#dad!bishop

Angel fucked it up. It wasn’t necessarily his fault, it was something embedded into his DNA, into the Reyes blood. But even besides that, the situation between Lara and him was complicated at best. She was the club president’s daughter. Their relationship was a secret. She had something going on that was clearly bleeding into the club that she never wanted to bring up or talk about. Then with Angel, being apart of what was bleeding into the club from the club's side and him not being able to talk about that, it was inevitable that the two of them would crack under everything against them. 

“You gonna tell me what happened?” Frankie was pouring a cup of coffee as Lara sat at their kitchen bar table drinking her own as she turned pages of her book. 

“With?” The girl didn’t bother looking up but it was clear she wasn’t really retaining the information on the book she was flipping the pages of. 

“Don’t box me out. I know you and Angel are fighting.” Frankie was following Lara’s suit, not looking at her as she poured sugar in her cup. 

“We’re not fighting.” She slammed the book closed and looked up at Frankie. 

“Right.” Frankie looked up with a straight smile. 

“In fact, there’s not a ‘we’re’, it’s over. Angel and I are done.” 

That made Frankie frown. “Wanna tell me what happened?” 

“You weren’t exactly the founding member of our fanclub.” Lara had an attitude. “Why does it matter?” 

“Contrary to belief, my feelings had little to do with the relationship and more to do with the fact that my best friend was hiding it from me, but again, I’ve come around to understanding why you did, and again as your best friend, I care about you and your feelings.” 

Lara sighed with her eyes closed. “I’m sorry, I’m cranky.” 

“No?” Frankie faked shocked. “Couldn’t tell.” 

“The inevitable happened.” Lara waved her hand as she fell back against the chair. “All the fucking club secrets, I deal with it enough with Bishop, but with Angel? It’s–” Lara paused not sure the word she was looking for. 

“The same feeling?” Frankie was now sipping her coffee after she finished that statement and her eyes were looking up from the warm liquid to meet Lara’s eyes. 

“Yea, exactly.” Lara sighed. “I tried to push past it but last night I just, snapped. We fought and I ended it.” 

“How’d that go?” 

Lara rolled her eyes. “I told him I couldn’t stand this–him, his lies, we had sex and then I broke up with him.” 

“I’m sorry– you had sex and then broke up with him?” 

“Weak moment, he was standing there, and we were all angry and I just kissed him.” 

Frankie nodded her head to the couch hoping Lara followed which she did. Lara sprung off the floor and dove onto the couch, face forward and screamed into the cushions as Frankie tucked her legs to her chest and settled into the couch with a chuckle and sip.

“You know what the worst part is?” Lara turned her head so that she could see Frankie, blowing the piece of hair covering her face out of the way. 

“Hm?” 

“He was shocked when I broke up with him, like he wasn’t expecting it.” 

____________

“So we banged and I’m about to light up my cigarette and she just says she’s done and that we’re over.” Angel’s voice was muffled as he stuffed his mouth with the breakfast burrito. 

“She said she couldn’t stand the relationship. What about that makes you think she wouldn’t have been breaking up with you?” EZ was leaning against the counter in Angel’s kitchen. 

“I don’t know–maybe the fact that she slept with me after?” He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. 

EZ smirked. “You’re an idiot.” 

“Why does everyone keep saying that?” Angel was standing, tossing his plate into the sink before he turned around to look at his younger brother. 

“I told you not to fuck it up.” 

“I didn’t fuck it up, how did I fuck it up?” Angel’s voice grew louder. “She knows there's shit with the club I’ll never be able to tell her.” 

“She’s been budding heads with Bishop about the same shit, it was only a matter of time that it was going to affect you.” EZ was peeling back his own foil wrapped breakfast burrito. 

“And you couldn’t like have given me a warning?” Angel’s eyebrows raised while EZ chuckled with a full mouth. 

‘Man, you really are an idiot.” 

__________________

“I’m such an idiot.” Lara was still groaning into the cushions of her couch. “I’m gonna have to deal with both Bishop and Angel now.” 

“Speaking of, I think your shit is going down soon. Hank texted me that we both should be at the clubhouse in like an hour after templo.” Frankie was looking at her phone. 

“Yea, Bishop texted me last night.” Lara’s muffled voice made Frankie frown. 

“Before or after your fight with Angel?” Her curiosity seeping into her tone. 

“Before.” 

“Mmmmmm.” Frankie nodded her head as everything pieced itself together. 

“What?” Lara was sending daggers to her best friend. 

“Just makes sense is all. I’m assuming you asked Angel for details and he refused to give them and you spiraled.” 

Lara shot up, her body now sitting on the couch instead of laying horizontal. “Am I that predictible?” The whine in her voice already knowing the answer. “That doesn’t mean it wasn’t the right choice, ultimately, I can’t do secrets. I need full disclosure. It never would’ve worked.” 

