Butcher

by LeAnn Asher

  “Hi, how can I help you?” A worker pops out of nowhere, and Tiana and I both jump. Butcher growls loudly and moves around us to face the worker. “Do you deliver?”

  She nods and smiles, all too chipper for my liking. Why is she looking at Butcher like that? Hell, no.

  “Well, we would like the bedroom suite here.” I point to the princess room.

  She nods and moves to a computer. “Would you like it delivered today and set up?”

  I look at Butcher and he nods. “Yes, that would be perfect.”

  “Would you like to go to your dad’s while we get everything set up? I think your dad needs to know, and I got a call when I was out today to get the car seat. We got to go in and sign some papers—then she is ours.”

  “I can’t wait.” I smile and kiss the top of her head.

  I step around the buggy to the counter, and I hand my credit card to the worker before Butcher can do anything about it.

  “Shaylin,” he growls and I laugh.

  Honestly, I am not hard up for money. My bakery is doing very well, plus I am a trust fund kid. I have barely touched my trust fund. I rented my house out and used it to buy my bakery, along with all of my equipment.

  “I will let you buy the clothes and toys.”

  He gives me a death glare and I wink. He gives me that look that says I am getting it later, not that I mind. I missed him last night, if you know what I mean.

  My ring catches the light, and my stomach flips because it’s so surreal that I am going to be getting married.

  “Is that all for you, ma’am?” I take my card from her outstretched hand. “That’s it. Thank you.” I take my receipt.

  “Fill out this form with your address, so they can deliver. They should be there in three hours,” she tells us.

  Butcher steps up and fills out the form, and I see her watching his every move. I glare at her. She looks at me, and I cock my head to the side and arch my eyebrows at her, letting her know she is caught.

  She looks down at the ground and turns to Tiana, who is holding her stuffed animals.

  “You like them?” I ask and place a stray hair behind her ear. She nods and hugs the stuffed animals under her neck.

  “Ready, baby?” Butcher says and I look up from Tiana.

  “Yeah.”

  He takes the buggy from me and pushes it toward the clothes department. I turn to look at the worker, who is staring at us. I smirk and scoot up next to Butcher, and I reach down and grab his butt.

  I hear her gasp and I laugh.

  “Someone is being naughty,” Butcher teases and I give him a look.

  “You love it.”

  He doesn’t say anything, but I know he does because I love it when he gets all possessive.

  From the clothes that Myra sent, I know Tiara’s size. Butcher stays outside the kids’ clothes section with Tiana. I comb through the clothes, getting dressy clothes, pajamas, socks, undies, play clothes, a bathing suit, hair bows, and everything else I can possibly think of. I get an armload and drop it in the buggy.

  An hour later I am finished. I can always come back and get whatever else we need. I drop the last load.

  “We need to go to Walmart next to get other things she needs.” We have an hour before Butcher needs to go back to the house to meet the delivery people.

  We arrive back at his house fifteen minutes before we need to. Walmart was hell. We had to get shampoo, toothpaste, cups, plates, forks, meds, a booster seat, brushes, and lotion. Then Butcher found the snack section for toddlers, and he insisted that we load up on that because it’s good for her.

  Gotta love that man.

  We put Tiana on the couch with some toys as I help Butcher load all of the stuff into the house, at my insistence. He wanted me to relax with Tiana, but I wouldn’t. I dread hanging up all the clothes tonight once I get home from Dad’s.

  I wonder how he will react once he finds out that Butcher and I are adopting Tiana. You know what? I am not going to worry about it, because once he sees her he is going to fall in love.

  Paisley and Joslyn are running the bakery for me today, and they are a godsend at times like this, but I need to find a babysitter who can watch Tiana when Butcher and I are working. Butcher’s schedule is lenient though.

  “That’s all of it.” I dust my hands and wrap my arms around Butcher’s middle. He kisses the top of my head and runs his hand up and down my back. I sigh and close my eyes.

