The Biker in Lace

Chapter 9.

The whooshing sound of the wind seeping through Josh’s helmet calms him as he speeds down the road. The only thing to settle his raging mind is the freedom he feels as he cuts through the night air on the back of his motorcycle. He is grateful for his friends knowing him well enough to let him be and not bombard him with questions he himself still has no answers to. He forces these questions out of his mind and only focuses on the road ahead. Driving aimlessly at a horrendous speed till his confusion is cleared and his emotions settled. Slowing down he slowly starts to work through the information Clive shared almost an hour ago. Did he really not know his father at all or are Ethan and Clive so devious that they even have to try and destroy his father’s memory? What is Clive going to gain with this evil scam? Consciously Josh stops in front of the one place he still feels save and trust, the only place he knows he will get the truth from.

“Josh, is that you? Is everything okay?” Mary’s sweet yet panicked voice fills the cool night air as she struggles to recognise Josh in the dimmed street light. “Where is Lacy? Is she okay?” Mary could feel the strong hands of worry closing in around her throat, choking her.

“She’s fine. I just need to speak to your dad… is he home?” Josh feels bad for worrying Mary about Lacy, but he had nowhere else he could have gone to get the answers to the questions he has.

“Yeah, he is inside.” Mary says a frown forming between her eyes. She could see that something big has happened in the way Josh acted and the look on his face, but she was no one to pry. “Josh?” She calls out to him as he walks towards their house, broken and lost. “Promise me everything is okay?” She softly spoke as he looks back at her.

“I promise Lacy is okay.” Josh says giving her a small reinsuring smile as he walks up the steps.

“And you are you okay.” Mary asks as she looks at him with concern.

“I… I don’t know.” He sighs as he avoids looking in her eyes, while he runs his gloved hand through his oily hair. “I just need to speak to your dad.” Looking back at her he gives her a small smile. “Why are you out her at this hour?” He questions as they stand on the porch at the front door.

“I was reading in the hiding spot and I guess I fell asleep.” She laughs as she looks shyly at the ground. “I guess I should thank you for waking me up.”

“Yeah, how so?” Josh asks forgetting about his problems for a second as he stands in front of Mary. She brought him some kind of peace and he would be lying if he said he did not like it.

“I heard the bike and instantly thought about Lacy.” She answers as her eyes fill with worry again. “My dad said I am not allowed to contact her while you are away.” She says sadly. “I just have this feeling that something is terribly wrong, Josh and I cannot shake it.”

“I promise you she is safe and that no harm would come to her.” Josh reassures her as he wipes away a tear from her cheek, just like Lacy did the day before. With his hand on the doorknob he turns away from Mary to find Mr. Cavanagh and some answers. His heart skipped a beat as he touched her cheek, but he could not stay her in that moment for any longer. Knocking in the study door where Mary said her dad would be, Josh waits for permission to enter.

“Come in.” Mr. Cavanagh’s strong voice demands from behind the closed door.

“Mr. Cavanagh, may I speak to you for a moment?” Josh’s voice is steady, but the urgency of the matter is seeping through vividly. Nodding his head, Mr. Cavanagh motions for him to sit. “Do I have a brother?” Josh starts as soon as he sits in the chair. There is no need to beat around the bush as he knows Mr. Cavanagh prefers the straight forward approach.

“Yes.” The straight and honest truth leaves Mr. Cavanagh’s mouth without hesitation as he believes it’s been long past due for Josh to learn the truth. Silence fills the air as Josh process the short answer. “I want you to ask me everything you want to know and I will answer to the best of my ability, but I also want you to take time and process my answers.” Mr. Cavanagh adds after a few silent moments. He knows that this must be a hard revelation for the young man and watch him carefully as he goes through the emotions.

“Do you know him?” Josh breaks the silence, he still does not believe everything Clive said, but if his father withheld the fact that he had a brother, what else did he not tell him?

“I knew Clive before your mother left, but I never saw him again after she left.” Mr. Cavanagh answers truthfully again before silence fills the air.

“Why did my father never tell me?” Josh asks the one question that bothers him the most. He does not know much about his mother and he learned to live with it, but why did he never hear about his brother.

Mr. Cavanagh struggles to find the right words at first and then with a sigh he looks Josh in the eyes and let the memories form into words. “Josh, I will tell you everything that happened, but first I think you should let Bradley and Lacy know you are okay. It will be hard to hear at first and you might feel anger towards your father and for us, because we never told you either, but please remember he only wanted the best for you and as his friends we were obligated to respect his wishes.” Josh nods his head as he takes his phone out of his leather jacket’s pocket.