“I think you knew that going into it.” That was what Lara loved and currently hated about Frankie, she was always honest. “Self-sabotage is the Losa family trait.” She was standing up now, her finished coffee cup in her hand, and phone in the other. 

“I feel like I owe you a co-pay or something.” Lara was slouched now on the couch. 

“Add it to my tab.” She was walking to the kitchen as she called out. “C’mon, get ready, we gotta go.” 

____________

“C’mon, we gotta go, we got templo.” EZ waved his phone and the message he got from someone in the club. 

“Since when do you get templo messages, prospect.” Angel was searching for his own phone. 

“It’s an all hands on deck thing, I’m not gonna be at the table, just there to do what I’m told.” He smiled in a way that earned him a shove but Angel was too preoccupied to care to follow through on it. 

“So what do I do when I see her?” Angel was making his way to his front door. 

“I don’t think it matters, Lara is gonna do what Lara is gonna do.” EZ was grabbing his keys and meeting Angel. 

“So you’re saying she’s going to be a dick to me?” Angel stood in the entry way as EZ just laughed and patted his shoulder as he squeezed by to walk out the front door. 

___________

“So I’m just supposed to be a dick to him?” Lara was looking over at Frankie who was in the drivers seat. 

“I never said that.” She lifted her hands in innocence as she pulled into the dirt lot of the clubhouse. “I just said when you’re a dick to him, no one is going to notice, it’s not like you weren’t like that with him for years.” 

“What do you think’s going down with The Calavaras?” Lara changed the topic. 

“Surprised it took you this long to ask.” The noise from the rummaging of her bag almost drowned out Frankie’s voice. 

“I’m dreading it, that’s why. Almost as much as seeing Angel.” The rummaging was being replaced by a thud which was Lara’s head against the headrest. 

“I think that shit’s going down tonight.” Frankie turned to Lara and extended her hands to grab hers. “I think after this, you’ll be able to stop looking over your shoulder and put that horrible horrible memory behind you and move on.” 

“Move on?” Lara was squeezing Frankie’s hands back. 

“Move on.” Frankie nodded. 

“I thought I moved on.” Lara took a deep breath. “And then that asshole showed up.” 

“You’re in the home stretch.” Silence overcame them both for a minute while they stared out at the shed that had an assortment of junk from each one of the guys and that’s when Frankie’s eyes fell on the oil stained rag that reminded her of the blood stained clothes Lara had when Hank brought her to her place all those years ago. “You know what I said that night is still true, right?” 

I’m sure he deserved it..it’s usually you or them.

“I just feel like I attract it, all this death. It’s linked to me.” Lara still had had head against the passenger seat's cushion.

“Its the life, babe. The life we didn’t choose, but nonetheless it’s our life.”  Frankie had pulled her hands away now, but still was staring at her intently. 

“Funny thing is, Frankie, I did choose it, again and again, I just keep getting pushed out.” 

Before Frankie could answer her best friend there was a tap at her window. She quickly turned to see her father. With sympathetic eyes she turned to Lara ready to leave her with some words of encouragement but she was already getting out of the car so Frankie did the same with a sigh. Lara was waving to Hank and then making her way to one of the couches on the club’s porch leaving Frankie to talk with her dad. 

“Everything alright?” Hank picked up on some tension. 

“Time will tell.” Frankie’s arms crossed before she moved her gaze onto her father’s. “Need anything from me?” Frankie understood the ins and outs of the club life, that she would only be given the information she needed, nothing less and certainly nothing more. It helped that she was who she was and she could accept it, living life on the outside didn’t bother her because she had a life on the outside. Lara on the other hand, her life on the outside consisted of trying to find a way in. Frankie couldn’t blame her, with everyone she’d lost over the years, it only made sense she was trying to fill that void with the last familial bond she had. 

“Nope, just you here, will let you know if that changes though.” Hank was tossing his hand over her shoulder. “Chucky brought in donuts if you’re hungry.” They were slowly walking to the middle of the lot before Taza was waving down Hank to come inside. “I’d grab one quick, before the rest of the guys get here, they’ll murder them.” He was laughing as he left Frankie to enter the clubhouse. 

As the sound of motorcycles filled the air, both Frankie and Lara turned their attention to the gate, they knew a few minutes were going to pass by before they were rewarded with knowing who it was as they weaved through the path that led people from the Romero Brother's scrap yard's front entrance to the clubhouse. 

As EZ and Angel’s bike appeared at the large green gate, Lara sunk into her seat a little more and prayed this went by fast and painless. 

“Brought you a breakfast burrito.” EZ was opening his side compartment and grabbing a to-go bag so he could hand it to Frankie who was still in the middle of the lot. At this point Angel had cut his engine and began walking towards the clubhouse. 

“Thanks.” Frankie grabbed the bag and placed a quick kiss to EZ’s lips before turning just as quickly to watch Angel and Lara. 

