I woke up with a start as if I had been dreaming, but I wasn't dreaming. I could feel an arm wrapped around my body in a secured hold as if afraid I would escape. I felt Rogue's breath hitting my neck and his heat that warmed me all over my body. The knowledge that I had sex with Rogue, mind-blowing sex traveled through my head. I had given myself up to him, and he had taken me like he had always wanted.

So, why was he still here?

Why was he still on my bed? Holding me? Cuddling with me? Why did I wake up and find him sleeping beside me? I had anticipated waking up and seeing him gone, but he was still here, reminding me of what we had done. I had sex with him, and I had no clue what to do next.

It was my decision, though. I let him carved more of his inside me, and it felt much worse than I thought it would. I guess I thought I could wake up and brush it aside, pretend that nothing between us had happened, that he was just like a one night stand, but waking up to him changed everything, and the hollowness was both higher and lower than my stomach, and I was even in more trouble now.

I rubbed my eyes and blinked. My curtains were closed, but it was morning. I could see the sunlight peeking from underneath the door, and I could hear the cars in the streets. I tried to slip out of his arms and hide in the bathroom until he was gone, but almost as if he could read my mind, he squeezed my hip, alerting me that he was awake.

"Stop overthinking things."

And he knew exactly what was going on in my head.

I allowed myself to roll over and faced him, though it was better to face him now than to hide from someone who would always catch me.  "You're still here." My voice was quiet and steady.

Rogue searched my eyes. "You were hoping to wake up and find me gone." He rolled his eyes. "You don't know me. If you did, you would know I couldn't let you wake up in bed alone." He leaned in and wrapped his arms around me tightly, inhaling in my neck.

"Why?"

"Why? Because I'm not an asshole, Beth. Whether you believe it or not," Rogue replied, his voice raspy from sleep. His lips curved. "And this isn't a one-time thing."

"It's not?" His words echoed in my head. I guess it wasn't what I had expected him to say, nor did I want to continue thinking about it.

"If it were," he started sharply. "I would have gone the second I slipped out of you."

I gripped his forearms with my hands, trying to loosen his grip on me. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying, I will take you out to lunch and dinner, invite you to my house or invite myself to yours," he stated it as a fact, nudging my hand away with a flick of his forearm while maintaining his hold on me. "I will fuck you hard, all night long, and wake up in bed with you the next morning. Then we will have a repeat. I will text you and see how you are doing, buy you flowers and take you out shopping. You will come with me to my events, and I will introduce you to my friends." His lips turned into my cheek, kissing it sweetly.

There were a thousand responses that came to mind, too many to sort through at the moment. There was nothing I could do except to lay there, dumbfounded, shocked out of my mind.

"That sounds like people who are dating, but we're not," I reminded him. "In case you have forgotten, I'm with someone already."

"West," Rogue said his name with an absence of malice. "Don't worry, I will take care of him." He looked down at me, his eyes bright as he looked deeply satisfied with himself and hot with his disheveled hair.

"Take care of him?"

"I will tell him you've found someone else and to leave you alone for me to take care of."

I sat up, and he followed suit, letting me put a small distance between us. I guess he might have thought I needed or felt an impending doom coming. "Should I give the same courtesy to Veronica?" I challenged, my face flush, my breathing harsh as I clenched my fists.

For one split instant, he froze, annoyance and disbelief written all over his face. And then his lips tightened grimly. "Beth—"

"So, you can take West away from me, but I can't do the same to Veronica." I laughed. It pained me. "You're so funny and hypocritical." I surprised myself that I was still sitting on the bed, letting myself be near him.

Rogue stared, his fists clenched and trembling at his sides. "It's not the same fucking thing," he told me, his jaw tensed.

"It's not? You're honestly going to tell me it's not the same thing? Fuck you." I managed to push him away and rolled out of bed, hurrying to collect my panties from the floor, which I quickly put on and walked bare-chested to locate my bra.

