Page 112 of Sins of Innocence

I clear my throat, stopping the officiant from continuing.

"I promise to keep you and our girls safe. I will be faithful to you in every way. I will provide for you and our daughters in life and in death." I will never leave her to fend for herself if the violence in my world takes me from her. "I will be the best father I can be to Sadie, Neeve, Joy and any other children you gift me with."

Despite having my arousal completely under control and only touching her hand with mine, the words flow from me.

One of the girls gasps at that last promise. And Áine's face takes on that mixture of wonder and worry it wore while talking to her mom.

"As it should be," Maureen says staunchly.

Celeste opens her mouth to continue but then looks at me like she's waiting to see if I have more promises to make. I jerk my head toward her, telling her to get on with it.

And then it's Áine's turn.

"I, Áine Gallagher," she says, using that name for the last fucking time as she repeats Celeste's words. "Take you, Kieran Lleshi, to be my husband. I promise to respect you, to support you, and to share my life with you."

Then she takes a deep breath and says, "I promise to protect you in all the ways that I can. I will be faithful to you in every way. I will share my daughters with you and provide for you all in the ways you need most."

What ways are those? Somehow, I don't think she's talking about sex and after sharing my situation with her, I know she's not talking about finances.

"I will not make you talk more than necessary," she promises, her expression intent. "But I will make you talk when it matters."

Something tightens in the back of my throat and I clench my jaw.

McLaren hands me the box with the wedding bands. I slide the one with a row of small diamonds designed to nestle against Áine's engagement ring onto her finger. "This ring is a symbol of my respect and fidelity."

Áine's throat moves and her eyes glisten, but she takes the plain, thick platinum band McLaren hands her.

Her hand shakes a little as she places it on my finger, saying, "This ring is a symbol of my gratitude, respect and fidelity."

I don't want her thanks. I want her loyalty. I want her passion. I want her commitment, but her gratitude rubs me the wrong way.

"I am grateful for you, Kieran," she says fiercely, like I spoke my thoughts aloud. "I always will be. And I expect you to be thankful for me."

That's all right then. "I am."

I didn't know I wanted a family, but now I know I need her, our girls and her no-nonsense mother. The future I always saw for myself is gone and it's replaced with dynamic possibilities I gave up hope on when my mom died.

Maybe even before then. When I realized how trapped we both were by Lleshi.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. Kieran and Áine Veseli." Celeste says with the satisfied expression of a woman who has just witnessed something she considers the universe doing its job correctly.

Áine stares up at me. "Veseli?"

"My grandfather's name." My mother's maiden name. The name from the best parts of my past and the future I want to build. "I want to share the legacy of a good man with you and the girls, not a bad one."

My stepfather was one of the worst and I don't know why I waited so long to shed his name, but what I did know was I wasn't giving it to my wife and new daughters.

"But how?" Áine asks.

"We can both change our names when the marriage paperwork is filed." When McLaren told me that was possible, I figured she knew more about my past than anyone else on my crew.

"Veseli is a very nice name," Áine says.

"It's yours now."

She nods.

"Can it be ours too?" Neeve asks.