Why hadn't she put an end to it when she first found out? It was too much of a temptation for her, knowing that they were still out there, in that cage. Following them back to a match was bad. Bad, bad, so very bad, and she knew it. It was wrong; Logan and Victor were still cage fighting each other behind everyone’s back - and she wasn't doing a damn thing to stop it. Someone should put an end to it and that someone should be her. After all, she was the squad leader and was supposed to have better control over them. Hell, she could barely control herself!
Rogue had promised herself she'd forget all about this place and turn over a new leaf. A leaf that didn't include shady fight bars or toying with the dangerous lines between her and her two alpha teammates. The thing was, she just couldn’t shake the image of Logan in the shower room or the many images grappling and growling in her head; and when she’d heard bikes leaving the mansion, she knew exactly what was going on.
She couldn't stop herself; couldn't help sneaking into that dingy bar out in the middle of nowhere to watch them endanger themselves. There was no use resisting the call that lured her out there. It was like a drug. She hated it, but like any junkie she had to get her fix. It would be embarrassing as hell if anyone, ANYONE, found out that not only did she know about the fights, but that she was actually sneaking into them undercover; If anyone had an inkling of why she couldn't stop herself, what the mere idea of it did to her...the thought alone made her cheeks burn.
Victor had hinted that he knew what the fights did to her, but with him you never knew how much of what he was saying was truth and how much was the stupidbullshit he made up. He tended to bend the truth in whichever way suited him. Then there was his unnerving tendency to pick up on every little change and detail in her behavior; what went through her mind, what she fought so hard to hide from him and Logan...even from herself.
After being cornered in the locker room, it had been pretty clear that they *both* knew exactly how affected she was. The thought suddenly made her stomach drop. Logan probably sensed her reaction every time he got close to her, every time he was around her. Rogue wasn't sure which was worse; Victor tormenting her with his questions and hints and enjoying it - or Logan keeping it to himself, but knowing it all the same. She felt like she was caught in some kind of emotional tug of war combined with a twisted, seductive game of hide and seek.
End of the Road was already packed when she came in the side entrance. Crowded mostly with men that had come to watch the fights, the area near the bar was elbow to elbow as people were trying to get a last minute drink. Rogue checked her outfit; afraid that even a tiny strand of brown and white hair showing would instantly blow her cover. Everything seemed fine and the large coat nearly swallowed her whole. She could've been anyone in that outfit.
Nudging her way through the crowd, Rogue tried to find a safe spot near the bar before the fights started. A high pitched, twittering laugh rose above the din as she recognized the sound of women that were pouring it on just a little too thick. Shrill and fake, the giggling continued, making her roll her eyes as she was bumped and jostled through the throngs of people. It was only when she heard a familiar, dry laugh that she paid attention. Even from this distance, she recognized that rare sound. Standing on tip toes and trying to see over the massive crowd, back to the far end of the bar, she spotted him.
There sat Logan in all his glory, basking in the female attentions of fight groupies. This wasn't something that should surprise her; this wasn't even something that should piss her off. Everyone knew Logan had ‘admirers’, but the reality was he wasn't just basking. Basking alone may have only irritated her, but he was reciprocating...fully. While a couple of other floozies flirted about, he had one particular groupie so obviously on his radar that it was painful to watch. She couldn't have come up to his chin, but since he was sitting they were almost at eye level, the brunette planted firmly between his legs. She was facing him, eyeing him with the universal silent language of 'Fuck me and make me scream, please'.
Rogue felt her blood pressure sky rocket as she watched him from across the room. As people shuffled past, her view would be obscured only to reveal again that the bimbo was still there and unfortunately not an illusion. She had her hands all over him! Rubbing his legs and reaching into his jacket while constantly flipping her dark hair over her shoulder, everything between them screamed that they'd be fucking out back just as soon as they could get to it. What's more – he loved every minute of it! It was in the way he looked at her, his body language, the way he let her get close, the blatant way he leaned against her while reaching for another shot of tequila. The bastard even rested a hand on one of her curvy hips then slid it around to grab her ass and pull her closer.
Rogue wanted so badly to cause a scene. She should march right over there and embarrass the shit out of him! Maybe she should walk up and wail, "Daddy, daddy - when are you coming home?” - Just to watch the painful look on his face. He may look a little young to be her father, but Rogue could still pass for a 17 year old when she was clean faced and dressed like a boy. Not only would he be shocked to see her there, he'd be mortified for her to call him out in front of all his damn fight sluts.
