I blinked awake, the blanket of sleep slipping off me. I stared at the ceiling before closing my eyes again, trying to lure myself to sleep again.

Then my ears perked, hearing a tapping sound coming from somewhere. There were little sounds. Tap, click tap, click, tap...tap...tap. I leaned up on my arms, trying to bring my eyes into focus. Did that sound like a knock or footsteps? I glanced at the clock on the nightstand—it was after two in the morning.

Turning over, I sat up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. Could I be imagining things again? I looked around me, the moonlight streaming in from the window and falling across the white sheets as I listened for any sound. But then a loud thud hit, and I jumped, sucking in a breath. I sat there and waited, then the tapping began again.

Who could it be?

A thought occurred to me. What if it was Hanna? What if she had regained consciousness and was trying to get out? She could need my help. If she wakes up Rogue....

Throwing off the sheets, I jumped down from the bed and tiptoed carefully across the bedroom floor, listening for more sounds. I pushed down any fear before I opened the door, carefully not making a sound. I crept down the hallway. I still wasn't sure where the sound came from, but common sense told me to check where Hanna was being kept, making sure it wasn't her, and that she didn't need my help.

I made sure to peek before going in full force, because who knows if I could be wrong and end up finding something else? I was a little freaked out, but I wanted to be brave. The further I went, there was nothing. The hallway appeared empty. I jerked my head behind me as the booming thuds sounded again, in another direction that didn't lead to where Rogue was keeping Hanna. My feet followed the sound, stepping absently closer to it, and I finally pressed my ear against the wall, my heart racing as the vibrations touched my skin. I wanted to go back, but everything inside me was pulling me toward the sound.

I swallowed the tight lump in my throat as the sound against the wall grew faster and faster. Then it stopped. I began to hear noises. Voices. More than one. There were all muffled, so I couldn't pick out who it belonged to. I wondered if I should ignore it and go back to bed, but then I heard a high pitched cry of a woman, and I started breathing harder.

Hanna?

Was that Hanna?

I dashed down the hallway and charged straight at where the sound was coming from, a cry lodged in my throat as fear gripped my chest. I raced down until I came in front of the door I was sure the sounds were coming from. I yanked it open and burst through, hearing the last words.

"How long has this been going on?!"

Two sets of eyes fell on me. I halted in my steps.

"Veronica?" I breathed out, frozen in confusion. She wildly looked back at me, her hair unkempt, and she was wearing only a silk nightgown. It looked like she had been crying for a while. My eyes darted to the man a few feet away from her, towering over her. He was dressed in a black suit, and I had no idea why. It was after two in the morning. Did he go somewhere? Came back from somewhere? His eyes narrowed.

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. It wasn't his murderous voice that sent a chill through my veins. It was a body that was lying on the ground. Dead or unconscious, I had no idea.

"W..who is that?" I pointed a shaky finger at the man. "Did you—" I sucked in a breath. "Did you kill him?" I arched a brow at Rogue, who looked down at the man's body in front of him. He looked irritated.

"He's breathing," he replied, cocking his head as he looked at me point-blank like I was stupid. "Not that it's any of your business."

"What did you do to him?" I breathed out, unable to take my eyes off the man. He wasn't moving. I wasn't sure Rogue was telling me the truth. I didn't want to know the truth either way. Rogue killing someone....I couldn't imagine it. The thought made me want to hurl up.

Behind the couch, I saw something familiar peeking out from it, and I froze. Veronica followed my gaze, and she shook her head.

"No, wait—"

But before she could stop me, I was already running towards it. Hanna was hidden behind the couch, still breathing, but unconscious like the first time I found her. I grabbed her and tried to pull her out into the light.

"Beth, we can explain," Veronica started to say as she went for me, but Rogue quickly held her back. She turned to him. "Let me explain it to her. Let me tell her we didn't do this. She's my friend...she deserves to know."

I couldn't pull Hanna towards the door, so I just sat there on the ground, clutching her to me. The unconscious man was in front of me now, but his face was hidden to me. I couldn't see him, but that was the least of my worries right now. I had Hanna. Rogue could not see the surprise or shock on my face, so he must have guessed that I had known about it before tonight.

"She's not your friend, Veronica," Rogue said as he yanked her to his side. She made a sound of protest.

I couldn't look at them. My fear sat low and heavy in my stomach. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't even understand what Veronica was saying. Was she saying it wasn't their fault? That they didn't kidnap Hanna? So, she was part of it as well? Rogue was right all along when he said she was dangerous. I should have listened and opened my eyes clearly.

"Why?" The word escaped me breathless. Why did you kidnap my friend? Why do this to me?

"It's not Rogue's fault. It's never been his fault."

My hands shook badly. I wanted to scream at Veronica. To hit her. How dare she say it wasn't his fault? Whose fault was it? Mine? Hanna's?

