I was momentarily paralyzed when I stepped out of the car and found Veronica sitting on the steps of the entrance to our building.

As soon as she saw me, she rose and climbed one step down, leaving me to pause in front of her, still in shock. Fallon looked between us, and without any question, she told me she would see me inside and headed in without me, leaving me to awkwardly stand outside with the woman I didn't want to talk to.

Just great.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded, watching her walk down the last steps to finally reach me. My brows snapped together. "Does he know you're here?" I looked around the street, thinking he was going to jump right in and scare me, but he wasn't. It was just me and her.

Veronica kept her distance, but her eyes were wild with fire. "You leave him alone," she stated firmly, unmoving and watching, like a deadly cat waiting to pounce on me and take a chunk of my skin.

I didn't have to ask who 'him' was because I knew who she was talking about, and my blood boiled with this bullshit. "Excuse me?"

She closed the distance between us, almost up in my face. The veins in her forehead bulged as she seethed. "Leave him the hell alone. Stay out of his goddamn mind!" The rise and fall of her chest, the swirling anger in her eyes, and the angry tone she was using had me rolling my eyes.

"Yeah, you're crazy," was all I could retort as I sidestepped her to get inside. "Good night, Veronica." I didn't have the energy to deal with her right now. I had already dealt with Rogue earlier, and I didn't want her cornering me like he did. What right did they have to mess with my mind? I was tired. Peace of mind was all that I wanted tonight. Just for tonight.

As I swept past her, Veronica grabbed my arm and hurled me back with a strength I didn't know she had. She started to drag me with her and she doesn't leave my hand when she kept walking forward, and I saw a car coming down the road, but she didn't stop.

White light flashed us, but her hand was still tightly around my arm. She wouldn't let go. The car was only a distance away from us now, and Veronica pushed me forward without having no regard for my life, or maybe that was her intention.

The white headlights blinded me now. We stood on its path. Directly on its path. "What the fuck are you doing?" I screamed, but she wouldn't budge or get off the road. The car honked. It saw us, but it didn't slow down or stop. It honked and honked for us to move. Veronica didn't obey. She kept staring at the headlights, standing where we would eventually get run over.

Then, just as we were about to get hit, she yanked us back and safely on the side road. I think my heart had stopped breathing for a second. As soon as I realized I wasn't dead, I rounded on her, pressing my hands to her chest as I pushed her back.

"Are you crazy?" I yelled, my hair flying wildly just as the way my heart was racing. "Were you going to kill me? What the hell, Veronica?" I still couldn't believe or wrapped my head around the fact that she almost got us killed.

"Did you feel that? Your life flashing before your eyes?" Veronica's gaze was wild and agonized, furious, and angry. Then she scoffed, sounding like a laugh. "But there's nothing to worry about. Even if you die, you won't feel anything." Her face scrunched up into a terrifying face, stuck between fear and agony. She clenched her fists and rubbed them down her arms, slowly, as if she was trying to keep herself calm.

Veronica's hands began to tremble, as did the rest of her body. She hated me at this moment. She was angry, and I felt it drip in every word of hers. "But Rogue's been dying for years. I'm the only one who breathes life into him every time he dies. I'm the one who keeps him sane, but how dare you disrupt that peace?" She growled at me, and I took a punch in the heart.

"Excuse me? I did nothing. He's the one who keeps coming back into my life. I did not ask for it!"

"No one asks for anything. It just happens, but you didn't try to stop it, did you?" she accused. "I gave you a chance to free yourself from him, but you didn't take it. You stand there and tell me you don't want him in your life, but you're the one who gives him the chance to keep coming back."

I shook my head, pissed as hell. Pissed that I seemed to be their punching bag lately. "That's not true." I glared at her.

"Lie to yourself! You say you've tried to get away from him, but you always take one step and that's it. You're completely untangling everything I have done so hard to keep on a leash, and you don't even care! You keep waking up the monstrous thing inside him." She caught herself, running her hands through her hair and letting out a frustrated and angry sound. I watched her pace around me, muttering words like a deranged person. Maybe she was.

