Liar

12

Thank fucking God that Kenz's office are a 5-minute walk over the bridge. Less than 10 minutes after getting out of the office, I'm walking down the reporter's floor. I've been here a handful of times but it wasn't often really. I'd texted the group chat an SOS, telling Kenz I was coming to her and I had no doubt that Lexi would be on a face time or she'd be on her way. I knocked on the office door, barely able to stop myself from pacing.

"Come in." I pushed the door open, immediately dropping my bag and pacing. "Oh no. This looks bad."

"4 rules. I've broken 4 fucking rules."

"What?"

"I feel like I'm having a heart attack." Kenzie climbed out of her chair, putting her blue light glasses onto her head carefully. "Or a panic attack. Maybe both. Oh my god."

"Breathe Tori."

"I can't. It's not possible." She pulled me down onto the sofa in the corner of the room, abruptly pushing my head between my knees. A knock at the door pulled her away, making her stand up and go to answer it.

"It's bad." She pulled the door open, closing it behind Lexi who practically dived across the room to me. I'd known Lexi longer than I'd known myself. We drifted apart years ago but she used to be my everything. When we both came back to London after going to different Universities, we met at one of the Christmas events. That's how I met Kenzie. They were best friends now and I was that kind of awkward third wheel.

"Okay what the fuck happened?"

"I don't know all she said was she broke 4 rules?"

"Shit. Which 4 Tor?" I was breathing as controlled as I could, trying to stop myself hyperventilating. I held up 4 fingers then 6 then added another for rule 7 and topped it off with 9. "Oh no."

"The guy from Friday?" I nodded, sitting up slowly.

"I met him on the tube last week and then bumped into each other on Wednesday and he asked me out but I never showed. I broke rule 9 because he refused to take Ace and it just slipped out. I only called him a nickname."

"What's his name first?"

"Asher. I called him Ash." They nodded. "It was phenomenal. Best sex of my life. But then Saturday morning I'm sneaking around trying to get out and he pulled me back to bed, he offered me food but he wasn't letting go so I said pancakes sounded good. I managed to get him to go have a shower and literally got dressed and dipped but he caught me as I was getting out and I told him I don't stay for breakfast. I went back to calling him Ace by this point too. And I must have been a saint or something because he was stood there in just a towel all 6-foot fucking 3, muscles and my bruises and tattoos and then I left and he comes out and asks me if I'm serious and for the first time ever a guy wasn't amazed at me just leaving. He looked genuinely hurt and angry. But I left."

"But that's just rule 9 you broke Tori. What about the other 3?"

"I went to Caswell's. Ash is his fucking son." The girls looked at each other. Hand over their mouths as I slumped backwards, covering my face. "I slept with my boss' son. I am literally a disgrace."

"I mean, to be fair, you didn't know." The girls slouched down beside me, sandwiching me in between them.

"Yeah. It's not like you're gonna sleep with him now."

"I do not need to break any more of our rules. Are you joking? My family still fucking hate me for Leon." They both groaned. "Can you both just kill me off? Like push me out the window and say I fell or something? Please. Because I cannot handle this shit. You should have seen how white he went. I was literally shaking like a fucking leaf and then I somehow thought shaking his hand was a good idea? God." I groaned. "Fucking pathetic. I could see the fucking bruises on his neck too. Not a chance in hell they'd gone unnoticed."

"Is he going to be around often?"

"Yes. Here's the other thing. I think I talked him into working more with his dad. I, stupidly, told him he should know how to run it if he's taking it over. What am I supposed to do now? Like, do I quit? I really fucking like that job."

"Hell no." I turned to Lexi. "You don't quit. That's not very Rule 6. There's nothing wrong with what you did. We've been over this. He knew it was just one night right?"

"Yeah. He said he wanted to change my mind but didn't let me tell him it wasn't going to happen."

"So, you're fine. I highly doubt 2 men are going to propose to you for sleeping with them." She snickered. It wasn't funny. "Okay, worst-case scenario, he's pissed at you for leaving. You only work with Mark one day a week and it's a Friday right? So, we go out and get you pissed after every shift with him. Think of it this way. You get pissed about him hating you, you get to have rough angry sex with a total stranger. You win." I sighed. I guess it didn't sound too bad.

"Am I being dramatic?"

"No." They said in unison.

"Not at all Tor. It's a shock to the system. We're not supposed to see them after we leave. The only time we have, it's ended badly. You're bound to be anxious about seeing them again. Especially if it didn't exactly end great."

"It didn't."

"Exactly. I bet it's just shock. You've got the whole week to sit on it and think and come to terms with it and we'll be on hand. We can have lunch Friday for a mid-day catch up. That way you'll have a reason to get out the office so he can't hold you hostage or anything."

"I might die."

"Eh. Was gonna happen to all of us eventually anyway. At least you went out on some good sex."

"Was it really that good?"

"6 times." I nodded, pressing my lips tightly together. "That man. Holy fuck. He knows what he's doing." I laid my head back on my shoulders, smiling at the thought of it all. "It's a good job we have rules because if we didn't, god, I'd be going back for a second dip." I could feel their eyes burning into either side of my face. "What?"

"You'd go back again?"

"You don't-"

"Only with Leon and that was a mutual agreement."

"I know. I really do. I don't go back. I never even think of it. But I did. I am. I wouldn't but if I could. I would."