Page 84 of Honorable Convictions
“And ruined our lives.”
“Explain that comment,” Mitchell demanded.
Pierson carefully and correctly returned the frames to their spots on the shelves. “We’re going to wind up fired and probably jailed now.”
“What in the world are you talking about?”
“We lied to the Reverent Knights. And everyone else. For over a century.”
“Okay, computer brain. Tell me what law states that you have to tell the Reverent Knights—or anyone else for that matter—about your private life.”
Pierson shrugged; then his shoulders slumped in misery. “There’s not a specific statute.”
“You do realize that it’s impossible for a fallen knight to be fired?”
“Maybe not fired…but I think we can both expect to have our ranks affected.”
“Juris Knights don’t have ranks. We’re all the same.”
“The hell we are. Maybe there’s no specific ranking system because no one wants to find out their lawyer is below the opposition, but certain people get better cases.”
“People who’ve earned it.”
With a glower, Pierson crossed his arms. “I didn’t earn it. They gave it to me right from the start.”
“You have gifts, Blondie. You’re not like the rest of us. Fate did that, and they honor her. The same way we recognize them as Reverent Knights. You know that; you certainly don’t need me to explain it.”
“It’s difficult for me to think of something that takes no work to use as a gift. Training…I didn’t have to work hard. It came so easily. And everyone wanted to hand me the world on a platter. How was I prepared for that? Maybe it’s time I’m knocked to the bottom and have to work my way up. Like you did.”
Mitchell raised an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t say my scores put me on the bottom.”
“It wasn’t headquarters, and that’s where I wound up. No one wanted me there, not even me.”
Unable to deal with the misery radiating from him, Mitchell tugged Pierson into his arms and smoothed his palms over his back. “I know you’re freaking out and I understand that, but I’m really pissed at you right now.”
“I never meant to put your job in jeopardy. I don’t know what happened. Everything just spilled out.”
“Our jobs aren’t in jeopardy. I’m angry because it was up to me to discuss separation agreements with them, not you.”
Lifting a hand to his face, Pierson smoothed his thumb across his cheek. “You would never have allowed yourself that grace, Mitch. You hate them, and you’d keep putting yourself through something you despise to prove that you can. The only way you’d consider it is if I did it first. And I know you. That wouldn’t have mattered. You have this innate need to show nothing but strength. It’s exactly like the icy coat I used to put on before I left the house every day to keep people at bay.”
“Sometimes it’s annoying how well you know me.”
“I know, because I don’t like it when you tell me the things I’d rather not hear about myself either. I told them we’re mates. Why didn’t they say anything?”
“What did you expect them to say? That has nothing to do with us being Juris Knights.”
“Doesn’t it? How does that affect the cases we’ve done against each other? Do they get overturned and need to be reassigned? There are no other mated pairs of JKs. Didn’t we have an obligation to tell our superiors from the beginning at training?”
“You tell me, Blondie. You’re the one who demanded I keep it a secret. And no, we represented our clients fairly and according to the law. We’re incapable of dishonor. That’s what being a fallen knight means. We were resurrected for a singular purpose.”
“I wasn’t,” Pierson countered, still caressing Mitchell’s face.
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t have a singular purpose. In fact, I have one priority that soars above the others as it always should have. My duty is to be a good mate to you. I know there are going to be repercussions now that our secret is out, but I’m already grateful to have it in the open. I don’t want to hide how I feel about you anymore.”
Reduced to nothing but a pile of goo, Mitchell closed his eyes and brushed their lips together softly. “I don’t want to hide anymore either,” he whispered between kisses. “I know that you’re scared about what’s going to happen, but I think we’ll be fine.”