"Stop blaming me for everything, Veronica. Blame him instead." I crossed my over arms my chest. "Why are you even here? To warn me? Threaten me? So you could make him stay away from me and have him all to yourself? Well, you don't have to try so hard. I don't want him. Whatever sick thing you two have going on, I want no part of it." And I sincerely meant it. They were both completely insane, filled with secrets and pain, and both desperate to send me down into that hole with them. Trust them to take me to the ends of the dark hole.

All I wanted was peace of mind. She thought she knew frustration? Frustration was having them both in my life, yanking at me in every turn, and I was exhausted. So bloody exhausted and angry.

I watched her continue to pace, and my own hands curled. "My life was normal before I met you and Rogue, and now I'm desperately trying to get that life back. You care and love him, then do your job well and make him stay away, but don't corner me and act like you're here for him. You're here for your own selfish reasons. You want him to keep depending on you, and to continue leaning on you. It scares you that he might push you away because I'm the one you think he wants." My voice throbbed with annoyance and accusation.

She loved him passionately whether she wanted to admit it or not, and not in a way Rogue thought she did. There was no way she would be here, accusing me, and almost killing us for a man she didn't love. What surprised me more was why it didn't take me long to realize that she was insane. What happened to the woman I met? Did she never exist? Was she playing me all along, pretending to like me while hiding the fact that she was crazy?

Veronica stopped pacing, paused, and tilted her head, then a slow smile curved at the corner of her red lips. She was amused. "Scared of you? You think you have what it takes to make him push me away?" She bent and laughed, then laughed, and laughed again until my stomach kept sinking and sinking, until I could hear the taunting laughter in my head. Until my heart lifted and collapsed on its own.

When she straightened and glanced at me, her laughter had subsided, and she was wearing a disbelieving smile. "I'm the one thing he's loved his entire life, Beth. I'm the center of his world, and he doesn't breathe without knowing I'm breathing," she stated confidently.

I felt a searing bite of a knife as it was dug into my chest. I felt its sharp edge dug deeper and tearing it apart, and yet, I still stood there, staring at her with the same expression I had stared into Rogue's face. He had said something similar to that or implied that Veronica was greater than life itself to him. I did believe what he had said but hearing her admit to it as well, well, it was a crack in my armor.

"Rogue would die for me, Beth. He won't hesitate to follow me to death either. You don't know what it feels like to live until you're living for two. When you realize your life isn't yours anymore, that someone else holds it in their palm." She walked closer to me and started to brush something off my chest while staring into my eyes with something in hers. "You can have him all you want. You can have his heart, his mind, and his body, but it won't change anything. Rogue is me. I am Rogue. What he feels, I feel tenfold. Understand that and leave him the hell alone."

She was right. Rogue wasn't here, but I could still feel him around her. His darkness howling at me, but I still saw a broken woman who hid behind the mask of her own darkness. I took a step back, then another, needing some space. Veronica didn't move at all. Her words had pushed through my barrier, ripping away at the cracked protection I had on my soul. But I still laughed. I still shook my head in pure disbelief.

"Do you realize how toxic your relationship is?" Because I didn't think they realized to how extent it was. They were not good for one another, and yet, they were ready to destroy each other. Funny. Not so funny.

Veronica rolled her eyes. "I don't expect you to understand, but make your own damn choice. You either want him, or you don't. Stop making him crazy and do us all a favor."

My mouth opened, but no sound or words left it. I struggled to understand the woman in front of me. She didn't want me with him, but she was giving me a choice to be with him, or choose to leave him, and on top of this all, she loved him. Could she not hear herself? Does she not see how delusional this was?

Standing, anger, and resolve coursed through me. I licked my lips, and through the parted mouth, I blew out a breath. "He's not worth the trouble," I said, then I started to walk away and went for the door. I paused when I climbed three steps, and without turning around, I continued, "This is wrong, you know that. Whatever happened between you two, or happened to you, get help while you can. Save him. Save yourself, but don't drown with him." Lastly, I slipped through the doors.