“This should be interesting.” EZ followed Frankie’s stare. 

“I’m wondering if we should take cover.” Her arms folded as she intently watched. 

“That bad you think?” EZ looked down at Frankie with a frown.

A scoff mixed with a chuckle left her mouth. “I think it’s going to get a lot worse before it gets better.” 

As Angel reached the top of the clubhouse stairs his eyes fell on Lara and all he did was nod in acknowledgement before entering the clubhouse. 

“That wasn’t bad.” EZ frowned in acceptance. 

Frankie looked back over her shoulder, her eyebrows meeting over the bridge of her nose practically. “You’re lucky you’re pretty you know that.” 

“Always judged for my looks, never my brain.” EZ faked being hurt, the line clearly being a lie since EZ’s brain was one that could be studied with his smarts and photographic memory. With a squeeze to Frankie’s shoulder, he began jogging to get inside the clubhouse with everyone else.

________

The door opening alerted Lara immediately. Frankie had gone inside to eat with Chucky and leave Lara to her thoughts, it was obvious the girl wanted some time alone. But truthfully, time alone wasn’t what she wanted at all, she wanted to know what was going to happen. There had been no incident since the run in with the Calavara's patched member who knew the man she killed and the follow up note to really set in the scare, but that didn’t mean things weren’t happening that she wasn’t aware of. This was now a club issue, The Calavaras and The Mayans, not just a Bishop, Lara and Jesse issue. Although, thinking back, Bishop had enlisted the club’s help the minute he got involved, Lara was just naive to it since she saw it as her Uncle Hank, not a club president’s protector. 

Some days, Lara would go back and remember it all. The screams, the cursing, the blood. The coldness she felt as she sat there in the mess that she caused. She’d even go as far back as to remember why it happened, how the man treated her, why she ended up with him to begin with. That’d force her back even further, to one of the most painful things to happen to her, losing her brother, which ultimately brought Bishop to push her away too. Push her right into Jesse’s arms. That’s what she’d convince herself at least, but deep down, she knew that it was on her. She knew exactly what she was doing, and in all honestly, she thought the word would get back to her father and he’d come and snatch her by the arm and force her away from the Calavaras. But that never happened, and instead she just stayed because it was comfortable, it was the closest she’d ever get to her father’s life. 

Bishop on the other hand, always blamed himself. It’s what he was currently doing as he spoke to everyone in templo. 

“You’ve all been gracious enough to take this personal vendetta I have with The Calaveras on as your own, I know I’ve left out the details of why and what, but your trust in me is something I’m greatly appreciative of. Hopefully, this shit will be done sooner than later, I know living on edge like this isn’t good for anyone and it’s taken away from our other business. Again, for you guys to take on my mishaps as your own, I can’t repay you for that.” 

“We’re a family, Bish. We got you.” Coco said as he inhaled his cigarette. 

Bishop nodded and continued. “Got intel late in the morning that The Calavaras are going to be moving scripts from Lodi down to Tijuana, large shipment, probably stopping over in Dogwood to steer clear of any unwanted buzz. When we get that layover confirmed, we’re moving in. I want every Calaveras dropped, I want the charter to cease to exist.” 

“We gotta be concerned about any blowback? Knocking off a whole charter seems risky.” Gilly asked, hands folded on the table. 

“Mayans have history with The Calavaras, not a good one either, Mar–Padrino has given me the green light, did us the favor of making any calls. Other charters are on board. Sons, Bastards, even some of the local crews. 

“We got to be worried any of those crews are gonna tip us off?” Angel was fidgeting with his lighter, staring down at it as he asked his question. 

“With the beef these guys have with the Calaveras, I’d doubt it, we’re basically doing the dirty work for everyone.” 

The group nodded. “I called templo to let this group know this, the next alert won’t be for templo, it’ll be to move, I’m gonna need everyone to stay close for the next week until we get a date.” 

Everyone nodded again, some vocalized their acknowledgement. It was then Bishop slammed the gavel down and stood up along with everyone else. 

“Angel can I talk to you?” He called out which made Angel’s heart start beating a mile a minute. 

Did he know? Was he going to punch him? Kick him out the club? No, he wouldn’t have read him in on what was going down if that was the case. Or maybe he did because he wanted Angel to die for hurting his daughter. But he hadn’t meant to hurt Lara, if anything Bishop should be proud he hadn’t caved and told Lara club details.  These were all the thoughts that were going through Angel’s head as he approached Bishop. 

“Gonna need you to brief little bro in on this. Need all the extra hands we can get.” 

“Huh?” Angel was confused for a moment until he sat with what Bishop said for a few seconds. “Oh yea, sure, I’ll brief him on our way out.” Angel nervously nodded. 

“How is she?” Bishop asked more at a mumble now. 

“Lara?” Angel’s heart picked up again. 

