Trees lined the path, branches weaving together to support a canopy. People were walking their dogs and the kids were playing with each other. You could hear a steady slap of a jogger's footsteps, kids laughing and yelling, and distant horns. We were seated on a warm blanket, grass prickling against my toes and the sun's warmth on my face.

It was Saturday afternoon, and West and I were at the park, seated on a blanket with a chessboard in front of us. Don't ask me how this happened because I couldn't begin to tell you. One day we were joking about playing chess, and the next thing I knew, West was calling me to play chess every Sunday. If I told you Rogue was okay with me spending time with my ex-boyfriend, I would be lying to you. He was jealous that I still kept in contact with West, even though he never did tell me to stop talking to him.

I wasn't good at chess and neither was West, but we found comfort in the fact that it was keeping us in contact with each other. Any awkwardness that I felt towards him had long been diminished, and now I felt comfortable enough to be in his presence. We both were.

"You know I'm going to kick your ass," I said, scrutinizing the board carefully, my fingers grazing the black king, moving it to a diagonal space forward while looking West directly in the eyes and smiling.

"That's what you said the last time," he replied instantly. "And you keep moving your king to a vulnerable position."

I shrugged. "I kinda love sending my king into battle. I know he will survive."

West snorted, setting his white piece down firmly four spaces away in a direct confrontation with a black pawn, his lips curving upwards ever so slightly at the corners. "You're arrogant for someone who will lose, yet again."

"I thought you didn't know how to play this game. Were you lying to me?"

He looked up at me from the chessboard. "There's nothing wrong with withholding information." He looked back to the board and placed a delicate finger on a black piece, moving it diagonally until it neatly pushed a white knight out of the square. The knight fell directly into the discarded pile on the side of the board, clicking against the other pieces.

Apparently, chess was hard and I could never win against West. The board was covered with strategic black pieces still in play.

"What's the point of playing if I'm never going to beat you?" I moved my hand toward the nearby bishop, intending to pick it up but stopped. "You already know my moves."

He grinned. "I suck at chess, but you're an easy opponent."

"So, I'm only here to boost your ego? Because you know you won't be able to beat anyone else but me."

"Isn't that what good friends do?" He chuckled after making another move. The game was already nearing an end and it was clear he was the one who was going to win. "Make your predictable moves, Beth."

I glared at him. "Next time, I'm choosing a game I can beat you in."

"Good luck. I've played every game you know just so no one could beat me easily."

"I didn't know you were competitive," I remarked, lifting my brows. "You didn't bring that energy when you were dating me."

West's mouth quivered in amusement, cocking his head to one side. It was his move next, but he wasn't making any. "Are you implying that I should have competed with Rogue?" With a snort, he looked down at the chessboard. "It was pointless anyway. You were already head over heels in love with him."

"I wasn't!" I almost choked, then sheepishly lowered my gaze because he could be right. West could have caught on to it earlier than I did, and even though we were friends now and it was past us, I still felt embarrassed and guilty that I went out with him despite having feelings for another man. It made it even worse that he knew my heart and mind were with someone else.

"You were." He chuckled at my discomfort.

"Shut up." I chewed on my lip, calculating my next move. The game was practically over. He won but I still wanted to believe I could win somehow. "And what about you?" I asked, leaning back a bit to stare at him. "Still not dating anyone? You can't get me out of your mind, huh?" I chuckled. "I had no idea that I made an impact in your life."

"As a matter of fact, I wanted to ask you what you would say if I told you I wanted to ask your friend out."

I looked stricken, dropping the chess piece I had picked. It knocked over the pieces on the board and West arched a brow at me. "Hanna?"

He shook his head, grabbing his customized coffee beside him. "No, the other one," he answered as he covered his lips on the straw.

"Erica? You like Erica?"

"You sound surprised."

I shrugged. "I didn't think you knew her," I stated, trying to remember if there had been a time when they had interacted. I didn't remember Erica ever saying anything about him to me.

"I don't. I've seen her a couple of times and I wanted to run by you first before I asked her out."