Once again, Rogue had proven to me that he was a total asshole. It was not the first time. Not even the second time. Why was I always surprised when he showed his true colors?

When I found it near his shirt, I picked my bra up. "God, what was I thinking?" I was talking to myself now, angry, and disappointed. Angry, so angry. I was angry when I put myself bra on and said, "Just....get out."

The air between us thickened, and Rogue squinted at me for a beat too long. "You're kicking me out?"

I stood in my underwear, hands on my hips, and face angry but determined. "Yes, I'm kicking you out the same way I would have kicked out my one night stands. I had fun. You made me orgasm so many times. Thanks for that, but it's time for a reality where you and I will never hold hands and walk out in public."

At this moment, I knew he was about to kill me or beat me senselessly. At least, that was what I got from his dark eyes that raged and burned with fire. It roared and burst in his eyes, but he remained seated on the bed, and I remained where I was, unmoving and stubborn.

"Fine." I waved my hand in the air and dropped them in frustration. "If you're not leaving, then I'm leaving the room for you."

I only took two steps before Rogue shot out of bed, standing in his naked glory, and then like lightning, his hand wrapped around my waist and imprisoned me. I whirled around to find him snarling at me.

"You're not leaving," he barked. "Just what the fuck is wrong with you?"

Oh, he had the nerve.

"You're my problem! I want you out of my house, Rogue, I'm not kidding. Out!" I yelled, pointing at the door. I was visibly shaking in anger and facing a brooding asshole in front of me. It wasn't the morning that I wanted.

"Just—" he paused and dragged his hand through his hair, messing it more than it already was. Realizing that he still wasn't going to leave, I walked past him swiftly to get to the bathroom and hide inside, but I felt his hand wrapped around the top of my arm. I yanked it out of his grasp, carrying on to the bathroom.

I went to shut the door, but he slammed his leg into it, barging in behind me. I made a point of glaring at him before I moved away to turn the shower on, then went to the sink to brush my teeth, and the whole time, he stood there, studying me, letting me finish.

When the bathroom was full of steam, I unhooked my bra, dropping it on the ground and slipping out of my panties. I didn't care that I was naked. Actually, I wanted to show him what he would be missing out on, even though it was complete bullshit, but I was hurt, and I wasn't thinking, and I quite didn't give a shit that I was naked.

I opened the shower door and let the hot water relaxed my muscles, washing off any remnants of Rogue from my body. I started to wash my hair, dragging my fingers through my hair when the shower door was flung open, and Rogue hissed at me.

"I don't want you to leave," he began tightly, jaw clenching and unclenching. "And I'm not going to leave either." I stared at him, completely annoyed, hot water washing down on me. He continued in agitation, "We're both adults. We talk this shit out and not act childishly. What the hell is the problem? We had a great night—"

"Your relationship with Veronica is my problem!" I turned the water off and pushed my way past his body, ignoring the sparks that flew off from the contact. I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around me, then used another one to dry my hair with it.

"My relationship with Veron—the only relationship we have is friendship!" He followed me out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. I caught his eyes in the mirror, which was shining bright with rage, burning my skin.

"So you both keep saying, but I saw you kissed and the way you act around each other—"

"For fucks sake, I've told you this so many times that I've lost count. Veronica and I are close, that's just it. Beth, don't tell me you aren't close with your friends."

"I don't go around kissing them!" I turned and threw the towel I used to dry my hair at him, and it was such a weak throw that it ended up landing a foot away from him. "There's obviously something going on which you are not telling me, so help me understand what kind of relationship you two have. Tell me what secret you're keeping me, and I swear to you, I'll listen and try to understand," I begged, knowing I would keep to my words. I was desperate to try and find reasons not to feel guilty for wanting him, and he was the only one who would be able to take the guilt away.