“Yea, I know I’ve put you with her a lot, it’s because if I put Hank or Taza she’ll have a fit, Coco would just get high and Gilly would be glued to that fuckin’ playstation they have all day, with you, I know even if she gives you lip you can take it, and just mind your business after the back and forth.” 

“Oh yea, no, it’s no issue, Bish, happy to help.” Angel scratched his head nervously. 

“So, how is she?” Bishop was reaching in his pocket for his cigarettes. 

“Uhm,” Angel thought how to respond, “pissed.” Angel tossed his head back and forth. It was definitely not a lie. 

Bishop chuckled a bit and tapped Angel’s arm with a quick mumbled ‘thanks brother’ and began to walk by him until Angel stopped him with his next sentence. 

“Think she just wants to know what’s going on, I can tell she isn’t a fan of being on the outside since this situation seems personal to you.” 

Bishop nodded, his face falling into an annoyed frown. His frustration wasn’t at Angel, but it did annoy him that he was the one telling him what he already knew. 

________

Bishop made his way outside, searching for Lara in the lot but when he caught her slouched on the couch he took a few steps closer to her. He didn’t make eye contact with her, just stared off into the lot like it was a beautiful landscape he was taking in. 

“It’ll all be over in a couple of days. Maybe then me and you can get a cup of coffee, talk things over.” 

That was his outstretched hand, his olive branch, his peace offering. 

Lara closed her eyes and waited for more, more detail, anything of what it would be. When it was clear Bishop wasn’t going to be speaking anymore she stood up and walked over to the stairs and did the same as him and stared out without giving him so much as a glance. 

“When it’s over, you can tell me where you want to ship me off to." Her eyes still not daring to look at him as she paused for a minute before continuing. "Let me know who's watching me today, so I can tell them I’d like to go home.” 

“Gonna have Taza take you, you’ve been pissing Angel off.” Bishop’s tone went back to frustrated simply by the girl’s reply. Little did he know that comment opened up way more in Lara than he knew. 

“Excuse me?” Her head snapped to Bishop, her glare practically burning into him now, completely opposite from before. “Pissing him off?” Her eyebrows raised in shock before she scoffed and made her way to Frankie’s car to wait. 

Angel was soon walking out of the clubhouse and making his way over to his bike before Lara swiftly stepped in front of him and muttered to him. 

“You told Bishop I’m pissing you off? Really? That’s how you’re gonna handle this? Run to MY dad? What, are you fucking five?” She barked at him. 

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Angel raised his hands in innocence. 

“I hate when you play fucking coy, what the fuck is your problem?” She was practically pushing him. “Grow the fuck up Angel, we broke up,” that part of the sentence was whispered but very pointedly, “if you want to get back at me, drop off a box of my stuff to my house, push up on one of the club hang arounds, unfollow me on shit but don’t use Bishop to get back at me.” 

“I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about Lara.” He was trying to walk past her but she kept stepping in front of him. 

Bishop had been watching from the steps, Taza joining him shortly after the fuse got lit between the two. 

“What’s their deal?” Bishop frowned, taking in the scene in front of him. 

“I don’t know but she seems pissed.” Taza was laughing. “Want me to break it up?” 

“Yea, take her home, and don’t tell her she looks pissed, I think that pisses her off.” 

"He said what?"

Bishop's brows were knitted tightly, head cocked to the side as he tried to listen to you better. Of course, he had miss heard you. No way you had said what he thought you said. You swallowed as quietly as you could and reached out to stroke his forearm, trying your best to soothe him.

"It's nothing, Bish. Don't even pay him any mind. You know he's an idiot."

The President straightened his head and then took a step closer to you, eyes focused as he looked at you.

"What did he say?"

You held off for a handful of seconds before sighing and repeating what your son's school teacher had said at the parent-teacher conference this morning.

"He said he believes he's acting out and getting in fights because he sees what you do and he's mimicking you."

You tried to keep your voice level and quiet, not wanting to set him off. You had already given the teacher a piece of your mind, the older man's eyes wide as you had dragged him for everything he was worth. He had apologized profusely, maybe to keep his job or maybe just to keep his teeth, but the damage had been done. He had spoken down on your husband and that was something that you never, ever took lightly.

You had barely made it out of the school building when you had called Bishop, fuming and cursing, telling him that you were heading over to the clubhouse for a drink. He had figured the teacher had said something you didn't like, but it wasn't until now that you had finally repeated the exact sentence that had ended with you seeing red.

Bishop nodded slowly, silent yet his eyes loud as he thought. You rubbed his forearm, talking sense into him as best as you could.

"I already told him about himself, baby. It's all good. I let him know we weren't going to stand for that. I just wanted you to be caught up. You know I tell you everything."

He nodded slowly, tense shoulders finally settling some as you leaned forward and laid kiss after kiss to his bearded cheek. Your affection soothed him some, but his brain was still going, itching to track the man down and clock him at least once. That would be proving his point though, and that was enough to talk himself off the ledge.

