26 Will You?

Davis' P.O.V.

I was still shocked that Lisa had interrupted my grilling of Jared. I was having my fun at his expense, but he really shouldn't have been kissing Izzy before dating her. He should have talked to me first. She was my only baby girl, at least until Lisa and I have a child.

What was really gnawing at my brain as I drove was whatever Lisa wanted to talk about. Did I do something wrong? Did she? Was it her father again? Have Chris and Daniel popped back up after everything? Surely they weren't that stupid, were they?

I wanted to race home, but there was no point in getting there before Lisa. I kept my pace with her speed, trying to ensure that we got home at the same time. Getting there before her and having to wait seemed like a more miserable time than just riding slower.

It felt like an eternity with my tormenting thoughts until we arrived home a minute apart. I opened her car door for her, allowing her to step out. That was when I noticed her eyes were pinker than usual. She'd been crying and I immediately tensed.

**Song suggestion: Lost Without You by Freya Ridings**

"Who made you cry?" I asked her a bit too harshly as my anger rose at the thought of someone hurting her.

"No one, well, not really," she sighed. "Come on, let's sit down first."

She walked away, but I grabbed her wrist, crashing her into my chest. I wanted answers now. The ride over was long enough. Screw sitting down.

"Tell me here, Lisa. I can't take much more of this waiting." She let out a long breath like this was the hardest thing she has had to do. "What's going on?"

"You know how I had that doctor's appointment today?" she started with her eyes on the ground.

I swear to God! If she said she has cancer; I was burning the universe down and starting over.

"Yes, I recall."

"She told me that my fallopian tubes are blocked." She seems ready to cry, but I was obviously missing something here.

"What does that mean?" I asked, trying to figure out why she looked ready to break.

My words made her cry, sob, actually. All I could do was hold her close as she did. She shook her head against me before she pulled back just a little.

"It means I can't have your kids." She collected herself enough to talk through her tears. "Because of what happened two years ago, I can't have your kids."

She cried more as she said it and I think I heard my heart shatter as if it was made of glass this whole time. I was a fucking idiot. She had been wanting a baby. She deserved a baby. Yet she couldn't have one. I held her closer, letting her tears soak my shirt, rubbing her back gently as I rocked her.

What the hell do I say?

Surely I could tell her that there was more than one way to be a mother, but was that really what she would want to hear? What if I say screw it, we don't need kids, anyway? Would that hurt her more?

God, what do I do?

"I love you, Lisa. No matter what, I love you. I am sorry. I know how much you wanted to have a baby." My arms squeeze, pressing her closer to me, if that was even possible. "I'm here for you, whatever you need. Whatever you want to do, we can do it. No kids, IVF, adopt kids, take in all the strays of the world, or hire a damn surrogate. Whatever it is, we'll do it."

I meant every word I said. Whatever it took, whatever she wanted, I would make it happen. She nodded her head against my chest, but continued to cry. No one died, but she was mourning. Mourning the fact that she couldn't have children. Mourning the loss of being able to grow a life inside of her. As a male, I would never understand the bond a mother forms as she grows the child she would raise, but I understand enough to know that it was very special. Lisa knows that and now she wouldn't get to experience it.

If there was anything I could do to make this better, I'd do it in a heartbeat. All I could do for now was let her mourn while I held her tight. I picked her up, carefully carrying her to our room. It was going to be okay.

I would make sure of it.

"I'm here, Lisa. Whatever you need, I am here."

"Thank you," she whispered so lightly I barely heard it.

I laid her on our bed and crawled in next to her, pulling her close to my chest again as I rubbed her back aimlessly. Eventually, her crying stopped and her breathing eased.

"This is my fault, Davis." Her voice was low, straining my ears to hear it even in the dead silence of our room.

"Don't say that, Lisa. There's no way this could ever be your fault."

"But it is!" she argued, lifting her head to look into my eyes. Those glittering blue eyes stared right into my soul, piercing my heart as I saw the hurt deep inside them. "A couple of years ago, I was with a man I deeply loved. His name was John, he was actually Lucas' best friend. We'd secretly been together for a year. I didn't want to come between them, and when John told me he loved me, I broke it off. Only he died a few weeks later–" her voice cracked as she fought to speak through her streaming tears. "I found out I was pregnant two weeks after his death. I thought maybe it was God's way of giving me a piece of John to hold on to, only he violently ripped that away from me, too. Turned out that the egg had implanted in my tube and they had to remove the fetus."

Her hands covered her eyes as she shook her head, sobbing so heavily. I didn't know my heart could hurt this badly again. I wanted to take all her sadness from her, to take it upon myself. Seeing her cry like this was hurting me so much, a tear streamed down my face, and I was a hard man to make cry. I grabbed her once more, cradling her to my chest and allowing her to let it all out.

