Deep End

chapter two: I'm diving into the deep end and I'm not scared, I'm not scared

It's didn't take long for the police to arrive. by the time they had Drake appeared back outside, explaining that when he'd arrived, the man was gone. The mansion was searched and just like Drake had claimed- the mysterious man had disappeared

The pair stood on the expansive driveway, filled with police cars and blue lights lighting up the dark space.

"Are you okay?" Drake questioned as Riley returned from giving an officer her statement. He didn't turn to look at her, continuing to look over the swarm of officers beginning to dissipate.

Riley didn't answer. The events of the night running through her head, along with thousands of questions but whether she'd actually receive the answers to those questions was anyone's guess.

She understood the role of the protective big brother that Maxwell had taken on. She knew that he cared for her as if she was his sister and had vowed long ago to protect her. Although she failed to understand how keeping her in the dark about such important things was protecting her. 

Riley's attention was captured by a car door slamming and Maxwell jumping out. When she turned to look, he was already in front of her, concern written across his face.  

''Are you okay?''  She was able to hear the urgency in Maxwell's voice as his eyes scanned over her checking for any sign of an injury. 

Riley nodded in response. ''Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine.'' 

Maxwell nodded sadly, taking Drake to one side. ''Do you know how he got in? Who is he? Did the police find him?" Maxwell continued to hurl question after question at Drake, hardly giving the other man a chance to respond. 

Riley turned away from the two men. with the police dispersing,  and maxwell sure to keep Drake busy for the foreseeable future, Riley started walking back up toward her house, walking down a small cobblestone path, lighted by a few random scattered lights. She needed to clear her head. She needed a distraction from what her life had become. 

Riley couldn't help but think back to when her life with her husband had started. it felt like a fairytale come true. It was everything she'd ever wanted. The money and the perks that came with that was, yes, very much appreciated but the love she'd found, the family she'd made along the way meant more to her. 

The memory of the night she met Liam started to replay, and for the first time in weeks, she didn't resist it. 

_______ 

(4 Years ago) 

Riley sat, splattered with different colored paints, her hands mucky from a day full of work.  She'd been attempting to ignore the insistent ringing of her phone and just focussing on her latest piece. Having divided attention never really went well for her. Eventually, she grew tired of the noise, placing her brush down onto her palate and wiping her hands n her apron, she answered her phone, putting the device on speaker. 

''So, It's been a couple of hours Ri... Have you changed your mind?'' Frankly, Riley had forgotten all about her friend's pleas that Riley go out with her and few others that night. 

Riley sighed, looking up at the still unfinished piece. ''I can't.' 

"Why not?" Riley's friend retorted. 

"Cause I gotta finish this painting."

''Just finish it tomorrow. Come on, Ri. We haven't gone out in forever,'' she complained. 

"I can't - I have a deadline," Riley attempted to explain although she knew that her friend wasn't going to let her get out of going. 

"Yeah, another ridiculous deadline that you've set for yourself that's humanely IMPOSSIBLE for you to meet. Now, go shower, put on a dress, and meet me outside your house in an hour." with that she hung up knowing that Riley would in fact follow her orders after moaning about it for a few minutes. 

Riley did as asked with no idea that the night ahead of her would change everything. 

______

(Back to present day) 

It wasn't intentional. She hadn't planned on coming down there again. Never again. it held too many memories for her. All good, of course, but all too painful to revisit right now. Anything to do with her recently deceased spouse was hard to think about. 

When they'd brought the house, they decided to build a small cottage at the end of the vast garden, near the stream running through it. Of course, they had more than enough space in their actual house but going down to the cottage reminded Riley of going on holiday when she was a child. It gave them time alone with each other away from their crazy lives.  

She'd been sitting on the steps leading up to the porch. She was unsure of how long she'd actually been sitting there though. 

Riley jumped slightly at the sound of an unwanted guest "I was wondering where you'd disappeared to."  She looked up not saying anything as the man took a seat beside her. A few moments of silence went by before either of them spoke. "Did you not have enough room in your actual house?" He questioned, nodding at the just visible main house. It was an attempt to lighten the mood, to break the ice. However, the joke did not land and the tension grew more uncomfortable. 

Another few minutes of pure silence went by. "You know you can't stay here, right? It's not safe" 

"And how gave you the authority to make that kind of decision for me, Mr. Walker? I thought I made it pretty clear that I don't need a bodyguard." 

"I know" Drake responded, "But not you're gonna fire me." 

"Oh? Why not?" She questioned, turning her body to face him properly.  

"Because you're scared," he retorted, confident. 

"I'm not scared, Drake." She was certain he'd correct her under his breath. The man knew when to pick his battles and this was not one of them. "I'm...Confused. Angry... " she took a moment to get her thoughts together, "Maxwell thinks he's protecting me by not telling me everything but he's not. Someone broke into my house for god's sake!" 

"That makes sense," Drake nodded, "You have every right to be kept in the loop." 

Riley responded with a small smile. pleased that someone understood where she was coming from. She got to her feet, turning around to look at him. "Well, then I think it's about time that we go and have a proper conversation. Don't you?