He was right, and Lily was wrong on so many different levels, but she felt her temper rise nonetheless. “You tried to stab him in the back!”
“Is that true, Lily?” Luke demanded.
“Yeah, I kicked him in his arrogant face.”
“Do you even realize how serious this is?” Luke grabbed her arm, shaking her. “This isn’t a joke! What you’ve done is reprehensible. Attacking another Nephilim in defense of a Fallen? Charges could be brought against you, Lily!”
She tried to pull away, but his hold was bruising. If she had thought of that for a second before she attacked Micah, she wouldn’t be in the situation she was in. “I understand. It doesn’t change what I did.”
Luke shook her again before dropping her arm. “Micah, leave now,” he ordered. “Do not breathe a word of this.”
“Are you serious? You’ll protect her now?”
He whirled on the other Nephilim. “I will take care of this. Do not question that.” He turned back to Lily. “You can trust this will be addressed.”
Micah looked like he wanted to stay, or at least get in a good swing at Lily, but Luke had the authority. Lily did, too. Most likely she didn’t after tonight, but that was a moot point. With one last biting glance at Lily, Micah loped off the hotel.
The two remaining stood in silence. Lily wasn’t sure what to say. She knew she messed up and let what she felt for Julian get in the way. All she felt was guilt and not regret. Two very separate things. She didn’t regret stopping Micah but felt guilty because she had violated Luke’s trust.
“Lily,” he began softly. “What are you thinking?”
She closed her eyes. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t? Do you have any idea how much trouble you are going to be in?” he asked. “And I know you won’t ask me to not tell Nathaniel.”
She wouldn’t drag Luke down the path she had so willingly chosen.
“Has he coerced you somehow? Tricked you like what happened to Anna?”
Lily’s head shot up. “No,” she said firmly. “Julian has never made me do anything I didn’t want to do.”
Her words didn’t help. He pulled back as if she’d slapped him. “After what happened to Anna?”
She snapped. “I’m not Anna! Damn it, I’m not her! And Julian’s not—”
“Not what, Lily? A Fallen? Because that’s what he is. Shit. I thought you knew better than this. I suspected there was more to it, more than what you were willing to admit to, but this?”
She ran a nervous hand over her hip. Maybe if she was honest with him, he would understand. Luke always listened to her in the past. She inhaled softly, meeting his gaze with her earnest one. “Julian isn’t like the others. He hasn’t fathered a Nephilim. He doesn’t corrupt innocents like the others do. He is different.”
Luke looked like he wanted to laugh. “That’s what he’s told you.”
“I believe him. He’s not bad. You have to see that. He’s saved my life twice, and God knows how many times I don’t know about.”
“So he did nothing to Micah?” Luke raised his brows.
Deciding that lying would likely come back and bite her in the ass later, she told him what happened and how Micah’s comments had provoked him. As she told the story, Luke grew angrier. “But he didn’t hurt him, Luke. I did.”
“Which makes it all the worse.” Luke stopped and sighed heavily. “I don’t think Nathaniel would take it as a breach of Contract, but you will be punished.”
She swallowed. A breached Contract was basically going rogue. She would be thrown out of the Sanctuary, left to fend solely for herself. It had been far before her time when the last Nephilim had breached their Contract.
Some of the steam behind Luke’s anger faded as he watched her. She felt terribly small now, lost and unsure. “I think its best that you come back to the Sanctuary immediately, admit fault, and stay as far away from Julian as possible.”
Pressing her lips together, she ran a hand through her windblown hair. “I need some time.”
Luke’s brows shot up. “What?”
“Time,” she repeated. “I need time away. I have to think about this.”
“You shouldn’t have to think about anything, Lily! You know this is wrong, and it’s gotten out of hand.”
A hundred different emotions bubbled up in her, spilling over. “I don’t know if this is wrong!” she yelled. “I’ve never done anything to earn any distrust. I have always put the Sanctuary and my duty first!” She turned away, trying to rein in some sort of control. “My whole life has been dedicated to this, and I didn’t ask for any of it.”
Luke stepped behind her. “None of us did, but this is our life.”
She stared out over the city—the night teeming with bright lights, streets filled with humans and minions. There were people out there living and dying. Some were even falling in love. Three things Lily couldn’t do so easily, and, damn it, she wanted to be like them instead of what she was. She wanted the freedom to choose.
“This isn’t you,” he whispered.
She paused for a moment, then murmured, “Maybe it is.” She smiled halfheartedly. “Thank you for running Micah off. I do owe him an apology, but if he follows me one more time…” She let the threat hang between them.
Luke leaned forward. “Don’t do this, Lily.”
He knew her so well. “Michael is doing very well.” She cleared her throat against the sudden tightening. “If you could check in on him later for me, I’d appreciate it. Rafe has been wonderful.”
“Lily,” he protested. “Please. It will be worse if you don’t come back with me. Please.”
“I just need some time. I know that isn’t what you want to hear, but I’ll be back,” she told him. “Ready to face whatever Nathaniel deems fit.”
“Come on. We can go to him together. You know how Nate is. He’s not going to be too hard on you.” He forced a smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “You have him wrapped around your finger after all.”
She stepped up on the ledge and inhaled deeply. “Don’t follow me, Luke.”
“Lily!” He reached for her. “Don’t! Think about this for a second.”
Her decision was already made, her path chosen when she let Julian in. She launched herself off the rooftop, disappearing into the night sky.
Chapter Twenty
Julian was waiting for her on the balcony of her apartment. She sensed him the moment the building came into view. Nerves made her fingers tremble as she fished out her keys and let herself in. The first thing a Nephilim should do after committing any wrongdoing would be to hightail her butt back to the Sanctuary and report immediately to Nathaniel. The worst thing she could do was turn her back and go into hiding.
It was too late now as she crossed her living room, unlocked the balcony door, and stepped aside. “Hey,” she murmured.
Julian entered, his bright gaze settling on her. “Lily…”
“I know.” She threw up a hand. “I shouldn’t have stopped Micah, but I did.” She met his gaze. “Can you give me a few minutes? Make yourself at home.” She gestured at the couch. “I’ll be right back.”
She headed for the bedroom, quickly discarding her hunting clothes in favor of cotton shorts and a baby-doll tank from the large armoire.
Julian had moved to the couch, sitting motionless with his eyes closed. She approached him slowly, wondering what he made of all this. Was he happy she had defended him? Guilty? Or did he also think she made a mistake? Biting her lip, she sat beside him. He immediately turned to her, a soft smile on his face.
“I admit. I’m surprised.”
“You’re surprised that I stopped Micah?”
“Yes.” He ran the tips of his fingers down her arm.
She forced a casual shrug. “Seemed like the right thing to do at the time.”