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elivanah-writes · 2 years

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Lost Princessa 30

Well... here it is guys. The final chapter. I do have an epilogue planned, but the story is finished. I may write small one shots in this 'verse later on. Right now I'm just riding the high of having finished my first chaptered piece of writing in 18 years!

Thank you to @drabbles-mc, @jemmakates, and @xeniarocks. You guys have stuck with me through all of this and I really appreciate you. More than you guys know. Because of you, I've got my writing back. You'll see more from me.

Please do not copy, translate, or duplicate my work. BUT please DO feel free to reblog it, comment on it, message me about it... ANYTHING like that. If it inspires you - all the better! Just please tag me in things so I can see how amazingly talented you all are.

Warnings: Hospital stuff, cursing, feels, panic attack, I don't like doctors much... As always, let me know if I missed a warning.

And here it is. The FINAL chapter to Lost Princessa.

The first thing she noticed when she woke up was the floaty feeling of medication and the beeping of a heart monitor. She was in a hospital then. She struggled to wake up and remember what could have put her there, but the medication fog was so heavy.

She must have made a noise or a face. Gentle hands smoothed over her hair while another rubbed her shin. “Shhh, Chica. Shh. Papa’s here, Sweetheart. Shh. No more bad dreams. Papa’s here.”

Hank’s gruff voice answered him. He sounded further away. Why was it so hard to open her eyes? “Should I get the nurse? She could be in pain.”

“No. They’re trying to let her wake up. She’s just coming down off the stuff that’s keeping her asleep.” He stroked her hair again. “It’s okay, Chica. Rest a while longer. We’ll be here when you’re ready.”

She faded back into unconsciousness.

Megan had settled back into the drugged sleep and Taza sat back in the uncomfortable hospital chair. At least it reclined and was big enough to hold him. Hank was in a straight backed chair from the waiting room down by the end of the bed.

Ever since Taza had abandoned the run to return when he had called Bishop back - he knew Hank hadn’t slept or eaten. He kept making sure that Taza did both though.

“Hank, brother, you need to rest. Eat. You’re no good to her in the hospital next to her,” Taza pointed out.

“I’m fine, man. Just need her to be okay,” Hank sighed. They’d been having the same discussion for an hour.

“She’s okay. The doctors say she’s going to be as good as new in six to eight weeks. A broken collar bone, broken wrist, and concussion - scrapes and bruises - she’s alright and she's going to need you to be alright too.” He gave Hank a significant look.

“I know.” Hank watched Megan’s face carefully. The bruises there made him cringe. “Taza… how can you even look at me? She was taken on MY watch.”

“No. Don’t do that. She was taken on everyone’s watch.” He gently rearranged the blankets to free up her left hand. There were IVs in it, but her right arm was in a green wrist cast and sling for her injuries. He slipped her hand into his and squeezed it gently. “She was willing to sacrifice herself for Letty. For her family. That has more to do with the love you’ve shown her than anything. She loves you, Hank. You gave her the confidence to do what she felt she had to do to protect her family. She’s going to need both of us when she wakes up. We may have to start from the beginning again. She’s going to be drowning in guilt and we’re going to have to keep her head above water. Don’t take some of her stability away already by dwelling on the things we all did wrong.”

Hank nodded. “I know. I just need her to forgive me. I promised no one would hurt her. No one would make her leave us. I broke those promises.”

“There were broken promises on all sides. She promised things too. Do you hold it against her that she broke them?” Taza asked logically. He knew the answer, but Hank needed to say it before he could forgive himself. The truth was, he’d had the same argument with himself on the long drive back from the abandoned run.

“No. Never. She was fucking kidnapped. Why would I hold that against her?” Hank looked offended that Taza would even suggest it.

“Then why are you holding it against yourself? You did everything you could to protect her, brother. Some things are just… out of our control. Megan’s got a big heart and she couldn’t let someone else be hurt on her behalf. He knew that and played on it. Don’t let him win now.”

“Yeah, but I wasn’t even the one to rescue her. Happy was.” Hank shifted again in the uncomfortable chair.

“Bishop said that you got to her even before the damn ambulance did, Hank. Happy didn’t even have her out of the damn truck yet when you got there after his call that he’d spotted them. Stop it. She’s safe now, and between us - we’ll keep her that way.” Taza stood and stretched. “Now. I’m going to go sweet talk that nice nurse at the nurses station into putting a cot in here with her for you to sleep on. Who’s in the waiting room?”

Hank checked his watch. “EZ’s on shift, but everything I’ve gone for coffee, most of the damn club has been out there. I don’t think any of them have left. Bishop and Marcus haven’t left except to sleep in the nearly two days we’ve been here.”

“Alright. I’ll get someone to run to Patty’s for food. You’re going to eat and at least take a fucking nap. I’ll get someone to get both of us clothes too so we can shower.” He patted Hank’s shoulder as he slipped out of the room.

Hank moved up to sit in Taza’s abandoned chair and placed a careful kiss on Megan’s fingers and then another one on her head. “I need you to wake up soon, mi princessa. I need to see those pretty eyes to know you’re okay.”

Megan twitched again and made a little whining sound that Hank associated with her beginning to wake up in the mornings. Her breathing hitched a bit and she groaned as she tried to move.

“Easy, Princessa. Easy. Don’t try to move too much.” Hank tried to keep his voice level. “You gonna let me see those gorgeous brown eyes? Hmm?” He gently cupped her cheek in his massive hand as she blinked her eyes open. “There you are. Thought we’d lost you to dreamland forever.”

Megan groaned again. “Hank? Did you get him?” she asked raspily.

Tears gathered in Hank’s eyes as he pressed his forehead to hers and breathed her in. “He’s dead, mi princessa. He broke his neck in the crash. You’re safe, baby. You’re safe.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“And Letty? Letty’s okay? He wouldn’t let me check on her.” Her breathing started to pick up.

“Si. She’s okay. Probably in the waiting room right now terrorizing everyone in the club.”

Megan teared up. “Oh thank God. She’s safe.”

“She’s safe thanks to you.” He sniffed and wiped her tears. “Shhh. Crying probably hurts. Your ribs are bruised.”

Megan sobbed softly. “Do you all hate me? Does Papa hate me?”

“Oh baby. No. No one hates you. Shh. Taza just stepped out to ask one of the guys to do a food run. Shh.” He carefully shifted to sit on the side of the bed and stroke her hair. He wanted to hold her and rock her, but he didn’t want to hurt her. “Easy, mi princessa. Shhh.”

“I’m so sorry. Brandon didn’t give me a choice. I couldn’t let him take Letty. I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to lie to you, but I couldn’t let him hurt her.” Megan’s breath stuttered and an alarm went off as her heart rate picked up.

“I know, Princessa. Shhh. You gotta breathe baby or they’ll make me leave.” He pressed her uninjured hand to his chest. “Feel me breathing? Breathe with me, Princessa. Breathe.”

A nurse rushed in and silenced the alarm before trying to get between Hank and Megan. “Sir! You need to step back. You’re upsetting her!”

“NO!” Megan gasped for breath and fisted her hand in his button down. “Don’t go! Don’t leave me! I’m sorry!”

Hank stood his ground and gently fended off the overzealous nurse. “No ma’am. You need to step back. She’s having a panic attack caused by her PTSD. I’m not going anywhere, Princessa. I’m right here. And I’m STAYING right here because her normal coping mechanisms aren’t possible with her injuries. Step back please and let me talk her through this.” Without waiting for the nurse to answer, he turned his full attention back to Megan. “Shhh. That’s my girl. Breathe with me, Princessa. Good.” As Megan started to calm a little, the nurse stepped back. “No one blames you, mi princessa. No one is angry at you. We love you. You’re safe now. We’re right here and we aren’t going anywhere.” He glanced at the nurse. “Her father, Che Romero, stepped out to the waiting room to ask our brothers to get some food for us. COuld you get him please? It’s easier for her with both of us here.”

The nurse nodded, but looked to Megan as if worried about leaving her with Hank. “Would that help, miss?”

Megan nodded and choked on a sob.

Hank shifted her gently and raised the head of the bed so she was sitting up more as the nurse horrid out the door. “Easy, Princessa. Keep breathing. Your Papa will be right back.” he slid to sit next to her on her good side and let her lean on him. Once she was in position, he stroked her hair and pressed kisses to it letting her soak up his warmth.

Pounding footsteps outside the door announced Taza’s arrival.

“Papa!” Megan sobbed and tried to reach for him before whimpering in pain.

“Oh Sweetheart! Shhh.” Taza hurried and sat carefully on her injured side before pressing kisses to her forehead and face. “Easy, my sweet Chica. Papa’s here. We’re here. You’re safe with us.”

