The Biker in Lace

Chapter 2.

"What did you do?" Josh asks in an accusing tone. He gets it that Bradley and Lacy fight and never gets along, but he had never seen Mary run from Bradley with tears streaking down her face.

"I tried to do the right thing for once." Bradley sighs while he looks to where Mary run off to with a sorrow filled look. Lacy broke her embrace with her father as Mary came running from the club house. Standing near Bradley she lifts her hand and smacks him hard against his shoulder with a disapproving look. Bradley flinches and holds the spot she just smacked. His face contorts in a look of pain and then he smirks, laughing at her with his eyes. Showing her he only pretended to feel the hit.

"You jerk, how could you use her like that? I knew you would just break her heart. She did not deserve your douchbagness and yes, I know it's not a word, Josh. Bradley if you ever come near my sister again you will never be able to have kids in your life. I will castrate you with a spoon!" Lacy was furious how he would just sleep with her sister to annoy her really took the cake. She is fed up with this annoying egotistical careless moron. "You took this too far today. How could you lead her on and then sleep with..."

"What?" Bradley shouts, as he furrows. "I did not sleep with Mary or lead her on. I would never sleep with anyone related to you. Your stupidity, ugliness and harlotry might just be contagious."

"Harlotry is what you call your life style, you egotistical buffoon." Lacy's face starts to turn red as her anger rises.

"Enough!" Mr. Cavanagh's voice booms again, bringing the two's name calling to a halt. "Bradley, why was Mary crying?" His face stern as he demands an answer from Bradley.

"I'm going to go and see if she is fine. I don't want to hear this butthole's excuses." Lacy says dismissively as she gestures towards Bradley while saying butthole. She turns around and walks in the direction Mary disappeared into.

"I swear it is not what Lacy thinks. On the contrary I told her that I did not feel the same way that she does. I will never use someone to annoy another person, even if it is Lacy." Bradley said sincerely and gave Mr. Cavanagh an apologetic smile. "I promise Sir, I did not mean to hurt her. I just wanted her to know I did not feel the same way." Normally he will not scour away from anyone, but Mr. Cavanagh is a very domineering man.

"I wondered how long it will take before you would notice the way she looked at you. I guess I should thank you for not stringing her along any further. You are a good man, Bradley just a bit oblivious to what is around you." Mr. Cavanagh taps him on the shoulder as he releases a sigh. “Now if only you and Lacy can sort out your junk.” He knew this day would come sooner or later, its better it happened now instead of when the problem Joshua caused in his Will and Testament became known. It might have been too much for them to handle especially if Bradley does not feel the same as Mary.

*_*

Lacy sits next to Mary in their favourite hiding spot. The evergreen weeping willow forms the perfect little cocoon for them to sit and read, talk or just be with their own thoughts. The river that runs nearby sets a calm atmosphere creating a little safe haven for them to share. The willow is in the back yard of their house that is a next to the club house. The club house isn't just a place where the bikers of the Falcon Pride M.C. gather for meetings or Sunday lunches. It serves as a halfway house to those who is down on their luck and needs a place to stay until they find their feet again. The soup kitchen they run for the homeless is also a part of the club house. The Falcon Pride M.C. and the Arch Angels M.C. are founders of the local charity fund and holds a charity event every month for the less fortunate. The twins' mom is the financial manager of the charity and the event organizer. She also runs the halfway house and soup kitchen. Which will be Mary’s to take over when their mom decides to retire with their dad. Sometimes their mom invites the whole neighbourhood for Sunday lunch, making this the perfect spot to escape to when the crowd gets too big like today, hiding them away from sight with the leave curtain surrounding them.

Lacy sits with her legs bent and pulled to her chest with her arms, her head resting on her knees and her eyes focused on Mary. Mary stopped crying and now sits with her legs straight in front of her crossed over each other and her arms stretched out behind her supporting her upper body, she stares straight in front of her emotionless. "Want to talk?" Lacy breaks the silence. Unsure if her sister would want to talk to her about Bradley, since she rarely has anything good to say about him.

"I think you were right, he is a jerk, but then again a jerk would not do what he did today." Mary's voice is quiet and like her face without emotion. "I can’t y believe I thought he liked me back for all these years and then today when he finally takes me to a private place, he tells me he does not have any feeling for me. All this time when I thought he finally felt something for me, all he wanted was to annoy you. I feel so embarrassed, thinking of all the times I practically threw myself at him and all the dates I declined, because 'I was in an almost relationship'." She lifts her hands and makes bunny ears to emphasize the last part. Her voice became stronger and her annoyance starts to show. "I threw away my love live for an egotistical butthole!" She vents even though she does not really belief that Bradley is as bad as Lacy thinks. It is not his fault that she fell for him and he did not feel the same.

