32. CHAPTER 32
MOON
I shook out my arms, trying to loosen the tension in my shoulders. I’d stayed up all night putting the final touches on my speech, but what really bothered me was that Cillian had left me on read. He never leaves me on read.
“Miss me, prince?”
I spun around and immediately stepped into his space. “What happened to you?” I touched the ugly bruise blooming along his jaw and neck. His knuckles were raw, red and blue. “You said you went to Ireland. You left me on read last night. What the hell is going on?”
He touched my face, pushing my hair back. “I’ll explain later. Everything’s okay now.”
I just looked at him.
We were standing in front of the Cathedral, the same place we’d met after Saint Lucia. Cold stone under my shoes. For once I wanted to kiss him anyway. To hell with legacy.
But he still wasn’t telling me anything.
“Moon Hyun-seo.”
He dropped to one knee.
Nausea rolled through me. One girl on the steps turned around. Stared. Her phone came out a second later, screen already flashing. He’s never going to change.
“No. Cillian, stop.” I grabbed his arm and tried to pull him up. “Get up. People are watching.”
“Let them.”
He didn’t move. Just looked up at me like I could argue all I wanted and he’d still get his way.
He reached into his coat.
“Cillian—”
“Moonshine.”
He opened the small black box. Slim warm gold band.
My throat went tight.
This fucking idiot. My fucking idiot. Nothing about us was ever going to be modest.
“This is insane,” I whispered.
“Aye.”
I could feel the crowd shifting closer. Phones already out, screens glowing. Whispers turning into gasps. The doors behind us opened for the ceremony. This was fixable. It had to be.
Cillian took my hand and slid the ring onto my finger. Then he stood and pulled me up with him, one arm locked tight around my waist.
“You’re supposed to ask me first,” I muttered against his neck, pulse hammering against his skin. “You’re so fucking self-assured.”
When he finally set me back on my feet, his hand stayed locked on my waist.
“Will you marry me?”
I was so tired of pretending I didn’t want this.
Want him. Tired of lying to myself about what I was.
Father’s ultimatum still hung over my head.
Forty-eight hours ticking down. I would give it all up for that Irish menace.
I could spin this as strategic. My heart gave one painful, stupid lurch. I swallowed.
“I don’t have a ring for you yet,” I said. “But I want to get you one.”
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.
Vivienne approached with Sawyer in tow, both looking mildly confused by the sudden crowd pressing in around us. Aleksei came from the direction of Thorn Court, brow already furrowed.
Sawyer stopped. “You guys are celebrities now? Why the fuck is everyone filming you?”
Vivienne reached up without hesitation and smoothed the front of my hair, which had been thoroughly tousled. “What did you two do this time?”
I breathed through the exhaustion. “You know, if you had simply continued to pretend to be my girlfriend from day one, none of this would have happened.”
Vivienne’s hand paused mid-motion. “Hyun?”
I lifted my left hand. The slim gold ring caught the light.
Her eyes widened. A rare, genuine squeal escaped her as she threw her arms around me, hugging me tight. “Congratulations.” She squeezed my shoulders. “Now let’s survive the press cycle.”
Aleksei arrived beside her. “I see the proposal went… publicly.”
Sawyer’s grin turned feral. “Holy shit. You two just turned the Patronage ceremony into a reality show. I’m so proud.”
Vivienne finally pulled back, still holding my shoulders. “I’m happy for you, Hyun. I’ll meet you two inside.” She took Aleksei’s hand and walked inside the cathedral with Sawyer.
Cillian and I stayed outside for one more moment.
Cillian reached for my collar.
I slapped his hand away.
“You let both those girls fix your collar and your hair, and I can’t? Do I have to remind you… I’m your fiancé?”
“I can’t control those girls. That’s not my fault.”
“But you can control me, prince?” he said.
“If I could, we would not have been here.”
I caught his ruined tie and straightened the knot, fingers lingering longer than necessary.
“So how important is this ceremony, really? We could disappear.”
“I’m representing Aster Court. They sort of expect me here, stupid.”
“Hmm.” He smiled. “Can I sit with you in Aster Court?”
I pulled the knot tighter than necessary. He made a low, strangled sound.
“I… Yeah, I’d like that.”
I took his hand again.
“But only if you behave.”
“Can’t,” he murmured. “I’m engaged to you.”
I started up the cathedral steps, dragging him with me.
“Try not to embarrass me during the ceremony.”
“Too late, Moonshine. Embarrassment is our brand now.”