The Rampage MC #4: Max and Briony

Chapter 3 (Max): The Pain

Copyright © 2024 by GroveltoHEA

As I was waiting for Briony to come down from her X-rays, hoping to hell she didn't have to have surgery so I didn't feel even lower than I already felt, my phone began buzzing again.

Wendie.

She'd been calling and texting nonfuckingstop since the night I had chosen to leave Briony alone in my house and rescue Wendie from the side of the road in what would prove to be the absolute worst decision of my life.

My phone stopped, only for it to begin again. She was relentless, probably not understanding why I wasn't answering. Unless I was in church, I'd always answered the second Wendie called or texted, even after she'd broken up with me.

That horrible night, I'd made it to Wendie in record time, worrying as I sped there about her car being hit on the dark road if she stayed in it or the other, even more sinister, possibilities if she chose to get out of her car. Either way, I needed to get to her, make sure she was safe. She might not be my girlfriend any longer, but I still cared about her.

There had always been a sweet helplessness about Wendie that called to the man in me. For the first time in my life, I'd wanted to commit to a woman in a serious way, and I would have if she'd been as serious about me. The biker lifestyle stood in her way, though. She didn't understand that there were certain aspects of the MC that I couldn't discuss with her or there were times I might be unavailable to take her calls because of church or club business.

"I feel like I come second to the club," she'd told me on several occasions, and I'd had to explain that she didn't really, but my explanations didn't allay her fears. In the end, after almost a year together, she ended things with me, citing her unwillingness to compete with the Rampage for first place in my life.

For two weeks, I'd pleaded with her to listen to me, to talk to Genny, Chain's wife, to get a woman's perspective. If you are reading this anywhere but wattpad for free, this story has been stolen from the author, groveltohea. She'd refused, so I accepted her decision and left her alone.

And that's when she started calling and texting me for help or to talk, and it made me feel as if she was keeping that door open between us for...maybe someday. So when she called, I went without stopping to think, as I'd proven the night I almost got Briony killed.

When I'd assessed the road and the lack of lights where Wendie had gotten her flat, we'd decided it was too risky to change her tire at night, given that there was no shoulder and a pretty steep drop off into a ditch on the passenger side of the car. I'd decided the best option was to have the tow truck from the MC's garage come pick it up the next day.

"I thought you'd bring a car," she said as she eyed my bike with a combination of fear and dislike.

"Sorry, Wend. I just hopped on the bike to get to you as quick as I could."

"You'll have my car towed tomorrow?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Get on and I'll get you home."

I got on the bike and then she got on behind me; she might not like the bike, but she'd been on it enough that she knew exactly what to do. Her arms came around me and a part of me flinched because of Briony, even though she'd never been on the back of my bike, and another part of me missed Wendie behind me on the bike. My mind conveniently forgot that every time we took a ride on the bike, she let me know she didn't enjoy the experience the same way I did.

It's too noisy.

It's too windy.

You went too fast.