Rogue reached up, brushing his knuckles down my cheek. I unconsciously nuzzled into it, closing my eyes. His touch was addictive, he was addictive. Then he lowered his head and lightly brushed his lips against mine. It felt more like an apologetic kiss. When I leaned into him, he pulled back and gazed down at me in silence, then delivered the most shocking part of everything.

"I...I'm afraid I don't trust you," he murmured.

My body went stiff. The room was spinning. "You don't trust m—are you kidding me?" Stunned, I breathed, "If you didn't trust me, why the hell are you here? Why would you waste your time, and why would you think I would even look at you again after what you just told me?" A disbelieving little laugh escaped my lips.

"That's just it, Beth. I'm here because I want to trust you. I want to learn to trust you."

I stared up at him. He can't be serious.

"Don't be stupid. You can't expect me to continue anything with you."

"Do you trust me?" he demanded, and when I remained quiet, he growled through gritted teeth. "You don't trust me either, so why are you making a big deal about this? If I feel like I can trust you, I will tell you what you want to know...everything, even though Veronica will have my head for it, I will still tell you because I'm tired of you looking at me like that."

Like he was the biggest liar on earth? Yes, well, it would take a miracle for him to change my mind.

"Beth, I want you to look at me like I'm the only person you feel like you can trust."

I studied him for a moment, all his frustration and impatience. I didn't feel a shred of pity for him, the asshole. He was the author of his own miseries, not me. "It doesn't matter." Like I have said so many times. It didn't matter. It didn't matter.

"It matters," he snarled. "I can't concentrate on anything else. Every time I see you or think about you, it gets worse. Nothing fucking helps me at all, or you don't think I've tried everything?"

"You have so many willing women falling at your feet, so go and bother with them. It doesn't have to be me. I don't want it to be me."

"Well, that's just bad, isn't it? Because I chose you," Rogue growled. "You found a way to enter my head, and now I can't get out out of it."

Aggravated, I pulled away from him and turned my back, picking up his shirt and trousers, I threw them at him. I stalked to my closet to pick out my clothes while saying, "You had already had me last night. You touched me. Your dick was inside me. You cummed in my chest. That should be enough for you. Mission accomplished."

His voice came very low from behind me. Deadly. Darkly. "Shut the fuck up."

I rolled my eyes and turned around to stare at him, standing there, boiling with heat and danger, like he was about to blow up. "Why? Rogue, I'm honest here. You have used me, now cast me aside. Isn't that what men do when they have achieved their goals?" A smirk slipped onto my face when he glowered at me. I paused, my thumbs hooking into my panties. "Or do you need another round before you get tired of me?" I arched a brow.

He pushed me backward until my back hit the wall, caged me in with his arms and body, and he stared back at me, his gaze level and unwavering. He had never looked hotter, more intense, or more dangerous. "I told you to shut the fuck up." Then he pulled back from me and turned away, saying, "We're going to have this conversation when you're sound-minded and not acting like a crazy woman."

I gasped out loud, watching him pick his boxer briefs. "How dare you!" I yelled, aggravated. "If anyone is a lunatic here, it's you, twat!"

Rogue looked back at me as he helped himself in his briefs, a smirk curving his lips. "That's right, so maybe you should keep in mind that I don't have any limits."

"I know how to cross limits too."

"Is that so?" He cocked his brow, now standing in nothing but his boxer briefs, his hands on his hips and his legs spread apart. "Feels like a storytime."

He wanted to continue engaging with me so that he didn't have a reason to leave. I was not about to give him something to hold him here.

I folded my arms across my chest and gazed calmly at him. "Don't you have work to go to?"

"It's Saturday." He looked me up and down slowly, eating me up with hungry eyes. When he moistened his lips, I almost groaned out loud. With a smile, he added, "I'm staying right here, and I'm not leaving until I'm completely sure you're not turning your back on me."

It's immediately evident that he was not leaving and had any intention of doing so. I couldn't have him here to make me vulnerable. I pressed my back into the wall when he started to stride toward me. "It's my house," I said weakly. "I make the rules."