Hank caught his attention and muttered “she thinks we’re mad and we hate her…”

“Oh, Chica. Shhh. You did so good. We’re not mad. You did so good. You saved Letty, Sweetheart. No one is mad at you for doing anything. There now. Breathe. Deep breath for us. That’s a good girl. I know it hurts but you have to breathe. Again.” Taza coaxed Megan into calming enough for the residual sedative to take effect.

Megan was leaned against Hank’s chest on her left and clutching Taza’s hand when she gave in and laid her head on Hank’s shoulder to rest drowsily.

“Good girl. You just rest now. Papa and Hank are right here.” Taza murmured comfortingly as he stroked her knuckles and straightened her blankets.

The nurse had apparently followed Taza back in and cleared her throat delicately. “Is there anything I can get her to make things easier? Sorry. I just came on shift when I heard the alarm so I haven’t read her chart yet to know the situation.”

Hank stroked Megan’s good arm soothingly as she twitched at the unfamiliar voice. “Some very cold water or even ice chips would help. I’m sure one of our guys is outside the door by now. If you could let him know what’s happening, that’d be great. Her godfathers are probably in the waiting room too. They would appreciate an update as well, I’m sure.”

“Of course. I’ll get some ice chips. Should I send anyone in? Since she’s awake, more visitors can come in as long as she’s kept calm.” She smiled gently at the huge bikers doting on the tiny girl in their arms. “Looks like you’ve got that part well under control.”

Taza spoke up. “I’ll ask her padrinos to come in. We don’t want the whole crew in here right now. She needs to rest.”

“Of course, sir. I’ll be right back.”

Taza pulled his phone out with his free hand to dial Bishop. “Bish. She’s awake, but panicked. Could you and Marcus come back to help reassure her that we aren’t mad at her?” Bishop apparently hung up very abruptly because Taza just set the phone down. “There, Chica. Your tíos are coming back.”

“What’s wrong with me?” Megan asked quietly as her adrenaline burned through the left over dregs of the sedative.

“What do you mean, Princessa?” Hank asked as he stroked her hair some more.

“Why am I in the hospital? How long have I been out?” she clarified.

Taza chuckled. “Because you are a very smart Chica. You apparently were wearing your seatbelt when the bastard wrecked the truck trying to escape. The truck rolled down an embankment, so you got pretty banged up. Lots of bumps and bruises. Your ribs are one big bruise. Your right wrist and collar bone are broken and you have some major head trauma. They knocked you out for about thirty-six hours for observation and tests. That’s why you’re so groggy.”

“And Brandon?” Megan looked to Hank again.

Bishop answered from the door. “In true cop fashion, he thought he was immortal. No seatbelt. He was ejected from the car and crushed by it - if he didn’t break his neck on impact. Hey there, Poquito. Feeling better?” He stepped inside with Marcus right behind him.

All the men looked as if they hadn’t slept, but had at least made an attempt at it - fully dressed by the look of the wrinkles. Even Marcus who was usually so clean cut looked like he had been through the wringer.

Megan cringed. “Not really. I hate the floaty feeling.”

“That will pass soon, Sweetheart.” The nurse was back with ice chips for her and handed them to Hank. “Try some of these. I’ve let the doctor know you’re awake so he should be by shortly.”

“Thank you.” Megan tried to smile for the nice lady.

“Just buzz if you need us.” She smiled and beat a hasty retreat. One biker was scary, but four were terrifying.

Megan looked at her godfathers sheepishly. “Are you mad?”

Marcus gave a gentle smile and sat at the end of her bed. “No, Poquito. No one’s mad.”

Since she was calmer, she cracked a small smile and joke. “Not even Letty?”

The men chuckled tiredly. “Well… maybe a little. She keeps muttering about screwdrivers…” Bishop winked.

That made Megan giggle. “Keep her out of the toolbox for a bit then.”

“I think Coco has her handled,” Taza said with a smile.

They chatted quietly, doing their best to keep her calm and slightly giggly. They told her about Chuckie’s offer to sneak her cooking and Angel being turned down flat by the pretty little nurse who was keeping them updated overnight.

There was a gentle knock at the door, which opened to reveal a young, blonde doctor. “Miss Morales? I’m Doctor Worthall.”

Megan smiled awkwardly and shrank down before forcing herself to sit up straight and raise her chin.

“I’m going to do a few tests, just to see where you’re at and then we’ll see about getting you out of here. I’m sure you’re eager to get home.” The man smiled in what he seemed to think was a reassuring manner. “We just want to be sure everything is still on the right track. If you… gentlemen… will excuse us…”

Megan flinched. “No. Don’t go anywhere.”

Hank kissed her hair. “Not going anywhere, Princessa.”

Taza nodded. “Right here, Chica.”

Marcus and Bishop both nodded. “Sorry, Doc. You’re stuck with us. Until our god daughter asks us to leave - we go nowhere,” Marcus said confidently.

The doctor looked mildly offended. “Very well. Miss Morales - do you know what day it is?” Dr. Worthall asked.

“I know that the wreck was after lunch on Tuesday. I would assume, since my father mentioned that you had me drugged ‘for observation’ for thirty-six hours - I’d assume that it’s late Wednesday or possibly early Thursday. I can’t tell for sure since I was knocked unconscious without consent,” Megan said as she squeezed Hank’s hand.

“It was what was best for you…” Dr. Worthall started.

“No. It was what was best for you. You didn’t even wait for me to regain consciousness to talk to me about my condition.” She looked at Taza. “Did they ask you if they could knock me out?”

Taza shook his head. “No. You were already under when I got here. I don’t think they asked anyone…” He looked at the men around him who all shook their heads.

“And being as there was no life threatening injury or swelling… there really wasn’t a reason to put me under for ‘observation’ except to keep me quiet,” Megan said. “I don’t like it when doctors decide to play God, Dr. Worthall. I don’t like it at all.”

The doctor tried to change the subject. “Cognitively you seem fine. We’d like to get some more scans and tests…”

“No,” Megan said.

“Excuse me?” The doctor was absolutely shocked. He looked to Taza. “Please talk some sense into your daughter sir!”

“I said no. No more tests. No more drugs. If it’s a concussion - I’ve dealt with them before. Broken bones - I’ve had more of that you can count. I want to go home.” She looked at Taza. “Papa, I’d like to leave.”

Taza nodded. “Of course, Chica.” He pressed a kiss to her temple before looking to Bishop. “Who’s on shift outside?”

“Creeper. He’s on guard and EZ’s on shift in the waiting room. Should I send him for something?” Bishop asked.

“You heard la princessa. She wants to go home. Would you send someone for clothes?”

“Course.” Bishop gently patted Megan’s shin. “Just going to the door, Poquito. Be right back.”

“I really advise against you leaving before we complete our tests -” the doctor tried to reason with them.

“You can ‘really advise’ all you’d like. Bring me the AMA paperwork please. I don’t like hospitals. I don’t like doctors. My father and my boyfriend will keep an eye on me. Bring me the paperwork or when my family brings my clothes, I’m leaving anyway. And I’d REALLY like to see you try to stop me…”

Hank smiled a bit. “I’d do what the lady says.”

The doctor swallowed hard and nodded. “I’ll have the nurse bring you the paperwork.” He stood and left the room abrupt, passing Bishop talking to Creeper who was on the phone on the way out.

Megan deflated and rested against Hank again shuddering and shaking.

“Easy, Poquito. What was that about?” Marcus asked gently as he smoothed the blanket over her legs.

Megan shuddered. “I hate doctors. They don’t help people. They say they do but then they just put you right back where you started if they’re given enough money.”

Bishop came back in and stood at the end of the bed with his arms crossed across his chest. “The doctors in Tennessee? They knew about Jimmy and just kept sending you back there…”

Megan nodded.

Taza patted her knee. “We get it, Chica. We’ll get you home where you can rest.”

A short while later, Creeper peeked his head around the door. “Hey Little Princess! I got you some clothes. Letty picked them out, but she said there wasn’t a lot she could do about it being easy to put on.” He smiled and brought in Megan battered black leather backpack.

“Thanks, Creeper.” Megan gave him a smile as he put her bag down. She looked at the men surrounding her. “Anyone know where my jewelry is?”

Taza pulled a baggie out of his kutte. “Right here, Chica. I got it. Your clothes ended up having to be cut off in the ER but I’ve got your boots too.”

“Thank you, Papa.” Megan smiled.

The nurse from earlier knocked gently. “I’m here to take your IV out, sweetie. And I’ve got the paperwork you asked for.”

A few minutes later, Megan was unhooked from all the monitors and piles of paperwork were signed.

