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I opened the door to the townhouse and was instantly enveloped by the smell of food. Hank was cooking again. I heard Victor's stomach growl behind me.

"Roslyn! I was starting to wo..."

Hank recovered quickly.

"Worried. You could have called."

I laughed as I walked through the foyer and into the kitchen. Hank was a nervous baker. When he needed to find an answer, or was upset, he baked. Odd, I know. But fantastic for me.

"You've seen better days my boy."

I moved through the kitchen, speaking volumes to Hank with my eyes. I gave him a quick peck on the cheek, and then dipped my finger into the cake mix he was currently making.

"Ah! Get your fingers out of there!"

He playfully slapped my hand. I grinned at him, and stuck my finger in my mouth anyways, tasting the delicious chocolate.

"Your incorrigible."

"I know."

Victor made an impatient noise behind us. I heaved a sigh and looked at Hank for help.

"Roslyn, why don't you finish this here, and I'll go show Victor where he can clean up?"

I nodded my head. Hank walked over and clapped a hand on Victor's shoulder, steering him out of the kitchen. Victor looked back over his shoulder at me, before turning around and speaking quietly with Hank.

I let out another heave of air. I walked back into the foyer to hang my coat up in the closet. I set my keys on the small table next to Hanks.

I slammed my hand down on the table hard. I worked so hard to leave him in the past, and now he shows up, wanting to be apart of my life again. I dug around in my purse and pulled out my phone. I slipped my blue tooth ear piece on and dialed Rogue's number. I slipped my phone into my bra, this dress having no pockets, and headed back into the kitchen to finish what Hank had started.

"Sexy girlfriend!"
I smiled. Rogue always knew how to cheer me up.

"I am in deep shit."

I heard Rogue fumbled around a bit, I assume she was sitting up in bed.

"What's happened? Are you alright? Where are you?"

"I'm physically okay, and I'm home."

She let out a sigh of relief.

"What's happened?"

"Victor's back."

Rogue went very, very still on the phone. I heard shuffling, and then Logan spoke.

"What do you mean he's back Rose?"

I felt bad for waking them. But I was in need of advice.

"He showed up when I was walking home from work."

I heard Logan sigh, and then a small click came over the line. Rogue had went and got the other phone.

"Creepy...Like a stalker?"

"I'm not sure if he was stalking me or not Ro. He showed him self immediately."

"He want back in?"

Logan sounded less then impressed.

"That's what he says."

"You ain't listening to him are ya Rose?"

I sighed. I didn't know what to do.

"He's in a bad way Logan. Skinny, dirty. Just rough. I don't know what to do here guys. My plate is full to the brim, I start trial today at 9. What am I going to do?"

I stopped stirring the batter and pushed away a stray hair that had fallen out of my neat bun.

"You and Hank cookin?"

I laughed out a yes.

"Set out extra plates, we'll be over in a bit."

I smiled and silently thanked God or whatever was out there for the two of them.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet Rose."

"Well then thanks to Rogue."

"It's no prob shug. I'm only returning the favor."

I nodded my head and then hung up. I started mixing again. I was just pouring the mixture into a cake pan when Hank came walking back down the stairs. He was deep in thought, but broke out of it when he saw me.

"My dear, I have not seen you so confused since...well, I have never been witness to this before."

"I'm at a loss here Hank. I worked so hard for this life, this serious life that you've helped me build. And now he's back, it's like it was when I first started. I'm torn."

"You called Rogue?"

"She and Logan are coming over."

"Are you sure that's wise? Logan is very protective of you Roslyn."

"I know, but he's better when she's around. More in control."

"That's what mate's do. Better us."

I didn't think I bettered Victor. Nor did he better me. If anything, we were each others Achilles heels.

"He said something to you."

"He said a lot to me Roslyn. He's in a very hard spot for him."

I raised one manicured brow at him. He's in a hard spot?

"Victor is not a weak man Roslyn. He's proud and arrogant. Years of being the best of the baddest has given him the right. He knew what he wanted then, how to get it and what to do with it once he had it. Now he's unsure. He doesn't know how to get what he wants, how to keep it, or what to do after he has it. This is very new territory for him. He is still feeling it out."

I shook my head.

"Maybe he should have told me that three months ago, before I jumped in feet first while his ass was still toeing the water."

Hank shook his head.

"You are more certain of yourself Roslyn. You have a support system he lacks."

"It's my fault he doesn't trust anyone."

"That's just it. He doesn't trust anyone, including himself where you are concerned."

I slammed down the spatula I was using to smooth the surface of the batter in the pan.

"That's bullshit."

