COMMAND

Twenty Six

I took a shower.

After showering, I checked the box he said I would find in his closet, and when I did, I found a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. It was not what I expected, and I laughed when I saw it. Honestly, I thought I would find something a bit sexier? Like the other time, he gave me a dress that I loved but ended up setting it on fire. It still pained me when I thought about it.

There were no bra or knickers, so I decided not to wear any because I hated wearing knickers that were not cleaned. I dashed out of the bedroom and made my way into the kitchen. There, I found Rogue had finished cooking me breakfast—an English breakfast because he thought it might remind me of home. As touching as that was, anything else would have been good. I was so hungry that I ate up everything on the plate, much to his amusement.

After eating, he told me we weren't going out anymore, and I took that as a win because this was a chance to go back home and call Hanna before she goes out of her mind with worry, but Rogue had other things in mind.

"Where are we going?" I asked as he pulled me into the elevator.

"Follow me, you impatient little human," he chastised as the door closed, and the car took us up to another floor. When the doors slide opened, Rogue grabbed my hand and stepped out of the elevator.

Light flittered through the windows of the spacious room. I gaped at the long wooden table holding equipment and wood sculptures, and a stack of lumber piled on the floor. Darting my gaze around, there were workbenches with tools and equipment. Wood chips coated the floor and machinery bits piled all over. On the shelves were a different kind of sculptures that I hurried to take a look at.

"Holy shit. This is yours?" I asked in fascination, as I stared at every piece of sculpture that was carved and made perfectly. I was too afraid to touch any.

"No, I'm just keeping the workshop for someone else."

Rogue's sarcasm had me turning around to glare at him playfully, but then I saw sculptures of figures and abstracts, and some that looked so realistic I was stunned.

"You made these?" I knew I sounded like it was too hard to believe him, but I was genuinely surprised Rogue had a hobby and was good at it. I already knew he was a good businessman, but I just didn't know that he was a great woodcarver.

"Yes," he offered, staying close behind me and letting me gush all over his talent. It was so impressive. "Are you surprised?"

I laughed, striding past each shelf but making sure to walk slowly to savour each sculpture. "Actually, yes I am," I answered without turning around. "I didn't know you were so talented, oh my god."

"You're the second person that I've shown this to you."

His admittance had me pausing and turning my head to smile at him, this time more naturally. "You mean you're hiding your talent? Are you crazy? You should be showing this to the world—you could sell out everything in here."

"Sell them?" He frowned at the suggestion, then shook his head. "No, they're not for sale." His face went blank as I watched his gaze roamed around his workshop and the sculptures he made, and I couldn't spot pride or happiness in his eyes. "They're intimate things I can't show to everyone. Besides, this isn't a hobby."

"If it isn't a hobby, then what is it?"

Rogue met my eyes steadily. "Torture." His voice was soft yet firm, and his words pressed on me with grave seriousness. "That's what it is."

Torture? I considered that statement. I wondered what his demons were, and what would possess him to do something he claimed was torture to him. "Then, why do you do it?" I asked. I already knew the answer, but I needed to hear him say it anyway.