"True, true." Rogue nodded in agreement and stopped in front of me, taking my face in his hands. He breathed out, "But when we're alone, I make the rules." He lowered his mouth to mine. His mouth demanded mine, taking and owning me. His hand moved from my cheek to the back of my head, his fingers threading through my hair. Rogue stroked my tongue, and I was lost in him, completely lost.

We didn't break the kiss as he picked me up and started stalking to the bed. He dropped and got on top of me, not leaving any room for me to think at all. He was between my thigh, nudging my legs open, and his hands pinned my wrists on either side of my head. Rogue's hand slipped into my panties, touching me, and my heart sprinted in my chest.

"I want to do so much worse." His voice thickened. "я хочу заставить тебя кричать." I want to make you scream. He said it so nightmarish I couldn't see anything past pain and blood.

Fire blazed in my belly; I bared my teeth, snarling, "Don't touch me. I'm not yours. I will never be yours."

We glared into each other's eyes, and the bond between us flared tight, reaching with shackles, binding us together. He knew I was lying, and it took everything in me to say that. I was weak to him, and he knew that. My eyes practically begged him to kiss me again, to have me again, and he did that. He smothered me with his body as his mouth captured mine. A tongue speared between my lips. I whimpered, melted, kissing him back with the same force.

Rogue shifted, quite easily removing my panties without breaking the kiss. I fought to breathe as his tongue possessed my senses, forcing me to taste and devour. And the next thing I knew, he had removed his briefs, shifting his hips, and plunged into me, stretching me. We both groaned in unison at the penetration as I instantly gripped onto every inch of him inside me. Rogue held me still for a few seconds, his head hanging and his lips still on me. Everything else got lost. I couldn't think of anything else besides him, ramming straight back into me.

I kissed him like he was the only thing good for me and the only thing I needed. Our sweat ridden bodies were colliding, our breaths hitching, and the only sound in the room was the moan that kept coming from my mouth. I held onto him so tightly, wanting me, needing more. I really couldn't get enough of him.

*

I was in the kitchen trying to make coffee for myself when Rogue walked out of my bedroom, showered but still wearing his clothes from yesterday. For a second, I stared at him as he typed on his phone, his attention far away from me, but mine lingered on him longer than necessary.

His body was beautiful. He was beautiful. Stunning, sleek, and strong. I couldn't believe I was with a man like him. He seemed so attainable, so out of my league, and yet here he was, roaming around my flat like he owned me, moments after we had showered together. Well, had sex while showering. I didn't think I could get enough of him, but my heart was already hammering, and I felt tingly between my thighs.

Rogue Slade was extraordinary, and I had him all to myself. I realized I was gawking at him now, but holy shit, any woman would look at him the same way I was looking at him right now.

Looking away, I sipped on my coffee as he closed the few steps between us with his long stride and slipped into the stool next to me. His brows were furrowed deeply as he answered the texts he was receiving.

"You know you can leave right," I stated without making it more obvious that I was kicking him out. It was past eleven right now, almost noon. He should have left hours ago. No, he should have left last night, but I couldn't believe he was still here with me and with no plans to leave. Asshole.

His voice was a dark, delicious command. "Are you kicking me out again?" He looked at me and kept the phone on the counter, keeping it aside to focus on me completely, which wasn't fair because I liked him more when he wasn't staring at me. It gave me enough moment, enough time to study every inch of him, but when he was looking at me like he wanted to fuck me all over again, I couldn't hold his gaze for more than ten seconds.

"Are you leaving?" I asked, blowing the coffee before drinking.

"No."

I glared at him when he chuckled. "Don't you have something to do? Aren't you workaholics supposed not to have a free day?" His eyes burned me with intensity. It was too distracting, and it made me weak, so I turned and moved to the sink to wash my mug, putting a safe distance between us.