"Erica is too good for you," I teased gently.

He shook his head, clearly amused by my statement. "What do you mean? Am I not good enough? I was good enough for you," he pointed out shamelessly, his eyes drifting towards the chessboard as he started to gather the pieces back on it.

"She's such a sweet girl. You will break her heart, West."

"Let's not forget who broke whose heart," he cut in. "I'm going to ask her out."

I rolled my eyes, finding a brief smile. "Well then, I have no choice but to help you. It's not every day you hear someone helping their ex date another woman," I said with a chuckle. "I guess I have no choice now but to invite you to our company's party. Erica will definitely be there."

"And I won't miss it. Thanks for being my wing woman."

He actually gave me his fist to bump and I rolled my eyes, giggling.

But I still ended up giving him my fist.

———

Robert managed to get us a good venue to throw the company's party, which was strictly employees only party with a few exceptions, of course. If you were given an invite, you were allowed to invite a friend or a date.

He threw the party every seven months and no one knew why. People guessed or thought seven was his lucky number and others' theory was that his engagement was called off seven months after the proposal, so to keep himself from thinking about it, he drowned himself in these parties that he threw.

No one seemed to complain about it because it was free food and free alcohol, and it almost meant a hangover the next morning. Once again, no one seemed to be bothered about that.

The bar which Robert chose, which I wanted to believe was picked by his new assistant, was chaotic, loud and bright, with people wearing casual clothes, drinking, and dancing. The smell of food wafted through the air.

I greeted the people that I knew, dressed in jeans and a blouse. My hair was straightened and laid back. I went to the table where my friends were seated, grabbing a seat next to Hanna. A waitress appeared before me with a menu and I ordered a coke, practically bouncing in my seat.

"What did you order?" I asked Hanna, who was staring at the mirror as she reapplied her lipstick.

"Bacon cheeseburger and a beer," Erica answered for her.

I asked for the same thing but without the beer and extra cheese in my burger. The woman scribbled it down and departed with a smile.

"Is your hunk going to show up?"

I laughed at the word as Hanna put her lipstick back into her purse and arched her brows with a grin.

"Yeah, I think so," I retorted, checking my phone again. There was no other text from him. "He texted me half an hour ago and said he may or may not be coming."

"He needs to show up," Erica added. "I want to see all the ladies in our company accept that he's really taken and it's not a fling."

I smiled absently. I get what she meant. Most people thought, not just the women from work, that Rogue and I were not in a serious relationship. It was a fling, they said. Rogue would get back together with his wife, they hoped. Not with someone that wasn't from his world. I saw and heard it all. How people were anticipating our breakup just so they could prove themselves right.

It didn't bother me. Not at all because I knew what we felt for one another and I wasn't going to let anyone scare me away from being with him. Rogue, on the other hand, wasn't able to keep his fury when he read all of the comments on the internet. The other day, he wanted to comment on every single hate comment, but I had to stop him before he made this international news. Even though I had successfully calmed him down, I still knew it bothered him because he thought it bothered me. No matter how many times I told him it didn't, he still wouldn't believe me.

"Speaking of flings," I said, grinning. "Are you seeing anyone, Erica?" West had texted me that he was five minutes away and I needed to know if she was seeing anyone before I allowed him to make a fool out of himself.

"None that I know of. I'm trying to focus on being a career woman."

"You can do both," Hanna said as she went back to retouching her face. "Be a career woman and get dicked down. It works fabulously."

Erica scoffed.

I snorted. "Did you invite someone?" I asked suspiciously. "I haven't seen you trying this hard to make an impression since that surgeon guy." When my drink arrived, I sipped on my Coke.

"You're right. I did invite someone, but I'm not sure if he's coming. I've got to prepare in case he is."

"Wait, really? Who is he?"

She shrugged, keeping her lips sealed. When I glared, she laughed amusingly.

"I'm kidding. I have a date with myself." Hanna finally picked up her glass and sipped on her beer, her face contorting with disgust at the taste. I could never understand her forcing herself to like beer despite not liking the taste. "By the way, who says I can't look pretty for myself?"