“Alright, sweetie. You’re all set. You need anything else? Some help changing maybe? I know that sling and cast will take some getting used to.” She smiled kindly.

Taza looked at Megan sheepishly. “Sounds like a plan. One of us could help if you’d rather, Chica, but…” He grinned.

Megan smiled. “Alright, Papa. I’ll save you the embarrassment for now.”

“Good girl.” He kissed her forehead. “We’ll be just on the other side of the curtain.”

A few minutes later, Megan pulled the curtain back. She was now dressed in Hank’s soft colors and a pair of leggings, sling in place. She looked at the nurse. “Thank you for your help.”

“Of course.” She smiled. “If you are careful and only take the sling off to bathe and change, I’d say you can take it off in about three weeks. I’d say two, but with the weight of the cast it’s better to be safe than sorry. I know you won’t come back here - but please follow up with your GP in a few weeks. Or at least call me-” she handed Megan a slip of paper. “I’m not a doctor, but I’m trying to get my nurse practitioners license. I’ll help where I can.”

Megan’s smile widened. “Thank you.”

Taza smiled too. “We’ll take good care of her ma’am. We’ve dealt with a lot of minor injuries. Thank you for taking care of her. We’ll call if we have questions.:

The nurse nodded and smiled before slipping out the door.

“C’mon, mi princessa. Let’s get you home.” Hank helped her into her boots and they walked out to meet the family.

Outside, all the club was waiting by the van, hooting and hollering as Megan walked out with Taza, Hank and the Padrinos. Megan laughed at their antics. They acted as if they’d just pulled a jailbreak.

“There she is! Whooo - nuestra princessa is back!” Gilly called.

“How ya feelin’, Ma? You good?” Coco asked sincerely as he lit a new cigarette.

“I’m okay, Coco. How’s Letty?” Megan leaned against the side of the van.

“She’s good thanks to you. A little banged up, but nothing we can’t handle.” He smiled a little. “Thank you. What you did for us… you need ANYTHING you call.”

“I’m just glad she’s okay. I’m alright. Promise.” Megan gently knocked her good shoulder against his. She looked around. “Who was the guy who found me? I didn’t know him.”

Marcus chuckled. “Ally from another club. Old friend of mine from Northern Cali. He had to head back, but I made sure he’ll be back for your party when you’re all healed up.”

Megan groaned. “Shit. It’s going to have to be pushed back now. After all your work…”

“Ah. Don’t worry about it, Poquito. Just gives us time to make it bigger,” Bishop said with a wink and a pull on a cigarette. “Something truly worthy of la princessa de los mayas.”

Angel grinned. “Hell yeah! Going to be one hell of a party!”

Megan smiled and had to laugh. “I can’t wait.” She looked up at Hank with a tiny grin. “Ready to take me home, Caballero?”

Hank stepped closer and placed a kiss on the back of her good hand. “Always, mi princessa.”

Taza grinned and patted Hank’s shoulder. “C’mon. The lost princessa has been found. Let’s take her home.”

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elivanah-writes · 2 years

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Lost Princessa 29

Don't kill me. Here it is. I got it out as fast as I could!

Please don't duplicate, translate or transfer my work in any way. There's only one of me and this is the only place this is published.

Thank you to @drabbles-mc, @iamthegraham, @xeniarocks, and @jemmakates. Love y'all.

Warnings: kidnapping, guns, swearing, insults to Megan, threats to Megan, bodily harm... this is the WORST chapter that I have had to write. Let me know if I missed anything.

Megan put the phone down for a second and fought for breath. Brandon had Letty. She picked the phone back up slowly and cleared her throat. “Brandon - is Letty okay? I need to know she’s alright.”

Brandon laughed. “She’s fine. Not really able to come to the phone right now though. I dosed her pretty good.”

Megan took a deep breath. “What do you want?”

“What I’ve always wanted, Megan. You to come back to Tennessee with me. I’ve got a friend to introduce you to. He’s paid a lot of money for you already and I’d hate to disappoint him.”

“I won’t be sold again, Brandon. I’d rather die.” Megan felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest. She couldn’t catch her breath.

“Such a pity. I always thought you were smarter than that. I’d do better to sell your little friend. Letty’s a lot younger than you. More trainable when you get them younger. Probably a lot more money in her anyway. I’m sure my buyer can be pacified if I let him be the one to break her. You just stay safe and sound with your little biker gang. She can take your place just fine. I’m sure her daddy will be fine with it too. She seems like a lot to handle.” Brandon chuckled evilly.

“Wait! Prove she’s alive. Prove she’s okay first. Then we’ll talk…” Megan couldn't stand the idea of Brandon touching Letty. Letty who had done everything possible to help Megan since they’d met. Letty. Sixteen years old and already with so much ahead of her. Letty.

“There. I sent you a video. She’s out cold, but you can see her breathing.” Brandon now just sounded bored out of his mind.

Megan pulled the phone away from her ear to see the video Brandon had sent. It was definitely Letty. Hogtied and gagged on a dirty mattress somewhere. Megan muffled a sob with her free hand.

“Now. Are you ready to cooperate, baby sis? Or do I need to move to plan B and take this little bitch in your place?” He paused. “Tick. Tock. Clock’s ticking. Once she’s awake the choice is no longer yours.”

“What do you want me to do?” Megan asked quietly.

Hank knocked on the bathroom door. “Princessa? You okay in there?”

“Shit,” Megan hissed. “Yeah. Be right out!” she called.

“There’s the Megan I know and love. Listen close - you have two hours to ditch the apes in leather. Throw out that phone too. If you’re not at the local high school, underneath the bleachers, in two hours, little Letty’s going on a long ride with me. See you soon, sis.”

The phone cut out and Megan choked on a sob. She had two hours to escape the loving and watchful eyes of Hank and Bishop. Two hours before she gave herself up to a fate worse than death. A fate she’d do anything to spare Letty from.

A few minutes later, Megan came out of the bathroom fully dressed. She had watched her face to get rid of any trace of tears and hoped that would excuse her flushed face and red rimmed eyes. She tucked her phone into her gym bag and dropped it behind the bar so she could honestly say she didn’t have it if pressed. She had to keep it together. For Letty.

Hank looked up from his perch at the end of the bar. “All good, mi princessa?” he asked with a slight frown.

“All good. Just got soap in my eyes when I washed my face. Sorry.” Megan tried to give him a smile. It wasn’t a very good one, but it was there.

“Ahh. Okay.” He opened his arms to offer her a hug and she gratefully took it. Just the scent of him steadied her. She was about to break every promise she’d made him and she hated it, but she’d savor these last few minutes as long as she could.

Hank ran his hands over her tense back and shoulders rubbing gently. “Easy, Princessa. Just a few more hours. I’ve got you.”

Megan swallowed hard and nodded. Only Hank would assume this was residual tension from Taza’s run. She couldn’t think about her papa right now. Couldn’t think about his request that she not let Brandon take her away from him. If she did, she’d break.

Could she tell them about Brandon holding Letty? Maybe they could help. But no. She only had about an hour and a half left. She thought back to their unwillingness to even use her as bait for Jimmy. They’d never let her trade herself for Letty. She was on her own.

Hank pressed a kiss to her head. “C’mon, mi princessa. Let’s get some lunch. Maybe El Padrino will be back by the time we’re done and he can give you another salsa lesson.”

He led her out to the pit where Bishop was waiting for them. He shot a worried look at the president before guiding her to her rightful perch behind him. What could have triggered her? He could feel her breathing stuttering and the tension she carried even if she tried so hard to hide it. Megan was right on the verge of a panic attack and he didn’t know why.

They stopped at the diner and Megan’s plan solidified. She knew the school was just a few streets over if she cut through the back lots. EZ had told her stories of ditching study hall to go get milkshakes. All she’d have to do is get out the back door without them suspecting anything and run.

Inside, Hank and Bishop say where they could see the front door and the entire restaurant except the service hallway where the bathrooms were. They were on home turf and trusted the kitchen staff to alert them if anyone tried to sneak up on them from that way. Megan snuggled into Hank’s side and tried to control her breathing.

“Poquito? You alright, Sweetheart?” Bishop asked.

Megan nodded and tried to smile for him. This one was even more unsuccessful. “Sorry. Anxiety.”

Bishop nodded and reached across the table to pat her hands. “You’re alright, Poquito. Breathe for us, hmm? You want me to order for you?”

“Yes, please.” She buried her face in Hank’s side as he pulled her closer with the arm around her shoulders.

“Do you want me to take you home, Princessa? Maybe some barn time? Go see the horses?” Hank asked. He rocked her gently and glanced at Bishop again. Something was off, but maybe it was just because Megan was trying so hard to hold off her panic attack and control it this time.