A buzzing filled her body like hundreds of hornets swarming inside her. What about her?! What about what he obviously felt for her - what he had to know she felt for him? What about birthday gifts and how “exceptional” she was? To him she was just some little girl he could flirt with and drag along behind him at the mansion while he still got his kicks out back at the local bar! Well fuck that, she thought. Just as she started to march over to the other side of the bar, she saw her other teammate take a seat beside Logan.
Victor rested his elbows on the bar as one of the other groupies saddled up next to him. He turned his head towards her as she put the moves on him, but spied what looked at first like an ill-dressed tomboy street rat. Then he caught the eyes and the pained shock that was trying to hide behind one vicious scowl. Measuring those eyes against that mouth, he knew without even noting a scent who it was. No one looked like that except Rogue - and he'd be damned if that little angel didn't sneak back in here after all.
As soon as she saw the recognition on his face, her pace slowed, then her direction changed and she all but ran for the door. Glancing back over his shoulder, he checked out all the women circling around the runt and the one in particular that he was giving his attention. She was a hot little number, but Victor saw it for what it was. Logan was just using her as away to kill the thoughts of a particular shapely brunette that wouldn't stop haunting him. Too bad little Rogue wouldn't quite see it that way...
*********
Damn him. Damn him all the way to hell and back, Rogue's voice screamed inside her mind. How could he do this when he knew she wanted him? Why couldn't he just want the same thing? Asshole! Rogue slammed the car into drive and punched the pedal so hard the tires screeched in response. Anger, jealousy, and disappointment grew into a tangled mass of emotions that were piling up inside her.
Sooner or later he'd find out just how deeply he'd hurt her. Those whores had been all over him, drooling and groping like he was a piece of meat up for grabs. She'd expected him to at least ignore their attention or redirect it, not flirt and laugh and enjoy every minute of it. It was all so ... so disgusting! Rogue felt like throwing up. And then there was his favorite; the curvy brunette hanging on him, her eyes begging him to take her somewhere so they could fuck. He'd been encouraging her! That slut practically had her hands down Logan's pants, and he hadn't even pushed her away.
God, what a fool she was to ever think he wanted her like that. She had no claim to him though and that was the biggest bitch of all. So he'd flirted and they’d kissed and there was that feeling, always that feeling when they were around each other. Obviously that meant fuck-all to him. The kiss they shared obviously meant nothing; the pendant - probably just a way to smooth things over and keep the little girl in line. Evidently, Logan could just go around kissing all the little brunettes he wanted, without a second thought.
She couldn't even call him out about his fight groupie because she wasn't supposed to have seen it to begin with. He didn't know she was there to spy on him and Victor. If he had known, then maybe he wouldn't have let those women touch him like that, and maybe he wouldn't have flirted with that brunette like she was the best thing since sliced fucking bread. Yeah, and maybe monkeys might fly out his ass, Rogue thought bitterly, squealing the tires around a curve. Bastard!
She cursed a blue streak all the way back to the mansion and was still infuriated as she stomped across the gravel walk and into the main entrance of their huge castle like home. Slamming the door behind her, she finally made it back to her own space - a safe, non Logan zone.
Was she being unreasonable to get this worked up over something that she knew was, at the very least, a part of his past? She knew women threw themselves at him, she just didn't think he threw back. Not now. Naively, she thought maybe he'd cooled his behavior since...since...since what exactly? Since she'd kissed him? Since they'd shared a couple of moments that were special - at least to her? Obviously not. Obviously she was the only one reading into their odd little relationship too much.
Rogue let out a low growl to herself. Logan was still just as much a womanizer as ever. He was making it damn clear that no matter what chemistry they shared, he did *not* want to pursue *anything* with her.
Agitated, her clothes went flying off like a twister had set down in her room. A hot shower was what she needed to get rid of the stench from the bar and the images of Logan with that slut. He was probably with her right now, making her scream his name over and over and over. She wasn't even that pretty!
At first Rogue wanted to cry, but the more she thought about it, about Logan's territorial, overly protective macho daddy routine, the angrier she got. So he thought he could tell her how to act and then just do whatever he damn well pleased? Rogue was supposed to behave like a good little girl and be Miss Virtuous, while he could be the mansion’s biggest hound dog?! He thought he'd get to see her upset? Well, she sure as hell was not going to cry her eyes out over him anymore. It was bad enough that she'd opened herself up for this time and time again. Her days of offering were over. He'd learn what he was missing out on sooner or later. If he didn't want her, then fine! There was someone that did.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
She felt like she was caught in some kind of emotional tug of war combined with a twisted, seductive game of hide and seek.