*_*

“Josh phoned. He is with your father. He will be back tomorrow.” Bradley says as Lacy enters their tent after she went for a walk to release some of the tension of the day so she could sleep. Never did she think that things would ever turn out like this. In a matter of twenty four hours she got kissed for the first time (and fainted), got a tattoo, got married (and fainted), actually had a conversation with Bradley and learned her best friend might have a brother and that the person she trusted with her life might not have been so trustworthy.

“Ok, did he say anything about…?” Lacy trails off knowing Bradly would get what she means.

“No, just that we should not worry and he would see us tomorrow.” Bradley says as he stands up from his sleeping bag. “I’ll take his tent for the night.” Taking his bag in his hand he moves past Lacy to exit the tent.

“Thanks, who knew you could be a gentleman.” Lacy softly says as she watches him leave. Why did his father marry them? How did he do it without her or his consent? Shrugging Lacy turns away from the exit towards he coroner of the tent.

“By the way, did you see your tattoo yet?” Bradley startles her as he pushes his head through the tent’s zipper, making her jump.

“Jeezz, Bradley, do not do that!” She annunciates loudly while twirling around to give him an evil glare as her clasps her hands to her chest.

“Sorry, forgot what a scaredy cat you are.” Bradley mocks as he steps inside the tent again his bag still in his hand. “Are you sure you don’t want me to sleep here tonight?” He chuckles at his own joke.

“I am not a scaredy cat! You can’t leave and then all of a sudden invade my space again.” Lace defends as she throws her hands in the air. “Yes, please leave.”

“But, I did not say goodnight. It is bad manners to not say goodnight when you leave, so technically I did not leave and you did not close your tent to show you want privacy.” Bradley shoots back.

“You said you are staying in Josh’s tent. So shoo, move it.” Lacy motions with her hands in a sweeping manner as if she is sweeping dust from the floor. Dropping her hands to her hips she asks in an annoyed tone: “Why are you still here?”

“I get it, I’m going.” Bradley runs his hand over his almost boldly shaven head, shaking his head he turns on his heels ready to leave the tent again.

“Bradley.” Lacy stops him before he could completely disappear into the night. “You wanted something?” She asks remembering he asked something when he returned.

“I wanted to know if you saw your tattoo yet.” Bradley says poking his head back into the tent.

“No, I did not. I am curious though.” Lacy admits giving him a real smile.

“So, are we doing this then?” He asks her permission as he drops his bag next to the exit, then he lifts his shirt over his head revealing a perfectly sculpted torso with the same white plaster on his left peck as she has on her clavicle.

“Uhm… uh…” Lacy clears her throat for a moment distracted by the manliness in front of her. Her mouth is slightly open as she gawks at Bradley. Never had it occurred to her that all that perfection could be under those tight black shirts he likes to wear.

“Like what you see?” Bradley teases in his arrogant way as he flexes his chest muscles, making it even more bulky. “Now your turn, come on.” His half smile pulling at the right corner of his lips. He just can’t help himself, she makes teasing her so easy sometimes.

“Wh… What?” Lacy says confused looking up to his eyes. His stupid body still too distracting, she finds herself looking back down to his six pack then his sculpted arms. Oh, man those arms. For some reason she always liked men with good sculpted strong arms and Bradley’s must be the most perfectly sculpted arms she ever saw. It’s as if he got more muscles since the last time she saw him without a shirt and even back then she could not help, but to stare, even when she was furious at him sometimes.

“Your shirt.” Bradley states in serious tone as he walks towards her slowly, hiding his urge to laugh. Her face is so comical at this stage with her mouth halfway open and her eyes struggling to keep his.

“N… No w… way. Huh-uh not happening.” She whispers more to herself as her eyes betray her again locking on to Bradley’s stomach.

“Don’t be shy, little one.” Bradley teases taking a step closer to Lacy. Enjoying the moment to its full potential. “I know we can’t all be perfect, so here let me help you.” Bradley reaches out to Lacy, but in an instant she jumps away crossing her arms over her chest holding her shoulders so Bradley could not get hold of her shirt.

“No way in hell!” Lacy yells the look of a trapped dear on her face makes Bradley chuckle.

“But, how will you show me your tattoo then?” Bradley asks still chuckling. She makes it way too easy for him.

“Ugh.” Lacy utters, dropping her hands from her shoulders defeated. “Ok fine you want to see my tattoo then, I’ll show you.” Confidence back in place Lacy stands tall her hands on the seam of her lace top. She should have known that Bradley would seize the opportunity to tease her again. ‘It’s the same as a bikini, right?’ Lacy tries to convince herself. ‘He saw you in a bikini before, so just do it. Come on he will see your hesitation then it would be worse. He is doing this to get to you. Come on Lacy wipe that smirk of his face. Just be confident. You can do it.’

