If there was an 'Oh shit' moment, this would be it. 

I can't deny that I feel some satisfaction for calling Zak out on his little meeting with my bitch of a boss and to see the 'Oh shit' moment happen in his eyes... Satisfying. 

"I can explain." He begins making me lift my hand up to stop his excuses or lies, because let's face it, one of them is coming.

"Not here." I tell him when he pauses. "Avery doesn't know a thing and I'd prefer to keep it that way. I've made a fool out of myself once today, I don't need an audience."

He looks a little impatient to put his story or lies across. "Then when? Where?"

"Someone is bound to recognise you, so nowhere public." I sigh before looking up. "The roof."

"The roof?"

"Mavis has a set up, we can talk up there. Unless you want to wait until.. I don't kno-"

"Roof is fine." He interrupts, marching to the fire escape door and shoving it open. 

Heading up the stairs, we get onto the roof, only to be greeted by Mavis, joint between her fingers, a pair of pink circle glasses on and a flower in her hair. To say this lady was hip, would be an understatement. 

"Good Eveeening!" She beams standing up and putting the joint between her lips to take a puff. 

"Hey Mavis, how are you?"

"Wonderful. Just wonderful. And Hello there, handsome." She answers before grinning at Zak. 

"Evening." He smiles. 

I'm about to suggest to Zak that we do this another time, when Mavis puts out the last bit of the cigarette before floating over to us. I say float in the context of her dress being long and floaty, she may put it in the context of being so high that she feels like she is floating. Mavis gives Zak a hug and a not so sly bicep squeeze before coming over towards me.

"I will leave you both to it. Enjoy the evening." She grins. Her arms bundle me up and I instantly return the warmth back to her. "There's condoms in the tin under the couch." She whispers into my ear. 

My face goes bright red at the thought of her thinking that and the thought of her needing to have the tin up here in the first place. 

"We are only here to talk." I answer her quietly. 

"Make up sex is always the best." She adds back making me want to face palm. 

"Righty-o!" She says out loud, pulling away and letting me go. "Stay safe up here kids." With that, she departs, leaving me shaking my head in disbelief and at her double entendre.

"She thinks we are up here to hook up, doesn't she?" Zak asks amused. 

"Appears so." I respond before gesturing towards the couches.

"How do you think she managed to get them up here?" Zak wonders sitting down on the grey one, whilst I take the other opposite in blue. 

"Don't know. She probably bribed someone along the way."

He nods in agreement, before sitting forward and resting his elbows onto his knees. "Where do you want to start?" He asks, giving me control over this.

It's only a question, but the sentiment means a lot. "Well let's try with the secret meeting with Rachel and how you plan on making me fall in love with you, so that you can break my heart? Sounds like a good start."

He frowns "It sounds awful when you say it."

"It's not a barrel of laughs to hear it. Especially after what I thought was a good day."

"It has been a good day-"

"Right up until that bit. Now I am questioning your every move and motive." I tell him. 

He wets his lips "Riley, I can explain it all."

"Then do it." I answer, folding my arms over my chest. 

"I'm doing it for you." 

"To me. You're doing it to me." I point out. 

He shakes his head "You don't understand... What you need to know, is that everything today, us spending time together, that was real. That was us."

I hold back my retort, wanting to get more answers than to keep shooting him down. He didn't seem to understand that his little meeting with Rachel has made me lose all trust in him. I have doubts now, and with a few hours alone, they've festered and turned cynical.

One of my replies could be "Well of course it was real. But you had an agenda."
But I don't... I remain quiet, waiting.

"I wanted to call her out on her lies, to have it out with her completely. But I can't do that because it would implicate you. I didn't want you to lose your job. It would be hard for you to get another. You need that job, as much as you don't want to admit it." He says. 

I roll my jaw, trying to stop my teeth grinding together.

"That's not me saying you wouldn't be able to get another job in a heartbeat, I know you would... But you would need a glowing reference and if you were sacked, there is no telling how far Rachel can poison the water. So I thought, if I made her slip up, then perhaps I can have it out with her, without any backlash coming to you." He says. 

"How does she know where you live?"

"What?" He asks. 

"How does Rachel know where you live?" I ask again. 

"Well she did the initial meeting, when I hired her." He answers.

I feel a slight relief that he didn't lie, I knew the answer, but I wanted to check. 

"Is there a past between you? You seemed awfully comfy in telling her that you plan to wreck my life."

He shakes his head "It was an act."

"One I definitely bought into."

"I wasn't acting whilst I was with you." He corrects before reaching up and rubbing his head in stress. "I've wanted to tell you. But I couldn't risk you acting different and making Rachel question your actions."

"So am I suppose to be grateful that you kept me out the loop? Or that I found out after hearing you?"

"No. No that is not what I am saying.. But I am relieved that you know."

"Well at least you feel better." I mutter looking away from him. 

I know I said I wouldn't keep shooting him down... But I never could help myself. 

"I don't know what else you want me to say.." Zak admits making me look away from the swaying trees towards him. 

"Do you two share a past? Is she one of you conquests? How can I believe anything you are telling me? How do I know it's not all lies? To lure me back in and continue the little game?" I ask before adding. "I've lost all trust in you after hearing it."