"It's not your fault, Lisa. None of this is your fault. I am so sorry you had to go through that. I had no idea. Does Lucas know?" She shook her head in answer, which only told me she had been going through this alone all this time. "I'm here now, My Warrior. You're not alone anymore. It's going to be okay. Whatever you decide to do, we will do it. I promise you."

She allowed me to rub her until her breathing eased once more, and she fell asleep on my chest. I held still, trying not to wake her as she rested. Carefully, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and texted Frank.

Davis: Do it now.

We would release the first illegal act Idris has done, embezzling from his own company. Derek's already got the ball rolling, but this would put more pressure on the authorities to do it faster.

That One Asshole: With pleasure 3:)

The little devil emoji suited him well. I closed my eyes, deciding to nap with Lisa. When we wake up, there should be a bit of buzz about her father. Hopefully, it'll cheer her up a bit to see her his company start to crumble the way she wanted.

I woke up to Lisa silently scrolling through her phone with her back towards me. She was trying not to wake me, being very silent, but I saw the smile on her face. It wasn't like her usual sweet one. It was one of great satisfaction at her father's misery. Peering over her shoulder, I saw she was looking at the stocks. Porter international was going down fast.

"When did you do it?" she asked me, realizing I was awake.

"When you fell asleep, I texted Frank."

"Thank you," she whispered, but she never turned or looked away from her phone. She was glued there.

"Anything for you, Lisa." I kissed her bare shoulder, feeling her sigh deeply.

"Even not having another kid of your own?"

I knew she wouldn't wake up feeling better about that fact, but I had hoped that she would know that I would be happy with her, no matter what.

"Yes, even that. I love you. I don't need to have another baby to be happy. It would have just been a bonus, but a bonus that I am fine without. If you want to talk more about our options later, we can. Whatever you want to do, Lisa, I'll support you one hundred percent."

I won't have her believe otherwise. She nodded her head silently, making me wonder if she really believed me. Now was the time to ask my question, because I really think it was the only way she would realize how serious I was.

"Alright, time to get off the bed," I told her, staring down at her as I stood up first.

"I don't want to," she complained.

"I have a surprise for you, a gift. It's hidden in the house. You can get a clue anytime you want, but you have to land a punch on me to get it."

She loved games, and she loved proving to herself that she was strong. It was not the most romantic, but it was the way that best suited her. I was sure of it.

"Davis, I really don't feel up to it." She frowned, not moving from the bed.

"Come on, Lisa. Are you worried you still won't be able to hit me?" I teased her, trying to rile her up.

"Hey, I've hit you before," she argued with an adorable pout.

"Only because you threw your shirt on my face." I laughed at the memory, but I was impressed by her at the time.

"Oh, whatever, I could totally hit you if I wanted to."

"Prove it." I smirked.

I saw that fire in her eyes and knew I'd won. She got off the bed in an instant, immediately sparring with me. Her smile only proved to me she was enjoying this. She enjoys feeling strong, like she could take on anyone. I know she never wants to feel weak again. Never wanting to be overpowered by a man again. I let her hit my side after a while.

"Ha! See, I did it. Now give me a clue." Her eyes were sparkling with excitement as she met my gaze.

"It's in this room." I told her, keeping it vague.

"What am I looking for? Is it big or small? Is it wrapped?" She asked.

"You'll have to fight me more if you want me to answer those questions." I grinned at her happily, because I was enjoying this too.

She was determined as she sparred with me. I'd poke her, because I would never lay a hand on her. She'd do the same, not wanting to hurt me, even though in her current state she couldn't. I smiled at her when she had poked me twice without me having let her. She did that all on her own. After the third poke, I answered her questions.

"You're looking for a small gift. It is wrapped and has a gold ribbon tied around it."

Lisa scoured the room, tearing into the drawers, checking under the bed, and inside the closet. She was getting mad the more she searched and didn't find it. What she didn't know was that I got it out of its hiding spot when she wasn't looking and stuck it in my pocket.

"Ugh, I can't find it!" she huffed, crossing her arms. She looked ready to give up.

"You're cold," I told her as she stood across the room from me. She took a step away from me, testing which way she should go. "Getting colder." She took a step towards me. "Warmer." We continued this until she was standing right in front of me. She immediately poked me, causing me to grin happily.

"Is it on you?" she asked me, already seeing through my game. I nodded my head, and she patted me down until she felt it in my pocket.

"Careful, you might grab the wrong thing." I winked at her as she dug in my front pocket. She just rolled her eyes, but that corner of her lips told me she was enjoying herself.

"I got it!" she yelled excitedly as she took it out and unwrapped it. While her attention was solely on the gift, I got down on one knee.

Time to ask the question of my life. Why am I so nervous?

Lisa's P.O.V.

**Song Suggestion: Grow As We Go by Ben Platt**

I knew Davis was trying to cheer me up, but it was hard to be cheered up by news like the one I received today. However, this little game had me smiling from ear to ear, reveling in my triumph. The thought of kids was far from my mind for a moment as I tore through the wrapping. I wanted to know what he had hidden behind this thin paper.