He let out a heavy sigh and wrapped his arms around you, pressing a kiss to your forehead before pulling back and looking at you once more.

"I hope you made that mother fucker sweat."

You grinned as you looked at him, recalling the way his eyes widened and his throat bobbed as he swallowed.

"Oh, I did."

Bishop smiled himself and nodded, hands squeezing you.

"That's my girl."

The rest of the week had gone on without incident, your son promising to behave better and the teacher apparently not having spoken a word to him since. It was fine by you, the three of you almost having forgotten the disrespectful teacher until your son pointed him out after dinner one night. You had been paying while Bishop and your son went out to get the car, the teacher walking in the parking lot toward the door with his own wife. He'd been too quick, both of you having an exchange while you tried to hurry up with your card.

“Please don’t kill him."

"Nah, I just want to talk.”

General taglist

@piccasoe @ateliefloresdaprimavera @gemini0410 @woahitslucyylu @my-rosegold-soul @that-chick212 @everyhowlmarksthedead @glimmerglittergirl @elcococruz @fanaticfangurl21 @encounterthepast @iambabyharry @svintsandghosts @starrynite7114 @saturnsaree @multiyfandomgirl40 @destynelseclipsa @sadeyesgf @queenbeered @iamthegraham @emoengelfurleben @all-the-boys-to-the-yard @otomefromtheheart @rosieposie0624 @papa-geralt-of-cirilla @beeroses @weirdosandhopelessromantics @kola95 @black-repunzel99 @xonickibaby @cruzwalters @myakai13 @mrsstevenbuchananstark @lyly00

Mayans MC taglist

@dazzledamazon @abunnykisses @briana-mishell24 @angelreyesgirl @wrcn9fvlcver @peaches009 @capt-canadian @thesandbeneathmytoes @krysiewithak @darklingveracruz @appropriate-writers-name @cind-in-real-life @blessedboo @montanaraed @kkim120 @megapeacelovemusic-blog @emoengelfurleben @blowmymbackout @abby-splace @kola95 @black-repunzel99 @redpoodlern @xonickibaby @cruzwalters @myakai13 @mrsstevenbuchananstark @danimals1096  @po3ticb3auty​

Bishop taglist

Lara rolled over and groaned. The sun wasn’t exactly up yet but the orange and yellow tones were starting to peek through the window causing her to stir awake. As her eyes fluttered open, she realized she didn’t recognize where she was. Her heart dropped and she quickly made notice of her surroundings. The minute she saw Angel to her right, she felt a breath of relief escape her mouth before letting reality set in. 

Of course, she ended up at Angel’s house. Her next move was to notice he didn’t have a shirt on and she was miraculously missing her other clothes too. Her eyes shut, the sigh she was letting out was in defeat. There was nothing she could do about any of this now, except settle her mind on the fact that she slept with Angel. Again. 

Luckily, Angel was a deep sleeper. This allowed Lara to grab what she could around her to get dressed and get out without having to deal with, well, Angel and everything this situation entailed. She didn’t pay mind to what she was putting on, she just needed to cover up so she could get to her car and get home.

Lara had successfully maneuvered her way out of the house and into her car but when she was met with a picture of her and her best friend in the sun visor, thats when more of reality hit her. 

“Frankie. Fuck.” She thought to herself as she checked the clock in her car. 7:29AM. 

Her eyes looked down to notice she was wearing Angel’s tank top. A deep sigh escaped from her mouth. If Frankie was home, she would have known immediately what happened. If not for leaving with Angel and coming back home in the morning, but what would seal the deal was the fact Lara was wearing his shirt. She banged her head against the headrest of her car a couple times before she came to a realization. Frankie had stayed at EZ’s, there was a really good chance she wasn’t home yet, and Lara would take those odds. With that, she quickly sped through the early morning light traffic that Santo Padre had to get home. 

Now, Frankie finding out wouldn’t have been the end of the world. It was her best friend, and if anything, she was dating EZ, she’d get it. But that was the thing, Frankie and EZ knew what they were doing, they had mutually agreed to being a couple. All Angel and Lara had mutually agreed on was sex, and even that was strictly consent based, there had been no conversation about labels, fuck buddies, friends with benefits, none of that. If anything, Lara expected things to go back to how they were years ago when they first had sex. Angel ignoring her and Lara making life hell for him. It was the only logical explanation, plus history tended to repeat itself, right? 

There’s a saying that when you leave it to chance, all of the sudden you don’t have any luck left. Well, in this case, that was a lie. Lara pulled up to her house and quietly tip toed her way through. As she trekked down the hallway, she glanced into Frankie’s room since the door was open. Empty. She hadn’t been home. Her head dropped back as she smiled and then made her way to her room. 

