Page 130 of Conflicted

Several people in the room hissed and muttered. “The last time we saw them was when they escorted us to the cells. They weren’t in the room today. I checked.”

There was a heavy silence as everyone worked through the implications of what that might mean.

“Ordinarily I’d insist on tracking them down myself.” I held my hand up before the protests could get too loud. “However, I suspect me going into Heaven or Purgatory willdo the opposite to help matters. And, seeing as I’m trying this newrelying on the unitthing…any volunteers?”

“We’ll go,” Theo said immediately, Nate nodding beside him. “We’ll track them down and make sure they’re safe.”

“Thank you.” I smiled.

Ferry, who’d been watching all this unfold in silence, suddenly spoke up. “What about Lyle? From the little I saw of him, I suspect he’s not going to skulk off quietly into the night.”

Across the room, I saw Noah duck his head, hiding behind his hair. “Now thatissomething I’m going to deal with myself.”

Noah’s head shot up, relief swimming in his eyes as they met mine. I nodded to let him know he wasn’t alone in this.

As soon as things were back to normal, I’d be sitting Noah down for a talk.Alongtalk. One where I planned to find out exactly what he wanted done about Lyle. From what I’d seen of their interactions, it wasn’t his behaviour towards me that he needed to be punished for.

But for whatever he’d put sweet Noah through? The fucker would pay for that.

“Really?” Ez said in disbelief. “Have you learned nothing?”

Behind me, Nox growled. I ignored him. If I got my way, he’d be spending a lot more time here in future. To do that, he’d have to accept the other Seraphim arguing with me and, sometimes, losing their temper.

“It’s not about that,” I assured Ez. “This is more of a…personalvendetta. Trust me, if I need assistance, I know to ask for it.”

Just like that, Ez’s temper receded. With that issue dealt with, I wrapped the meeting up and dismissed everyone.

The angels filed from the room one by one. I didn’t fail to notice that every one of them said good night to Nox, the twins going as far as to hug him. They also made sure to bid Dimitri goodbye, making him promise to meet up soon. I smiled sadly at how Dimitri kept blinking away tears.

My actions had fractured this unit, but I was happy to see that the cracks weren’t permanent. That love was going to help us fill them in, creating a stronger foundation than what had existed before.

Eventually, it was just me, Nox, Dimitri, Dagon, and Ferry in the room. Dimitri was staring at Nox when suddenly he started to laugh.

“What’s so funny?” My mate slid into the seat beside me. His hand cupped my thigh possessively, making me wish the others would leave so we could retreat upstairs.

“Ah, I’m just tickled by how fate works,” Dimitri mused. “Remember what I said to you when you asked me what I’d do in your situation? If Emilio was hurting someone I loved?”

“Wait a minute,” I interjected, fixing Nox with a glare. “When exactly did you two talk?”

Nox had the decency to look sheepish. “Ah…about that. Dimitri was the one who helped me figure out who’d punished you.”

“And told him where to find him,” Dimitri added helpfully with a smirk. “It’s almost like I’m responsible for you two getting your heads out of your rears and sorting shit out.”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Nox said, his thumb stroking my thigh. “We would’ve got there eventually. Maybe less dramatically, but we were inevitable.”

He looked at me with such love in his eyes that it made my cheeks heat.

“Anyway,” Dimitri said, “I told Nox that I wouldn’t execute Emilio alone. That I’d make sure I had powerful friends who could back me up and fight my corner for me.”

Nox blinked at Dimitri. “You did. And I told you that not all of us have that luxury.”

“Ah but that’s where you’re wrong.” Dimitri smirked. “Despite you both being convinced that every battle needs to be fought solo, youbothhad a lot of extremely powerful beings ready to die for you. Perhaps you should remember that the next time you do something reckless.”

“Or,” I said, poking Nox in the ribs, “maybe next time, we don’t doanythingreckless. How does that sound?”

“Pretty boring,” Nox said with a lopsided grin. “But if it makes you happy, I guess I can try to rein it in a bit.”

“Try is the best I can hope for with you.”

---