Page 87 of Conflicted

“Probably gives him more opportunity to live out his darker impulses.”

“Yup,” Dimitri said. “If you don’t find him in a few days, send me a text. I’ll put Mori onto it.”

Mori was another son of Lucifer, and until his abdication, he’d been Hell’s resident tracker. If anyone could find him, it’d be Mori. I nodded in thanks. It was the most I was willing to give Dimitri for his help.

With our business concluded, I braced to stand. Dimitri spoke once more, making me pause. “Nox…are you sure you’re strong enough to execute Emilio? He might not be on Micah’s level, but he’s a powerful fucker.”

I grinned; the first real one since Dimitri had arrived. “I’ll be fine. I have something he doesn’t.”

“What’s that?”

“Motivation. He hurt my mate, so he dies. That’ll be enough.”

Dimitri tilted his chin in approval. “Make the fucker pay.”

Before tracking down Emilio, I first had to locate the cursed ointment that he’d used on Micah. It had taken a trip to Scotland to visit some eccentric witch Dahlia knew, but she’d happily sold me the amount I needed.

Lots. That was the amount. The cunt was going to be begging for his eternal rest before I finally gave it to him.

Tracking Emilio down was far easier. He was at the very first location on the list—a seedy brothel in the backstreets of Amsterdam. Unlike the heavily regulated ones in the red-light district, this one had no security. The women in the windows had shadows in their eyes, ones that hinted at the darkness they’d been shown. I sent a text to Dahlia, asking her to burn the place down in a few days before depositing a healthy sum into each woman’s possession.

I was lurking in the shadows on the roof of the brothel, just waiting for the text from Dimitri. As soon as I had it, I’d be going in.

My phone vibrated, but when I looked at the screen, it wasn’t from the demon.

No, it was from my little angel.

Micah

I know you said we’re done, but can I see you?

I swallowed hard, knowing I’d like nothing better than to see him. I couldn’t. I was too far down this path to turn back. Any association with me now would only mean trouble for Micah. It was bad enough that I had to hope that his unit would protect him. That none of them would confess to the higher-ups that I was his fated mate.

My phone buzzed again.

Micah

You haven’t been home in days. Where are you?

Fuck, I should’ve known Micah wouldn’t give up on us this easily. The pull was as great for him as it was for me. The ache to go to him burned in my chest constantly.

Micah

I know you said we’re over, but I can’t let you go. Not yet.

Please, Nox. I need to see you.

My hands were trembling so much that the incoming messages were getting harder to read. Or was that because of the wetness clouding my vision?

Micah

Don’t make me track you down, Nox. I’ll do it.

Alarm replaced the grief in a flash. My fingers flew over the screen.

Don’t track me down, little angel. We’re done, there’s no point fighting it.

How can you still call me that and in the next breath tell me we’re done?

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