In a move that I couldn't have predicted, Zak stands up and brushes off his black shirt. "Well if that's how you feel, I'm wasting my time."

My teeth clamp together hard and grind painfully together as annoyance bites at me. Although I couldn't have predicted it, I know what he is trying to do with this move and know what he is expecting. For him to get up and say that, he is waiting for me to back down and accept that what he is telling me is gospel, to stop questioning him and let it go. Maybe the women he has been with have all done the same, been the fool just to be with him. But I am nobodies fool.. Ever again. 

I get up. "So we done here? Great. I'll drop your clothes at the museum when they are washed."

Walking away, I head for the fire exit, leaving him stood behind me slightly shocked.
"Wait... Riley." He starts.

"You're wasting your time. Well it appears I am too. Goodbye Zak." I tell him opening the door and heading down the steps and back to my apartment. 

I barely get a second knock on my door when Avery opens the door, I don't miss her eyes going over my shoulder to look for Zak. I go to step in the door, despite her not moving aside, when the door to the roof opens behind me. My eyes look away from Avery and settle on the floor as Zak approaches. 

Keep walking. Keep walking.

His cologne floats over my shoulder and wraps around me as he stops over my shoulder. "Believe what you want. But I think you're making a mistake.. Today was, could have been us. Despite what happened. I was being real when I was with you."

I don't reply to him or Avery as he moves away and heads down the stairs.

"What is happening? What have I missed? What did he mean? Where is he going? Riley?" Avery badgers as I slip past her and head into my apartment. 

Walking into the kitchen, I pull his clothes from the machine and head for the front door again. 

"Where are you going now?" She asks in desperation. 

"To Mavis' to get this dry. I'll explain it all later." I tell her. 

"Riley." She says making me stop and look back to her. "I'm sorry you're hurting. But know that we love you." She turns her head to the twins who are in the lounge, scribbling furiously. 

I walk back and give her a hug. "I love you all too."

"Then put that on a dryer in the kitchen and talk to me." She says when she lets me go. 

With a nod, she takes the clothes from my hand and leads me into the kitchen. "The girls can't do any damage being left alone for a few minutes." Avery says as she hangs the clothes over the dryer and grabs two glasses and a bottle of wine. 

I watch her fill the glasses and pass me one before sitting in the chair opposite me. "Where do you want me to start?" I ask. 

She takes a sip of her wine. "From the beginning. Because if I need to be causing criminal damage, I need ammo."

For the first time since coming back to the apartment, I smile, because I know there is nothing she wouldn't do for me. 

**********

"So go on. Tell me that I'm in the wrong for not believing him?" I ask pushing the glass away from me and putting my hand over the top when Avery goes to refill it. 

She sighs "I honestly can't. Can I? You only did what you did to protect yourself."

"But was it the wrong choice? What would you have done?"

She looks towards the door for any signs of the girls before replying "Dragged that bitch over hot coals by her hair as soon as I found out."

I look at her. "You got really dark then."

"What do you expect? She is fucking with my family. Do you want me to sort it?" 

"N-no!" I laugh. "This isn't school, I don't need you beating up some bully."

She shrugs "They had it coming. So does she."

"I don't disagree with you. But I can hardly land a criminal record and lose my job." I explain. 

Avery tilts her head in thought before she clicks her fingers. "Stay there.."

I do as she says and wait for her in the kitchen. After 5 minutes, I am about to give up when she comes up wrapping up the end of a call. "I will do. Speak to you soon."

"Who was that?" I ask when she begins grinning. "What have you done?"

"Heard of Prestige Cleaning?" 

I nod "They have been a thorn in Rachel's side for years. Swiping up her contracts."

Avery sighs in pleasure. "Well I failed to mention that the owner, is Alice White from school."

"The preppy girl from your class?"

"The same one. The same Alice White I've been friends with on social media and know is looking for a cleaner."

"Okay..." I trail off. 

"Oh come on! Have I got to tell you everything. I got you a new job! I've just rang her."

I blink. "You what?"

"I just-"

"Prestige Cleaning? As in, silly money an hour, Prestige Cleaning?" I ask. 

"Is there any other?" She giggles. 

"I.. Doesn't she want to do an interview? Does she need references? I don't know if I can believe this! What's the catch?" I ask suspiciously. 

Avery shrugs. "There is none. Rachel and Alice have always hated each other. I guess that's business rivalry for you. I've accepted the job on your behalf. So um.. You need to quit your job. Like tomorrow."

"Is this actually real?" I ask Avery from across the table.

"Oh yeah... It's real. So what do you say?" She asks.

"I'm gonna miss the cleaners van. But at the massive pay rise? I'll have my own car in no time!"

"That's my girl!" She cheers and refills my glass anyway. With a clink, we both take a sip of wine and grin at each other.

Prestige Cleaning was the biggest cleaning company across Vegas right now, it's pay was almost triple what I was getting and the benefits were unreal. Alice had inherited the company from her father, so it was well established and proven not to go anywhere for a while, meaning I had landed on my feet. Thanks to my sister.

"I don't know how to thank you." I say to Avery.

She shrugs "After everything you've done for me? You don't need to. You don't start until Monday, which means a nice 5 day break.. Which means plenty of time to get Rachel out the picture. Right?"

I nod in agreement. 

Now what to do about Zak?