Chapter 17 – Richard #2
“Vincent was asking questions about why I was with David, and I couldn’t really say we were making up after a fight. Vincent thought I was talking to him about signing next year.” I start, when Jasper suddenly interrupts me.
“Do you know why David wants to quit?”
“No idea. It came out of the blue. Originally, I thought that it was because of us. I know I hated seeing him almost every day and knowing that I couldn’t go back to his room.
The distance between us was awful, and yet, he could be standing just ten feet from me.
” I have no idea how Jasper does it, but he can get me to talk like no one else.
I bet he would make an excellent therapist.
“But he’s still saying he’s leaving. I don’t understand it. This,” and Jasper points around the garage, “this was his dream. This was one of the main reasons we ended it.”
“Jasper, I wish I could tell you, but I have no idea. He states he’s getting old, but I think there is something else.”
“Oh, I know there is something else. Maybe we need an intervention. He can’t lie to the pair of us. Plus, I can make him talk, but with you there, of course.”
“Did you just say that you were going to dominate my boyfriend, while I’m there? Thought you didn’t do threesomes?”
“I, um, yeah. I did, but I didn’t mean it like that,” Jasper flusters. “I really don’t want David that way. I couldn’t come between you two.”
“But you do want me?” I ask, enjoying that I’m making Jasper a little flustered. It’s not something that happens very often, plus I know what he means.
“You’re different, we never had a relationship per se. But, just for clarification, no, I don’t want you, either.”
“I knew what you meant, Jasper,” I tell him, giving him a smile.
“Such a git, but ignore David and his quitting, tell me about Vincent.”
Looking around the garage, I realise that this is not a conversation that we should be having so openly, but everyone is ignoring us, too busy with the race prep, and in fairness, we are still right at the back.
“Yeah, well I needed to think of something fast so I said that I was asking David about you? If he knew what your type is. I played on the fact that you two were friends.”
“Seriously?” Jasper gasps, and I can see that his lips are twitching, and he’s dying to laugh before composing himself again, as my words fully register with him. “But, hang on, does Vincent know you’re gay?”
“Yeah. It came out a while ago. He was shocked, but not half as shocked as when I told him I was a submissive,” I explain.
“Holy shit, I was not expecting you to say this. That isn’t something that is normally shared lightly.”
“It’s not something I ever planned on telling Vincent.
It’s private, but Vincent spotted a love bite that David gave me after he witnessed us in the car park.
Which, he did on purpose, and before you ask, we have talked about it.
Anyway, I didn’t want to hide it. Mine and Vincent’s friendship was on rocky ground, and I needed to repair it. ”
“And you thought telling him you were submissive would help that?”
“Honestly, I had no idea. But I needed to try. I think Vincent thought he knew everything about me, but learning I was gay, and that I patronised Kimber’s place, was too much. He became a bit of a dick.”
“That can happen when your whole perspective of someone changes, especially considering you had been friends a long time. But I’m guessing that he became a dick because he couldn’t understand you paying for sex.”
“Pretty much,” I confirm.
“Does he understand now?”
“Nope, but I think I gave him a little too much information, and he isn’t going to question me anymore, and just leave me to it.”
“Oh, no. Do not leave it there. Too much information?”
“I told him about orgasm denial.”
“Holy shit, oh, how I would have loved to see his face on that one.” And he bursts out laughing. It feels so good to have this, and I can’t help but join in the laughter with him.
When we finally stop laughing, I look up and spot Dave looking over to us. I can’t read his expression, but someone next to me can.
“We’ve been spotted.” Nodding my head in the direction of Dave. “Will I need to sneak up to his room tonight with our favourite tie?”
Jasper looks to where I nodded, and sees David looking over to us, and Jasper just smiles and waves at him. Again, David does nothing.
“No, you’re good,” Jasper confirms.
“How do you know that?”
“Okay look at him. His face says nothing, but his eyes, he has never been able to hide the emotion from his eyes. They’re a little wider than normal, and shining a little brighter. He’s amazed, and I would say, wants to know what we’re talking about.”
“You seriously need to teach me how to do that.”
“Yeah, that’s not going to happen. Seeing you get into trouble, and having to get yourself out of it, is going to be another perk of this job.” He laughs.
“Wow, you really can be a twat at times.”
“Just another one of my charms,” Jasper returns, not taking any offence at my words.
“If we stand around here much longer, we will get the rumour mills talking. Maybe we should get ourselves ready for the race.”
“If the rumours happened, at least you wouldn’t have to come out,” Jasper whispers as he walks in front of me, and goes over to Lars’s crew.
I spend the rest of the race doing anything but look at the screen.
It felt like, every time I watched Dave take a corner, I stopped breathing, I swear, if I could’ve, I would’ve closed my eyes.
There was more than one occasion that I thought, fuck it, and went to walk out of the garage, but somehow I managed to stay, so I was there when David crossed the finish line.
It meant that I was able to go and join everyone as he got out of the car.
I saw the second he spotted me in the crowd, and the smile that spread across his face when seeing me.
Everyone around us thought that it was because he had won, but I knew that smile was for me.
Then, of course, he jumped into all of us.
The team slapping his back and screaming congratulations.
But being so close to him I was able to spot it.
When the team let him go, and his feet hit the ground, there was a twinge on his face.
It lasted just seconds. But there was no mistaking it.
David was in pain, and as I watched him walk away, I could have sworn he had a limp, but then was walking normally.
The rest of the team are completely oblivious to what I have witnessed, but I try to find Jasper in the crowd, and when I find him, I see that he’s watching Dave, and I think that he spotted what I did, too. Needing to confirm if I’m right, I slide over to him.
“Did you see that?” I whisper, as I stand next to Jasper.
“He was in pain,” Jasper confirms. “And was it me, or did he limp? I wasn’t sure if I imagined it.”
I can hear the concern in Jasper’s voice, and we both look over to Dave, who is walking fine now. He is laughing with the other drivers that came in second, and third.
“No, there was a limp,” I confirm. “Dave is keeping something from us, but more importantly he’s keeping something from the team.”
“I will have a word with Daniel, see if he knows anything. But if I know Dave, this is something he’s trying to sort out himself,” Jasper adds. “Send him a text. Ask if you can come to his room now, just for five minutes. Tell him you need to hug him, or something?”
“Why? He would find it strange. I normally only ever go to his room at night.”
“Just do it,” Jasper tells me, adding his commanding tone to his voice.
“You really need to stop using that voice on me.” But I’m already pulling my mobile out of my pocket and sending Dave a text.
R: Can I come see you? Just for a few minutes. After watching you race, I just need to hold you. Promise I won’t be there long.
Both Jasper and I wait, staring over at Dave, when I remember he won’t have his mobile on him, and I’m going to have to wait until after all the conferences, but finally, I get a response.
D: Come tonight. I could do with a rest. X
“Jasper,” I whisper, nerves start coursing through my veins.
“We will talk to him. Please don’t worry.” But I’m not sure how much he believes his own words.