My mind reeled as I stepped into the elevator and leaned against the car. I realized my legs were shaking, so I slowly lowered myself to the ground to catch my breath.

I had no idea what hurt more; my head, or my heart. There was a burning sensation that I tried rubbing away, but it was still there. Tears blurred my eyes as I buried my head in my hands, trying to hold them back from slipping, and trying to find a way to nurse my heart from the explosion that it had.

I wanted Rogue, so much. I wanted him like I had never wanted anyone, like I had always wanted him but never accepted it, but the realization was pointless. It made no difference to the situation right now. Whatever I wanted didn't matter because I was going to do what was best, like I had never done before. Rogue was not it. He could never be the one.

The elevator opened and I stood, dragging myself out to my floor. I walked down the corridor, then froze. Down the hall, standing by the door to my flat was Rogue. I thought I was dreaming or hallucinating him, but I wasn't. He was leaning against the wall, waiting for me.

I pressed my hand to the wall to keep my legs from buckling, guiding myself to inhale and exhale. I was more excited than shocked, but then I remembered my decision, and everything went gloomy all of a sudden. I knew why he would be here, and I wasn't up for the argument with him.

With a solemn expression, I strutted toward my flat. Fallon's door was closed, but her lights peeked through the door. I wondered if she had seen him there. Even as I refused to look at him, I was seeing him clearly. Rogue looked composed, but there was something about his posture, something about the way he had his hands inside his pockets, and the way his foot tapped impatiently suggested he was far from calm. He was angry and impatient. That made the two of us.

I felt twisted inside as I ignored him, ignored how easily my body wanted to drift closer to his, as I inserted my key and turned it in. He didn't say anything to me either. I turned on the knob and pushed the door inside, then switched on the light. When I turned to shut the door, he swept past me, and I was left feeling icy inside.

Not saying anything, I shut the door and took off my shoes. I breezed past him into the kitchen while his eyes followed me. I grabbed a bottled water from the fridge and took a long swallow with my back turned to him. I took another few sips when I felt his shadow creeping up behind me. I didn't turn around, but when I felt his hand on my zipper, I was startled and whirled around to snap at him, but Rogue slammed me against the counter before I could look at him. His presence behind me was like an imminent thunder.

"What the hell are you doing?" I shouted, gasped the instant his fingers began to unzip my dress—his dress, my dress. "Rogue!" My heart slammed in my ears and panic began to set in. I did what I thought was appropriate at that moment; I raised the bottle in my hand and threw its contents in his face. It shocked him enough to let his hands drop from my back and take a step back.

I turned and our gaze locked. I watched the water slide from his face satisfyingly. He caught my wrist and twisted me around, knocking my front on the counter again. His fingers were fast on my zipper, and despite my curses and yelling, he didn't stop until the dress slipped down to my legs and he forcefully picked me up, casting me aside as he bent to pick the dress up.

Now I understood, what he was here for. The dress. Was he going to take it back? Well, he could have it. I wanted no reminder or memory of him.

Rogue pushed me aside as he walked to my sink, throwing the dress inside. There was a bottle of alcohol left on the counter that remained a little inside, so he poured the rest of the contents all over the dress. Before I could yell at him, he brought out a lighter and set the dress on fire.

I gasped.

"Rogue, what the hell?" I shouted, marching toward the sink to put out the fire, not caring that I was standing in my underwear, but I also didn't want a fire started in my house. "You've got to be the craziest man in the entire world!" I went to pour water to put out the fire, but Rogue held me back.

His eyes were dark. He looked angry. "Don't you fucking dare," he warned, and I felt it in my veins. He was burning a limited edition dress and he didn't give a shit. He stared into my face. "You wore my dress and let him be all over you." His voice vibrated through the room, his anger at a boiling point.

I took a step back. He took one forward.

"I'm going to pay you back for every time you ignore my warning."

His words were like daggers in my chest that burrowed into my lungs and deflated them. Turned me inside out. "You can't do shit. I will scream and Fallon will hear me," I threatened, even though I knew the walls were thick and it would be hard for her to hear me, even though I knew it would take him seconds to get to me before a sound left my mouth.

