Valentina pouted her lips, patting her hands on her lap.

Before going to do what she had to do, which included getting things for her apartment, picking up cat food, and getting her medicine—-Butcher had taken her to the club.

The biker drove and informed her that he had to stop at the garage. She was surprised to find that just right next to the bar and club house for the bikers was a garage. It looked to be well-off, but it was definitely run by bikers. It was dark, relatively clean, but not exactly welcoming. But still, cars and bikes were lined up to be worked on even in the early morning.

And apparently Butcher was the head mechanic working there.

He had instructed her to wait in the car as he stopped by the garage, and Valentina begrudgingly did so. But now it had been fifteen minutes and she was impatient.

Making a quick decision, she opened the door and her short legs brought her over to the open part of the garage.

Peaking in, her eyes widened when she saw Butcher shove what looked to be Rhodey, the club's Vice President. Butcher didn't look like his normal angry self at this point—he looked pissed.

Her back stiffened and she immediately came further into the garage, hips swaying as she made her way in.

"You alright, Butcher?" She walked towards his side. Around her, other men that were watching the two bikers argue looked at the girl. It wasn't often that women came into the garage, and that much was obvious with how they stared.

Hesitantly, Valentina pressed her hand to Butcher's bicep gently.

The man stiffened, keeping his glare focused on Rhodey. The tension between the two men crackled.

"We're leaving," he grunted. But the words weren't necessarily aimed at her—they were spat at Rhodey. Valentina's head tilted as the Latino man sneered in response. She knew that Butcher didn't like a lot of people but this seemed like a lot.

"Okay," she whispered, keeping her focus solely on him with her wide eyes. The tension in the air was making her nervous.

Like she'd been doing all yesterday and today, she grabbed the tags Butcher had given her. As she fiddled with them anxiously, Rhodey glanced at the action.

For a moment, his jaw dropped.

Butcher finally glanced down at the woman holding his arm, her fingers curling around his Henley.

His amber eyes met her own, darting down to her pouty lips and to her fingers toying with his necklace around her neck.

The two stared at one another, before Valentina cocked her head questioningly towards the exit.

Rocking forward onto her toes, she tried to keep her lips from curling up.

"Or would you rather hang around here and boss them around?" she whispered teasingly.

"Nah," he grumbled, tilting his chin towards her. "Boss you around instead."

Valentina grinned a little and pulled him closer into her. He looked down at the movement, allowing her to pull him out of the main exit.

"Don't fuck around. I'll be back tonight. I want every goddamn bike in here finished," Butcher barked loudly and as soon as he looked away from Valentina, the little warmth in his eyes deadened into a cold glare.

A shiver shot up her back, the dominance and intimidation seeping into his tone making her thighs clench together.

Swallowing hard, her eyes flickered over his large body. The maroon Henley looked nice on his pale skin—it made the red in his hair pop. Fuck, he was so beautiful.

Valentina admired the scars littering his face, the paler skin slicing through his left brow. Another one going diagonally over his right cheek bone into his beard that he'd trimmed recently. God...he could even grow a perfect freaking beard. This has to be cheating life somehow.

Those molten eyes cut down to her finally, his brow raised. "What?" he huffed as he scratched at his beard. Valentina's breath hitched.

"You look good," she breathed out suddenly.

Butcher visibly recoiled at the compliment. His gaze narrowed in suspicion, looking at her like she was crazy. As if taking a moment to buffer, he rolled his stiff neck before pressing a hand to the small of her back.

"Let's go," he croaked abruptly. When they got closer, he opened the passenger side door for her truck as he eyed the parking lot around them.

"I have a list," Valentina pulled her phone out while he started the old truck.

"Ya need to leave this piece of shit at the garage," Butcher snarled as he hit the dashboard, whichflickered.

Valentina watched his bicep bulge before snapping out of it. Her eyes narrowed. "You take that back."

Butcher paused, glancing back at her angry tone. Her dark eyes were furrowed cutely, plump lips pouted as she leaned forward.

The man leaned forward, gaze hardened and not succumbing to her attempt at intimidating.

"Make me."

He watched the shudder rack her shoulders. Taking the bait, he leaned closer—eyes glaring down at her lips intensely.

"'M takin' the god damn truck."

Valentina slumped back in the seat and moaned in annoyance.

"I don't have the energy to deal with car problems. I don't want to pay for it, and I don't want to be truckless even if you drive me around. It's not worth it."

Butcher ignored her and reversed quickly out of the parking spot.

"Butcher," she whined when he didn't respond. "Butcher! I'm serious!"

"Shut up," he grumbled dismissively.

Her head rolled to face him as he sped down the road towards the pet store that was their first stop.

The day went on like this, Butcher keeping her quiet company and giving her a nod or grunt whenever she would ask his opinion.

It was getting colder, so now they were standing in a small clothing store in the heart of the city.

Butcher's jaw was clenched, looking annoyed to even be here, but he didn't complain.