"You will be okay, Mary. There are so many other guys out there that would love to get a chance to date you. Believe me I know." Lacy unfolds her left arm and pulls her sister into a side hug. They might not have the best of relationships, but she still hates seeing her sister upset or crying. She veers from saying anything about Bradley as she do not want Mary to think that it is a told you so moment. Mary knows how she feels about him anyway.

"You can say I told you so you know." Mary says after a few quiet minutes, her voice back to the emotionless tone, her head resting on her sister's shoulder. "I deserve it."

"Nah, as long as you see Bradley for what he is from now on, I'll keep it to myself." Lacy says with a smile as she rubs calming circles on Mary's back.

"So who are the other guys that would love to date your amazing sister?" Mary's emotions were like a roller-coaster, ever since they were kids nothing seemed to get her down for long. Besides what is the use of lingering on something she knows she will not be able to change.

"I think I can name a guy from every letter of the alphabet without even thinking hard." Lacy mocks as she winks in Mary’s direction while she bumps her shoulder with Mary’s.

"Really?" Mary laughs not as confident as her sister seems to be.

"Yeah, there is: Andrew, Brian, Cain, David, Evan, Franco..." Lacy starts to list counting the letters down on her fingers, but Mary quickly cuts her off.

"Okay, okay! No need to continue." Mary laughs again and shakes her head at her sister as she rambles off almost all the members of the Falcon Pride M.C. “You do know Cain is like fifty right?” She queries.

"Aaah, you're no fun." Lacy replies in fake disappointment. “Well, I don’t think he knows it or he just don’t have the age boundary thing set yet.” She snickers at her own joke as she thinks of the man twice their age always checking Mary out. His newest flavour of the month is she thinks a year or two older then them. She badly wanted to tell her sister that her best friends name was on top of the list of men that would love to date her, but she could not do it right away. She will have to come up with a plan to set them up when they return from the trip. Her plans are already forming in her mind when Mary breaks through her thoughts.

"When are you leaving?" Mary's voice sounds sad and Lacy can see her demeanour change.

"Tonight." Lacy answers softly as she stares off through an opening in the leave curtain before them. Her sister’s head still on Lacy's shoulder.

"Promise me you will be safe." A lone tear falls from her face and Lacy can feel the tension in her sister's body. She really hoped that Mary would be done crying about Bradley by now, but then again she did like him for years.

"I promise, you will not get rid of me that easy." She chuckles as she tries to make the air light again. “Please don’t cry over him anymore, sis.” Lacy gave her sister another tight side hug. “I hate seeing you sad."

"I am not crying over Bradley what-ever-his-middle-name-is Jones.” Mary assures her as she lifts her head from Lacy’s shoulder.

“Gabriel.” Lacy interjects without giving it any thought.

“What?”

“His middle name.” Lacy sighs.

“Oh, oh.” She says with a puzzled look edged on her face. “How do you even know that?”

“Years of annoyance, I guess. Enough of that egotistical what’s his face. Why is your eye leaking then?” She asks while wiping the tear from Mary’s cheek.

“I have this nagging feeling that something is about to go wrong.” She huffs.

“Nothing will happen.” Lacy comments even though she has the same feeling in her gut but she writes it off to nerves as this is not a road trip of leisure. “I’ll call every day, just so you will know we are all fine.” After a nod from Mary she continues: “Maybe you are just craving some dessert?” She jokes, knowing that her sister is her opposite, but one thing they do have in common is their love for anything sweet. “Come on, I think it is chocolate mousse day today!” Grabbing her sister’s hand she stands up from the ground and tugs her to her feet ending their conversation.

*_*

All the lunch guests are sitting on the big patio that looks out on the campsite next to the lake as it gleams silver in the afternoon sun. A few threes cast shadows on the campsite giving it cool shade for the annual rally goers. The bon fire pit in the middle of the clearing is the focal point of many momentous occasions in Lacy, Josh and Bradley's lives. The lunch was already served when Lacy and Mary returns. The two of them takes their desserts and make their way to the fire pit. Each sister sits on their own boulder eating their dessert in silence as the events of the day runs through their heads. They always treated dessert time as a sacred moment and never spoiled the savouring of delicious flavours with meaningless conversation. It's just too bad Josh never got the memo or ever understood their obsession with the delicacy named chocolate mousse.

