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“You only want me because I’m having this baby.”
“Stupid girl, I didn’t know about it when I begged you to stay with me. Besides, I’ve wanted you since the first night I saw you.”
“I don’t believe you. I heard you talking to my mom. You said you’d give up all these other women to be with her. You had all this passion in your voice. I just can’t go back to being able to look the other way now.”
“Passion? I was angry, love. I was angry at myself for ever thinking I wanted to be with her. Because now I just want to be with you. The thought of you going to California and me never seeing you again. I can’t bear it. I won’t let you go. I told you you’re mine and that’s that.”
“This baby might not be yours,” Sky said.
I knew for a fact Ralph had two kids. I’d never had any that I knew of, but I didn’t want Sky having Ralph’s baby. Now, the thought of her having mine, that was another story.
“You’re mine, so the baby’s mine,” I said and meant it.
Sky looked at her feet.
“What do I have to do to get you to come back to Royal Road with me and stay?” As I asked her, I realized what I had to do. I dropped down before her, on both my knees.
She gave me a funny look.
“Sky Wynburn, my Sky who’s body and soul already belong to me. Will you be my ol’ lady, marry the leader of a gang of assholes who’s completely off his rocker at times. I can’t promise you I’ll be a good man, a good husband. But I love you. And I’ve not wanted another woman since I’ve met you. If you say yes, I won’t be with another woman ever again.” I took off the ridiculously large ring my brother gave me with the club’s logo on it and held it out to her. “This will have to do until we can find a proper ring. But this is all I have, literally, the club is all I have, but I’d like to have you too.”
“Will I have to live out at the Eagle’s nest?”
“No, you’ll live in the big house with me.”
“Yes,” Sky said and started balling. She let me slip the ring on her finger. It didn’t fit, so she clutched it in her fist.
I didn’t move from my knees. “I have another question. Will you marry me in the morning?”
“But there’s already a wedding.”
“We’ll have to crash it. I don’t want to wait. I’m not going to let you change your mind.”
“Okay,” Sky said.
I stood up and took her in my arms. Caressing her face, I kissed her with more passion that I ever felt for her mother.
Sky and I told Leonora the news. She thought we were crazy. “Tomorrow?”
We all decided Sky would stay at her house to get ready. She’d meet me at Royal Road at ten a.m. We’d go get a marriage license and get married at noon, an hour before Hallow and Eve’s wedding started. Everyone who mattered would be there already. Everyone except Sky’s mom. It was as perfect a time as any. Back at Royal Road, I went to bed pleased with my idea. I went to bed alone.
But when I told everyone in the morning, not all were happy. Memphis and Junebug left in an outrage. And Hallow didn’t think Eve would be pleased about sharing her big day.
“We’re not making a big deal about it,” I promised. “We’re simply going to use the preacher, stand up and say our I dos. We’ll be finished before Eve comes out.”
My plan went off without a hitch. Sky and I got our license and picked out simple bands. I swore I’d find her a proper diamond soon. She wanted a black one.
We stood face to face before all of Nashville’s Royal Bastards and everyone who came for Hallow and Eve’s wedding. Namely, his best man Smoke from the Charleston, West Virginia chapter of the Royal Bastards. And another in his wedding party, Viking, the Sergeant at Arms from Charleston. The others I didn’t know. Eve had people here too.
Someone had gotten Satan out of the nursing home for the occasion. Even Gunn and Cricket left the gate to watch the spectacle of me taking a wife.
Sky wore a black dress made of lace because she hated white. I wore what I did daily, leather and jewelry, my cut, my boots. Leonora stood up with her and Opry was at my side wearing his cowboy hat because Pagan still had a hard time getting up and around. We didn’t do flowers or anything. Sky said she didn’t want them. She was allergic.
We simply promised ourselves to each other in front of our witnesses. No special words, just the basics. I’d save my sweet words for when we were alone. I kissed my bride and the preacher announced Sky as my ol’ lady. Dimple sung some love song, and we slow danced right at the altar. Staring in my wife’s eyes, it’s as if she was the only one in the room. I’d always thought I’d only love one woman and now I did. I only loved Sky.
And she’d be having my baby. We’d be telling everyone our happy news after Hallow and Eve’s wedding and reception. After what Hallow said about Eve, I didn’t want to take any more of their day.
So, when the shit hit the fan, I was shocked. Hallow stormed toward me like a freight train. He hauled off and punished me.
