The Rampage MC #1: Levi/Chain and Genny

Chapter 9: This Is An Action

The next night, as I was popping my dinner dishes into the dishwasher, I heard two sharp raps at my door. When I heard a low "woof," I couldn't help smiling even though I knew who was with the dog. Flinging open the door, I braced myself for the onslaught from Levi's Great Dane, Noodle. I think Levi would always regret giving me free rein to name his dog, but he had barely flinched when I announced his new pup's name. Levi had adopted him from a shelter that had rescued a litter of three Great Danes, all around six months old, from the the side of a busy road.

Noodle saw me and lost his mind. Now, at nearly fourteen months old, he was huge. Just as he was about to jump up on me, Levi snapped out the sit command, and Noodle just melted into position. He wiggled and whined a bit, but waited for me to come over and croon his name as I scratched his ears and neck.

"There's a handsome boy. Who's my handsome boy? Oh, you like your ears being scratched, don't you, Noodley-noo?"

He preened under my attention, and after giving us some time to catch up, Levi asked if we could talk on the front porch for a few minutes. We both sat on the end of my porch, our feet on the steps, as we'd done so many times while we were together. Levi and I would come out here with beers or iced tea, and we'd look at the stars and talk about anything that struck our minds. (OK, mostly I talked, but Levi listened and would occasionally add to the conversation.) Noodle lay down between us, giving a contented sigh every once in a while.

"I didn't come to give you more words, Genevieve. This is an action, and I'm telling you that you can put your house back on the market, and I won't interfere anymore. I'm, ah...sorry for telling all the realtors in the area not to work with you. And for messing with your online listing."

"OK," I said. I refused to thank him for letting me do something he had no right to interfere with in the first place.

"And I'm going to ask, Genny, even though I don't have the right, for you to not rush to move. I don't want you to move, I want you to stay right here, but I know that doesn't mean anything to you anymore. I'm just asking for a chance to earn back your trust, to earn back your love."

He was wrong that it didn't mean anything to me anymore; I just couldn't let it matter. A lifetime of second place is not what I wanted or needed. Somewhere out there was a man who would put me first.

 "Levi --" I started to say, but he interrupted me.

"I didn't treat you right. I know that. I get it. I wish I'd done things different, kept you in the loop. But Genny, I swear I won't do that again. You are first with me."

Did the stars know the secret to life? Because I was sure looking hard at that night sky, hoping it would spell out the answer to me. It would be so easy to believe him. Everything in me wanted to take him at his word and trust that he would never put me second to the club again.

"We're back to words, again, Levi." But because this was Levi, I pressed my head against his bicep for a second, letting myself have one small measure of comfort from this man I loved so deeply. Noodle reached up and licked my face, breaking the moment. "All I can promise is that I'll take my time, find the right buyer and get everything cleared up here before I go."

"Fair enough," he said, getting to his feet. "I'll just have to work hard to make sure you want to stay."

He held out a hand to me and I took it, standing on the porch, Levi two steps below me and still taller than me. For a big man, you'd think Levi would be clumsy, slow. I'm sure many men had underestimated the giant and come out the worse for it. I'd forgotten, as well, which is why he surprised me.

His hands were suddenly on my face, his thumbs on my cheeks, his fingers curving around my ears and disappearing in my hair. Then his mouth was on mine, demanding I open to him, and weak as I was, I did and he pressed his advantage.

One thousand one.

One thousand two.

One thousand three.

And on until one thousand fifteen.

He gently pulled away from me, smoothing my now-tangled hair from my face. "Didn't like that guy's mouth being the last mouth on yours."

That got my back up and my hand hit my hip. "So that's why you kissed me? Because you're a possessive asshole?"

He shook his head, smirking at me. "No, Genny, I kissed you to remind you how good it feels."

"I know how good it feels without the reminder, Levi. And just to say, if you think working your magic sex body voodoo on me is going to make me stay, it's not going to work. The attraction between us has never been a problem. What's been a problem is the fact that the club comes first and I don't. I walked away from you once, so you know I can do it again no matter how often you kiss me." Yes, more kissing! But not too often so I don't fall like a house of cards.

"Can't argue that without words. So I'll give you some. People look at me and think I'm stupid just because I'm big. I'm not. I can and do learn from my mistakes. I hated every day away from you, Genevieve, hated it like you wouldn't believe. I woke up in the morning and wondered where you were, how you were doing. Thought about you all through the day, hoping everything was good with you. At night, Noodle and I'd come over here and just sit on your porch and look at the stars like you and I always did. And I imagined you there next to me, chattering away, and I'd sit there, just soaking it in and holding it close like I always did. You make me so damn happy inside, Genny. I'm sorrier than you'll ever know about hurting you and the way I hurt you. I just need you to give me time to show you that you are my number one priority."

From a man like Levi, that kind of admission rarely happened. I always thought I annoyed him with my chattering, but the whole time, he'd been holding it close and I hadn't even suspected.

Second place. Second place is not good enough.

"You have until the house sells," I told him, not liking that my heart was telling me to fling myself into his arms and hope he was as good as his word.

He gave a short nod, then walked to his truck. He opened the back passenger door and Noodle jumped in. After Levi secured his doggy seat belt, he walked around to the driver side, then turned back to me.

"You still owe me a wedding, Genevieve, and I won't stop until I collect."