Copyright © 2024 by GroveltoHEA
"I need the potatoes, carrots and celery for the stew chopped up, please, Max."
When I'd asked Joy if she'd make a batch of cookies for Genny, she'd told me she'd be happy to without me having to do any dinner prep. That didn't sit right with me, so I'd insisted on helping her in exchange for the cookies.
Maybe it was a bit underhanded, but it also gave me the opportunity to talk with her. I'd been doing a lot of thinking about Briony and wondered if I could be doing anything more, so I made plans to talk to the three women I knew who'd had to forgive their Rampage men.
"Fine, Max," Joy had laughed at my persistence. "I've missed you in the kitchen, so it'll be like old times."
We'd been working on our separate tasks in a comfortable silence when I just opened my mouth and asked something that was none of my business, but something I was hoping she'd answer to see if it gave me any further insights into Briony's mind.
"Joy, why'd you forgive Atlas?"
For a minute, she didn't answer me and continued slicing the stew meat into cubes.
"I'm not sure I can give you a good answer for that. There was a lot that went into my decision," she finally said. "A lot of thinking, a lot of observing. The way Kit changed his behavior was probably the biggest part of it. He apologized, of course, but it wasn't really his words that won me over. I'm sorry is nice to hear, and that's usually where it stops, but he went beyond words and his actions backed up his apologies. The things he did were meaningful to me, things that took actual thought -- which, as we all know, is not a default setting for you Rampage boys until you smarten up -- and planning, and that spoke to me."
"Was it hard to get to that point where you forgave him?"
"Oh, yeah. It definitely took time even though I could tell that he felt horrible and was trying to make it up to me."
"Thanks for being honest, Joy. Hope I didn't overstep."
"You didn't. And maybe I'll be overstepping now, but from what it sounds like, you're doing everything right, Max. Everything you can. Just give her time to think and see if she can get through it."
Right before dinner, Joy brought two big containers of cookies to my room.
"One's for Genny and one's for Briony. Cookies don't just soften a man's heart, Max."
I'd thanked her with a hug and walked out to my bike, where I'd popped them in the saddle bags. Beard and Emily pulled up on his bike and walked over to say hi. The timing couldn't have been more perfect, so I took my opportunity.
"Twist, got a question for you that's none of my business."
"Oh, can't wait for this," Beard grumbled, his hand on Emily's hip.
"Ignore him. Go ahead," Emily said, smiling, holding a grocery bag she'd pulled from Beard's saddlebag.
"OK. Why'd you forgive Beard?"
"Shit," Beard muttered and the look he sent me was not friendly. "Come here for a few hours of fun with my wife while her parents have the twins and you hit her with this un-fun stroll down memory fucking lane? Got two cockblockers at home; don't need any of you fuckers at my club house, too."
Emily threw an evil look Beard's way. "Well, I have to admit...it was his offer of paying my medical expenses that really won me over."
"Oh, fuck me," Beard said. "You ever going to let me live that down, woman?"
YOU ARE READING
The Rampage MC #4: Max and Briony
RomanceI was supposed to be protecting her. Instead, I left her to help my former girlfriend. And she was badly hurt on my watch. Now, she won't talk to me and I can't get to her for a year. I'll work the rest of my life to regain her trust, earn her forgi...