The biker did stand by the entrance, though, watching Valentina from there as she grabbed long sleeved shirts and pants.

As the woman was in her own world, Butcher watched her move and sway around.

Feeling someone in his presence, he glanced up just in time to see a woman approaching him.

Her skin was even paler than his own, blonde hair pin straight and to her chin. His eyes narrowed as her green ones openly looked over him.

Immediately, he tensed up.

"Hi!" She grinned politely. "How are you? Can I help you with anything?"

Butcher looked around, almost immediately searching for Valentina, the one who was actually shopping.

Grunting lowly, he turned away to blatantly ignore the woman.

Her light brows furrowed, glancing around confused as the dangerously handsome man acted like she didn't exist. Side-stepping to be more in front of him, she pushed another charming smile back on.

"I just wanted to introduce myself; it isn't often such good looking guys—-"

Butcher walked away.

His long legs quickly took him to Valentina. She shivered as he approached, and his hand gripped the nape of her neck.

Valentina gasped at the bold contact from the normally reserved biker.

He gripped her sternly, and before she could even look up and ask him what was happening he turned her towards the woman following after him in shock.

With wide eyes, the two women were staring at each other as Butcher essentially used Valentina as a shield.

"Hello?" the brunette asked confusedly, reaching back to grip Butcher's forearm.

Grazing her fingers over his skin gently, albeit somewhat freaked out, as the blonde woman looked skeptically at the both of them.

"Hi, I was just talking to this gentleman about helping him out.." The blonde trailed off.

Valentina's face morphed into one of understanding and some amusement. Prying his fingers off her neck, she forced his stiff arm to wrap to brace against her chest. Now he held her more like a companion than a prisoner.

Butcher grunted loudly, eyeing her before tugging her back into his chest and gripping the shoulder farthest from him.

"My boyfriend doesn't need any help, we're just looking for some stuff for me." Valentina gave her a wide, close-lipped smile.

The blonde nodded slowly, pushing a forced smile on as well.

Awkward silence followed before she threw her thumb over her shoulder. "I'll be at the register whenever you're ready."

"Mhm." Valentina rose a brow expectantly.

Her breath hitched when she leant against Butcher's broad chest. The two sat in silence for a moment, her head thunking back against his sternum.

"Didn't know I was chained," Butcher muttered as her scent filled his nostrils at her proximity.

"Chained is such a shitty way to put it. Ugh. Men," she scoffed and pulled away from his hold.

"Shut up," he rolled his eyes as he followed after her. She completely disregarded him as he loomed behind her, his body heat warming her back.

"No, since we're not chained, I won't shut up," she huffed while shuffling through jeans. Turning a bit, she nudged her hip into his thigh to get him out of her space. Only to prove her point—not because him being so close messed with her head. No, definitely not that.

Once again she felt his strong hand on her neck. Tilting her head back, her breath hitched as his light eyes bore into her own from above. Their mouths were inches apart as he hovered over her.

Butcher grumbled lowly, "Knock it off."

Licking her lips slowly, she glanced up at his pink ones. Both of them held their breaths for a moment before the shrill ring of Butcher's phone surprised them both.

Cursing quietly, he answered it while keeping hold of her so that she stayed close.

Gunner spoke loudly and quickly into his ear, and Butcher's face hardened. He drew Valentina in closer, and she pouted a little and set the clothes down. His hand slid down to the small of her back when she tried to pick up her purse.

"We gotta go." He hung up and immediately began steering her towards the exit while still gripping her clothes.

"What's wrong?" she asked urgently.

"Shootout."

"What the fuck?" she hissed quietly.

He grabbed her clothes and rudely tossed them over the counter to the blonde woman.

"Keep that shit off the shelf, we'll be back for it," Butcher demanded while pushing the two of them straight out the door and towards the truck.

Valentina's eyes were wide as worry shot through her. "Is everyone okay? Does this happen often?"

He started up the vehicle and tore out of the parking lot.

"Nothing fatal, would've called Doc if it was." Butcher bit his thumbnail as he gripped the wheel tightly.

"Holy shit." She sank further into the seat with wide eyes. Her chest heaved with deep breaths.

"Hey," Butcher hissed as he side eyed the woman who was very obviously panicking.

"Look at me, sugar," the biker demanded when she ignored him.

Valentina's stomach flipped, her head facing him swiftly.

"It's your job." His voice was strict and his eyes were hardened. "You're good at your job."

"I'm good at my job," she repeated breathily.

He nodded once and Valentina came to terms with the fact that she'd be treating someone who was shot outside of a hospital. It was jarring; she knew that she'd signed up for this, but actually doing this outside of her normal work setting made it feel too real.

The woman closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She was a good nurse, she was good at her job, and she could do this.

Opening her eyes again, she saw that Butcher had just swiftly pulled into a spot.

Without waiting they both darted out of the truck and made haste to whoever was injured.