She indicated Natale with a tilt of her head. “Your mother brought it for you. She wanted to make sure you had it for your wedding.”

A shocked smile played at the edges of his mouth as he turned in his mother’s direction and gave her a formal bow.

Natale dabbed at her eyes with her handkerchief as she wept silently.

Darling took Zarya’s hand and returned her ring to her finger. “I expect it to stay there, this time.”

“I will never again remove it. I promise.”

Then to her complete surprise, he took her other hand and slid her mother’s original wedding ring onto her finger—the one her father had been forced to sell for food.

Stunned, she gaped at something she’d never expected to see again. “Where did you find this?”

“I had Syn track it down since Pip lost your other one. It still has their initials and wedding date engraved inside the band…” He kissed her fingers. “I’m so sorry I lost the one you gave me. I know how much that ring meant to you.”

Tears flowed down her cheeks. He’d lost his finger trying to protect it.

Before she could think better of it, she threw her arms around him and held him close while she wept on his shoulder.

“Um, Your Majesty,” the priest cleared his throat, “we’re not to that part of the ceremony yet.”

Still, Darling held on to her and whispered in her ear with that deep, damaged voice that sent chills all over her body. “In all my life, I have only had one haven that sheltered me from my hell. One woman whose smile made me fly even after I’d hit the ground so hard that I didn’t think I could ever stand again. There is nothing in this universe that could destroy me, except you, Zarya. You have taken a monster and made him human. My wounded soul was healed because of your smile. So long as I live and even beyond this life, I am and will always be ever yours.”

Her tears fell even harder as she heard the sincerity behind those words.

“Ever yours” was what he’d engraved in the band of her wedding ring…

She tried to get a hold of herself, but it was impossible. “Gera and Ture are going to kill me for destroying all their hard work.”

He gently wiped the tears from under her eyes. “Even with your makeup blurred, you are still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

“And you are the sexiest man who ever walked. Perfect in every way.”

His smile widened. “I’m going to remind you of that later when you start fussing at me about all my annoying habits.”

The priest cleared his throat again. “Majesties? Are we to finish?”

Darling winked at her. “What do you say, my lady? Are you ready to finalize this marriage?”

“Absolutely, my lord. And I look forward to many, many more years of scandalizing your gerents.”