Mahony fumed when he went back to the office. For the first time he was at a loss where to focus his energy on. In an unprecedented move, he shut down his computer, packed his bag and headed for home. He didn't know what bothered him more, that Brad and Lisa warned him not to be an office gossip or that he hadn't already gossiped. It annoyed Mahony to no end that not only had he already forgotten what he had thought he saw that night but had also decided that night that even if he did see what he thought he saw, he wouldn't have blabbed about it. The look Lisa gave him and the accusatory looks from both Brad and Lisa made him question his own incongruent sense of morals when compared to the current trend.

When he finally sat down in the train and was rocking ever steadily towards home, he wondered what would've happened if he disclosed to his co-workers what he had seen in the conference room that night. Would it reach Leland eventually or perhaps would others come out and disclosed their own encounter stories? Mahony was sure that what he had witnessed that night wasn't Brad and Lisa's first tryst at the office after hours.

The reflection on the train window was the look of disgust that surfaced on Mahony's face. The reflection surprised him, he didn't like what he had seen in it. He shut his eyes and willed himself to let the annoyance that was still bubbling inside of him go. Mahony let out a long breath, as a new thought surfaced in his head. What Brad and Lisa had done tonight had effectively refreshed Mahony's memory and confirmed a suspicion that otherwise was already forgotten. If only they had done absolutely nothing, they would've gotten away with it. And now? And now, Mahony had no intention of doing anything about it either, he still felt that whatever was happening was between Brad and Lisa and their respective spouses.

The train stop was only eight minutes from his home by car. Mahony drove straight home from the little stop. He didn't have anything to eat all evening but wasn't feeling hungry since the sour taste from earlier was still there. He took a hot shower and felt better afterwards, still swathed in the bath towel, Mahony looked himself in the mirror and saw that the look of disgust had faded, what was there was a man in his mid-thirties and a body that he had maintained with discipline. He may not look it in his usual office attire but he was fairly buff with muscles in all the right places. As much as he had thought about settling down with a partner, he was also equally averse to the idea. The work that's needed to maintain a relationship require more energy than he was willing give right now.

Mahony allowed himself to do as little as possible over the weekend. Determined to release the store of annoyances and frustrations that had built-up over the past months. By the end of the weekend, he actually felt renewed and ready to face the craziness that he's sure would crop up sooner or later.

However, that bliss he had built up over the weekend proved to be short lived. "Good morning, Mahony," Lisa said as soon as she walked in and spotted Mahony at his desk, her smile was definitely pasted on. Without waiting for a response from Mahony she went on, "We need to talk." She dropped her purse in the bottom drawer in her usual graceless manner.

Mahony let out a sigh, "Ok, let's talk."

"Not here, let's go to the small conference room," Lisa offered.

Lisa quickly shut the conference room door and turned towards Mahony as soon as they went in. "Look, I hope there were no hard feelings the other day but I really need to know if you had told anyone about what you had seen."

"Lisa, look, first of all, I didn't see anything other than Brad that night. Second of all, I don't gossip and I don't ever plan to start gossiping, not about you and Brad and not about anything else. Alright?" Mahony said feeling the return of all of the frustrations and annoyances that he thought he had worked out over the weekend.

Lisa looked at Mahony, her pasted smile was barely hanging on that Mahony worried that it might actually slide off of her face. "Come on, Mahony."

"What do you want me to say?" Mahony dropped his hands to his sides with frustration. He didn't get why Lisa insisted on pursuing this further. It was done and over with, which part of done and over with didn't she get?

"Surely," Lisa said shaking her head, her tone conveyed her equal frustration, "you want something in return for your silence." She stared at Mahony's face, not daring to miss a single tick of the muscle.

Mahony's mouth opened but no sound came out, his mind barely able to catch on to this turn of event. When his brain finally caught up, "I don't want anything in return for my silence," he said.

Surprise was evident on Lisa's face, "You must be joking. There's no way I would believe that you don't want anything in return." She paused for a brief second to study Mahony's face. "Look, I don't exactly have a lot of cash on me, but I can pay you, if you would take payment in installments, I'd appreciate it."

Flabbergasted, "Lisa, I really don't want anything from you," Mahony said with emphasis.

Lisa's smile finally slipped and she dropped all pretense for friendliness. "If you want me to sleep with you in exchange for your silence, that can be arranged."

Mahony backed away from Lisa until his back was plastered against the wall, his palms out, "Lisa, listen to me, and listen to me carefully. I don't want money from you, I don't want to have sex with you, I don't want anything from you. Are we clear?"

Lisa's mouth pressed into a thin line, she stared hard at Mahony. "Fine. If that's what you want, then there's nothing left for me to say." She turned around, flung open the conference room door and marched out of the room back to her desk.