“I’ll be alright. Just anxiety. I’m going to go splash some cold water on my face.” She firmed her spine and pressed a kiss to Hank’s lips shakily. “Be right back.”

Both Mayans nodded and Hank kissed her knuckles gently. “Take your time, mi princessa. Call out if you need me.”

Megan nodded and headed shakily down the hallway. She glanced at the clock. She had less than an hour left to make the meeting and save Letty. With one last glance over her shoulder, she slipped out the back door and took off running.

After about ten minutes, Hank and Bishop started to worry. Megan hadn’t returned to the table. Hank went to check on her. He knocked on the door to the women’s restroom. “Megan? You alright, Princessa?” There was no answer, so he tried the knob. It turned easily and opened onto an empty bathroom. “SHIT!”

Bishop’s head popped up from where he was checking his phone. “She alright?”

“She’s gone!” Hank went to the back door to find it unlatched and poked his head out. No sign of Megan and nothing looked disturbed.

Bishop was by his side immediately. “No sign of a struggle? Bastard must have caught her unaware…”

“Or he had a gun to her head to keep her quiet. Fuck! I should have cleared the building before I let her go to the bathroom alone.” Hank ran his hands through his hair in frustration.

“This ain’t all on you, Hank. I was here too. Can you track her phone? Maybe he hasn’t had time to ditch it yet,” Bishop said.

“No. I’m not on the same phone plan yet. Only Taza’d be able to do that and he won’t answer right now because he’s on the road.” Hank sank down to sit on the threshold of the back door of the diner.

Bishop nodded. “Alright - start calling. Everyone. I don’t give a shit WHAT they’re doing. I want Miguel fucking Galindo himself out combing the streets. We find her. NOW.” He pulled out his phone and dialed Marcus.

Megan sobbed quietly as the school came into view. It looked deserted - as it should - with all the students on break. The actual size of the school shocked her. It was so much bigger than the one she had attended.

Past the buildings, she could see the sports fields and she started walking towards them. She knew where Brandon would be waiting. He’d be waiting for her under the bleachers on the visitor’s side of the football field. It was where he always had cornered her in high school when she was forced to attend games in the name of ‘school spirit’. She just hoped Letty was okay.

She rounded the corner of the bleachers and ducked under them. About halfway down stood Brandon with a gun to an upright and hooded Letty’s head.

“Ah. There she is. Cuttin’ it close there, sis. I was beginning to think you’d decided to let your little right rot.” Brandon smiled indulgently at her.

“I’m here. Let her go, Brandon. You have to let her go.” Megan held her hands up as if surrendering and took slow steps towards him. If she could just get a better angle, she would have a shot at him when he took the gun off Letty.

“Oh I don’t HAVE to do shit.” He pressed the gun tighter to Letty’s temple. “Stop where you’re at and keep your hands where I can see them, Megan.” A muffled grunt came from Letty and she started to struggle until Brandon smacked her over the head with his pistol. She didn’t go limp, but she stilled.

“Hey! Don’t hurt her. Brandon, you’ve got what you wanted. I’m here. Let letty go. She’s got nothing to do with this. She’s just a kid. Please. Just let her go,” Megan begged as tears rolled down her cheeks again.

“I have every intention of leaving your little friend here. But first - you’re going to VERY slowly - and with your LEFT hand - throw that gun that I know you’ve got at the small of your back away. Very slowly. No sudden movements and no funny business or I’ll paint these bleachers with her brains.”

Megan flinched but followed his instructions to the letter. She didn’t want to give him any excuse to get twitchy with his gun still so close to Letty. She threw away the 9mm that Hank had given her and felt like she was ripping her own heart out at the same time. There went the only chance she had of making it out of there.

“Good girl.”

Megan flinched again. The words of praise that she had so enjoyed coming from Hank or her Papa or even Bishop and Marcus felt like a physical slap coming from him.

Brandon transferred the barrel of his weapon to point at Megan and she breathed a little easier. At least it wasn’t pointed at Letty anymore.

“Now…” he tossed a set of zip cuffs at her. “Put ‘em on.”

Megan picked them up and tightened them.

“Good.” Brandon shoved Letty to the ground and took large strides to reach Megan’s side. He grabbed her arm and jerked her around. “Time to go home, sis.”

Megan struggled briefly. “Wait. Just let me check on her! Please. Let me know she’s okay.”

“You’re done making demands. Shut the fuck up and move before I shoot you and take her anyway.” He shoved Megan hard towards the side of the bleachers where he had apparently parked a small pick-up truck.

Megan craned her neck to see Letty struggling and getting one hand free to pull off the hood and reveal her bruised and battered face. She was trying to pull the gag out of her mouth too when Brandon shoved Megan again.

“I said move. No one is coming to save you, bitch.”

The truck was a common silver color and had nothing to make it stand out. Brandon pushed her into the cab across the bench seat from the driver's side and Megan quickly scooted over to huddle against the door. She tried to discreetly try the door handle only to have Brandon laugh at her.

“I’m not that stupid. You aren’t the first one to take a ride with me like this. Child locks are a bitch aren’t they?” He slid his gun into the door pocket next to him and started the truck. “Get comfortable... It’s a long drive.”

The Mayans quickly congregated at the diner. No one had called Taza yet - or any of the guys on the run. Bishop had left a text to have Taza call him at the next stop. It had been forty-five minutes since they discovered Megan was missing.

Coco was pacing. He’d only found an empty house when he’d gone to check on Letty. Her phone was smashed and he’d found a blood smear near the door. “He has to have Letitica too. That’s the only explanation. Bestard’s trying to pull a two-for-one special.” He took a hard pull on his cigarette and ran his hand through his disheveled hair.

“We don’t know that yet, Coco. We DO know that Megan is in danger. Hopefully we find them together,” Marcus said. He’d showed up with half of Miguel Galindo’s security team in tow - including Nestor, the head of security for the cartel.

Hank had gone from worried to pissed. Unlike Coco who seemed to be in perpetual motion, Hank sat stock still. You could barely see him breathing. His hands were clenched into fists on the table in front of him with the knuckles white.

EZ came hurrying in the door of the diner with a phone in hand. “Megan’s phone was in her gym bag. I checked when I got the call that she was missing. Anyone know the lock code? It could tell us something.”

Hank finally spoke. “91518,” he said quietly. “The date she found Taza.”

Bishop took the phone and put in the code. It opened to the text chain Megan had with Letty. The last message was a video and when he played it, it revealed the proof of life video Brandon had sent. “FUCK. He’s got both girls. Took Letty and used her as leverage. She probably walked right out on her own to save her. Last call was from Letty’s phone.”

Hank ran his hands down his face in pure frustration. “She must have got the call at the club house. It’s what set her off. Why didn’t she tell us?”

Angel had been silent this whole time. “Why would she? Think, man, how we reacted to the last threat to Megan. We locked her ass down. We refused to let her help catch him. Bet he gave her a short ass time limit too. Princessa figured we’d waste time arguing and get Letty killed.”

Gilly nodded. “What was it she called it if Jimmy took her? A no lose situation for the club? Bet she traded herself for Letty…”

Marcus’ burner phone rang. He stepped outside to answer it.

“Alright. Here’s how we start. The video of where he had Letty looks like an abandoned space. Dark. Concrete floors and fluorescent lights. How many local places do we know like that? How many of them do we not control? We find where he had Letty - we’re one step closer to finding Megan,” Bishop said.

Coco was on the laptop looking up abandoned places in the area. Nestor had his own tech guy on it too.

“Bishop, can I see that video again? There’s something familiar about it…” EZ said.

“Sure, Prospect. Do your thing.” He handed over the phone. “Gilly - call Frankie. We need check points on highways.”

“On it, Bish.”

Marcus came back inside. “One of the Sons was nearby. Stopped at the club house looking for you when no one answered his ride through call. I explained the situation. He’s on his way here to help.”

“Which one?” Bishop asked.

“Happy. He’ll be here in a few minutes. He’s got a unique skill set that might help us out,” Marcus explained.

“OH SHIT! Bishop! I think this is the old weight room at the high school. You can see part of the mascot painted on the wall,” EZ exclaimed.

“Go! Coco, go with him. Letty might still be there,” Bishop said.

“I’m going too,” Angel said, heading out the door after EZ and Coco. Their bikes roared out of the diner parking lot.

A few minutes later, another bike pulled in. Happy strode inside pulling his gloves off. Bishop nodded at him. “‘Preciate the help. Sorry for the craziness.”

“No problem. Alvarez filled me in. Do we have a starting point?” Happy asked moving his toothpick around in his mouth.

“My guys have gone to check a lead now. We should know in a few minutes.” Bishop lit a cigarette and wished they were at the bar so he could have a whiskey.

