Page 58 of Desert Sky (RB MC #4)
SKYE
T he morning after the wedding, I didn’t expect a quiet breakfast.
Not with the Royal Bastards.
But I also didn’t expect to walk into the ranch’s great room and get hit in the face with the scent of bacon, pancakes, cigar smoke, and full-blown chaos.
It was like a biker-themed Waffle House had exploded across the dining tables.
Every single patched member from Santa Fe, half of Texas, and the Malibu chapter were shoulder to shoulder, plates stacked high, boots kicked up, shots being poured and mimosas passed around like water.
Amber was setting out a tray of bloody mary’s.
Regan was barefoot, spiking her coffee while looking gorgeous like always.
Jackson was perched on Colton’s shoulders wearing JD’s tuxedo vest like a superhero cape.
And River?
River was mid-toast, standing on a chair, holding a slice of French toast like a damn trophy .
“To the newlyweds hope they slept well!” He winked making a fist and pumping his other hand through it.
I picked up the nearest soft item I could find—my garter from last night’s epic prank ambush—that I had stashed in my bathrobe pocket.
It hit him square in the face. “Bullseye!” I shouted.
Everyone howled with laughter.
JD pulled me against his chest with a hungry kiss that made a few whistles fly, but I noticed it. The glances. The extra men positioned near every door. One by the stairs. Another near the kitchen.
I turned in his arms. “Why the security detail?”
JD stiffened slightly, then sighed. “Figured it was time you knew… Clarissa’s gone full-on unhinged. She hooked up with a connected Spaniard— tried to use his connections to punish us. Well, Cal and Colton for disowning her and us for being blissfully happy.
I froze. “She just won’t stop, will she?”
“She’s broke. That Spaniard cartel prince dropped her after Regan may or may not have given him some very... creative misinformation.”
I blinked. “Wait— what? ”
Regan—now holding a mimosa and one stiletto heel in her hand—clinked her glass with a fork and called out over the laughter.
“Confession time!”
The room quieted like a bunch of kids being called to the principal's office.
She grinned at me, totally unapologetic.
“So… while you were working and JD was on his top secret bachelors trip, I might’ve made a solo visit to someone’s Marbella villa.”
“Oh my God,” I muttered .
JD groaned beside me.
“I might’ve told Senor Cartier that Clarissa was actually a man named Clarence who’d had bottom surgery in Thailand in the ‘80s.”
Everyone burst out laughing. Tarak choked on his beer. Edge actually sprayed coffee out of his nose.
“And,” Regan added smugly, “I might’ve shown him a very badly photoshopped birth certificate and told him she once ran a drag club in Atlanta called ‘The Silver Zipper.’”
River slammed a hand on the table, howling. “You legendary bitch ! That’s gold!”
“He dumped her that night,” Regan boasted. “She’s back stateside. We heard she’s working the express lane at a Piggly Wiggly somewhere outside Savannah.”
“I’m… I’m crying,” I gasped, wiping my eyes. “You didn’t.”
Regan just sipped her mimosa with a wink. “I did. Ain’t nobody gonna mess with my girl’s wedding day. We all half-expected her to crash.”
“Well, Clarissa didn’t but Evie did instead,” I muttered.
JD kissed the top of my head, “Is my wife jealous?”
“Never. I put a ring on it,” I grinned up at him as my finger traced the ring on his left hand.
“Regan also changed all our security protocols, passwords, and travel clearances while we were sleeping with Hacker’s wife’s help…”
I laughed so hard I nearly fell over.
And for once—surrounded by chaos, carbs, cackles, and pure, unapologetic loyalty—I felt it deep in my chest.
Peace.
Safety.
Home .
JD tugged me into his lap and whispered in my ear, “You ready to tell them?”
I looked across the room at our found family. Jackson with whipped cream on his nose. The club teasing River with the garter. Amber trying to stuff a croissant in Tarak’s mouth while he spoke.
I looked at the man I’d married, the baby already blooming in my belly.
And I smiled.
“Let’s give them one more surprise.”
This time I was the one to ring a cowbell to quiet the room. I cleared my throat, “Regan since you did such a fabulous job planning our wedding—Skye and I would like you to plan a baby shower for the new bun in our oven…”
“Already? In one night, dayyumm!”
Hoots and hollering’ joined in with clapping and congrats. The party was far from over. Edge and River declared this called for more Cuban cigars. The women already starting fussing, ripping mimosas from Skye’s hands not that she even had a sip…
I couldn’t be happier. I never dreamed I’d ever feel a sense of belonging after searching to find it under this roof for so long. Who knew all I had to do was open the door to new possibilities?