Just a shortie! Sorry!*
"Lilianna Losa," Adelita repeated Father Rodrigo as he presented the young girl to her. "Why? Why would you do this?"
"They took something, someone, dear to me," he said sullenly. "This is not what I do, it's not who I am," Rodrigo shook his head. "And I made a grave error."
"An error?" Adelita pulled Lili close and covered her ears. "This is much more than an error."
"She is not the daughter of the man who killed Sister Jane," Father admitted.
"I know," she released Lili as the girl tried to pull away "You must return her," Adelita said in a hushed tone. "The club will find her and they will kill you."
"I know," he agreed, "But they can't know it was me."
Adelita felt beholden to the man, so she wanted to help him and after all he had done for her and her cause, she had to. "There may be a way."
--
The next morning started just as the previous day ended, with Natasha staring aimlessly knowing there was nothing for her to do. She sat at her kitchen table, the same table she and Lili had breakfast together every day, with a cigarette in her mouth.
"You're smoking," Bishop remarked as he came out from the bedroom
Natasha nodded. "I couldn't sleep. I kept wondering if she was cold or hungry," she broke down. "We don't even know if she's alive, Bishop."
"She's alive," he said confidently. "If that was their goal we would know by now."
Natasha glanced at him scornfully as he stood behind the chair across from her, his hands on his hips. "I guess I should believe you, this is your domain after all."
"Don't," Bishop scolded her. "This isn't my fault."
"Did I say it was?" She asked, suddenly glaring at him. "Sounds like you have a guilty conscience."
"That's bullshit and you know it." As he said it, his volume raised, Bishop slammed his fists against the table. "Maybe you should find better childcare. You trusted Janice and she was bringing that asshole around our girl."
"You work with that asshole!" Natasha yelled, jumping up from her chair and leaning in toward him. "How bad does that make you?"
Bishop laughed ruefully, watching as she squared her shoulders as if to throw a punch. "You gonna hit me?"
"I'd knock you on your ass," she sneered.
"You need to calm down," he said authoritatively. "This isn't helping," he was saying this to Natasha but himself as well. "I'm gonna put some space here. See who knows what's going on."
"Obispo," she said desperately. "Please don't leave me."
He looked back at her, his eyes filled with tears and conveying how hurt he truly was. "I'll be back, querida. Get your goddamn head straight."
Bishop stormed out and left Natasha sobbing at the kitchen sink, leaning over as the news to vomit came over her. She suffered through a twenty-minute breakdown, choking sobs and vomiting made her chest ache. Finally, she sank down to the floor against the cabinets and gave in to the urge to call Emily. It felt like she was giving up, too weak to shoulder it without Bishop, but she needed to get through it so she'd be sane when Lili came home.
—
When Bishop got to the clubhouse there were two visitors, Pena and Alvarez. While he was considered a guest, each Santo Padre member knew they owed their very existence as a club to the latter.
"Thanks for coming," Bishop said as he and Marcus hugged.
Marcus nodded somberly. "How are you, primo?"
"Fine."
"Tasha?"
Bishop simply shook his head.
"She's feeling it for you so you can bring her home," Marcus said sagely, "And you will bring her home."
Clearing his throat, Bishop nodded. "Cartel tell you anything they won't tell me?"
"No," he huffed. "You know everything they know."
"It's not enough," he grumbled. "Where's the prospect?"
"With our dad," Angel explained. "Just had to swing by for something. I can get him?"
Bishop shook his head. "No. Leave him there. Fucking useless," he grumbled. The insult was toward himself, although no knew it, no one said a word to him. He was far too raw to blame for anything that came out of his mouth.
While Natasha found a compassionate ear with Emily, Bishop went to find a friend in Pena. He showed up at her office looking every bit as miserable as he felt.
"Bishop," she said quietly, stroking his cheek. "Not a word?"
"Nothing," he groaned. "We talked to every crew, every dealer," he shook his head. "Everyone. No one knows shit."
"I wish I could help," she said softly.
Leaning in, she pressed her lips to his, her fingers gripping the edges of his kutte. She waited for him to push further, which he did, as he slipped his tongue into her mouth. Bishop pushed her back against her desk, lifting her to sit on the edge, and Antonia went right for his belt.
Bishop found much more than a friend in the Mayor, he found a way to release his fury and drown his sorrows.
—
"You can tell no one," Adelita whispered to Janice as she opened the SUV's door. "You saw nothing. You heard nothing. As long as you keep this secret the girl will be returned to her mother."
"When?" Janice asked between sobs. "How do I know she's okay?"
"You have to trust me as I am trusting you," Adelita said as she pushed Janice out toward Merchant Square before Pablo squealed away
