Page 50 of Vows of Ruin

“In return for what you have given me, here are my vows to you.” I pull her hand to my chest, pressing it flat against my thundering heart.

“I vow to you my loyalty before my mercy. My truth before my comfort. My name before my life. I will stand beside you when the world crowns you a monster and when it begs you to be one. I will not ask you to be smaller, softer, or forgiven. I vow to be your shield in the light and your blade in the dark. What hunts you will answer to me. I will keep your secrets as I keep my scars, without regret, without apology, without surrender. If you fall, I fall with you. If you burn, I will feed the fire. If you are damned, then so am I. This is not a promise of salvation. This is a vow of devotion. I bind myself to you. You are my war. You are my home. From this breath to my last… I am yours.”

The silence that follows isn’t empty. It’s full. Heavy and waiting. She steps into me, not soft, not overwhelmed, but deliberate. Her hands slide up my chest, into the lapels of my jacket like she’s claiming her ground.

“Then stand with me,” she says quietly.

No tremor. No hesitation.

“No shrinking. No flinching.”

Her fingers curl tighter, dragging me down just enough that I have to look at her, really look at her.

“I don’t want saving, Liam. I want standing.”

That does something to me. Something violent and holy all at once.

“If I fall, you fall,” she murmurs. “If I burn, you burn.” She pauses for the smallest of breaths. “And I choose you. Every time.”

The world could split open beneath us and I wouldn’t move. She presses her lips to mine. The kiss is heat and promise, every vow sealed in the space between our mouths. Gasps, cheers, laughter. Someone whistles.

Behind me, I hear Max chuckle. “My turn next,” he says.

I don’t know if he means the kiss… or the war. But it doesn’t matter. We’ll face it the same way we face everything else now. Together. As the last beats of the song drift into twilight, her lips brush mine again. Barely a whisper.

“You’re mine now.”

My smile goes feral as I answer her without pause. “Always have been.”

Everyone’s hugging now. Riot slaps me on the back so hard I almost stagger, and Wrecker lifts Wrenley off the damn ground in a spinning hug which makes her squeal. Torque’s got that proud big-brother glint in his eye, and even Elias pulls me into a quick embrace before launching into his usual antics.

Max leans in and steals a kiss from Wrenley, deep and slow. I don’t mind, I never have. Not when I know that after tonight, after this, we’re bound tighter than blood. She’s ours and we’re hers.

Elias, the sarcastic bastard he is, clears his throat dramatically. “Okay, but is it Blackwood-Hayes or Hayes-Blackwood now? Or are we going full chaos and combining it, Haywood or Blayes, maybe?

I snort. “You’re an idiot, you know that?”

He shrugs. “That’s why you all keep me around.”

Wrenley’s smile is soft and glowing, flicking between Max and me like she’s trying to bottle the moment.

Max smiles at her. “Whatever you want, Sparrow.”

“I think Hayes-Blackwood has a nice ring to it.” She says.

Max and I share a look, the kind you only give to the man who helped you build a world around the same woman. We shake hands, firm and full of fire. No words needed. Everyone begins drifting toward the house, laughter and footsteps fading into the warmth of the night. I tug Wrenley’s hand before she can follow.

“Stay a minute.”

We’re alone under the oak now, candles flickering like they know something sacred happened here. She looks up at me, eyes glistening, lips still stained with our kiss.

“I’m so happy,” she says, breath catching like she’s afraid to admit it out loud. “I love you, and I love that you rewrote the Serpent's vows just for me.”

I cup her face, my thumb brushing just under her eye. “You deserved to hear them like that. Just for you. Just for our queen.”

Her breath hitches. I lower my head and kiss her slowly and devoutly, like a promise. She leans into me, her hands gripping the fabric at my sides.

I pull back just enough to murmur against her mouth. “Come on, Little warrior. Let’s go inside before I steal you away for the whole damn night.”