"Hey, what are you doing?" He asks the two, breaking their silent appreciation to the delicious sweet taste that melts in their mouths. They both shoot him a deranged and murderous look. Looking like two lunatics ready to pounce. How he could come and interrupt their sacred time is unforgiving. "Ooo-kay. I'll come back later then." He says and slowly retreats backwards with his hands held up in surrender while knocking into Bradley causing him to fall to the ground. The twins watch in amusement at the scene in front of them causing them to laugh almost chocking on their delicious desserts. Chocolate mousse splatters everywhere as the twins snorts in laughter as Bradley profusely tries to get Josh off of him. The accidental crash soon turns into a full on wrestling match. The brawl continues as the twins starts to root for Josh to be the victor.

“Josh, Josh, Josh!” They chant in unison.

Lacy eventually gives a loud whistle, bringing the boy's playfulness to a halt. Josh instantly jumps to his feet dusting the dirt from his jeans, while Bradley lies on his back ignoring Lacy as usual. The twins stand next to each other their stance exactly the same. Legs shoulder width apart and arms crossed over their chests. "You better get us new desserts now." They demand in unison. “You broke our serenity, so you have to pay.” Silver sparks like lightning flash in the deep blue pools of their eyes. Josh knows them well enough by now to know that they mean business. Hurriedly he turns around and starts his way to the kitchen, knowing he would have to plead for two more bowls of dessert from Mrs. Cavanagh.

"Wimp." Bradley laughs as Josh passes tripping him with is outstretched leg. He pushed his upper body from the ground supporting it with his elbows as he still lays sprawled on the ground, his eyes on Josh’s back as he stumbles towards the kitchen.

An earie silence fills the air around them as they wait for Josh’s return. No one in the mood to say a word to each other until Mary breaks the silence. “Thank you, Bradley. I am sorry that I stormed away like a child not getting what she wanted.”

“I am the one that is sorry, Mary. I did not realise the way you felt about me sooner. I always thought it was just platonic. I did not mean to string you along or hurt you.” He says sincerely, causing Lacy to look at him bug eyed and mouth agape. She never though that she would be the witness to the human side of Bradley.

“Friends?” Mary asks to which Bradley nods his head with an ensuring smile edged on his lips. He ignores Lacy’s shocked expression as he folds his hands behind his head and look into the cloudless sky.

When Josh returns with two new bowls with fresh desert, Bradley is still lying on the grass with his arms behind his head and his eyes closed. The twins sit on their boulders again quietly talking the time away. As soon as the delicious creamy chocolate mousse gets handed to them silence fell between the sisters again. Josh slowly retreats and sits next to a sleeping Bradley. He bends his knees separated shoulder width apart and rests his elbows on his knees. The one hand holds the other securely holding his knees in place, he looks questioningly at the twins still not sure as to why they always eat their dessert in silence. Shaking his head he shrugs, deciding to give up on trying figuring them out.

"Boys, may I speak with you?" Mr. Cavanagh asks breaking the silence, the seriousness in his voice wakes Bradley instantly.

"Yes, Sir." Josh says as the both of them jump to their feet. Mr. Cavanagh leads the way to the club house that is in a separate building from the halfway house and soup kitchen. The meeting room is a fairly large room with a few chairs and a big oval table in the middle. Usually it is just used when the M.C. has a meeting with the main or founding members of the club. The bar is part of the building as it is the same room which Bradley took Mary to when he told her that he only saw her as a friend. The two boys look at each other questioningly and with a shrug to each other they start to walk behind Mr. Cavanagh.

"Sit." The stern demanding tone of Mr. Cavanagh tells the boys that there would not be any room for arguing. Obediently they both take a seat in front of Mr. Cavanagh. "I know you are leaving on this road trip to find your father's murderer, Josh." He holds up his hands when he sees the two boys getting ready to argue. "I overheard your conversation last week." His statement is followed with a challenging glare as he looks to each of them. " I wanted to do the exact same thing a few times already, but I left it in your hands and for you to decide what you wanted to do. I had my suspicions when Lacy first told me about your desire to take a road trip and your discussion last week just confirmed it. I won't stand in your way to do this, as I see it as a good way for you to proof yourself as president of Arch Angels M.C. Just be careful out there. This guy is dangerous." Mr. Cavanagh's body language becomes even more intimidating and the two boys can almost touch the serious tension in the room.