“Good.” Happy nodded and sat himself in a booth nearby.

Everyone kept looking. The Oakland Mayans were out scouring the streets physically while the SanPAd guys were trying to pick up his train from the diner. Gilly had finished with the call to Frankie and went to check the security tapes from the diner’s back door.

Patty had sent her staff home and closed to let the club use the diner as a base of operations. She stayed though and poured coffee for everyone.

Bishop’s phone rang. “Yeah.” He answered it. Everyone froze. “Good. You guys stay with her. Get what you can out of her, but get her to the hospital to get looked at. She’d our only lead to find Megan.” He hung up. “They found Letty. She’s disoriented, but pissed. A little banged up, but overall alright.”

Hank sat up straight. “She say anything about Megan?”

“Says he’s got ehr. Thinks he’s driving a pickup truck. He dosed Letty with something so she’s not always making sense.:

Hank nodded. He had nothing he could do to help Megan at the moment, so he waited.

The new information set a fire under everyone. Nestor had his guy hacking the security cameras at the high school to see if they could find a shot of the truck leaving. Happy pulled up a map on the laptop to check for exit routes.

“If he’s in a truck, it’ll blend in. He’ll take something besides a highway and want to get out of dodge quick. Even a cocky son of a bitch like a cop won’t hang around after kidnapping someone that connected. I got four routes out of her. Three are pretty good bets. The fourth is a long shot, but doable.” Happy pointed them out to the gathered men. “He won’t speed. He’ll go at a normal pace. He can only have gotten so far. We can cut him off.”

“Good.” Bishop nodded. He assigned Hank one route, gave one to Marcus, and took the third himself. Each of them took a few men. “How unlikely is that fourth route?” Bishop asked, looking at the number of men he had.

“Pretty unlikely for someone who’s not local or at least a frequent flier. I don’t trust that he won’t take it enough to bet the girl’s life on it. I’ll take it alone. Send me a picture of the girl.” Happy started pulling on his gloves.

“Got something!” Nestor’s tech guy called out. “Silver S10 pickup truck. Only vehicle to leave the high school all day. No view of the plates but definitely two people inside.”

“What direction?” Nestor asked as he checked the magazine of his pistol.

“Looks like South, but we lose it right off school property. No traffic cams in the area.”

“Alright. Let’s move.” Bishop headed for the door.

Megan stayed huddled against the door of the truck with her fingers tangled in her papa’s necklace. They’d been driving for a while. Megan didn’t recognize anything. They weren’t on the highway yet either. Silent tears ran down her face. Her nose was so clogged she could barely breathe.

“Oh stop sniveling like a child. You’re giving me a headache. There wasn’t shit for there anyway. You should be thanking me,” Brandon growled.

“No. You took me from my family. You’re going to SELL me as a slave to some sick bastard. The only thing I can hope for is that my papa hunts you down like a fucking dog,” Megan cried.

“Your ‘papa’ doesn’t give a shit about you, Sweetheart. He left you alone. You don’t have a family. You never have and you never will.” Brandon took a left turn onto a larger road.

“You’re wrong. My papa loves me and when he gets back tonight he’s going to call in every favor he has to find your ass and make you wish for death.” She gave a watery chuckle. “You have no fucking CLUE who you’re up against, Brandon. I can only hope I’m around to see your end.”

Brandon laughed. “You think a lot of yourself, don’t you? No one WANTS you. I sold you once before and no one even batted an eye. They won’t this time either.”

Megan wiped her shirt as best she could on her shirt. “You are so screwed. Should have done your research, ‘big brother’. This time, I’m not a fucking no name waitress. No. This time - you just kidnapped the princessa de los Mayas. My god fathers are the president of the Santo Padre Mayans and the founder of the club. My father is a founding member and vice-president. And you - big brother - just pissed off the biggest motorcycle club on the west coast with ties to the cartel.”

“I’m not afraid of a bunch of apes in leather. Nice try.”

Megan glanced in the side-view mirror and saw a bike in the rearview. She felt her heartbeat jump. She reached and put on her seatbelt. If that was a Mayan scout, they’d stop this truck however they had to. She had to keep him distracted and talking. “You may not be now. That’ll change real fuckin’ quick though. Because that ‘ape in leather’ you took me from - he’s gonna take it real personal. And Hank eats little bitch cops like you for breakfast,” Megan growled. She had gone from scared to pissed the more she talked and the closer that bike got.

“Shut the fuck up,” Brandon back handed her hard across the face making her nose bleed.

“Why? Scared of the truth? Or just don’t want to think about my boyfriend removing your balls from your body to make me some earrings?”

A second, harder hit made her ears ring. Movement in the mirror caught her eye and her eyes widened. The lone biker behind them had pulled a pistol from his kutte. She folded forward and covered her head as bullets started to fly.

Glass from the rear window showered Megan as Brandon swerved hard cussing and reaching for his own weapon. In his haste to return fire he overcorrected and the truck hit the gravel on the shoulder of the road.

The next thing Megan knew she couldn’t tell up from down as the truck rolled. When it finally came to a stop, Megan was upside down with only her seatbelt holding her in place. She groaned and coughed hard to clear her lungs. Her ears were ringing something fierce and something wasn’t right with her right shoulder.

A quick glance showed the driver’s seat was empty. Brandon hadn’t been wearing a seat belt.

Gravel crunched under heavy boots and a bald head poked through the broken window. “A lot of people are lookin’ for you, Little Girl.”

And the world went black.

49 notes · View notes

elivanah-writes · 2 years

Text

Lost Princessa 28

First of all... don't kill me. This one ends in a bit of a cliffhanger. You can cuss me all you want though in the comments.

Thanks to @drabbles-mc, @xeniarocks, @iamthegraham, and @jemmakates. You guys are so patient! You always let me bounce cryptic ideas (or not so cryptic ones @drabbles-mc) off of you and I love you guys for it.

Please don't copy, translate, or replicate my writing anywhere else. If you see it somewhere else... it's stolen. I only post on tumblr.

Warnings: cursing, feels, cliffhanger, mention of human trafficking and sex slavery... let me know if I missed anything.

Megan woke up curled with Hank against her back. No sunlight got through her blackout curtains, but it was definitely morning. As she laid there - heaviness seemed to settle into her bones. Today was the run. Her papa would be six hours away and she REALLY had a bad feeling about it.

“I can hear you overthinking, Princessa. Breathe for me please,” Hank said quietly in her ear.

Megan took a deep breath and felt a little of the weight lift.

“Thata girl. Would you rather Taza stay with you and me go? It’s not too late to swap it out, Princessa. I’ll go in his place if you’d rather.” Hank tightened his grip on her gently. “You won’t hurt my feelings baby. Anything to make this easier for you.”

Megan shook her head. “Wouldn’t help. Either of you leave and I’ll be a wreck. You leave and I’ll be a wreck with no possibility of sleeping.”

“Okay, mi princessa. Just keep breathing for me. He’ll be gone thirteen or fourteen hours tops. And I’ll be with you the entire time, okay. Never more than a few feet away. I promise.” He pressed a kiss to the back of her neck.

“I know. It’s just my brain over reacting.”

“C’mon Princessa. Let’s get up and moving so it doesn’t have time to mess with you too much. “ He patted her hip gently. “Let’s go make breakfast. I’m sure Bishop will gladly wear you out with another boxing lesson this afternoon too.”

That got a bit of a smile out of her. She sat up and slid out of bed. “You think he would?”

“Of course. Any time he gets a chance, he’ll have you in the ring.” He chuckled. “I bet he upgrades the equipment by the end of the week.”

Megan giggled. “I doubt he’ll go that far…”

“I don’t. Bet he’s already started,” Hank teased.

Megan looked down at her leggings and tank top. Hank must have removed her sweater for bed. “Where’d my sweater go?”

“Probably in Taza’s room. We took it off before he carried you in here to tuck you in. He was worried you’d get too hot.” Hank pulled a t-shirt over his bare chest and sweatpants.

Megan laughed and pulled a cardigan from the closet and slipped it on. Now that she could see the clock and feel the chill in the air, she could see that it was VERY early for the bikers. Five a.m. to be exact. “Shit, Hank. What time did you go to bed? You don’t have to be up yet just because I’m antsy as hell.”

That pulled a full laugh out of him. “I went and got you from Taza at about 12:30. You fell asleep talking to him so I finished my report for Bish before bed.”

“Shit. Go back to sleep. You’ve only had like four hours.”

He grinned at her horror. “Easy, mi princessa. I’m fine. I rarely sleep more than that.” He pulled her close as he chuckled. “I’m all good. Let’s go eat.”

In the kitchen, Megan started to make coffee while Hank checked the fridge. “What sounds good? We’ve got just about everything,” Hank said.

