Page 101 of Conflicted

Oh, he didn’t.“You don’t mean that literally, right Micah?”

“What do you think, Nox?” His sardonic tone confirmed my worst fears.

I stalked over to him, flames licking at my wrists. “You fuckingmarkedme?”

For the first time since I’d awoken, there was a flicker of doubt in his eyes. “Yes. You can’t be angry about it either. You said you’d forgive me anything, remember? Besides, we don’t have to make it a full mating bond; you don’t have to be stuck with me for eternity.”

My jaw fell open. “You thinkthat’swhat I’m worried about? Being stuck with you?”

His nose wrinkled. “Isn’t it?”

“Of course not!” My roar was so loud that several birds took flight. “I’m in love with you, you fucking muppet. I did all of this to protect you, not condemn you. What the fuck were you thinking?”

Before I even clocked what was happening, I was on my back in the dirt again. Micah was pinning me to the ground, his knees on my upper arms and his dagger against my throat.

I blinked in surprise. “Um, what are you doing?”

“Proving a point.” Micah’s mouth was in a tight line. “Push me off.”

“Why?”

“Just fucking do it, Nox. Don’t hold back. Break free and put me in a position I can’t get out of.”

I grumbled, bracing my feet on the ground. Lifting up, I tried to flip him.

Micah didn’t move an inch. What was more, neither did I.

He smiled wryly. “Having trouble, Nox?”

His challenge had something in me rising. I drew on all my strength, using every weapon in my arsenal to try and unseat him. Nothing worked. Micah just kept smirking down at me, looking completely unruffled.

I glared up at him. “Are you even having to work at keeping me here?”

“Not really,” he drawled. “I’ve not used my powers yet either.”

My irritation was replaced by awe as the full knowledge of Micah’s strength settled in me. “You’re magnificent.”

He rolled his eyes as he slid his knees off my arms, straddling my chest. “I wouldn’t go that far. My point is, Nox, I don’t need you to protect me. I’m perfectly capable of doing it myself.”

“But what if I like protecting you?” I slid my hands up his spread thighs. “I’m not sure that’s something I can stop, to be honest, especially not now you’ve marked me.”

I’d stopped a few inches away from his groin, but apparently his cock hadn’t got the message that this wasn’t supposed to be a sexual situation. It was straining against the fabric. Now I was the one wearing a smirk.

“Shut up,” Micah muttered, his cheeks stained red. “I can’t help it—it’s a natural reaction to you touching me.”

I tugged on him until his hips were flush with mine. He gave a small groan when he felt my own hardness.

“It’s a problem we share,” I said.

As much as I wanted to strip him down and fuck him right there on the jungle floor, we had slightly more pressing issues to deal with.

I rolled Micah over and this time he let me. Letting my weight sink against him, I stroked his beautiful face. “You called me an idiot.”

“Well, you were being one.”

I sighed, leaning my forehead on his. “I’m not the idiot here, Micah. We both know they aren’t going to just let us walk away. All you’ve done is add your own death to their to-do list alongside mine.”

Micah shrugged. “If that’s the case, then I don’t care.”

---