"Tell her, Rogue," she pleaded with a throaty sound. "Tell her who he is and tell her everything. It's too late now. If you explain, nothing will happen. It's just her—" She looked back at me. "There's no risk if she knows."

"Beth, look at me," he said, his voice-controlled, but wavering. I shut my eyes tight, slowly shaking my head again. "I want you to look at me. Now."

I snapped my head up, meeting his gaze. He was holding Veronica's upper arm tightly, and I felt a surge of anger by it.

"Let us go," I muttered in a low voice, my arms wrapped tighter around Hanna's.

"I never said you couldn't go." His voice sounded detached, unconcerned with my request. My eyes darted to the unconscious man. "He's not of your concern."

"How many people will you hurt?" I asked, then slid my gaze to Veronica's. "How could you let him hurt people? I thought you were different. You're just as twisted and manipulative as he is."

"There are far things you're not aware of, Bethany, but you're right about two things. I'm twisted, and I'm manipulative," he replied flatly, sounding not the least bit concerned. "but you're also wrong about something. I didn't hurt your friend. I didn't keep her here."

"Why are you denying it?" I yelled. "Why can't you just admit that you took Hanna and you took me to play games with me, betrayed your friend, and for what, Rogue? What was all this for? Every day, you had tormented me."

"Now, that sounds like an exaggeration."

I ground my teeth together, a flood of emotions I wasn't sure what to do with hitting me.

"You played games with me. All these while, you had Hanna, and you pretended as if you didn't know anything. You kissed me, tried to play with my emotions, and then ran back to kiss her!" I pointed the finger at Veronica, who blanched. "Is he your husband, Veronica? Is this both your idea of I'm so bored let's fuck with other people's lives because I have no reason to believe you didn't do it because you have a vendetta against Hanna or me."

"We didn't do anything!" Veronica cried out in frustration.

"You keep saying that!"

"I'm not married to Rogue, Beth. We're just friends. You don't know...you don't know anything."

My mouth opened and closed. A noise of disbelief echoed in the room. "Just friends?" I repeated with a laugh. "Do I look stupid?" I stared up at her, hardening every muscle so I wouldn't give myself away. I was so confused. I was petrified. Veronica looked like she was honest, but I couldn't believe her when I saw everything. Why would she deny it?

Rogue chuckled. "Do you want me to answer that?" This was more of a statement and less of a question as if he were speaking of things he already knew.

"Beth, I swear we didn't know about your friend. We just—"

"That's enough, Veronica." Rogue's sharp tone bit. They locked eyes briefly before he set them back on me. He looked none too pleased with me. "There's no need to stretch this out. Bethany will believe what she wants to believe."

He had a point, and he knew it. I was not going to believe any of their bullshit, but it aggravated me that he wasn't even trying to explain to me. It was as if he didn't think I was owed an explanation.

Veronica looked between us, protesting, "But—"

He interrupted her, "Nothing." His eyes found mine again. "I promised you that if Hanna was found, you could leave. You're free to go now."

My heart raced, and I squeezed my fists, the adrenaline making them tingle. "I don't believe you." A lump stretched my throat.

He smiled. "Oh?"

"There's no way you will make it this easy, especially when you know there's a possibility that I might go to the police and file a report against you."

Veronica cursed, almost charging at me like an angry bull. "You wouldn't!" But Rogue held her back again, keeping her at a distance. I glared at them both. He continued to stare down at me, his entire face hard and frozen.

"Do you expect me not to?" I threw the question at her, and her lips tightened in surpassed anger. I glued my teeth together, air pouring in and out of my nose as I tensed every goddamn muscle in my body, trying not to break. I knew that wasn't what worried me. It was getting out of here.

"As a matter of fact, I expect anything to happen." He gave me a knowing smile.

Tears immediately pooled, and my chin trembled. He wasn't going to let me leave? Was he going to kill us now? I swallowed the lump, feeling my stomach ache, and I felt like I wanted to sink into a hole, disappear, and wake up to this being nothing but a nightmare. I looked down at Hanna and squeezed her hand, urging her to wake up. She didn't.

In seconds, Rogue was charging at me. I screamed and tried to get away from him, but Hanna's weight on me couldn't let me get anywhere. Rogue leaned down and scooped Hanna into his arms, turning around before he was heading for the door with her.

"Rogue!" I screamed, dashing after him. "Rogue, please stop! Don't hurt her!"

He didn't stop. He continued to walk, taking the stairs two at a time, his name on both mine and Veronica's as we called for him, but he was faster than us, even with Hanna in his arms.

"Rogue!" Veronica and I cried out in unison.

Miriam looked at all of us in confusion before Rogue barked an order to open the front door for him. She quickly obliged, body shaking, and he was walking out of the house. The night was so dark, but the moon shone in the sky.

"Let her go," I cried out as I hurried after him. He stepped up to his car. One of his security guards handed the keys to him before swinging open one of the back doors. Rogue slid Hanna inside and then shut the door. He stepped up to the front passenger side door, pulling it open.

