Page 114 of Conflicted

The pulse of love that echoed back told me he understood. Even without my words, he knew.

Bright light filled my vision, and we were gone.

Travelling by lightning is not as glamorous or fun as one might think. It’s noisy and akin to being trapped in a washing machine spin cycle.

When the light finally cleared, we were stood in a stone corridor before tall oak doors. Amelia nodded at us to stay put while the three of them entered the room.

I braced myself against the wall, trying to stop my stomach rolling. “Satan, how do you stand it?”

“You get used to it.” Micah chuckled, stroking my back comfortingly.

I leaned into his touch. Every time he put his hands on me, he seemed to unlock a new sensation. First hatred tinged with lust, then love, and now comfort, something I wasn’t sure I’d experienced in…

Well, ever.

When the room finally stopped spinning, I focused on my mate. “I’m not giving you up without a fight. Hope you’re ready for it.”

“Same goes.” Micah kissed the base of my neck, his lips curving against my skin.

For all his smiles and gentle touches, Micah was close to the edge. Not like Lyle had been—I hadn’t even realised that was a line angels wereableto cross—but his sanity was balancing precariously. It wouldn’t take much to push him over the edge. Either his unit or me being hurt would unseat him entirely.

I’d just have to make sure I caught him when it did. When, not if. I wasn’t a moron, despite what Micah might have thought. The journey we were about to take was clearly signposted, with no exits in sight.

Unless there was some sort of miracle—highly unlikely given we’d sent the demons away and Micah didn’t want the Seraphim involved—we were well and truly fucked.

The minutes ticked by in silence, the heavy doors masking any sound of what might be happening within. We weren’t alone, but for all the attention the two regents guarding the courtroom were giving us, we might as well have been.

“So…” I drawled, taking an exaggerated look at our subdued surroundings. “This is Heaven? Can’t say I’m impressed.”

Micah shook his head, a shadow passing over his eyes. “No, this isn’t Heaven. We’re in purgatory. It’s basically thebureaucratic centre of Heaven. That and the home of the criminal justice system.”

I ran my finger down his back, seeking out the raised skin. “Somewhere you’re very familiar with then?”

“Yes.”

Micah’s voice was toneless, but not the bond. I kissed his temple, attempting to reassure him. I was here now. I wasn’t going to let them hurt him. Not again. They either kept him alive, uninjured, or executed us. Purgatory might have meant in between, but there wouldn’t be an in between for us. They had to choose one path or the other.

And if they didn’t…well. I wouldn’t have an issue forcing their hand.

Pushing that to the back of mind, I glanced once more at the bare walls. “You’d think they’d decorate it a bit. Hell has all these portraits over their walls showing what tortures you can expect. I always thought it was a bit macabre, but I think having nothing is worse. Really allows your imagination to go wild.”

A small snorting noise came from one of the guards. Micah glared fiercely at him. He flushed, fixing his eyes on a spot on the wall opposite.

I smirked. Micah might have struggled with being a leader, but there was no denying that was what he was. Even though he was the one on trial here, he was still taking charge of those he outranked.

I hadn’t seen him in his element since that day with the crane, and I’d been too focused on saving lives to pay attention to how he carried himself around his subordinates then. Something about it really got my motors going. If we got out of this, I might beg and plead with him to let me sit in the corner during one of his meetings. I didn’t need to be at the table with them all, just close enough toobserve my mate. To see that little frown between his brows appear. To see him confidently negotiate around the dominating personalities that made up the Seraphim. To see him thriving in the environment he was most comfortable in.

Then, when it was all over and we were all alone, I wanted to fuck him over the table. To remind him that, while he was in control of everyone else, he wasn’t in control of me. To take that pressure away from him for a few moments. To offer him the escape he so desperately craved.

Micah’s lips twitched, his eyes dipping south before flying back up. “Really? Now? We’re practically on death row here.”

“It’s not my fault,” I grumbled, echoing his words from earlier back at him. “You’re so hot when you’re being all…competent.”

Micah smirked. “Huh, well that’s going to work marvellously for us in future. I happen to becompetentin several areas.”

I pulled him to me with a small growl, ignoring the small gasp of surprise from one of the regents. “Little angel, me being attracted to you isn’t something you’re going to have to worry about. You breathe and I’m turned on.”

“Such a sinner,” Micah teased, leaning into my chest. “Let’s hope we get to see if that’s true.”

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