Page 80 of Conflicted

He shook his head. “No. I wouldn’t burden them with this.”

“So you carry the burden alone?”

When his bleak gaze met mine, my heart cracked in two. “It’s what I’ve always done, Nox. I’m used to it.”

Well, he wouldn’t need to continue being used to it. I might not be able to be with him, but I could help him. A plan started to form in my mind. Something reckless. Dangerous.

Something that would definitely end with my execution.

That thought didn’t bother me. I’d spent millennia trying to get topside to figure out what the pull was. All along, it had been Micah. If the universe was going to conspire to keep us apart, then I’d ensure Micah’s safety and well-being first.

I was going to track down whoever had hurt my angel and make him pay in the most brutal of ways. It wouldn’t fix the problem, but hopefully it would send a message to Heaven. A reminder that they weren’t above the justice of Hell. That their actions didn’t go unseen by all.

Perhaps then they’d value Micah for the treasure he was.

If it ended with my execution, then it’d be worth it if it meant Micah had a better life as a result. With me out of the picture, the pull would fade for him. Perhaps he’d find someone to love. Someone good, who was worthy of him.

“If you won’t tell the Seraphim, at least tell me. Who did this?”

He gave a humourless laugh, shoving a hand through his hair. “What’s the point? You can’t do anything about it, Nox. That’s not how it works upstairs. We aren’t demons. We can’t go around executing anyone who’s upset us.”

Micah was right—he wasn’t a demon. But I was.

And you could fucking bet I was going to execute the cunt who’d hurt him.

There was little point in telling Micah that. He’d only try to stop me somehow, and the last thing I wanted was him getting dragged into this. It wasn’t between him and the other person anymore.

It was between me and the fucker who’d hurt my mate.

Micah wasn’t going to tell me who he was, but that wasokay. I’d find out another way. Perhaps it was better if he didn’t; there was less chance of it leading back to him.

This was it though. We wouldn’t have until dawn. I couldn’t take him to bed now, not knowing what I did.

I had to fix this. I wouldn’t be able to rest until I had.

Then, I’d have nothing to dobutrest.

And I was perfectly fine with that.

What I wasn’t fineabout was walking out of the door and leaving Micah behind. My chest ached with the need to hold him close. My throat burned with the desire to confess my love for him. My hands begged to pray for a different future—one we could spend together.

But, like I said, no one listened to the prayers of demons.

I held all of that back, not wanting to cause Micah any further pain. I had to be strong for him. For us. I wouldn’t be able to walk away unscathed, but there was a chance for Micah.

I wasn’t about to jeopardise that.

My hands shook as I cupped Micah’s face and kissed him softly. “Thank you, little angel. These past few weeks have meant everything to me.”

“I thought demons never said thank you.”

They don’t fall in love either.“You’re worth breaking the rules for.”

Micah wavered, his teeth sinking into his lip. “Nox, maybe we can?—”

“No.” There was no heat in the word. I lifted his palm to my lips and kissed it once. “We can’t, Micah. I’ll risk almost everything and everyone in my life, but I won’t risk you. It’s not happening.”

His throat bobbed. “So, this is it?”

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