The Rogue

accident.

I wake to an all-too-familiar ache curling through my abdomen. Groaning, I slide a hand beneath me. Damp.

No.

My fingers curl around the twisted sheets, already dreading what I’ll see. Using my phone’s flashlight, the crimson stain is obvious—and the cramping leaves no room for denial.

That’s why Adam smirked when he told me to let Evan know I’d be “out of commission.”

How the hell did he know I was due?

I shuddered, what else does he know?

Cursing under my breath, I strip the white sheet off the floor-bed and tiptoe from the wardrobe, praying Alessia or Megan left anything usable in the bathroom. The house is dark. Rain patters gently on the roof. Adam’s breathing is steady, quiet.

“Where are you going?” His voice slices through the silence. Low. Calm. Still enough to startle me.

I freeze.

Adam flicks on his bedside lamp. He’s shirtless. Muscles taut under smooth skin. His black hair tousled, falling into his eyes until he brushes it back lazily.

“I… I just…”

My face burns. I’ve never had to face this exact humiliation before.

Adam glances at the crumpled white sheet in my arms. He connects the dots. Something flickers in his gaze—not disgust, just understanding. Then he’s up. Bare feet hitting the floor.

“Go clean up,” he says simply, taking the sheet from me. “I’ve got this.”

I blink. “Wait, what—”

But he’s already gone, swiftly down the hall.

The bathroom light stings my eyes. Thankfully, I found a stash of tampons beneath the sink. But I hadn’t grabbed clean pajamas—just underwear. Which means I’ll be crawling back into bed in a t-shirt and fresh knickers. Barely dressed, bleeding, and emotionally wrecked.

returning to Adams room, I freeze again. He’s made up a bed on the floor—pillow, blanket.

“Take the bed,” he says gently, already curling up on the floor.

I hesitate, but slip beneath the heavy doona. It’s warm. Smells like his cologne—rich, earthy, alluring.

“Adam?” I whisper.

“Ivy?” he whispered back.

“…Thank you.”

I shut my eyes and let Adams scent and the rain lull me back to sleep.

The next time I open my eyes, golden morning light cuts through the tiny break in the blind and Adam is grinning over me with a tray in his hands.

“Rise and shine,” he beams. “Thought you could use pancakes. And chocolate.”

I flush. Hard.

Adam bursts out laughing.

“I’m an assassin, Ivy,” he smirks. “You really think a little blood’s gonna gross me out?”

I recoil slightly. He catches himself.

“I didn’t mean it like—s**t. I just—”

“It’s okay.” I sit up, taking the tray. “Thanks.”

he flops onto the bed beside me, utterly relaxed. “Nice to know you’re not pregnant though.”

“Adam!” I glare, but a reluctant laugh escapes. “You’re the worst.”

“Technically, I’m the best.” He winks. “At everything.”

I roll my eyes and take a bite of the fluffiest pancake I’ve ever had. “I should deal with the sheets…”

“I handled it. And your PJs.”

“You… washed them?”

“Nope.”

My brows furrow. “But you said you took care of it.”

“I did,” he says casually. “I burnt them.”

“You burnt my pyjamas?!” I dropped the fork in shock,

“They were hideous. I did the world a favour.”

"They were not, they were pink...”

“Exactly.” he smirked.

“You’re unbelievable.”

"Tell Evan. I’m sure he will be devastated.” there was a slight malice to his tone, that felt less like a joke.

“Actually, when I stay at Evan’s, I’m not wearing anything...” I roll my eyes.

Adams face falls “Touché.”

After breakfast, I lie back on the bed, exhaustion thick in my bones. My body is done.

“About your date tonight,” Adam says.

“Actually… I think I want to cancel. I’m so tired.” I yawn.

“That’s not the kind of tired that sleep fixes.”

I groan and roll off the bed. “Coffee. I need coffee before I kill someone.” I grumble, searching for my leggings and pulling them on.

In the kitchen, Megan’s prepping a stew, veggies spread across the bench. She beams when she sees me and gives me a warm, gentle hug.

“Morning, you survived then”

Adam trails behind me, grunting as Megan swats his arm.

“Way to throw her in the deep end!” she snaps at him.

“Had to be done,” he mutters.

To ease the tension, I grab a knife and start slicing carrots. Megan watches me carefully.

“This week wasn’t the deep end?” I ask dryly. “I’ve got a date tonight.”

Megan’s eyes narrow. “With who?”

“Evan.”

Her expression twists. “The guy always following you around those fancy parties your dad drags you to?”

How much does she know? I give Adam a knowing look and he just shrugged.

“Yeah… that one.”

“What is it between you and him?”

I hesitate. “We were childhood friends. My dad’s associate’s son. After my parents split, we lost touch. But then… I moved back. He works for my father, so we'd see each other at his galas”

Megan nods, absorbing it. I glance at Adam and Seth—quiet now, but watching.

“I guess I… let myself enjoy one of those events too much.”

The words are bitter on my tongue.

Seth smirks. Adam frowns. Megan’s eyes widen.

“It was a mistake,” I whisper. “A stupid one.”

“Nothing wrong with having fun,” Megan offers softly.

“See, that’s what Jess said. But…” I trail off.

Adam’s voice cuts through. “Did he hurt you?”

His tone is too serious. Too sharp.

“No. It wasn’t like that. It was just…” I force a shrug. “Wrong.”

Adam eases, but he’s still staring at me like I’m glass about to crack.

Megan reaches across the bench and squeezes my hand. Her gaze is kind.

“It was your first time, wasn’t it?”

I nod, eyes stinging. “And it gave him the wrong idea.”

Adam speaks quietly. “That night on the balcony…?”

“Yeah. He wanted more. I didn’t. I ghosted him until that party.”

They’re all silent. Megan squeezes my hand again.

“I can’t be with anyone,” I murmur. “Not while I’m still here. Once I graduate, I’m gone. Relationships tie you down.”

The room falls quiet. The kettle boils. Adam slides me a coffee.

I sip it slowly and slip back to his room, leaving their silence behind me.

As I slip back into the wardrobe, Adam appears in the doorway.

“Ivy can I ask you something?”

“You don’t usually ask if you can ask something.”

He leans against the frame. “When you got us that intel… you didn’t want to sleep with him, did you?”

“What does it matter?”

He exhales. “What I do, the lines blur—between right and wrong, good and bad. But I’d never want you to think you had to cross them like that. Ever.”

I look down.

Adam nods. “If you want to cancel tonight… I get it.”

“I’ll go. But after, I’m back at the dorm. No more missions for a while. I need to rest, I need to... make sure when this over, I have something left of me”

“Deal.”

he turned to leave but I remembered something.

“earlier, you said it’s not the kind of exhaustion sleep fixes?”

“It’s the kind you get from using your powers. You’ll build endurance over time. But I shouldn’t have pushed you so much”

“Is that how you were trained?”

“Yeah.”

“Then… you should’ve.” I turned a shut myself in the little wardrobe, coffee in hand, preparing for whatever Evan has planned.

Adam drops me at my dorm before Evan picks me up. We don’t speak during the drive. He’s tense. Megan had curled my hair, done my makeup. She offered me clothes, but I refused. I needed to feel like me tonight.

I changed into a flowy dress, ankle boots, and the camel coat my dad once gave me.

Evan’s leaning against his car, smiling as I approached.

“You look beautiful, Ivy.” He opens the door. I slide in.

“Dinner okay?” he smiles.

“Perfect.”

At least, I hoped that was all it would be.