  “Call me once you get to your dad’s?” he asks and I nod then pull out of his arms.

  “I will. Love you.” I rise on my tiptoes and kiss him chastely, but he digs his hands in my hair and pulls me hard against him, deepening the kiss.

  I smack his ass hard and he bites my lip. “Promise for later?” I ask.

  His answer is his signature smirk.

  “Tiana, come here angel!” I hear her little feet hitting the hardwood floor. She pops around the corner, and I smile because she is carrying the stuffed kitty under her arm.

  I open one of the Walmart bags and take out a couple of snacks, along with some juice boxes. She steps up next to me, and I take her free hand. Butcher opens the front door, and I reach behind my back to make sure I have my gun.

  “Love you,” I call over my shoulder as I walk to my car.

  “Love you more.”

  I rub my chest and open the back door to the car. Tiana steps inside and climbs into her car seat, and I lean in and buckle her in. I open her juice for her and set it in the cup holder and then open some snacks. I set the pack in the cup holder.

  I slide out and shut the door, and I wave up at Butcher, who is watching us. He is too hot, standing there all broody like.

  The gate is already open, thanks to Butcher, and it shuts after I drive out. I click the button on the steering wheel. “Call Dad.”

  The phone rings a couple of times before he picks up. “Hey, baby girl.”

  “Dad, I will be there in forty minutes—is that okay?”

  He laughs. “Of course it is. See you in a bit.” I click the button again to end the phone call.

  I arrive at Dad’s forty minutes later, and that’s when the nerves kick in. I have two bombshells. One, I am engaged and two, I am adopting Tiana.

  Oh boy.

  I park the car and I take a couple of deep breaths, controlling myself. He steps out onto the porch, and I see him scoping out the yard, my guess is to check for dogs.

  Oh my god, I repeat over and over in my head.

  You can do this.

  I pop open my door and wave at him. He smiles at me and I smile back. I turn my back to him and then open the door behind me. I reach inside and unbuckle Tiana, and she climbs out, then steps out of the car.

  I shut the door, and I see a million different emotions come across my father’s face in one split second. I lick my now-too-dry lips. Tiana has her stuffed kitty under her arm.

  “What is going on, Shay?” Dad asks and I shake my head. I won’t do this in front of her. When we are in the house, I lead her straight to the living room. “Play with your toy in here, okay? I will be right in here.” I point toward the kitchen. She climbs on the couch and starts playing with her new toy.

  I step into the kitchen, and my dad is already sitting at the table, giving me that signature Smiley glare. I pull out my chair and sit down facing him.

  “Butcher and I are adopting Tiana,” I begin. Then I tell him everything that happened. I tell him every detail, including Butcher paying the social worker.

  “Shay, you did the right thing,” he says, and I am instantly relieved because I just wanted his approval.

  “She stole my heart, and Butcher was ready to rip everyone apart who dared to take her from him. She affected us both.”

  Dad gives me a pointed look. “Little girls do that to you.”

  I laugh and run my hand over my face.

  “So he finally got that ring on your finger?”

  My eyes widen and I wince on the inside.

 
“Shay, he already asked me and I don’t think anyone is good enough for you, but I do know Butcher is gone for you.”

  “I love him, Dad, I really do.”

  Dad smiles at me softly. “I know you do, Smiles.” His smile drops. “If he fucks up, he is dead.”

  I laugh and I hear little footsteps. Tiana crosses the room and stands by me, and she looks at my dad with wide, curious eyes.

  “Fuck, Shay, her eyes.”

  “I know.”

  Her eyes are something else; that’s for sure. They are beautiful.

  Dad lifts his hands toward her, and she looks at him, unsure, for a few seconds before lifting her arms for him to pick her up. He puts her in his lap. They stay like this for an hour, until she falls asleep in his arms, and I fall more in love with her by the second. Everything she does I find amazing.

  “Shay, she has already taken my heart,” Dad informs me and I knew it would happen.