"Nice try, but I'm not a workaholic."

"How come?"

"I'm enjoying free time, and I don't hesitate to take advantage of it," he replied. "Now that we have established that I have nothing to do today, I imagine the same is with you?" When I was silent for too long for his patience, he demanded, "Well?"

I said softly, washing my hands, "I have a lot to do." I didn't really have a lot to do today, but he didn't have to know that. If he thought my day would be busy, he would leave me alone. When I finished washing my hands, I turned around to face him, watching him examine my face for a moment before he grinned widely.

"Great." Rogue rubbed his hands together. "Let's do it together."

My eyes bulged. My words tripped. "We can't walk out in public," I told him, sounding surprised for even suggesting we do so, but I still flushed at the suggestion. My heart flipped, and electricity coursed through my body.

His brows knitted together. "Why not?"

"Why? Because that's crazy. You're not exactly just someone—you're Rogue Slade. People know you. If we go out together, I will be all over the damn social media." It would be awkward and annoying. I had nothing to say about what the hell was going on. We were not even together, so there was no need to go out in public.

"Will that be a bad thing?"

"Yes!"

Rogue sighed. He regarded me shrewdly and then shook his head. "And why will that be?" He frowned as he asked this, then something came over him, and he eyed me speculatively. "Oh, you mean you don't want West to know." He looked annoyed.

"That's not it." I knotted my fingers together, staring at them hard, trying to conceal my frustration or unease. I looked up at him again. "I just don't want the media to be all over me. I know what that feels like, and I really don't like it." My voice was all breathy, hesitant.

"I'm sure Lauren can give you tips."

"Lauren doesn't—" I stopped short and gasped, my eyes expanding. "WHAT! You know Lauren? How do you know my best friend?" I yelled, then growled with a clenched jaw, "Have you looked into me?"

He laughed with a shake of his head. "Calm down."

"Tell me how you know her."

"I will tell you when you come closer." He held his hand out for me to take. I stared at him. I stared at it. I chewed on my bottom lip, contemplating. Rogue arched a brow, waiting for me to take his hand.

Ah, what the hell.

I slipped my hand into his, and he dragged me closer, wounding my arms around his neck. Pulling me close, he lowered his head to my neck and tightened his hold around my waist. Shocked, I stayed still in his arms. I couldn't believe he was hugging me or that I was allowing him to hug me, and I was contemplating succumbing to the passionate hug. What frightened me was how much I wanted to.

"Don't tell me to leave. Don't shut me out. Don't tell me you don't want to see me again," he whispered, drawing a breath and exhaling it.

"Even if I do, will you listen?" I whispered back. "I'm not bothering again."

His chuckle was a low rumble underneath my ear. "It's not what I will do. It's what you say. Even if I disobey you, the words came out of your lips. That hurts, Beth." His voice echoed, dark and thick.

My heart thudded like a drum, roaring in my ears. I tilted my head back and looked at him. "You get hurt?" I asked, my voice trembling. Every breath I took seemed to make my lungs tighter.

Rogue's eyes took on that faraway look they sometimes get. That look like he was tapping onto dark memories. "I'm not made of stone."

I swallowed very hard and took a long slow breath. "I wish you were."

His right hand lifted toward my face. It was pure instinct that made me close my eyes when his fingers caressed my brows, my lips, and my chin. "So it would be easier to let go?" he guessed, his voice hoarse.

"No." I shook my head and opened my eyes. "It would have been easier to walk away from you if you had just remained the terrifying man you had been before."

My answer seemed to make him happy when a slight smile cracked through his mouth.  "Are you saying my persistence is working?" he asked. His gaze became almost too bright to look away. Too beautiful to deny.

"I'm crazy, aren't I?" I slipped myself out of his arms and found myself seated on another stool, which was quite close to him.

"For wanting what you want? No, you're not," he responded, leaning in to reach for my hand. He stared at our entwined hands with a big grin playing across his face before tilting his head to ask, "Will you have me now?"

