“I promise.”
I roll over and pull her with me. We take a moment to catch our breaths, and she traces her fingers over my tattoo. One is an Irish Celtic cross that I share with my two brothers and another is of an intricate knot that represents my family and everyone under my protection.
Katriona props up her head, and I have never seen a more beautiful sight or felt prouder. I take in the woman marked with my sperm, and I can’t wait for the day her belly is swollen with my child.
“What was your surprise? This morning you said you had a surprise for me. What was it?”
I ease from the bed and reach for something from the side table.
I can tell she loves the way I marked her and I love the sigh of contentment she gives.
I offer her my hand, and she takes it, coming to stand by the end of the bed.
“Marry me, mo chroí” I fall to one knee.
“Mo chroí means my heart in the old Irish tongue. You are my treasure, my everything. My life and heart are yours. It beats for you and only you.”
I don’t expect the tears, and my heart breaks as she falls back on the bed. She clamps a hand over her mouth and shakes her head.
How could I be so stupid? How could someone so innocent want someone as damaged and tainted as me?
I go to stand but the next words out of her mouth slam into my chest like a sledgehammer and I welcome the glorious pain.
“Yes, Sylan. Yes!”
I’m on my feet and taking her in my arms before she can utter another word.
Tears sting the corners of my eyes, and I’m right there holding her close.
“Here let me.” I slip the delicate gold band I had specially made on rush order—like I said I have connections—onto her ring finger. Irish knots are woven into the gold and are my personal design with tiny details that only a Ward would recognize and ones I can’t wait to teach her.
“There’s no beginning or end,” she says with a smile.
I take her finger and trace over the beautiful lines. “Endless like my love for you. We are forever tied together in this life and the next.”