  “I know how you feel, Dad.” I run my finger up her cheek.

  “I wish you was a baby again, Shay, you grew up too fast.”

  “Aww, Dad.” I kiss his cheek and lay my head on his shoulder. I love my dad. He was always my best friend growing up. He, Lane, and I were best friends. We spent every weekend together. We went camping, fishing—whatever we were up for.

  My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I take it out.

  Butcher: Everything is done.

  Me: Leaving now.

  “Dad, I am going to head home. It’s been a long day. Would you mind carrying her out for me?”

  He gives me a look telling me he doesn’t fucking mind, and I don’t ask again. I know my dad like the back of my hand.

  I step out of the house, and Dad follows me. I open the back door, and Dad sets her gently in the car seat, without waking her up, then buckles her in.

  “Bye, Smiles.” He hugs me and I hug him back. “Bye, Dad.”

  I climb in and gently shut the door so I don’t wake her. I text Butcher that I am pulling out of the driveway and start the car.

  Eighteen

  Shaylin

  “Potty.” I jolt at the sound of Tiana’s voice in the backseat. I didn’t know she was awake yet.

  We are just outside of town, and there is a gas station right up ahead. I take her inside to do her business. In and out quickly, and I am ready to go home to my man and to pull this bra off.

  “You ready to go home? We have a big surprise for you!” I tickle under her chin and she lets out a peal of laughter. I take out my phone and shoot a text to Butcher, “We are leaving now, Butcher.”

  Something wraps around my hair, and I am pulled out of the backseat. My phone skids across the parking lot. I fall and the side of my head hits the ground hard.

  Tiana!

  I see a man in the backseat of the car, and Tiana is screaming. I scramble up and grab him by his hair. I pull with all of my might, yank him out of my car, and push him onto the ground. I see a man running toward me.

  I do what I am known for: I smile.

  I reach behind me and take out my gun, cock it, and point it at the man running toward me, and I shoot his right knee out. He falls to the ground screaming.

  Something hard hits me on the side of my face, and I spin around. The fucker just punched me. I grin at him. He stumbles, and I pull back my fist and nail him in the face. I do this over and over again. He hits the ground, and I stomp on his dick.

  “Fucked with the wrong person, fucker!” I scream and bring up my gun. I shoot one hand, then the other, and then his knee so he can’t get up.

  His screams of agony make me smile wider. I stalk over to the man who was running toward me. He has a gun, and I shoot it out of his hand. He tries to stand up, but I wrap my hand around his hair and slam his face on the ground. I do this over and over again.

  “Who the fuck do you work for?” I ask him.

  He makes a gurgling sound. “Her father.” I smash his face one last time and run back to the car. The MC will clean up this mess.

  My blood runs cold at him saying “her father.” He is after Tiana. I spot my phone and pick it up. I see it’s shattered. I stuff it in my pocket, run to the car, and open the back door to check on Tiana.

  She is screaming at the top of her lungs, and I see she is still buckled in. “I am okay, angel. You’re safe,” I soothe her and she immediately stops screaming and holds her kitty tighter. I kiss her forehead and she grabs a hold of my ear.

  I gently remove her hand from my ear, and I feel blood running down my face. I shut the door and kick the fucker in the head again because he is awake now. I get back into the car and throw it into reverse, shoot out of the parking lot, and speed away toward the clubhouse.

  A minute from the scene, I meet Butcher’s MC members. I stop right in the middle of the road and roll down my windows, and they do the same. “Get those two fuckers at the scene, all right?”

  Locke and Techy stare at me in horror. I roll up my window and I meet more members, but they follow me back to the club. I pull through the gates and park the car. I am surrounded by people. The MC members pile off their bikes, and women run out of the clubhouse. My door is wrenched open, and I am pulled out.

  “What happened?” Kyle holds my face in his hands, but I throw them off and open the back door to unbuckle Tiana and take her from her seat. She curls into my arms.