“Here let me help you.” Bradley teases again, taking a step closer to Lacy, knowing all too well that it will bother Lacy. Taking another step he stands in front of Lacy, mockery gleaming in his eyes. His half smile turning into an arrogant smirk. He knows Lacy well enough to expect her to stop him and push him away before he could touch her, but what he did not expect is Lacy counting on him knowing her to well. Without a word said lacy keeps her pose waiting to see what Bradley would do next. If he thinks that she would push him away or yell at him he would be in for a surprise as she decides today she would win by acting the exact opposite way he would expect her to.

With no fear she closes the distance between her and Bradley, her eyes fixed on his, daring him to continue. Slowly Bradley takes the seam of her shirt into his hands, feeling the soft lace pattern under his hard hands. His eyes never leaving hers, she has to be bluffing he decides and decide to call her on it. Slowly and tenderly he starts to lift her shirt, but still Lacy does nothing. The higher he lifts her shirt the tenser his jaw gets, the smirk only faintly visible. Lacy lifts her arms above her head, waiting to see Bradley’s reaction, the smirk that once was prominent on his face now reflecting on hers, her eyes challenging him. Lacy never felt so bold and daring near Bradley before and the feeling is exhilarating as she finds confidence in herself. Higher still Bradley lifts her shirt, gripping the lace tightly between his fingers. Just as he reaches her shoulders a noise at the tent entrance demands their attention, making them jump apart instantly.

“Oh, damn, sorry. I’ll come back later.” The person at the tent entrance says before stepping back into the night.

“No, wait.” Lacy says already halfway through the entrance. “What did you want, Clive?” She asks as she grabs hold of his arm and turning him around towards her.

“Nothing, you were busy, sorry for interrupting again.” Clive said agitated as he pulls his arm loose from her grip and turns away from her again.

“You did not interrupt anything.” She tries again. “Why did you come here?”

“Yeah, sure you were not in the middle of undressing each other.” Clive responds with an eye roll, sure that what he thinks he saw is exactly what happened. How can they still deny liking each other after what just happened? He is no fool and will not be treated like one. “I am not stupid. I just wanted to see if Josh is okay.” He says walking away again. His annoyance is clear in his voice.

“We did not undress each other. He wanted to see my tattoo.” Lacy defends her excuse sounding weak in her own ears.

“Yeah, like you could not just move your shirt to the side.” Clive says sarcastic again while still walking. “Enjoy you evening, Lacy.” He says when she stops walking after him, leaving him to disappear into the night.

Lacy feels a warm red blush creeping up on her face as she realise that Clive had a point, why didn’t she think of that? How stupid could she be? Cursing herself Lacy makes her way back to the tent feeling small and not in the least in a mood to deal with Bradley. “Please leave.” She utters, without looking back up into Bradley’s direction.

“What happened?” Bradley asks the tone of concern in his voice making her flinch as she never heard it in his voice before. Bradley did not even notice it, but he did notice her flinch and the sudden solemnness of her demeanour. Did she really fall for Clive so quickly that she could be feeling guilty being caught in a compromising manner with him or was it the fact that she hated him so much that she felt embarrassed being seen with him like this?

“Leave please.” Lacy begs as she makes her way to her sleeping bag. She can’t help but to feel like she lost a game that she did not even know she was playing. How could she fall into Bradley’s traps so easily? Yes she did feel bad that Clive did not give her time to explain and maybe the attention he gave her was making her feel something for him. The deal may not have been such a good idea. What has her so furious though is that she is done with this rivalry, hatred or whatever relationship you want to call it with Bradley. This is causing her friendships and energy that she just don’t have anymore.

“What is wrong, Lacy? Please, I know I am the last person you would want to talk to, but I can’t leave you when you look like this.” Bradley states sitting down next to her. “Come on you are my best friend’s friend and he would kill me when he finds out I left you like this.” This was not the Lacy he knew or a Lacy he ever thought existed.

“That’s just it. I am his friend not yours so leave.” Lacy’s is furious at herself for being so dumb and the closest person to take it out on is Bradley so without having to think about it she turns all her rage towards him. He did cause most of it in any case. “You made me look like an i***t. You could very well have seen my tattoo without me taking of my shirt, but you just could not help yourself could you? You are an annoying i***t and I the stupid fool fell into your stupid game like an i***t myself.” Lacy rants hitting Bradley with her pillow with every word she utters. “Just leave you i***t, leave!” Lacy yells as Bradley swings his arms around her pulling her close to his body holing her tightly so she could not hit him anymore. Small barely audible sobs leaves Lacy’s body as she render herself to tears. She hates it when she cries, but for some reason she always cries when she feels so helpless and angry. Bradley was the cause of most of her tears and yet here he is holding her as if he knew she needed someone’s embrace, but did it have to be Bradley?