“Since it’s so early - what if I make those sticky buns I promised? We can take some to the club house later too.” Megan smiled and started pulling out the flour and yeast to make the dough.

“That actually sounds amazing. How can I help? Is it complicated?” Hank stepped to the big basin sink to wash his hands.

“Decently. Did you ever make homemade bread? It’s basically the same base.”

“I helped Mama make pan de muerto when I was a kid, but I’ve never done it since,” he admitted as he watched Megan slip into a very concentrated mode.

Over the next two hours, Megan showed Hank how to make her sticky buns. He had no idea how she did it without a recipe - but she never looked anything up. While the dough was rising, they sipped coffee on the patio. During the second rise period, Megan put him to work juicing oranges while she prepped the rest of breakfast. When it was time, she slid the rolls into the oven to cook next to a pan of biscuits. Then together, they cooked the eggs and bacon.

The smells coming from the kitchen were glorious, and that’s what woke Taza. It was nearly seven, so he went ahead and got dressed for the day before slipping out to investigate. He couldn’t help but chuckle as he watched Megan chasing Hank away from the oven with a flapping dish towel.

“They’ll never cook if you keep letting the heat out1 Go set the table. They’ll be ready soon if you’ll just leave them alone,” Megan scolded through her giggles.

Hank kissed her smile gently while snitching a piece of bacon from the platter behind her. “Alright, alright mi princessa!”

“You better watch him, Chica. He’s sneaky,” Taza said, pointing out the bacon.

“Hey! Snitches get stitches, Taza,” Hank said as he dodged out of range of her flying dish towel.

Megan giggled. “Good morning Papa. We didn’t wake you, did we? We tried to be quiet.”

Taza laughed. “Good morning, Sweetheart. Not with noise. I couldn’t resist the smells any longer. What is Hank trying to get early access to?”

Megan poured him a cup of coffee. “Well, I couldn’t sleep this morning so we made sticky buns. There should be enough to take to the guys too.”

“You really are an angel, you know that Chica? They smell amazing.” Taza kissed her head and took the coffee cup from her.

“She’s also made eggs and bacon and homemade biscuits, Taz. All she’d really let me do was make juice. La Princessa can cook,” Hank bragged.

Megan blushed and muttered something before turning to glance through the oven door. She grinned and pulled the pot holders from the drawer to remove both pans from the oven. She quickly flipped the biscuits onto a plate. Then she flipped the sticky buns onto a cookie sheet and let the homemade caramel from the bottom of the pan drip down to cover the sides of the buns.

She suddenly had all of both Hank’s and Taza’s attention as she lifted the pan and put it in the sink to soak with a satisfied smile. “Voila. Homemade sticky buns. As promised.”

Hank tried to swipe through the caramel sauce with a finger for a taste and ended up blowing on his finger to cool a minor burn.

“You know, if you burn your tastebuds you won’t know what they actually taste like, right?” she asked with a giggle.

“Worth it. That shit’s amazing.”

Taza smiled. “I think I’ll wait a few minutes. Need me to help carry anything, Chica?”

“Sure. I think we’re all ready…” Megan checked to be sure everything was done.

“Good, Princessa. Go sit. Let us bring it in at least,” Hank nudged her towards the table he had set. “I’ll bring you some more coffee.”

“Alright, alright I’m going.” Megan sat and found herself having a heaping plate made for her.

After breakfast, they were finishing their coffee when a knock sounded at the front door. Whoever it was didn’t wait for an answer and just let themselves in.

“Anybody awake?” Bishop called.

“In here, brother,” Taza called back.

Bishop made his way to the kitchen after dropping something heavy in the front hall. “Morning. Thought I’d run something by for Poquito on the way to the club house. From the smell, I’d say I made the absolute right choice…”

Megan smiled. “Good morning, Padrino. Would you like some coffee? There’s sticky buns if you want them.”

“What the hell is a sticky bun? And sure, Sweetheart.” Bishop sat lacrosse from Hank as Megan hopped up to grab him coffee from the stove. She came back with a place setting for him.

“They’re kind of like a cinnamon roll…” Megan answered but was interrupted by Hank.

“Only ten times better. Seriously, Megna could put Patty out of business. Try one,” Hank urged, throwing a proud smirk at Megan.

“Don’t mind if I do..” Bishop winked at his blushing god daughter and took a bite. He groaned. “Poquito, these are amazing. Please tell me there’s more?”

Taza chuckled. “She made enough for an army. We’ll bring the leftovers to the club house. There’s eggs, bacon, and homemade biscuits too.”

Bishop chuckled as Megan took his plate to fill it with the other food too. “You feed us like this too often and we’ll roll more than our bikes.”

Megan smiled shyly. “I cook when I’m anxious.”

“Well, maybe what I brought will make you less anxious. Or at least give you another way to channel it,” Bishop told her with a grin. “I brought the stuff to set up a speed bag and a punching bag in your papa’s barn. That way you can train whenever you feel like it, Poquito. I’ve got the Prospect upgrading the stuff at the club house too.”

Hank chuckled. “And you were worried about if he’d be willing to give you another lesson today.” He slipped an arm around the back of her chair reassuringly. “Told you he’d upgrade the equipment…”

Bishop winked again as he bit into his second sticky bun. “Of course. Only the best for la Princessa.”

Taza smiled proudly as he watched Megan relax slightly in the presence of her godfather and his best friend.

Bishop finished his breakfast while gently teasing Megan. “We need to get you a locker at the club house for a gym bag. Then you won’t have to steal your man’s soft colors every time you want a lesson or a workout.”

Megan faked offended. “Excuse you! I didn’t steal anything. It’s not my fault he decided I looked better in his clothes.” She grinned at Hank.

“Well, she’s not wrong.” Hank smiled down at the top of her still sleep ruffled head.

Taza grinned. “Alright, Love Birds. Why don’t you go get ready to face the day. Bish and I will pack up the leftovers and do the dishes.”

Hank stood and pulled Megan up too. “Sounds good. C’mon mi Princessa. I’ll check your tattoo for you and we can pack you a gym bag for later.”

“Okay.” Megan went and hugged Taza’s shoulders from behind. “Love you, Papa.”

Taza squeezed her hands gently and cleared his throat. “Love you, Megan.”

She kissed the top of his head and followed Hank down the hall to their room.

Taza took a moment to breathe. She’d said it.

Bishop gave him a moment and started clearing the table. On his second trip, he grinned. “First time she’s said it? Nothing quite like it, is there?”

“Yeah.” Taza stood to help. “You’ll keep an eye on her, right? I know I won’t be gone long… but she’s super fucking nervous about it. Like - I rocked her to sleep last night because she was so nervous about me being gone.”

“You know I will, brother. I know Coco is supposed to be the second tonight because she’s comfortable with him, but if it looks like she’s still nervy when they come home, I’ll come too. She won’t be alone.” Bishop patted his shoulder. “She’s a strong girl. She can handle this run. We’ll limit your runs too for a bit after this. Riz and Creeper can cover what I can’t take.”

“Thanks. She’s trying so hard. She’s twenty-six - but she also never really got to be a kid. She told me last night that she started putting herself to bed at seven…”

“Family first, brother. We’ve got your back. And hers.”

Bishop went out to the barn to set up the boxing gear he’d brought while Taza finished up with the kitchen. Hank came out and joined him in cleaning.

“Megan okay?” Taza asked.

“Yeah. She was showering. Her tattoo is healing nicely. I told her she could probably wear her regular clothes today except her bra. I think that will still rub too much.” Hank started putting tupperware in bags and noticed a smaller box of sticky buns set to the side. The condensation on the inside said it had been there awhile. He chuckled. “She never forgets Mama, does she?”

“Nope. That was already packed when I started clearing. I’d bet it’s got the very center ones in it too.” Taza grinned but sobered a bit. “You keep her close, Hank. I don’t like leaving with this bastard still on the loose. You take care of my little girl for me.”

“I will. I won’t let her out of my sight. This bastard is too sneaky.”

Taza nodded. “ I don’t care if Galindo’s entire cartel falls down around his ears. Don’t even let her out of your sight for Templo. You proxy that shit.” Taza pointed a finger at Hank’s rank patch. “That applies to her now too. Don’t forget it.”

“I won’t Taza. She’ll be with me the entire time. I promise you.”

Megan poked her head around the doorway to the kitchen. “Papa, do you still have my jewelry?”

“Of course, Chica. C’mon, we’ll get it.” Taza smiled and led her to his kutte where he pulled out the jewelry he’d kept for her the night before.

“Thank you.” Megan took it and immediately fastened the necklace around her neck over the Mayan green top with the lace back that he had bought her. She had her wrist cuff on too, he noticed. And her black jeans and boots.