"Great." Rogue grinned, looking at me with burning eyes, bright and bold for me to see. "The more, the merrier."

I froze for a moment, then my eyes darted to the door. The tension between us was so thick it crawled at my skin like bugs. My eyes glued to the door, then turned my head back to him. Our gaze pinned.

Then I began to run for the door. I had taken ten steps when he knocked me flat and hard to the ground, landing on top of me, causing me to cry out. His mouth was on my neck, just below my ear. His breath was warm, still coming hard and fast.

"Well, that was fun," he murmured.

I wanted to turn around and claw him. Furious, frustrated, I began to struggle. Rogue loosened his hold to let me twist around, but then he was straddling me. I went to push his chest, but he caught both my hands in his and pulled me hard upright.

I went to bite him because it was the only thing I could do. He realized my intent, and before my teeth could touch his flesh, he cursed, pulling my hands behind my back and pressing me more against him. I shrieked in anger and embarrassment. I was half-naked and he was straddling me.

"Stop twisting around," he growled.

I found my breath. "Get off me, then," I retorted, eyes blazing. He stared back. Then I watched his eyes moved to my lips. I went rigid. "Don't you dare." I remembered, vividly, the feel of his tongue, hot, wet, in my mouth and my heart jolted.

Rogue sneered. "Don't worry, I have no intention of doing anything. Not when you're dirty." He growled again, then as if he remembered something, he released me and rose to his feet. Standing above me, he was immensely tall. "Stand up."

"Help me up."

"No." His look was unyielding in its purpose.

"You pushed me to the ground," I snapped, still lying on the cold ground.

"You ran," he reminded me.

My brows knitted together. "Oh, was I supposed to stay when you were being a sick fuck?" I didn't finish closing my mouth when he rudely dragged me to my feet. His hand gripped my arm, and I flinched. "You're hurting me. Let go of me, you bloody twat."

"We're going on an adventure."

"Fuck you."

"Oh, you will. Trust me."

He started to drag me toward my bedroom, and I stayed stubbornly silent as he pulled me, my chest rising and falling. We entered my bedroom, which I left quite a mess, and my cheek flamed as his eyes darted around the room. He didn't say anything about it as he started pulling me again, dragging me to the bathroom.

Rogue pushed through the door and walked me under my shower. I tried to get out of it, but he held me tight and turned on the hot and cold to adjust it.

"That's so fucking cold!" He ignored me as the water rained down on us. He didn't give the slightest shit that he was under the shower with me, wetting himself.

"I would have left you to do this on your own, but I don't trust you."

I glared at him as the water turned hot and rushed over me. He tilted my head back, and it ran over my face and hair. Rogue started to scrub down on my arms and neck, so hard that it was painful.

"I can do it myself!" I snapped, murder in my eyes. "I'm not as dirty as you're exaggerating me to be. In fact, I'm so clean anyone can lick me off."

That got him so mad. With a swipe of my hair to my right shoulder blade, Rogue rained kisses to my shoulder. As it was, my legs quivered, trying to hold me steady and beginning to fail.

"Rogue, you shouldn't..." I barely managed to get out, my voice hoarse.

He pulled back to stare into my eyes. His wet hair falls to his eyes as water ran down his face. "Shouldn't what? Touch you?" Shoving me against the wall, his body crowded mine. "He can touch you, but I can't? That makes sense to you?"

"He's my—"

"Finish that sentence and I'll choke you."

I clamped my mouth shut, my heart picking up its thick beat. "You love saying that, don't you? It's starting to get harder to believe that you can," I muttered.

He smiled then, the first genuine sign of amusement I had ever seen from him. Rogue pulled me so close I could feel the softness of his breath— felt the heat of his body.

"Do you know what you should be doing right now? Apologizing to me," he whispered, his hands on my waist. So large, so strong. I tried to brace myself away from him with my hands on his chest. He was as hard as a rock, but warm, alive, beneath my fingertips.

I could not look away from him. "What for?"