My phone buzzed in my hand, getting a text from Rogue. I lifted my head after reading the text to find him striding to our table. I grinned so big, and my heart immediately jumped when I saw him. I never fail to feel excited whenever I see him and I wondered if that was how I was going to feel for the remaining days we would be together.

It wasn't the first time I saw him wearing casual clothes, but I would never get used to it. I didn't know how the man does it, always looking as put together as a work of art. A few heads turned when they recognized him, already whispering to each other. I probably should be embarrassed by the fact that he was staring at me shamelessly, but I felt a tinge of excitement. A smile slowly spread across his face when he reached me.

"Ladies," he greeted. Rogue had always put effort into getting to know them more and answered their questions politely. There was an air of friendliness and comfortableness between them. "You both look lovely," he said to them, cutting his eyes at me. "But I'm afraid you haven't reached anywhere close to Beth. You look divine." He sat next to me, taking my hand in his.

I chuckled. "I'm wearing jeans, Rogue. I'm not sure I look divine but thank you for the compliment."

My response prompted him to smile as he cupped my cheek, brushing his thumb across my lips. "You look absolutely breathtaking in anything. My eyes aren't deceiving me."

"Ugh," Hanna let out a groan. "You guys make us single ladies wish we had somehow to love us like that."

Rogue answered her by placing his hand on my hip and leaned down to kiss my neck.

"It's like adding wood to a fire," Hanna remarked again.

He laughed and pulled away, looking back at her. "It's kind of weird how you keep staring at us, don't you think? Shall we make you jealous even more?"

"Oh, please." She waved her hand in the air. "No, thanks."

"Uh, Beth, did you invite your ex-boyfriend?" Erica asked, and I followed her line of gaze to see West in the crowd. Then she looked back at Rogue, trying to correct herself. "I mean, Beth didn't invite him. Someone else must have." She gave me an apologetic look.

Rogue looked amusingly at her. "Beth told me she invited him," he told her. "I'm alright with him being here."

"Are you though?" Hanna questioned. "Don't try and be cool about it if you're not comfortable with him here. No one would want their girlfriend's ex hanging around them."

I met Rogue's gaze, seeing he was already watching me. "They're friends," he muttered. "and I trust her." His words lingered over the table. "Isn't that what a relationship is all about? Trust?" He directed his gaze to Hanna, all smiling.

"Wow, I really admire your level of trust, Rogue. In another life, maybe we could be together."

Erica pinched Hanna and she yelped, glaring at her.

Rogue stared back at me again and retorted, "In another life, I don't think I would be with anyone else. Beth and I are fated, you see. In any life, I think we would still be together."

Staring widely back at him, my skin buzzed with all types of emotions. It made me stall, heart thumping so hard I grew dizzy. I raised his hand and kissed the back of it before I lowered it. In return, he petted my hair affectionately.

Anyone who looked at me right now could tell how much I loved this man. He was beautiful in all sorts of ways, passionate and intense, the kind that made the hairs on my hand stand and my body tingling. He could be frightening, but he was downright fascinating.

How could someone surrounded by an air of danger made me feel so safe? Happy? Loved? How was he different from the man he was before?

"You have nothing to say?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm just taking it in," I admitted softly.

West appeared before Rogue could respond to me, but I felt the mood shifting immediately. I tried catching his eyes, but he was looking at nothing in particular.

West's gaze was on Erica first, and I couldn't believe I hadn't detected it a while ago. They lingered on her face before he looked at me and smiled. Rogue knew why he was here. I told him about West's crush, and despite knowing that, he still couldn't feel comfortable with his presence. I tried to understand his feelings.

"How is it going?" he spoke to Rogue, who responded curtly with a forced smile on his face.

West took a seat next to Erica and started talking to them while I leaned toward Rogue.

"Don't be an ass," I said with a deep frown.

His eyes drifted closed, a soft sigh escaping his parted lips. "Sorry." His eyes reopened, a smirk tugging the corner of his lips.