I walked out of the room and headed for the stairs. And I was going to tell him so. I heard the shower running in the spare bedroom. I walked through the room, into the bathroom and pulled back the curtain. Victor was turned so I had a side profile of him. He was resting his head against the wall, under the stream.

He looked at me out of the corner of his eye.

"I don't know what to do here Victor."

When he didn't respond, I put my hands on my hips, and clicked my tongue against the roof of my mouth a few times. It was an old habit, that was refusing to die.

He smiled sadly.

"Alright. Let's start with something easy then. What do want from me?"

He turned his head to look at me, and my heart sank. He looked so lost, forlorn. My hands fell away from my hips and my shoulder's slummed in very ungracefully.

He turned his head back to he was staring at the wall. Then he closed his eyes and let out a haggard sigh.

"I just want you."

"Why didn't you want me three months ago!"

I didn't mean to yell, but all the emotions that I had hid away were all bubbling back up again. I felt the first tear fall. I shook my head and wiped it away quickly. I was mad at myself now. I was standing here, holding back sobs that desperately wanted to wrack my body looking for all the world like a weak, pathetic, little girl.

Victor stepped out of the shower and pulled me to him. I resisted but as soon as my head hit his chest, it all melted away. I had missed this, missed him so much.

"I screwed up Roslyn, and I hurt you."

I nodded my head, not trusting my voice for the first time in my life.

"I'm not an easy person to like. I have...faults. When I first had you, I told myself I wouldn't get attached. I would take you when I wanted, and leave. But you got under my skin. Made my chest ache. I didn't understand it, didn't like it. So when the opportunity came, I left."

I was listening with rapt attention. Victor had never spoken this much to me before, or this openly.

"But every time I picked up a paper, or turned on the news, there you were. With Hank, or with that blind lawyer. I couldn't escape you. So I went to a place where they didn't have those things. For the first time in my life, I ran away from something."

I could smell his shame, taste his guilt. Victor was pouring himself out to me. I ran my hand up and down his back, trying to soothe him.

"I drove myself nuts thinking about you. Where were you? Were you hurt? Were you with someone else? I couldn't take it anymore. I had to see you."

I nodded, my cheek rubbing up and down on his slick chest. He was waiting for me to say something.

"I understand. Without condemning or condoning."

His arms went just a little tighter around me.

"This doesn't mean I forgive you. But it's a start."

Victor put a hand under my chin and angled it up. His lips met mine in another soft, hot kiss. The flames blazed through the earlier sand I had thrown on them, and were consuming me. I felt Victor stir against my lower stomach. It had been so long.

Too long.

I pulled away from him, walking over toward the bedroom door. I could feel Victor's disappointment. I kicked it shut and turned around, unzipping my dress as I did so.

"We can start over tomorrow. Tonight, I want you."

Victor's eyes blazed, as he moved out of the bathroom and toward me. I let my dress fall to the ground, a puddle of Prada at my feet. His eyes scorched my flesh as he gazed at my body. I reached behind my back and unfastened my bra, letting it join it's kin on the floor. Now I was wearing only underwear and high heels.

Victor didn't move closer. He was waiting, tentatively.

"What are waiting for? Get over here and take what's yours."

He moved faster than I remembered. He shredded my underwear and was inside me before I could react. With my back against the cool wood of the door, I waited. Victor didn't move. He had himself buried in m to the hilt, the tip of him touching my cervix in a deliciously painful way.

"What?"

He looked at me.

"I don't know if I can be gentle right now."

"Who said anything about gentle?"

I rolled my hips and ground onto him, using the small ledge above the door to help me. He growled at me.

"Roslyn..."

It was a half moan, half warning. I reached up and pulled my hair out of the bun, letting my crimson waves spill down my shoulders and onto my chest.

I felt him jerk and twitch inside me. He was loosing control.

"Roslyn I..."

"Fuck me."

That did it. He brought himself out and slammed into me. I leaned forward and captured his mouth with mine. This was one area in our relationship that was always perfect. He walked us over to the bed, and climbed on. I raked my nails down his back as he ravaged me. When he flipped me so I was on my stomach, I put my ass up in the air. He mounted me hard, so I reached forward and grabbed the headboard for support. I was moaning and groaning, gasping and screaming. He moaned out my name, over and over. My orgasm came only moments before his did. He pumped into me harder and faster as his own orgasm rode him. He roared out his pleasure, making the windows shake. When he was done, he fell to his side, sliding out of me.

"I missed that."

He let out a soft rumble of laughter, and then pulled me to him.

"Me too."

I smiled as the soft purr started in his chest. I was starting to fall asleep, when the door suddenly flew open, Hank's eyes quickly taking in the situation, before stating,

"Roslyn, we have a very serious problem."