15 A year later , Ronan and I married . Not in a cathedral with hundreds of guests , but in a private ceremony on his family's yacht . Just family , real loyalty , and truth . My father walked me down the aisle . " You sure about this one ? " " I'm sure . " " Good . The Fitzgeralds are strong allies . And he looks at you right . " " How's that ? " " Like a partner , not a possession . " Ronan's vows were simple : " I promise to stand beside you , not in front of you . To trust your strength and share my own . Till death do us part- and in our world , that means something . " Mine matched his : " I promise to build with you , not for you . To watch your back as you watch mine . Till death do us part - and I'm very hard to kill . " The guests laughed . In our world , humor about death was survival . Later , during the reception , I heard that Cillian had stepped down as family head . His cousin Declan took over the O'Sullivan operations . Cillian had gone to Ireland , trying to find something in the old country . " Good for him ," I said , and meant it . " No regrets ? " Ronan asked , spinning me on the dance floor . " None . You ? " " Just one . " " What's that ? " " That I didn't meet you first . " " You wouldn't have liked eighteen - year - old me . Too trusting . " " I like who you became . " " A harder woman ? " " A stronger one . "