After a quick shower and a short lived nap, Lara was being woken up by the ringing of her cellphone on her nightstand. 

She let out a grumble instead of a pleasantry for whoever was on the line. 

“Come to the clubhouse in about an hour. We need to talk.” Bishop’s voice said not even bothering to comment on her grumpiness.

Who needed alarm clocks or roosters when the eerie call of your father who sounded just about ready to kill someone did just the same thing. 

Lara shot up out of bed, “El que?” The shock had been so real that she flipped to Spanish like it had been her first language. 

“10:30. The Club. It’ll just be for a few minutes.” Bishop said still with the same firmness in his tone. He didn’t give her a chance to respond, just hung up leaving Lara in bed, hungover, half asleep, wondering what what going on. 

Her head began to fill with thoughts as she drove down to the clubhouse. Had her Dad solved the issue? Had he dug himself deeper? Had he dug the club deeper? Had he fucked up? Was he sending her away for good? The thoughts weren’t going to stop, she thought by stopping for coffee, it would give her something to enjoy but the caffeine just made her spiral more, until she started to drive down the dirt road towards the club. 

That was the funny thing about getting behind that metal fence, it ironically felt safe. It felt quiet. It felt calm. There was a peace to knowing that all of the people here would have her back, not just because she was the El Presidente’s daughter but because they all did genuinely care about her. 

The yard was packed, there had to be 2 times the amount of bikes there. For the first time, Lara hadn’t recognized half of them, but she did recognize one of them. 

Tio Marcus. Curses flooded her brain as her thoughts went back to being extremely negative. Lara now stood in front of the club, staring at all the bikes. The feeling of safety was still there but it was being pushed to the back burner. Nervousness, anxiety, pressure, and the most prominent, scared. All words she’d use to describe her thoughts right now. She would give anything to go back to last night, where nothing mattered. But instead, she was here, while reality started to hit her like a brick. 

“Lara!” A voice said from behind her causing her to jump and get startled. 

“Sorry,” EZ grinned getting a bit of enjoyment out of startling her. 

“Yea, the sympathy is dripping off you.” Lara rested her hand on her chest to catch her breath. “How’s Frankie doing?” 

EZ’s grinned stayed plastered on his face, “back asleep, I gave her Tylenol, a granola bar, and a gallon of water to keep her hydrated while I’m on prospect duties,” he explained, “planning to bring her lunch later.” 

Lara nodded as he talked. 

“I didn’t expect to see you here so early,” EZ added as they stood in front of the clubhouse. 

“Came to talk to Bish.” She pointed inside. 

With a nod, EZ began walking towards the building, Lara in tow, “They’re in templo.” he informed her. 

Lara froze for a minute. “All of them?” She pointed towards the bikes, “do you know why they’re all here? What’s going on?” Lara was starting to spiral. 

EZ turned to face her and pointed at the prospect patch on his kutte, “Your guess is as good as mine.” And with that he entered the club. 

That was a lie. Lara’s guess was most definitely way better than EZ’s, but she also didn’t want to believe it. With a deep breath, she followed behind EZ and just as she entered the club, templo was over and the large amount of Mayans were exiting the room. None of them looked twice at the girl, or even once for that matter, not even the ones that she had known. It made her think that maybe whatever this was about had nothing to do with her, it was just some larger club business, which Lara would gladly accept. She was turning now towards the templo doors that were still open, sneaking a peak to see that the head patch members were still in there. She managed to get a glimpse of Bishop and Marcus before the doors closed again. 

Lara didn’t have enough time to sigh because in the next second Angel was in front of her. 

“Sup?” 

Lara was frowning, there was so much going on in her head at this moment, everything with the Calaveras and Bishop and now Angel, who was standing in front of her, neutral faced, talking to her like nothing happened. 

“Sup?” She repeated his question. While she was really questioning it, Angel took it as she was genuinely asking. 

“You left your shirt at my house,” he smirked. 

It was said at a whisper which made Lara smirk but she was still a bit confused. 

“Maybe you can come by later and pick it up,” he shrugged trying to keep a cool composure. 

Lara was honestly shocked, she hadn’t expected Angel to give her the time of day and here he was trying to get her to come over again. It was better than the last time, and honestly, she was on board, so she went with it. 

“I took yours by mistake this morning.” 

“Yea, mistake.” Angel nodded. 

“Hungover, half asleep, you know, wasn't paying much attention.” Lara smirked. 

“Right, totally makes sense.” Angel nodded. 

“I mean, if you want I can stop by tonight, pick mine up, drop yours off.” Lara continued. 

“That works,” Angel faked like he was thinking pretty hard. 

“See you tonight, then.” Lara turned as she saw the templo doors open.

She didn’t have a moment to process what really happened, she was already focused on the main reason she was here. 

