of it.

Satisfied, Rami magicked themself back home. To Julian.

Julian, who was pacing in the middle of the kitchen. At Rami’s presence, he froze, glancing around as if he couldn’t believe Rami had returned.

“You’re here,” Julian announced slowly. His hair was a mess between his horns, as if he’d been scraping his hands through it.

Rami felt it all, his worry and concern, flooded with a healthy dose of guilt.

“I’m here,” he said, again, confusion filling his expression. “We’re both here.”

Rami sniffed and lifted his head high, wings twitching with indignation. “It appears so. Why does this puzzle you?”

“Did you do it?” Julian asked. He rushed over, placing both hands on Rami’s shoulders, fingers squeezing tight as if he feared Rami would disappear right from under him.

“I took care of it.”

Julian’s expression crumbled, head dropping, and he sucked in a breath. He sighed, all the tension leaking out of his shoulders until he slumped down to press his forehead against Rami’s chest. “You didn’t kill him.”

“Of course not,” Rami scoffed. “He’ll adhere to the restraining order and accept the divorce without argument, and he won’t bother Melissa any longer.”

A noise was caught in Julian’s throat, relief and maybe shock. “Thank god,” he whispered, and something in his voice made Rami’sheart skip. He picked his head up to meet Rami’s eyes. “Do you think she’ll be happy with this outcome?” Julian asked.

Was the demon considering someone else’s happiness? Rami’s lips threatened to curl.

“I think she’ll be safe.” Now, all those sessions where Melissa seemed distant, skirting around something that Rami couldn’t figure out, made sense. “She’ll be relieved he’s gone, I think,” they admitted.

“Good. That’s good, Feathers.” Julian heaved a sigh.

His reaction touched something in Rami. “You thought I was going to kill him?” they asked.

Julian swallowed, expression distraught. “The thought crossed my mind, yeah.”

“Is that what you wanted to do?” Rami tilted their head to the side, studying him.

“What if I did?” Julian asked, stepping away, crossing his arms. “What if I did want him to die for hurting her?”

Rami’s halo was casting a soft, white glow across those furrowed features.

Julian was beautiful.

Rami stepped closer, and closer, unsure of this too-big feeling in their chest but giving into it all the same. Julian stepped back, and back, until he bumped into the kitchen island.

They paused scant inches away. Julian’s breath had gone quiet, and he gripped the edge of the counter behind him.

“So you care about her? Why?”

Julian sneered, rolling his eyes before his expression dipped into a frown.

Rami didn’t know why it mattered to them, but it did. Did Julian care about Melissa just because Rami did? Or was his moral compass stronger than he wanted Rami to believe?

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