"You never told me what happened to your hand baby." My hand softly strokes up and down her back as Victoria lays on my chest, running her fingers over the muscles there, tracing my ink.

She sighs and explains and her explanation immediately sends tension though my body. So much so, that she raises her head to look at me.

"Are you ok?" she stares at me, face filled with concern.

I just stare back and nod my head. And then I have second thoughts...hell no I'm not ok. I am not ok with Memphis coming to check up on her. Am I being petty? Yep, I am and I don't give a fuck. Just hearing that he was involved or even close to her, when she was hurt, makes my blood boil all over again. And it hurts, that I wasn't there for her.

"Look Tori, we both know Memphis is interested in you, he always has been, but he nor anybody else from the club, need to come to your house. Especially without my consent."

She looks at me with soft eyes and her lips turn up slightly. "Solomon...baby...I am not remotely interested in Memphis. Most of Twisted dropped by or called at some point. They were just doing what they do for someone important to the club." She shrugs trying to simplify the matter. And then a shy look crosses her face and she adds, "I guess that's me, huh?"

Tilting her face to meet mine, "Yes baby, that is you. Whoever matters to me, matters to them and you matter to me more than anyone else."

Her eyes look away from my face, like something's wrong.

"Talk to me...what's wrong? If you're not ready to take our relationship to the next level, tell me. Let's talk about it."

She sighs and I wait. Fuck. I'm actually holding my breath. I thought Victoria was in this with me, I thought we were moving forward. Maybe I got her signals wrong. Now my brain is moving in a million directions and I'm getting a headache. I want her for the long-haul, I need her in my life.

Ok, slow down, she hasn't said anything yet. Maybe I'm just jumping to conclusions. Maybe...ugh...shit...say something dammit!!

"Solomon, I have something to tell you...something I think we need to discuss."

She sighs again and fuck me! If she doesn't spit it out soon, I'm going to scream!

Victoria sits on the side of the bed and her voice goes soft. She never once looks at me as she tells me about her ex-husband and why he left her. Tears are streaming down her face and my blood pressure seems to rise for every tear that falls.

That motherfucker!!! He left her because she couldn't give him kids??? Who the fuck does that???

The sadness and devastation on her face almost break me and I'm ready to catch the next flight to Texas so I can take care of that fool. I make a mental note to discuss this prick with Mario. I'm not trying to kill him, but we will put some pain into his ass.

I watch her as she finishes talking, her hands shake as she wipes her tears and smiles. Smiling at me through all of the pain and obstacles she's been through. 

"I am ok with who I am Solomon...took me a while to get there but I'm there. This is me and I love who I am. I know you're still young and if you want to have kids the natural way, then I definitely understand that. I just wanted to give you the opportunity to make the decision for yourself. If you want out of this, I suppose now is the time."

I'm off of the bed by this point, kneeling in front of this beautiful woman, trying to get my words together. "Tori...baby...I almost don't know where to begin."

I search those eyes that I've come to love so much, eyes that look back at me with fear and uncertainty.

Shaking my head, "Baby please listen to me...I want you for you, not for what you can give me. Do I want kids? Sure I do, one day, but there are other ways to make it happen. Adoption is an amazing gift to give a child, to give to us. I want there to be an us Victoria, whether we have kids or not. I want you! You are important to me, baby...I need you in my life." My hands gently wipe the fresh tears that continue to fall but she's smiling through those tears now and my chest is about to burst with everything that I'm feeling for her. "And maybe we decide to not have kids, natural or any other way but we will decide that together. It's you and me baby...ok?"

Victoria nods her head, and I lean in to devour her lips. Our tongues sliding against each other, she moans into me. Our kiss breaks, but we still connect, foreheads touching, my hands sliding slowly up and down her thighs. I can almost hear her heart pounding.

"Thank you so much Solomon. How did I ever get so lucky?"

"Mmm...I'm the lucky one baby." Pulling back to look into her eyes, the next words tumble out before I can even process it, "I love you Victoria."

Her eyes go wide, and she sucks in a breath. "Oh Solomon...I love you too...so much!"

And my lips devour hers again.