Page 132 of Godless Saints

Cillian smiled.

“That a yes, prince?”

I nodded once, the words stuck.

“Yeah. I want to marry you, Cillian.”

The fear was still there. It just wasn’t louder than the part of me that wanted him.

He grabbed the back of my neck and kissed me. Not the usual starving, devouring kiss. This one was slower.

I broke it first, breathing hard.

I still had a speech to deliver. Somehow, with him here, I felt more capable than I had in days.

What a weird fucking feeling.

“Cillian… if we're really doing this, no more hiding things from me.” My fingers tightened on his jacket. “Not tonight if you don't want to. But you will tell me what happened.” My gaze dropped to the bruises scattered across his skin. “Those aren't from a match.”

“Aye.”

“Promise?”

“Yes, prince.”

The cathedral bell rang. The Patronage ceremony was beginning.

The crowd was still buzzing when Zara approached, clapping once. She moved through the sea of phones with that small, faint smile on her lips.

“Well,” Zara said, “who would have thought the Irish mafia boy had a romantic bone in his body.”

“Thanks for playing along all this time.”

Cillian stayed quiet beside me, but his hand tightened on my hip.

I met her eyes. “I should never have dragged you into this. It was unfair of me.”

Zara arched a brow. “It was practical. And temporary. We both knew the terms.”

I bumped Cillian’s side.

He tipped his head, studying her. “Guess I’m sorry I told you to fuck off at the ball. Not exactly proper Ashbourne manners.”

The word “proper” came out edged.

She smiled. “Apology accepted. For what it’s worth, Mr. Ashbourne—” She glanced at me, then back at Cillian, “—I was on your side. Moon treated you unfairly.”

I stared at her. “What the fuck? Why?” I glanced at Cillian, sheepish. “Sorry.”

He huffed a laugh. “Irish charm, apparently.”

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms.

She reached out and straightened my already-straight collar.

“Congratulations, both of you. And please… keep the chaos to a minimum. Optics matter.”

She winked, took a step back, head held high, and walked into the cathedral without a single backward glance.