I rolled my eyes and picked up my phone to text Hanna, telling her that we needed to make an excuse and leave West and Erica alone to get to know each other more. I promised West that we wouldn't get in the way, and knowing Erica, if I continued to be in their presence while West flirted with her, she would be stiff and uncomfortable all night.

"Do you want to dance with me?" I asked, my face a little too close and my lips almost hovering over his.

Rogue reached out, brushing his hand along my cheek before swiping his thumb along my bottom lip. "Do you remember the last time we danced? Wasn't it memorable?"

"You have to be joking." I pulled back.

His expression shifted, the amusement fading. "I keep telling myself that we had a good night. We went to a party and we danced—had the best night, then I wouldn't have to face what I did to you that night. I feel guilty knowing what I did and you still found some way to forgive me for it."

"I don't forgive you for that."

His voice was quiet, calmer, when he said, "I don't deserve it. I never wanted it to escalate the way it did."

"Which is why you should come dance with me so we could have a nice story to tell people when they ask us about our first dance." I pulled him off the seat and looked at my friends. "Rogue and I are going dancing." With that final note, I pulled my boyfriend with me.

We were swallowed by the crowd, but my hands were still tight. He was gripping it tightly, and when I began to draw him to the dance floor, he came to a stop. I turned around when he stopped following.

"What?"

His lips parted with a retort but shut closed when a hand clasped onto his shoulder. Robert stood behind him as he eyed our clasped hands with interest. I wasn't sure if he knew we were seeing each other because he had never bothered to ask and I didn't think my personal life was his business to know.

"Mr. Slade," he greeted friendly, bourbon in his hand. "I didn't know you were dropping by. Forgive me for not extending an invitation to you."

Eyes were dead set on us, waiting to see what was going to occur and what they would talk about in the morning, but most eyes were on Rogue than they were on me. It was understandable. He had a strong presence. People were easily drawn to him. They watched him like a beautiful piece they could only see but not touch. They could want but not have.

A wave of possession and pride rolled over me because this man was mine. All mine. And I was his.

Rogue waved his hand dismissively. "It's alright, Mr. Sinclair." He had the perfect smile that he fooled people with and they went with it because it looked genuine and attractive. "My girlfriend gave me her invite." He pulled me to his side, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

Robert grinned as he eyed where Rogue rested his arm before he threw his head back and chuckled. "Of course, of course." He glanced at me. "Beth, make sure he's comfortable and well attended to," he said, accompanied with a wink before he turned and stalked towards a group that waved him over.

I stood there, stunned because I couldn't actually believe my boss said that. I shook his words out of my head, and before I could open my mouth to speak to Rogue, he had already started walking away, dragging me with him.

"Did you hear?" he asked. "Your boss said you should attend to me and make me comfortable."

I snorted, following in another direction that led to a set of stairs, which lead to the back of the bar and the roof of the building. "I thought I was doing both, Mr. Slade. Sorry, Robert wasn't a little specific with what he said so I'm going to assume he meant cracking jokes and complimenting you."

Rogue chuckled at my response. He took me up the stairs, through a door and we were on the roof. A gust of wind blew through my skin and hair, making me shiver a little. There was a blanket on the ground, surrounded by dozens of candles that lit up the entire place. It was a beautiful view that gave me a sense of calmness and excitement.

"Did you do this?" I asked as I let go of his hand and stride forward. Spinning around, my mouth widened into a smile. "You planned to bring me up here all along?"

Rogue stuffed his hands in his pockets and his eyes were stricken, so hauntingly beautiful. It was so easy to read into them. To see what was inside them. The love was there. It was powerful and consuming. I felt it come into me and swept over me.

As he approached me, he said, "I needed a minute with you alone." When he reached me, he took my wrist. "Come." He walked us to the blanket and sat me down before he made his own spot next to me.

Rogue propped up one leg, his hand resting on his knee. He tugged me close to him, so I was sitting between his legs. His other hand rested on my hip.