"Get in," he commanded, anger written all over his face. I breathed hard, shaking my head. But then, I couldn't let him take Hanna with him. Stepping up to the car, I jumped into the passenger's seat and yanked the door out of his grasp, closing it on my own.

As soon as I was inside, I watched him from the window, whispering something into Veronica's ear. She was crying, and he seemed to be consoling her. My heart twisted when I saw him kissed her forehead, and with a nod, she spun on her heels and ran back into the house.

And they wanted me to believe they were not together. What was that?

Rogue rounded the front of the car, making his way for the driver's seat. As soon as he was inside, he started up the car, the muscles in his neck flexing. He clenched the steering wheel as he rode out of the gated house.

"Where are you taking us?" I murmured. My chest rose and fell, fury boiling under my skin as I turned around and planted my knees underneath me, leaning over to his side of the car. "Answer me!"

Ignoring me, he weaved through the streets.

"Are you going to kill us?" I asked swallowing.

"What would I gain by doing that?" He spat out. He clenched his hands on the wheel again. "I know you think that I'm your villain, but I'm not." His jaw clenched and unclenched. "Some things, Bethany, are better left unsaid."

"Why did you take Hanna? Why did you take me?"

"I didn't," was all he said. Then he chuckled humorlessly. "If I tell you everything, I'd be opening a Pandora's box, but all you need to know is that your friend is safe and alive, and I didn't hold her hostage."

"I found her in your house," I gritted out. "You expect me not to believe you had nothing to do with it? Everything that comes out of your mouth is a lie, Rogue. You and Veronica. If you want me to believe you didn't take Hanna, you have to first admit to what I'm accusing you of, but you're not going to do that because this is one of your mind games too."

Rogue stepped on the brakes, surprising me. He darted out, wrapping his hand around the back of my neck and yanking me in. I whimpered, feeling the burn in my scalp from his fingers fisting in my hair.

"What do you want from me, huh?" he demanded, breathing hard and glaring at me. "You want honesty, and I gave you honesty, but you're still calling me a liar. What do you want me to do now? Carve my heart out so you can see that I've never lied to you? That I've always been honest with you, Beth?"

I trembled, just holding his eyes. It was as if he was speaking to me through his eyes, baring everything to me, but I refused to accept it. I wasn't going to be fooled twice.

I shook my head and inched away, feeling him slowly release his grasp in my hair. Shifting my feet out from under me, I sat down on the seat and swallowed the hard lump in my throat. I heard him released a sigh.

He wanted me to believe me. He wanted me to trust him. And I couldn't. I wouldn't. He had done so many things. I straightened my back and stared at my lap, trying to force the weariness from my voice.

I kept my head down. I didn't know how long we drove for. The car came to a stop. I still couldn't look up. I knew he had brought me here to kill me. Rogue was already out of the door and stalking around the car. I heard the back door open, and he was getting Hanna out of the car.

I yanked my door open and stumbled out. He was already walking away from me. That was when I looked up to see where we were. He had brought us to the hospital. The shock of it had me rooting to the spot until I saw him talking to a nurse, and Hanna was ushered inside the hospital in a wheelchair.

Running after them into the hospital, I saw him checking in, and my feet grew cold all of a sudden. He was talking to another nurse, then turned around to point at me. He signed on a clipboard. Hanna was pushed in a wheelchair. Rogue turned and started to approach me. It was then, under the massive light of the hospital, that I could see that he was a mess. His hair was unkempt. He looked tired, drained. He looked like he had a lot of things going through his mind.

He approached me calmly and called for me in a calm voice. "They're going to look after her. Don't worry about anything. I'll call Taylor and tell him she's here."

"Are you going to tell him.....?" I trailed off, closing my mouth, but he understood what I was trying to say.

"No." And left it at that. His calm and my nervousness hung between us in a thick and heavy coil. He was waiting for me to say I wasn't going to say anything, something in me knew. "I guess this is it."

I swallowed. This was goodbye? Rogue wrapped his fingers around my wrist, and from his touch, electrical energy trickled into me. My breath hitched, and I gulped. He took my face in his hand. My heart picked up its pace as his warm hands held me still. His face, those lips, were too close for comfort.

His eyes searched mine. "I hope I was a good host." His mouth quirked, a slight mean-spirited smile tilting up one side of his mouth.

The nerve of this man...

Then his face turned cold as if he had never smiled before. "Be careful. You never know what's crawling around."

Was he threatening me? My eyebrows knitted together. Rogue dropped his hand and stepped back, giving me a little space to breathe.

"Have...a nice life, Beth." With that, he walked past me and headed for the exit.

Wait, what?

I stood rooted to my spot; my mouth was half open and half-closed. Did that just happen? Did Rogue just exit out of my life? Like that? I ran my fingers through my hair, turning around to the door, but he was already gone.