Page 29 of Conflicted

I was an archangel. Leader of the Seraphim.

And the fated mate of a demon.

At least I had some control over that final one. My life might’ve been mapped out for me before my birth, but I’d be damned before I’d let my heart’s desires be dictated to me too.

As soon as Nox pulled out, I yanked my trousers up witha few hasty jerks. Buttoning them, I wiped my face of all emotion before turning to look at Nox.

He was eyeing me warily, buttoning his own jeans much more slowly. Unlike me, he wasn’t hiding behind a mask. The last vestiges of his desire mixed with satisfaction on his face. A flush decorated his cheekbones, testament to his exertion.

His tongue flicked over his lip ring, giving me a glimpse of his tongue piercing. My cock helpfully reminded me that we hadn’t experienced that.

And we weren’t going to either. This was a one-time thing. A mistake. Something I shouldn’t have done and wouldn’t be doing again.

I straightened my spine, ignoring how it made Nox’s lips twist in a smirk. “Thank you.”

His lips tightened, more of a grimace than a smirk now. “What an angelic thing to do—thanking a demon for fucking you senseless. You’re welcome, I guess.”

It was the reminder I needed as to why this couldn’t happen again. We were too different. Nox didn’t give a shit about anything, while I cared too much.

I turned and walked away without another word. He didn’t try to stop me.

It was only as I took to the sky that I realised what had happened. Or rather, whathadn’thappened.

During the entire encounter, I hadn’t considered our surroundings once. Hadn’t worried about who might walk up. Hadn’t kept my wits about me just in case we were attacked.

No, I’d just let myself go.

I’d put myself first.

Or was it just that I had an intrinsic belief that Nox wouldkeep me safe?

That couldn’t be it. I might have been his mate, but I didn’t doubt that he would throw me under a bus if it came down to it. Demons were self-serving. Incapable of love. The sons of Lucifer were the exception, and that was because they’d been living as part of humanity for over a century now.

Nox though, he hadn’t even been topside for six weeks yet. He’d demonstrated how little he thought of humans, how little he thought ofme,over and over again.

He’d fucked me because, as he put it, his cock was fixated. It wasn’t because he wanted me.

That was okay. No one ever wanted me.

I was used to it.

Sure, they wanted my powers, my leadership skills, my cool head in a crisis.

But me? Just plain old ordinary Micah?

He was no one important, therefore no one ever wanted him.

Not even my fated mate.

To say my mood was dark when I landed back in the grounds of the compound was an understatement. It grew darker as I drew closer to the house, glimpsing every member of the Seraphim through the window, assembled around the conference table.

Fuck. The meeting.

Checking my phone, I saw I’d been gone for over ninety minutes. My screen was full of messages.

Ez

Why the fuck did you leave like that?

---