Marcus had walked by her, offering nothing but a nod, but Lara could tell there was something off with the way he looked at her, he normally would stop and chat, but this time he was leaving before she could even wave. Her eyes moved towards the next few people that passed by, president patches from the other clubs, offering her no glance or acknowledgement. Finally, Bishop walked out and they made eye contact. 

There was so much tension between them. Lara felt it. Bishop felt it. 

“Come on, let’s go outside.” He said and before Lara could argue he was already halfway out the door. 

They stood against the railing of the porch, watching Marcus get on his bike and leave. Once he was gone, Bishop spoke up. 

“If you get any notes, any calls, any in person run ins, any fuckin’ morse code messages for all I care, you tell me immediately. You don’t wait till you see me, you call me immediately. I don’t care if you think it’s not from them, I want to know. I want you home by 10, everyday, if you’re working, me or one of the guys will follow you home. No more going out to God knows where with God knows who.” Bishop was firm in his words. 

Lara opened her mouth to argue. 

“I’m not done.” Bishop didn’t even look at her. “If there’s so much as a fuckin post it note on your car, I’m putting someone on you 24/7. I’m not going to lose you over this.” His eyes were still staring straight off. 

The urge to argue was gone. Lara knew there was no version of this conversation where she’d end up winning or getting anything that she wanted out of this. So she decided to go the route where she metaphorically punched him in the gut. After a long pause and a deep breath, Lara spoke up. 

“You lost me a long time ago, Bishop.” She began to take a couple steps down the stairs. “Don’t worry, if one of the Calaveras sends pigeon mail to me you’ll be the first to know.” She called out now that she was further away. 

Bishop stood there, ruminating on her first words. You lost me a long time ago. Bishop. Bishop. She used his first name. Which wasn’t uncommon; she had used his name before, especially when talking to other people, but this was different. He heard the sting behind her tone, he felt it. But regardless his number one concern was her safety. And that’s what he was doing. That’s what he was always doing. Whether he was doing it right or not. 

_________

Before Lara knew it, it was night time. She briefly checked in with Frankie earlier in the day and she was spending another night at EZ’s. There were pros and cons to that. For one, it meant that she had no one to talk to about what happened. This wasn’t something she wanted to explain over text, but she also needed to explain the audacity of Bishop, and maybe get a dose of reality from Frankie but either way she just needed that support. On the other side, it meant that EZ and Frankie would be occupied tonight, which made sneaking to Angel’s, well, less sneaky. 

Which is what brought her where she currently was. Sitting in front of Angel’s house. It was a little intimidating if she was being honest with herself. They had a history, and she wasn’t sure if she fully trusted him yet. But there was something there. There always was. It was also different this time around, for a multiple of reasons. She felt more vulnerable, which was likely because of everything happening with The Calaveras and Bishop and yet the butterflies were on level 10. 

Lara knew if she sat there any longer, she’d psych herself out. So she grabbed his shirt which was in the passenger seat and made her way to his front door and knocked. 

Angel opened the door and it was one of the first times she saw him (outside of their intimate interactions), without a kutte on since their first time meeting. She was taken aback a bit which is why she paused after his greeting but quickly recovered. 

“Your shirt.” She lifted up the tank and kept eye contact with him. 

“Right. My shirt.” He smiled and opened the door more and nodded to invite her in. 

She stepped inside, even though she was there in the morning, there wasn’t really much time to look around and take in his place like she could now. It looked like a frat boy’s house. Random flags and signage, old black leather furniture, a mini fridge even though the kitchen was not too far. It was very, Angel which gave her a bit of a giggle. 

“Nice place.” Lara was still looking around. 

Their conversation hadn’t gone past 4 words a piece, yet. 

“Ain’t much, but it’s home.” Angel shrugged, moving to the mini fridge and grabbing beers for the both of them. 

Okay 5 words. They were getting somewhere. 

Angel approached Lara with the beers, startling her a bit. “Oh, no, I’m not drinking tonight.” She shook her head and pushed the beer away a bit. 

Angel’s eyebrows raised in shock, he wasn’t sure if he had ever heard Lara Losa turn down a drink before. He wasn’t going to push her, though. He nodded and went into the kitchen and grabbed two waters. 

“You don’t have to not drink just because I’m not.” Lara grabbed the water from him. 

“Nah, it’s cool. I still feel like I’m fighting a hangover anyways.” Angel shrugged and plopped down on the couch. Lara nodded and stood awkwardly still looking around his house. 

“You can sit down, you know.” Angel tilted his head next to him. 

Lara hesitated before she moved to sit next to him, letting her mind go a mile a minute before pushing every thought to the back of her mind and sitting down on the couch to his left. 

“It doesn’t have to be awkward.” Angel said as he turned the TV on to have some background noise. “I had a good time with you last night, even before we came back here.” Angel boldly said. 

The girl wasn’t expecting that from Angel, and he definitely wasn’t either, which is why he started to back pedal. “But whatever you wanna do, you know. We can act like nothing happened, go back to how things were, you know.” 