  “I will explain inside. Tell Butcher that I am safe?”

  Kyle gives me an appraising look. “He knows. He is twenty minutes out.”

  “Let’s go.” I am not taking any chances with my daughter. An assload of people are following me inside the clubhouse, but I go straight back to the room where they have their meetings.

  I sit down in a chair, and someone hands me a blanket for Tiana. I tuck it around her, and I feel her body relax.

  I am so fucking pissed right now. Someone tried to take my kid.

  The door shuts and I start from the beginning, telling them exactly what I did to those men. “They are after Tiana. Those men are still fucking alive, and I want a piece of them once you bring them here. I left all the vital stuff intact.”

  Kyle cracks a smile, and the guys around the room start laughing.

  “You’re perfect for Butcher.”

  I look down at Tiana and see she is looking up at me. “He will be here soon.”

  “SHAYLIN!” he roars and the door is ripped off its hinges and thrown in the hallway.

  He calms down when he sees me, but he takes in the cut on my forehead. “Who are they? They are so fucking dead.” Tiana climbs out of my arms and runs to Butcher. He picks her up, and she stuffs her face in the side of his neck.

  “Get your ass over here, Shay.” I stand up and fall into his arms. Safety. My body slackens. I didn’t even know I was shaking so hard.

  “They were after Tiana, her dad.”

  He stiffens.

  “Dude, you should fucking see these men. This chick fucking beat the shit out of them. The worker in the gas station said she done it smiling.”

  I feel Butcher shaking with laughter.

  What can I do? I am my father’s kid.

  * * *

  Butcher

  The fucking fear at hearing about her getting attacked will never leave me. I thought my world itself had ended.

  Thank fuck Shaylin knew what to do and she can protect herself. If she didn’t have that gun, shit, it would have been bad. I felt so fucking helpless, because I was thirty minutes out.

  I am proud of her—she protected herself and Tiana. She did what she had to do—and she got the job done—but I wish it never came to that.

  I listen as Kyle relays everything that went down. Shaylin is pressed hard against me, and Tiana is asleep on my chest.

  “They are in the back room.”

  “Let’s have some fun.”

  “I want to come.” Shaylin grabs my arm, and I study her face. Is she up for that? Most of the women don’t join in, but they are fucking with our kid—that’s a whole di
fferent thing.

  “You sure?”

  She grins at me, giving me all the answer we need. I stand up and place my hand on Tiana’s back so she doesn’t stir awake.

  * * *

  Shaylin

  * * *

  We walk into the main room, which looks like a huge living room. A woman who is gorgeous and can pass as Alisha’s twin stands up off the couch. She has strawberry blonde hair and large doe eyes like Alisha. I think this is Alisha’s mom.

  “Is Myra here?” I ask her and she shakes her head.

  “I can watch her, I watch Mia for Myra.”

  I look at Butcher and he nods. She smiles at me and reaches her arms out for Tiana. Butcher settles her into her arms, and my stomach sinks at the thought of leaving her after everything that went down.

  I want answers.

  Butcher takes my hand and leads me to a side room. He shuts the door and grips my face in his hands. “Sweetheart, I don’t want this to fuck with your mind. I am someone you have never seen before in there. I don’t want your view of me to change.”

  “That is not possible, Butcher. We all have different parts of ourselves. I am going in there to make them fucking pay for trying to kidnap Tiana, then I want to rid this earth of her father.”

  Butcher stares into my eyes before he shakes his head and kisses me on the forehead. “I love you, my Shay.”

  My heart flutters and I wrap him in my arms and hug him tightly to me.

  “Let’s go show them what crazy is.”

  I erupt into laughter because we are out of the norm, but normal is overrated. Love is not normal—love is something wild and untamed. What I have with Butcher is something different altogether—it’s all-consuming.

  “Let’s do this.”

  We step out of the storage room and, hand in hand, we walk back to the room where the men are held. I made sure they weren’t seriously injured for this very reason.