Chapter 016 Cillian
My words didn’t calm anything. If anything, they lit the fuse again. Nick, John, and Sam started yelling over each other, voices bouncing off the marble like gunfire. I kept my arm locked around Lyra’s waist, ready to move her behind me if any of them took a step too close.
Then Edith appeared in the archway, calm as ever, hands clasped in front of her. “Library,” she said, the single word cutting through the noise like a blade. “Now.”
We all shut up. Even the brothers. There’s something about Edith that makes grown men feel twelve again.
I guided Lyra down the hall, my palm pressed to the small of her back. The sequins on her gown caught the light every time she moved. Beautiful. Mine. I wasn’t letting anyone ruin tonight for her.
Inside the library, Edith closed the heavy door with a soft click and surveyed the room like she was counting exits.
“Lyra,” she said, “introductions, please.”
Lyra exhaled, shoulders sagging. “These are my brothers. Nick, John, and Sam.” She gestured at each of them—mud still flaking off their boots onto my rug. “Guys, this is Edith. She works for Cillian. My fiance.”
Nick opened his mouth—probably to start round two—but I stepped forward. Enough.
“Before this goes any further,” I said, looking straight at Nick, “we’re on the same side. I’m sorry this is how you’re finding out. That’s on me.”
Edith’s brow lifted. “Cillian? Are you feeling all right?”
“I’m fine.” I slid my gaze down to Lyra. Those wide hazel eyes stared back at me, soft and steady, and something in my chest cracked open. “I’m in love.”
The words came out rough, unplanned, but true.
Lyra’s lips parted. “In love?”
“Yeah.” I brushed my thumb across her cheek. “I love you, Lyra. I’m still figuring out how to do it right, but I’m trying.”
Her smile hit me like sunrise.
I turned to the brothers again. “If doing it right means asking your father for her hand, I’ll do it. But if he says no—”
“He won’t,” Lyra cut in, bouncing once on her toes.
“We might,” Nick muttered, arms crossed.
Lyra lifted her chin. “Then every single person in Cheerful will hear exactly who set Frosty’s snow village on fire senior year.”
Nick’s eyes went wide. “You can’t prove that.”
“Want to risk it?”
She started forward; I tugged her gently back against my chest.
Sam spoke up from behind Nick, quieter. “Are you happy?”
Lyra’s cheeks went pink. “Yes.” She tilted her head to look up at me. “I love him.”
The words slammed into me harder than any punch. I wanted to haul her upstairs right then, lock the door, and show her exactly how much I loved her back.
Sam glanced at his brothers. “If he ever hurts her, we kick his ass later. Deal?”
I gave a low huff. “You’re welcome to try.”
A soft knock, then the door swung open. Elara slipped inside, hair curled, wearing the silver dress Lyra had helped pick out.
“Why’s everyone hiding?” She spotted the brothers, hesitated, then darted straight to Lyra and grabbed her free hand. “They’re not taking you away, right?”
“No,” Lyra and I said together.
Lyra smiled down at her. “These are my brothers. They’re gross and smelly, but tolerable once you get used to it.”
“I’m not smelly,” John protested.
“This is my niece, Elara,” I told the guys. They muttered awkward hellos.
“She lives here?” Nick asked.
I nodded. “I’m raising her. Lyra came as her nanny.” I looked at Lyra again. “Then I met her and realized I couldn’t breathe without her in the house.”
“Same,” Elara said, squeezing Lyra’s hand tighter.
Nick shrugged. “She’s not terrible, I guess.”
Elara giggled.
“So you’re staying?” she asked Lyra, voice small.
“She’s staying,” I answered for her. “We’re getting married.”
Elara squealed and threw her arms around both of us. Lyra and I folded her into the middle, a messy, perfect hug.
Nick rubbed the back of his neck. “This is fast.”
“I didn’t grow up with a family like yours,” I said. “My brother and I barely spoke for years. Then Elara came to live with me, and I understood what love actually felt like. Instant. Fierce.” I looked down at the girl tucked against my side. “Same thing happened the second I saw Lyra. Losing my brother taught me life flips in a heartbeat. I’m not wasting another one.”
John let out a low whistle. “Damn. That’s some real romance shit.”
The room loosened. Laughter rippled through it, even from the brothers.
I stepped forward and offered Nick my hand. “Cillian Eve. Nice to finally meet you.”
He glanced at Lyra over my shoulder, then gripped my hand—firm, testing. “If she’s happy, you’re all right by me. Nick.”
Elara tugged at my sleeve. “Can we go back to the party now? There are still four cakes I haven’t tried.”
I smiled. “If Lyra’s brothers want to join us.”
Lyra scrunched her nose, pretending to think. “They haven’t had their monthly bath yet.”
“It’s weekly now, smartass,” Sam shot back.
“I think we can make an exception,” I said. “I hear there’s a nacho cheese fountain.”
Nick’s head snapped up. “A nacho cheese fountain? Man, why didn’t you lead with that? I’d marry you for one of those.”
Edith led the charge out—Elara skipping beside her, brothers trailing like they’d been invited all along. The door clicked shut behind them.
Silence.
I turned, scooped Lyra up, and kissed her hard. She tasted like champagne and sugar and everything I wanted forever.
“I love you,” I said against her mouth.
“I love you too.” She kissed me again, deeper.
I glanced at the door. “How long before someone comes looking?”
“Ten minutes?” she guessed, breathless.
“Plenty.”
I pressed her back to the door, dropped to my knees, and pushed that rose-gold gown up her thighs. Panties to the side. My mouth on her.
She moaned, fingers threading through my hair. “Happy New Year to me.”
I licked into her slow and deliberate, savoring every shiver, every gasp. This year—and every one after—was ours.