“Is that what you want?” Lara turned to face him even though he was nervously staring at the TV, “to go back to how things were between us?” 

Angel should have thought before he spoke, but that rarely ever happened so he just blurted out something. “Whatever you wanna do, you know?” He shrugged like they were talking about traffic or the weather not the situation between the two of them. 

Lara in that moment felt her confidence overtake her. She saw through Angel’s charades and knew that the power was in her hands, it was up to her, and that made Lara thrive. 

“I think the sex is too good to go back to how things were” Lara smiled. 

Angel’s head snapped to her, stunned at her words but managed to let a smile build on his face. 

Lara’s nostrils flared as she tried to hold back her laugh as they stared at each other before they both let a belly cackle out. 

“So what are we watching?” Lara got comfortable on the couch, the two of them weren’t touching yet, but it was progress from when she first got there. 

______

It had been 4 hours since Lara first arrived, she was currently sprawled out on the couch, her shoes off, swimming in one of Angel’s hoodies, and cuddled up next to the man. 

“I can’t believe we’ve been watching Guy’s Grocery Games for the past 4 hours.” Lara said as she checked her phone, 9:27PM and a notification from Bishop. 

9:26PM Bishop Losa: Home. 10PM. Don’t forget. 

“I mean, it’s the superstar challenge, we gotta see it through,” Angel said as he innocently looked down seeing the message on her phone but quickly looking away. 

“Wish we could but, I gotta get out of here. Plus this is the last episode on for the rest of the night,” Lara leaned over to the coffee table and grabbed the remote and pressed the button that allowed the tv guide to pop up. “See, Kitchen Nightmares is on next.” Her body fell back into his. 

“Man, I fuckin’ hate that show.” Angel said, wrapping his arm around the girl effortlessly as her head rested on his chest. “Makes me never want to go to a fuckin’ restaurant ever again.” He shivered. 

“You easily have 4 different kinds of takeout in your fridge as we speak, Angel. That’s never happening.” She went to stand up. 

“You leavin’ already?” Angel changed the subject. 

“Yea, gotta get home.” Lara said leaving the rest to be interpreted, but Angel wasn’t going to let her go that quickly. 

“Bishop got you on a time clock?” He frowned, he didn’t get up or even change his position on the couch. 

“You shoulder surfing?” Lara frowned realizing he had read her text. 

“Didn’t mean to,” he adjusted his posture and was now leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. 

“What do you know?” Lara asked, sitting on the wooden table so the two were eye to eye. 

This was the million dollar question, what did he know. What was she going to share. Were they going to trust each other. 

The answer was yes, but also no. 

“I know Bishop’s got some personal shit going on that he brought to the table.” Angel started, trying to tiptoe around the templo meeting this morning. 

“Bishop?” Lara frowned and nodded. “Sure let’s go with that.” Lara wanted to leave it at that, but she couldn’t. “I get that what happens in templo is sacred, blood brothers, secret spit handshakes and all that shit, but I know Bishop said my name at that table this morning. What do you know?” 

Angel thought about it, this was the first time they were hanging out as whatever they were and he was already seeing the consequences of messing with the club president’s daughter. 

“You know I can’t tell you about templo, but I can tell you that Bishop is serious about keeping you safe.” 

Lara nodded, “So you know that I have to be home by 10.” 

“I didn’t know that, but it makes sense. I know there’s some shit that went down with The Calaveras and I know that the day I saw you at the main square you were having issues with someone wearing a Calaveras rocker.” Angel shared, hoping that would be enough. He knew a little more, but there was a line he had to tow when it came to this. 

“So observant.” Lara sarcastically joked. 

“What happened?” Angel asked, now flipping the interrogation onto the girl. 

“I used to date one of the guys from The Calaveras, bad breakup, they’re taking it out on Bishop.” Lara told a partial truth. 

Angel didn’t push for more, he just stood and stuck his hand out to the girl who stared at it for a minute before taking it in her own. 

“Well, I guess we better get you home before the clock strikes midnight, Cinderella.” 

“10, and I think I’m more of a Mulan.” Lara said with her hand wrapped in Angel’s who looked at her a bit confused. 

“Disobeying my father, but still fighting for his honor, you know.” Lara grinned. 

Angel took the bait that Lara probably didn’t even realize she left. “Well if you’re disobeying, you might want to go to my bedroom.” Her eyes went wide in shock not expecting Angel to be so bold. “To get your clothes, from this morning.” He smiled even harder knowing he had made the girl blush with her assumption. 

“Right, my clothes.” Her head moved up and down as she stepped away from the tall man and inched her way to his bedroom. “You know I think I might need your help to find them.” She turned to him with a fake confused look on her face. 

“Well, you know me, I’m a helper.” Angel’s shoulders shrugged and followed her through the house.