“Do you really like him this much?” Bradley asks interpreting her tears as sadness over maybe losing her chance with Clive.

“No, you idiot.” Lacy whispers as she still cries while Bradley still holds her in his arms. “I’m frustrated and it’s your entire fault.”

“Oh…” a few seconds later another “Oh…” escapes Bradley’s lips as if he just realised something. “I can always finish what I started, if it would help.” He offers, again interpreting her frustration in the opposite way then what she meant.

“Really and how can you finish what you started?” Lacy asks meaning a different finish what he started then Bradley. Does he really intent to stop his teasing and his idiocy? Will he finally stop this rivalry between them and try to accept her as she is and leave her be?

“Maybe by continuing where we were interrupted.” Bradley says while gently pushing her a little further away from him then he grips her shirt again into his hands and starts to pull it up again, but this time Lacy reacts the way he expected her the first time to. With shock written all over her face Lacy gasps and pulls away from Bradley instantly grabbing her shirt to hold it in place.

“What do you think you are doing?” She asks shocked as she gets up from the ground.

“Ending your frustration.” Bradley states a bit confused to how she reacted.

“My frustration?” Lacy asks and then like a light switched on it clicks. “I’m not sexually frustrated you i***t, I’m furious and helpless. I am mad at you!” She yells trying to calm herself she walks up and down the small space the tent allows.

“What? Why are you mad at me?” Bradley questions not at all feeling any remorse towards his misinterpretation. He is a guy after all and would not any guy have seen it as to what she meant.

“I am done with this, whatever this is!” Lacy yells as she motions between the two of them. “I am done with trying to convince you that I am who I am and not fake. I am done with the teasing and fighting. I am done with your stupidness and your… your… urgh!” She lets out frustrated as she throughs her hands in the air. “You could have seen my tattoo without me taking it off, you buffoon.”

“Are we good now?” Bradley questions as he gives her an idiotic smile after listening to her rant, not really sure what is expected of him and she did look better now. “And for the top thing, I wanted to see your reaction and believe me I did not think you would go with it.”

“Do you really want to see my bra that bad, Bradley?” Lacy ask not really bothered by the lack of understanding Bradley has for her, she would have freaked out if he reacted differently although.

“No. I wanted to see your tattoo.” Bradley defends a little pink tint rising from his neck.

“Oh, really?” Lacy smiles as a plan start to form in her mind. “You still want to see it?” She gives Bradley a seductive look as she bits her lower lip while her hands makes their way to the seam of her shirt again.

“Uhm, uh… N… What are you doing?” Bradley stammers not entirely sure what Lacy is doing, but unable to focus on his words. His eyes glued on her hands as he gulps loudly.

“I want to show you my tattoo.” She answers walking back towards him, slowly swaying her hips. Bradley stares at her as she makes her way over to where he sat at the end of her sleeping bag. Then just when it looks like she is about to straddle him she flops down next to him on the sleeping bag and stretches her shirt to the side of her shoulder. “Would you mind taking off the plaster please?” She asks innocently as she smiles to Bradley with a triumphant smile.

“Come on let’s see.” Bradley says after he blinked away his bewilderment as to what just happened. Deciding that two can play that game he lifts his hand to her neck and slowly draws his finger on the edge of the plaster before he says in a husky voice: “The deal was we reveal it together.”

“Okay.” Lacy says as she pretends to not be effected by the tingling that runs through her skin.

“One… Two… Three…” They count together and pull the plasters away at the exact same time.

“Why is my name tattooed on you?” The both ask shocked at the same time. “What?” They again ask in unison their faces a reflection of the other’s. Eyes wide and mouth agape they stare at each other’s tattoos.

“I presume you did not want my name on your tattoo, did you?” Bradley is the first to speak after processing the shock.

“Just as much as you wanted my name on yours.” She huffs as she falls down on her back defeated. “It was supposed to say powered by: Attitude. Not powered by: Bradley’s attitude.” Lacy says as she looks in disgust to her clavicle.

“I’m going to take that bloody tattoo needle and tattoo Vince’s sister’s name all over his face.” Bradley says as he also looks down at his tattoo. The irony that they both chose the same tattoo escapes them as their thoughts turns murderous towards Vince. Their tattoos are exactly the same except for where Lacy’s says Bradley’s, his says Lacy’s in small cursive white ink.