“Would you like some help with your hair, Chica? We’ve got some time before we have to leave.” He tugged gently on a loose strand.

“Please? Doesn’t have to be fancy. I’ll be in the ring later to work off nerves though. Need it out of my face.” She smiled up at him and led the way to her dressing table.

“Two braids then?” Taza asked as he picked up her new brush and ran it gently through her hair.

“Yes please.”

A few minutes later, Taza had her hair braided tightly in two warrior braids. He tied them off and indicated for her to wait a moment before she got up. He went to the wooden jewelry box and pulled silver feather clips out and slid them around the hair ties at the end of her braids hiding them. “These won’t get messed up if you leave them in for training. They’ll actually weight the braids down so they don’t swing as much.”

Megan laughed and pulled one around to look at it. “Grandmother did a lot of fighting, did she?”

Taza chuckled a bit. “Not exactly. They were mine as a teen. She just kept them for me in her jewelry box.” Then he reached up and unfastened one of the necklaces from around his own neck and fastened it around hers. It sat higher than her crown and was on a cord so it wouldn’t get tangled.

Megan looked down at it. It was the one he always wore. The silver symbol that looked like a partial circle with the turquoise stone at the crest. “Papa?”

He kissed her head. “Perfect. Wear that for me until I get back, okay? It’ll help remind you that I AM coming back. I’m not abandoning you, Megan. I know that’s where this anxiety is rooted. I won’t leave you, I promise.”

Megan swallowed hard and blinked away her tears as she touched the warm, worn silver around her neck. “Thank you, Papa.”

“You’re welcome, Chica. C’mon. It’s nearly ten. We gotta go.”

They arrived at the club house with Megan riding pillion behind Taza instead of her normal perch behind Hank. She just wasn’t ready to let him go yet. Hank had her gym bag stashed in his saddlebag though.

Inside, they put the leftovers on the bar, and they were immediately swarmed by the bottomless pits that are the Santo Padre Mayans. Creeper and Marcus sat back shaking their heads at the younger men.

“You’d think their mothers never taught them manners,” Creeper muttered.

Marcus agreed. “It’s like feeding time at the zoo…”

Megan giggled as she slipped over for a hug. “Morning Creep. Morning Padrino. Not hungry?”

Creeper chuckled as Marcus wrapped his arms around her. “Mornin’ Little Princess. I’m just not willing to lose an arm for my breakfast.”

Marcus hugged her close and could feel her tension. “I’ll wait until the feeding frenzy ends.”

“So… I could tempt you if I, say, had a reserve container of sticky buns for those who actually have manners?” she teased and pulled a separate tupperware out of the bag she was carrying. She winked and set it on the table between them.

“You’re not a princessa, you're an angel. I swear.” Creeper laughed and took a pastry.

Marcus agreed as he bit into his breakfast. “Poquito, promise me you’ll teach your tía how to make these?”

Megan winked again. “Of course tío.”

The guys prepared to head out shortly after the food was consumed. They would stop by the warehouse to pick up the truck and Galindo’s men and then drive straight through to Vegas.

Megan clung to Taza tight, trying to control her emotions in front of the visiting charter. Her face was buried in the front of his shirt and Taza held her tight, letting her take her time. “Shh Chica. I know. Breathe. I’ll be back tomorrow morning. I’ll even wake you up when I get in if you want me to. I’ll call at every stop. Breathe, Sweetheart.”

Megan took a deep breath and subtly wiped her tears. “Ride safe, Papa. Be safe please?”

“Of course, Chica. I promise.” He cupped her face in his big hands. “Stay with Hank. Don’t leave his side. Stay right with him and your tíos. Be safe. Follow the rules. Don’t let anything that bastard may try take you from me, you understand? I’m coming back. You be here when I do.”

“Yes, Papa. I love you.” She swallowed hard and gave him a small smile.

“I love you too.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead and breathed a prayer before he handed her over to Hank so he could mount his bike. With a last wave, the Mayans rolled out.

Hank held Megan tight while petting down her back and rocking gently, making soothing noises the whole time.

The Oakland Mayans split off to go take shifts on the perimeter or to check in with contacts they’d made trying to find Brandon. His badge had been revoked and SPPD was looking for him too. He couldn’t be too far away.

Coco slipped into the club house for a cold bottle of water for Megan to drink once she had calmed. Angel and Gilly stood helplessly with their hands in their pockets. EZ went inside to clean the dishes from the breakfast Megan had brought.

After a few minutes, Megan calmed. Hank felt her start to relax into his arms and gave Bishop a reassuring nod.

“Angel, Gilly - go check in with Frankie. Find out what SPPD knows. Wherever they’ve already combed, do it again. This bastard is sneaky and we don’t know if he’s got allies or not,” Bishop ordered quietly.

Marcus nodded. “I’ll go meet with Galindo’s guys. See where they’re at with this.”

“Sounds good. We’ll keep in touch on the burners,” Gilly said. He was relieved not to be on Megan duty. Crying women were not his strong suit. He and Angel headed to the pit and rode out the gates with Marcus not far behind them - a few of his crew at his back.

Once they were all gone, Bishop gently urged Megan to look at him. “Alright Poquito. You ready for lesson two?”

Megan cleared her throat. “Of course, Padrino. Just let me go change.”

“Take your time, Sweetheart. And tell the Prospect to get his ass in the ring.” He winked at Megan’s watery giggle. “Gonna need a moving target this time.”

Ad promised, Hank shadowed her as she went inside to change for her boxing lesson. Only once she was in the bathroom behind the bar did he relax a bit. “Prospect! Get your ass in the ring! Bishop wants Megan to practice on a moving target and you’ve been volun-told,” he called.

Coco burst out laughing. “What’d the Boyscout do to piss off the Prez? Gotta be something if he’s ordering him to get his ass beaten by a girl.”

“Dunno, but I plan to watch,” Hank answered with a smirk. “Maybe even record some of it for Angel as future blackmail material.”

“Fuck yes! Where’s my phone?” Coco started searching through his pockets. When he found it, he glanced at the screen. “What is it with teenagers sleeping all fucking day? Still no call from Letty. She's supposed to call when she wakes up so I can send Chuckie for her.”

“Dunno man. I never did it. Even hungover I barely slept over five hours.” Hank shrugged. “She’ll call - or we can swing by and check on her at lunch.”

“Yeah.”

Megan came out in tight black leggings and a long tank top that she’d pack to work out in. She even swapped to tennis shoes.

Hank stared a moment before clearing his throat and smacking a still staring Coco in the back of the head. “Ready, mi Princessa?”

“Yeah. I need to get a case or something for my jewelry so you guys don’t always have to hold it for me.” She smiled a little.

“I don’t mind. Need me to take the feathers out of your hair?” Hank asked, holding his hand out to take the crown necklace and earrings from her.

She added her wristband to the pile. “No. Papa put them in so they’d keep my braids from bouncing too much in the ring. I’m not taking Papa’s necklace off either. I promised I’d wear it ‘til he got back.”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine, Ma. Taza’s worn it in the ring a million times. Shouldn’t be any different for you,” Coco assured her while still rubbing the sore spot on the back of his head.

Megan held up her bag. “Bish said something about a locker for this…”

“We can put it in mine for now. Get you assigned your own later today. C’mon. Let’s get you taped and ready to beat on the Prospect.” Hank took her bag and led the way out the back door to the bank of lockers just outside the ring. He opened the third one and put her bag inside before pulling a roll of white tape from the shelf.

At the ring, Bishop was waiting. He had EZ in his undershirt waiting on the sidelines. “There she is. Get taped up, Poquito. Today you learn where to hit on someone bigger than you.”

Coco chuckled. “That’s just about everyone…”

Megan flipped him off. “You know… Bishop would probably let me swap you out for EZ. I can always ask…” Megan teased.

“My bad, Ma. I’m good.”

Hank chuckled. “That’s my girl. C’mon, let’s get you taped, Princessa.”

After a half hour of warm up with the pads, Bishop started guiding her through the first punch to EZ’s body. He outlined where he wanted her to punch to land at the larger man’s diaphragm. “Hit them here. Not much higher or you’ll hit ribs and that’ll hurt you too. Go for soft spots. You hit them here - they won’t have the breath to keep fighting.”

Megan nodded and absorbed the information while bouncing on her toes. “No breath means even if they do swing, they can’t put power behind it.”

“Exactly. Good girl. Now… hit the Prospect.” Bishop grinned.

Megan froze. “What?”

“Hit him. You need to know how hard the hit needs to be to do the job. Go ahead. Won’t be his first time as a punching bag.” He patted EZ’s shoulder. “He doesn’t mind. Do ya?”

