Page 43 of The Princess and Her Mercenary

Keane burst out laughing as he realized exactly what his beloved had done. The Prince’s lips twitched as well, but he didn't say anything. Instead he held his hand out and wiggled his fingers. Ndari let out a long-suffering sigh and rolled her eyes. She reached back behind her neck to unlatch the necklace that she was wearing. She dropped it into his hand and crossed her arms while he put the necklace in his pocket and held his hand back out.

Ndari looked horrified. "But the ruby really doesn't belong behind bars! Are you absolutely certain I can't just borrow it until you get married?"

"You may not keep them." The Prince stood firm.

Ndari mournfully removed the ring from her finger, a massive ruby set in a bed of diamonds on a white gold band. She placed it in the palm of his hand and looked as though she would cry. Keane gently rubbed her back while she gave up the goods.

Sal took pity on her and patted her shoulder. "I'm going to miss you."

Anyone who knew him realized that the Prince was giving the Princess permission to finally leave the palace for good. He was handing her off into the care of another.

The Prince turned to Keane and gave him a piercing lock. "You were able to spirit my young sister out from under my intensive security team. No one has managed such a feat since I have become ruler. I am impressed. If my sister did not love you, then you would have to die for this infraction. But now, I will be able to call such a man brother-in-law. You will come back to the palace and upgrade my security."

The Prince was giving a command, not a request. However, Keane would take what he could get. Besides, he wanted to make sure the palace was as secure as it could be for Ndari when she went home to visit her family.

"You’re taking all the romance out of my life," Ndari complained. "He hasn't even asked me to marry him yet. You’re not supposed to give your blessing until after the proposal."

Sal finally unbent enough to chuckle. "I have to go back home and make sure that our sister and aunts haven't managed to burn the palace down. This is the only chance I will have to give you my blessing. But it is yours if you want it."

Tears filled the Ndari's eyes. "Of course I want your blessing. I've always wanted your blessing. Even when I was driving you insane."

The siblings embraced. And that was how Keane found himself in a chapel later that evening standing next to his new wife in the attendance of his mother, his new brother-in-law, a handful of palace guards, and some of the bad boys of Dublin.

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