Page 127 of Conflicted

Micah

“Ican’t believe that worked.”

“Me either,” I admitted to Nox. I rubbed his skin where the manacles had been. There was no evidence that they’d ever been there, but it would be a long time before I’d be able to erase the memory of him in them. “I was prepared to die for you. For us.”

“I know,” he said, kissing me briefly. “Me too. I’m glad that didn’t happen though.”

We were back in the compound, in the room we used for meetings. With no other avenue open to her, Gloria had been forced to release us. Dimitri’s admission of guilt had cleared Nox’s name. He couldn’t be punished for it unless she wanted to explain to God why she suddenly had all of Hell knocking on the front door.

As for my actions in taking him as my mate? Those had been forgiven too. They’d had no choice unless they wanted to admit they were breaking the law regarding the sanctity of mates.

Yes, the presence of the regents had turned out to beveryhandy. They’d become the unwitting audience and jury to Gloria’s failures and injustice.

All it had taken was Benji reminding them all of the wording in the legislation and succinctly pointing out that it was down to fate. Nox and I had no say in the matter, therefore could not face repercussions for it.

Privately, I knew neither Nox nor I agreed with that sentiment. Fate meant fuck all when it came to our love. We could’ve spent eternity denying it, basking in our hate and using it as a shield against fate.

But that hadn’t happened. Instead, we’d got to know each other. To learn we weren’t as we’d been taught to be. That, underneath it all, our differences were non-existent.

We’d fallen in love. It was as simple as that.

Needless to say, we kept those thoughts to ourselves, letting Benji take the lead. By the time he’d finished, Gloria had no choice but to dismiss us with no charges or punishments being issued.

I wasn’t stupid enough to believe this would be the end of it. The way she’d watched us leave the courtroom was burned into my mind.

She’d get her revenge at some point, of that I had no doubt.

Not trusting them, we’d left as hastily as we could, escaping back to the compound to go over everything. With the addition of the demons, there wasn’t room for all of us around the table, so instead we were mingling in the room, having hushed conversations as we all marvelled at our lucky escape.

Or, not so lucky, when you considered it. It was nothing less than a meticulous manipulation of Gloria and the other judges.

I kissed Nox once more before reluctantly pulling away.It’s okay. We’ve got plenty of time.

In theory, that should be the rest of eternity, but today had shown how fast that could change. Because of that I was going to make the most of every second we had together.

Starting as soon as we’d debriefed and I got him up to my bedroom.

Nox settled against the wall, arms folded across his chest. My mind flashed back to how I’d found him in a similar position after he’d caused a literal riot to get my attention.

How neither of us had caught on that it wasn’t hate driving us earlier was beyond me.

I knew I should have been calling the room to attention, but I couldn’t help eye-fucking my mate a little longer. It was his fault. He was naked from the waist up, having lost his shirt days ago on the beach. From his rippling muscles to the metal glinting in his nipples, he made one helluva distraction.

My cock stirred as Nox smirked at me arrogantly before winking. Oh yeah, my demon knewexactlywhere my thoughts had gone.

About as far from saintly as it was possible to get.

Unfortunately, my libido would have to wait. I had duties to attend to.

For the first time in aeons, I wasn’t bitter about it. How could I be after the loyalty the Seraphim had shown me today? Each of them had walked into that courtroom knowing they might not walk back out.

For me.

On top of that, the weight of it all was easier to carryknowing Nox was here. That he’d take me upstairs as soon as this was done and make me forget everything except us.

I was one lucky angel.

Bracing my arms on the back of the chair I usually sat in, I cleared my throat loudly.

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