"There is just one thing you two should understand and take to heart. I don’t want my girl to get hurt and even though I am letting her go, you should know that Ethan Cole is nothing compared to me when one of my children gets hurt. He is like a kitten to a tiger against me. I promise you, you do not want to see the bad side of a Cavanagh when their child is involved. If you so much as get a hair pulled from Lacy's head I will personally take a tweezer and pluck every single one of your hairs out myself. A scratch will result in a gush, broken bones into paralysis. Do you get my drift?" The two boys silently nodded their heads and gulps at the seriousness edged on Mr. Cavanagh’s face. He meant business and they know it. "I am leaving her in your hands so: Don't. Let. Her. Get. Hurt." Mr. Cavanagh enunciates each word separately as his blue eyes gleams and the same silver lighting flashes like the twins did almost an hour ago. Silence fills the air for a minute or two as Mr. Cavanagh stares the two down and the boys cower into their seats.

"Good luck." Mr. Cavanagh voice is back to his normal stern and strict tone, much different than the one, minutes ago. He stands up from his seat and holds his hand out to the Josh to shake then Bradley, dismissing them without giving them a chance to say a word.

"That was intense." Bradley says as soon as they left the building to return to the twins. "I would never admit this to anyone, but I almost peed my pants after he told us to not get her hurt. Man I never saw someone that serious about his daughter before. Almost made me feel bad for all the times I messed with Lacy before."

"Yeah, man. I think we should try to talk her out of going. It is irresponsible of us to take her along; she is a girl after all." Josh says unsure as he thinks of the trouble they might just get into on this trip.

"I don’t want her on this trip either, though my reasons are totally different from yours.” He adds making sure Josh understands that he did not worry about her safety. “The stubbornness of that chick is just to infuriating. Why did you even tell her our plan?" Bradley groans and throws his hands in the air in frustration. "I really hoped her father would forbid her to go. I even made Mary cry for Pete’s sake."

"What is the deal between you two?" Josh questioned with a frown between his eyes. "I never really understood your rivalry."

"Rivalry? I would call it pure hatred. That woman is so fake and pretentious. She frustrates the crap out of me and she is so annoying. How you can be her friend is what I don’t understand, I absolutely loath her." Bradley lets out.

“He is my best friend because he understands me not like other annoying person who thinks they are God’s gift to all women and can’t handle the fact that there is one that don’t and won’t kiss the earth he walks on.” Lacy's voice comes from behind the two boys. Instantly they turn around, hoping she did not hear the entire conversation. "Don't worry I absolutely loath you too.” She winks at Bradley before continuing. “So, what did Dad want to speak to you about?"

"He said you can't go." Bradley says without blinking an eye.

"You know what Bradley, even if you swore on a stack of Bibles and your life depended on it, I would never believe a word that comes from your mouth. So, shut it!" Lacy dismisses Bradley's presence and turns to Josh. "What did dad want?" She knows he can never lie to her about anything.

"He knows why we are going." He states insecure and rubs the tips of his ears. "Please Lacy stay here?" He pleads, his eyes begging her to stay. He knows his dad was like her second dad just as hers is his, but because they do not know what waits for them he would rather let her be safe staying home. "I know you loved him, Lacy, but I can't let you be in danger because of me and my father. You mean too much to me. You are like the sister I never had and I don’t want you to get hurt."

"That is exactly why I want to go, because I love you too and I don't want you to be harmed. I need to go Josh or I will lose my mind worrying about you. Please don't ask me to stay. Please, Josh, I am even willing to spend an undetermined time with the one person I absolutely despise above all. I need to go, Josh. I can’t lose you too." Lacy begs. Her eyes are big and bright, her lips slightly pout and a crease between her eyes. Instantly Bradley knew the answer before it was even aired. That puppy dog look will get anything out of his best friend.

"Ok, fine you can go, but Lacy please listen to us and stay out of trouble." Josh gives in and sighs as he turns around to go and greet the Cavanagh family before they leave.

"Such a wimp." Bradley sighs just above a whisper and shakes his head at his friend that just got played. Lacy bounces up and down on the balls of her feet as the happiness en excitement takes hold of her. She can't wait to leave town, just too bad Bradley has to tag along. "ugh." She sighs at the thought and her face contorts into a look of disgust.