Taken aback, I blinked. I became aware of the fact that my nails were digging into my skin, and I forced myself to unclench my fingers and take a deep breath. I needed to get a hold of myself, so I focused on controlling my breathing.

I took too long to answer, and Rogue bit out with a resigned sigh. "Fine, Beth, I accept for you to make me your bad secret." His tone was casual now as he paused for a moment, though I could feel the tension in his body. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he added, "I don't like being your dirty little secret, but I'm leaving the choice to you. No one else needs to know, so you can relax. We will take things slow until you're comfortable, or if you want, I can give you time to think about it."

His words washed over me, bringing with it a kind of unhealthy excitement. Some part of me reveled in the fact that I was special to Rogue, that he was as helplessly drawn to me as I was to him.

I was actually so surprised that he wasn't pushing me, that he was giving me a choice here, the man who prided himself in taking away people's choices, and yet here he was, laying out options for me, letting me choose on my own accord.

"You will actually give me space to think?"

Rogue cleared his throat, and when he spoke, he was once again in charge of himself. "Just answer my question. It's very simple." One look at his knuckles, all white with the intensity of his grasp, suggested there was nothing gentle about him just now. I looked into his eyes, keeping his gaze locked onto mine.

For some strange reason, I feel compelled to ask. "You'd go through all of that trouble for me?" So, it wasn't just sex that he wanted. "I'm afraid to say yes."

"Aren't you curious about me? Everything about me?" He sounded amused. "You will only get to know the answers you want if you stay with me, even the one you still think I have a hand in."

I had to admit, I wanted to know everything about him, and now I was sure he had no hand in Hanna's kidnapping, but he was also aware of who had done it. I was mostly interested in how she had ended up in his house and his relationship with Veronica. Those were secrets I needed to know about, but weren't the price of those secrets too high?

His phone rang before I could answer him. Looking at the caller ID, he excused himself and walked off to my bedroom to answer it. I rested my cheek against the counter and sighed, staring at the wall in front of me. When Rogue came back minutes later, he was properly dressed, and it looked like he was leaving too.

Didn't he say he wasn't leaving?

"Beth, something came up. I have to go." He reached me and held onto my arm. "I know I said I wasn't going to leave, but this is really important."

I nodded. "Okay."

He cocked his head. "You're happy I'm leaving, aren't you?"

"Just go." I pushed him back with a shake of my head. I wanted to know who had called and what was so important that he was leaving me here when he was adamant about sticking with me today, but I honestly didn't want to know to spare myself the heartache in case it wasn't something I would like. And If he thought I would like it, he would have told me already.

"I'll take you out for lunch tomorrow," he informed me. "It doesn't have to be a public place. I can find us somewhere private, and no one would know."

"I don't know about tomorrow," I said sincerely. "Hanna might drag me out, and I can't exactly tell her I made plans with you."

"Fine, dinner then."

"I don't know about that too."

His shoulders sagged, and he scowled heavily. "Are you refusing to go out with me? You don't have to make excuses. You could just say you don't want to go, and I would understand. I'm not going to push you anymore."

"It's not that," I said with a frustrated sigh. "I really don't know if I will be free tomorrow, but if I'm not, I will call you. I promise." I smiled tightly.

"Fine," Rogue declared. "I hope you do." He leaned in, resting his palm on my arm, and planted a scorching hot kiss on my lips. He pulled back, leaving me slightly breathless. "I'll wait for your call." He turned and strolled away, heading for the door.

"I'm not asking you to have hope," I shouted after him.

He turned, walking backward with a fraction of a grin tickling his lips. "I think I will do just fine. You're the one I worry about. It will be hard not to think about me all day and all night." He winked before turning away and resumed his sexy stride to the door, opening and closing it. Everything Rogue did was effortless and sexy as hell, the way he carried himself, all confident and powerful.