Mahony took a few moments to collect himself from the bizarre exchange he just had. He could only conclude that there're a few crayons short of a full box with Lisa. He couldn't fathom how and when she arrived at the conclusion that he had wanted something in exchange for his silence. On his way back to his own desk, he reexamined the exchanges he'd had with Lisa the past few weeks but couldn't find in what way their interactions had suggested he wanted a bribe.

The week went on more or less as it typically would for Mahony except with Lisa. The usual cordial interactions between them had turned predatory. He caught Lisa watching him intently a few times, studying him. It was disconcerting to say the least and downright unnerving. It didn't take a genius to work out that Lisa's brain was going full tilt, burning every tank of fuel she's got up there.

As much as Mahony tried to ignore Lisa, Lisa, however, had other ideas. By the end of the week, she approached Mahony at the end of the business day and asked him again if he would consider her offer. Mahony once again reassured her that taking anything from her in exchange for his silence was the last thing that was on his mind. Lisa finally appeared as if she was convinced and walked away cordially wishing Mahony a good weekend.

Mahony left the office on time that night, something he's not done for a long time owing to the long holiday weekend. His steps light, relieved from Lisa's acceptance of his reassurances, as he headed towards the train station. Just when he thought this Brad and Lisa episode, however odd that was, was finally out of his hair, he ran into Brad at the entrance of the train station. Dismayed, Mahony greeted Brad as he came towards him.

"Brad, where have you been, haven't seen you all week," Mahony greeted.

"Damn last-minute business trip, you know how it is, I only just got in." Brad tugged on the strap to his leather messenger bag, adjusting it to rest on his hip. "Heading into the office now to meet with Leland."

Surprised, "Leland was out of the office all afternoon," Mahony responded. "I was looking for him too. I guess he'll be coming back to the office."

"I have an appointment so I have no choice, otherwise I would've just gone straight home. Want me to tell him something for you?"

Mahony thought for a second, "Nah, it can wait." Not wanting to leave things to Brad nor did he want to head back to the office. Besides, there's a limit to one's dedication. "Have a good weekend." Mahony was ready to head into the station.

"Hey, about Lisa," Brad said, then paused as if thinking over what he wanted to say.

"Don't worry about Lisa, I've reassured her multiple times that whatever happened was between you and her, I don't care at all what you guys do. And, I don't gossip."

Brad looked at Mahony as if what he was about to say to Mahony wasn't what Mahony had assumed but decided at the last second to not mention it. "That's good then. Lisa can get broken record-ish, especially when she gets stuck on an idea."

Mahony shrugged. "I've gathered. But I think she's got it." He looked at the announcement board, "My train is almost here, I better get going."

"Alright, have a good weekend then," Brad gave Mahony a quick wave and both men headed toward the opposite direction.

Instead of heading towards the office like Brad had said to Mahony, he hailed a cab and headed for the Paradise Motel. Like usual, Brad and Lisa got their carnal needs out of the way before getting down to business.

"Brad, I don't like his holier than thou attitude," Lisa said, her brows knitted in annoyance. "I was being nice to him and he threw it back in my face."

"Lisa, honey. I don't think he meant it that way," Brad reassured her as he drew little circles on the small of her back. "Besides, he told me himself that he's not interested in getting involved in our affairs."

"How can you be so sure he wouldn't try anything?" Lisa fired back and sat up leaning against the headboard.

"What makes you think he's gonna try anything?" Brad turned facing the ceiling, cradling his head on his hands.

"Why wouldn't he, he got us where he wants us." Lisa crossed her arms over her bare chest.

Feeling a slight annoyance coming on, "Did he make any demands?" Brad asked.

"No, but he will, you just wait and see."

Brad lifted his eyes to look at Lisa and saw Lisa's manicured fingernails dug into her upper arms. Brad reached up and grabbed her hand, "You're over thinking things."

Lisa pulled her hand out of Brad's, "You'll be sorry if you don't deal with him now."

Now truly annoyed, Brad scooted up, "There's nothing to deal with, just leave the man be."

"Easy for you to say, you have nothing to lose." Lisa fired back.

"How can you say that? I got a family just as you, I have just as much to lose."

"Please ... that wife of yours, if she's as loose as you've said, why would she care if you played around. But Dan is different, not to mention he's worth too much to risk it."

"Listen to yourself," Brad let out a bark like laugh, "if that's how you truly feel then why jump in bed with me as soon as you get the chance to? Wouldn't the risk be greater than you should be comfortable with?"

Lisa kept silent, not dignifying Brad with an answer.

"The problem with you is," Brad turned to look at Lisa in the eyes, "you want your cake and eat it too, what's worse is when you did eat the cake you want more."

"Why not?" Lisa threw her arms up, "Hell, aren't I worth it?" She looked at Brad with a seductive smile. "Let's not fight, I hate it when we fight." She climbed onto Brad's lap and straddled him. "Tell me, aren't I worth it?"

"That depends on what you do next?" Brad gave Lisa an equally seductive smile as he pulled her naked body against his.

"Thatcan be arranged," said Lisa.