My brows met in the center as I stared at a small black box. Did he really get me jewelry? It was sweet, but I was not the 'buy jewelry for me' type. Still, I opened the box, prepared to put on a grateful smile. I wasn't expecting to see a ring. It was beautiful with a squared cut sapphire in the center surrounded by small diamonds. When I looked at him, I found him lower than I expected as he kneeled before me.

My eyes had never watered so quickly before. Did he really want to ask me this? Even after knowing I can't have children?

"Lisa Porter, I don't think you realize how much you mean to me," he started, staring deep into my eyes. "I haven't felt this way in many, many years. You've brought back a piece of me I thought was long since dead. There is nothing in this world I want more than you, than to share this life with you. Whatever life I have left, I want it spent with you by my side. I would be the luckiest man on the planet to call a strong woman such as yourself my wife. You've always seen yourself as weak, but never once have I thought you as weak. When you weren't strong physically, you were strong emotionally. Now you're both, and I couldn't be prouder of the way your inner warrior has come out and shined. Lisa, I love you with all of my heart, and today's news has not changed that one bit. So will you?" He grabbed the ring from the box in my hands and slid it on my finger. "Will you marry me?"

"I told you already I would say yes. But are you sure you still want me?" I asked him, worrying that maybe one day he'd regret this decision.

"More than sure, Lisa. I'll want you always and forevermore. There won't be a day that I won't want you by my side, that I won't love you. You're my everything, so don't you ever question it." He stood up now, holding me close so that his face was just inches from my own.

"Then yes, I will marry you, Davis." I whispered against his lips before we kissed so passionately it was like all the love in the world had been placed on my lips.

"Thank you, my little warrior," he whispered between our kisses. I pulled back, shaking my head at him.

"No, my Viking, thank you. You took me out of a dark place. You saved me from going through with something that would have killed me. It was you that saved me. You've made me strong and helped me grow. I will forever be grateful to you. You're my Viking, my love, my savior."

We spoke no more as our lips rejoined. He kissed me with passion, threading his fingers through my hair to clasp my head against his. I did the same, loving the feel of that golden mane wrapped around my fingers.

Davis did exactly what I needed him to do today. He held me close, told me it would be okay. The mention of being a mother in other ways wasn't forced on me. He gave me time to grieve, and when he felt I had cried enough, he made me feel better. The game we played was to get me into a fighting mindset. He did it to make me feel strong, and to make me work for this moment. Then he asked me the question I'd been waiting for, to make sure that I knew that he still loved me, although I couldn't have his children.

There was nothing at that moment but us. My news pushed so far back in my mind, along with my dad. I would let those resurface later, after I've enjoyed my time with my now fiance.

I like that word. Fiance.

Davis' lips trailed the length of my neck, back and forth until he'd kissed every inch. He kissed the exposed skin above my breasts, trailing down my cleavage.

"Sorry, I'll buy you a new one," he said with the sound of fabric ripping as he tore my shirt open with his bare hands.

"You're lucky that wasn't one of my favorite shirts," I lied, because it actually was, but I didn't mind one bit. Frankly, I like it when he goes primal on me like this. It was damn hot.

His mouth explored my breasts in the most delectable of ways. Before I knew it, I was being lifted and thrown onto the bed. He smiled so brightly at me as he jumped over me. I laughed, feeling so overjoyed at that moment. Only Davis could make me happy after such depressing news.

"Thank you, Davis," I said again, because how could I not thank him after everything he had done for me, and continued to do. "Now fuck me good, my Viking, because I just promised you my life." I threw him a wink, and I swore he growled sexily, like some kind of animal. I giggled as he wrapped me in his arms and pulled me close, licking between my breasts and up to my chin.

"Oh trust me, you'll never tire of sex with me. I'll make sure of it."

"I don't doubt it."

He pulled my skirt off along with my underwear, surprising me with the gentle way he did it, even though he'd just torn my shirt open. He then shed his own clothes so fast I wondered if maybe he had some sort of inhuman speed. I let my hands run the length of his torso, enjoying the feel of his hard muscles. He really was a modern-day Viking.

Our hands explored each other, much in the same way our mouths did. At one point, I had even kissed his hairy calf, but I didn't care about it at the time, only wanting to love every inch of him. He didn't let me kiss him all over for long as he dragged me across the bed and positioned me towards him in just the right way. Davis really knew how to drive me wild and he planned to prove it tonight.

Oh, the sex we had was unlike any before. It was passionate, hot, and outright sexy as hell. Then it was gentle, loving, and safe, the complete opposite. After that it went animalistic, savage even, running me wild and ragged. Davis was showing me all the ways he could take me, all the ways he could make me feel immense pleasure. By the end, I was spent, utterly exhausted. My muscles ached and my poor center was screaming.

He was right. I would never tire of sex with him.