EZ gave her an easy grin. “Nah. Go ahead Megan. You gotta practice on someone.”

Hank called from the fence, “You’re alright, Princessa. You can do this.”

Megan nodded and psyched herself up to take the swing. The first hit made him grunt a little, but didn’t penetrate the thick muscle EZ had shielding his abs.

“Good. Gotta hit harder though, Poquito. Put your body weight into it,” Bishop coached.

Megan nodded again. She landed a second punch and EZ’s breath whooshed out. He doubled over briefly.

“Thata girl! Good one!” Hank cheered.

“Nice shot, Poquito!” Bishop was proud. He continued to coach her to get more power into that hit. She took the shot four more times before BIshop declared himself satisfied and dismissed EZ. He moved with Megan to the new punching bag hanging nearby.

EZ climbed out of the cage and collapsed onto the picnic bench making Coco chuckle.

“You alright, Boyscout?” He handed him a bottle of water.

“Yeah, man. My abs are gonna be bruised as hell, but I’ll live. La Princessa throws a mean punch.” EZ gratefully gulped water.

Hank kept his eyes on Megan, but glanced teasingly at the prospect. “Give you more of a respect for our bartender, heh?”

“Dude, she may look fragile as hell, but that’s one tough chick. You’d never think it, as much as she lets you guys baby her…” EZ crushed his bottle and threw it in the recycling bin nearby.

“We don’t baby her…” Hank protested. “There’s nothing wrong with treating a woman right, Boyscout. It’s called manners.”

Coco snorted. “Besides, the girl could use some babying. It’s no fun in the system and you pretty much end up raising yourself. And that’s in the best case scenario.” He lit a cigarette and took a long draw.

“Whatever, man. I’m just saying, Megan is stronger than you guys give her credit for. You're gonna have to give her a chance, when it’s safe, to figure out where she fits with the club.” He leaned foreward and watched her whale on the punching bag awhile. “You’ve built her into la princessa de los Mayas, but what does that mean? She can’t be JUST Hank’s Ol’ Lady. She’s going to need a job - and I don’t mean bartending.”

Hank nodded. “We know. It’s being discussed. Right now, her safety is priority though. And then her party.”

Megan had been working out for over an hour when Bishop called her off. “Alright, Poquito. Time to cool down. Don’t sit still or you’ll cramp, but you need to drink some water.”

Megan reluctantly stopped and started pacing the yard as she unwrapped her hands and calmed her breathing. “Thank you, tío Bishop.”

“You’re welcome. Feel better?” he asked, handing her a towel and a water bottle.

“Honestly - not really, but I don’t have the energy right now to self-destruct.” Megan sipped her water and wiped her face.

“Then I’ll call it a successful lesson.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her head. “You’ll be alright, Sweetheart. C’mon. Let’s get over to Hank before he has tantrum from Megan-withdrawls.”

She giggled tiredly, but let herself be led.

Bishop flamboyantly delivered her back to Hank. “Here she is, Caballero. Safe and sound.”

Hank flipped Bishop off with a grin before gently kissing Megan. “Good lesson, Princessa. You landed some good ones once you got the hang of it.”

“Thanks.” She turned to look at EZ. “You alright, Prospect?”

“Just fine, Princess.” EZ grinned at her and saluted. “Human punching bag at your service.”

Coco checked his phone again only to see no missed calls. “Hey, Ma? You got any calls from Letiticia today? She’s supposed to call me when she wakes up.”

“Lemme check.” Megan slipped to Hank’s locker and got her phone from her bag. “Nope. Nothing from Letty. Taza and the guys left the warehouse about thirty minutes ago though. They’re on their way.”

“Alright. That’s it. I’ma go roll her ass outta bed. Be back soon.” Coco sighed.

“Be sure she ain’t got a screwdriver handy, dude,” EZ warned. Coco just flipped him off and headed for his bike.

“Well, Poquito, that means you’re stuck with me and Hank for a bit. Let’s go get lunch, huh?” Bishop offered.

“Sure tío. Let me get changed back into real clothes.” Megan pressed a kiss to Hank’s lips and grabbed her gym bag. She headed inside with Hank while Bishop looked to EZ.

“Thanks, Ezekiel. She needed that.” He patted EZ’s shoulder.

“No problem, Bish. I’ll clear her a locker and find her a decent lock. Just leave her gym back behind the bar and I’ll take care of it while you guys are at lunch.”

“Thanks. We’ll do that.”

Inside, Megan's phone rang while she was changing. Letty’s caller ID made her grin, so she picked it up while pulling on her jeans. “There you are! Coco is on his way to roll you out of bed, girl. He’s worried.”

An unexpected mal voice answered her. “He should be. Bad idea to leave pretty girls unsupervised when I’m in town. How much do you think I’ll make selling your little friend as a sex slave, sis?”

Megan froze. “Brandon?”

44 notes · View notes

elivanah-writes · 2 years

Text

Lost Princessa 27

Here's part 27! Beware, parts of this are so fluff filled you may get cavities just from reading.

Please do not duplicate, translate, or otherwise copy my work. Just don't be an ass.

Thank you to @drabbles-mc, @iamthegraham, @xeniarocks and @jemmakates. Y'all are seriously my cheerleaders and have kept me sane despite COVID, Pneumonia, and craziness with real life.

Warnings: cursing, cage fighting, Season 3 spoilers (maybe... but not really), FLUFF and Taza being the bestest Papa to ever live. Oh and mentions lots of kisses.

Megan came out tying a knot in the bottom of the borrowed shirt at her hip. She quickly finished and smiled up at Taza and Hank - one of which was completely enchanted by the sight of her in his soft colors. “Papa, Bish says that I need to take off all my jewelry. Will you hold it for me?”

“Of course, Chica. Here, let me help you with the necklace.” Taza unlatched the dainty chain and slid the combs out of her braids. He slid them into the inner pocket of his kutte and held his hand out for her earrings. Once she had them off, he put them away too. “There we go. All good?”

“Si, Papa. All good.”

Hank cleared his throat. “Alright then. Let’s head out to the ring and get your hands wrapped.”

At the ring, Hank started showing Megan how to wrap her wrists and hands to protect herself while training.

Bishop stripped and hung up his kutte and overshirt, He tucked his wallet, watch and ring into the pocket of his kutte. He watched Hank teaching Megan and couldn’t help but smile. Even if Megan only ever got into training fights, she’d be able to wrap Hank’s hands for the cage. “You ready, Poquito?”

“I think so.” She flashed him a smile as Hank checked her wrappings one more time. Hank nodded - finally satisfied - and kissed her wrapped knuckles.

“Into the ring, Princessa. Have fun.” He winked and let Megan climb into the cage.

Bishop walked his god daughter through a few very basic punches, much to the amusement of a few visiting patches who were hanging around chatting and having a smoke. He held the pads and let Megan practice. As she got more excited, she started naturally bouncing on the balls of her feet.

“Good, Poquito! Move those feet. You’re a natural, Sweetheart,” Bishop praised. “Keep some flex in your wrist. Let it bounce back. Good girl!”

“Watch your breathing, Chica. You’re holding your breath,” Taza called from the sidelines where he stood with his arms crossed over his chest.

Megan nodded and adjusted her breathing before getting back into the rhythm of the exercise.

Bishop watched her carefully and when she started showing signs of fatigue he stopped her. She’d had a long day, despite her nap earlier. “Good girl, Poquito! Good girl. That’s enough for tonight. We’ll have you fighting for the belt in no time.” He dropped the pads and offered her a hug.

Megan took it with a grin and tucked herself under his arm as they climbed out of the ring. “Thank you, Padrino, for teaching me.”

“No problem, Sweetheart. We’ll have lessons regularly. Get you training.” He kissed her hair. “Something we can do together, hmm?”

“I’d really like that.” She smiled up at him. “Can’t wait, Tío.”

“Good girl. Now, go wrap Hank’s hands. He’s got an Oakland patch to pound into the mats.” He released her with a grin and watched her skip over to the picnic table where Hank had been sitting, tensely watching the lesson.

As much as he hoped she’d never have to use the knowledge Bishop was giving her, he could see that she had lots of fun with her padrino. “How was your first lesson, mi princessa? Did you have fun?” Hank asked as she got closer.

“It’s fun. Bishop says we can train more too.” Megan flashed him a grin that made him catch his breath in the best way. Sometimes, she shocked the hell out of him when she smiled like that at him. He couldn’t believe that he was her choice. “Can I try to wrap your hands? Wanna see if I am doing it right.” She smiled innocently up at him and rocked back and forth on her heels.

“Sure, Princessa. C’mere first though.” He was perched on the top of the picnic table with his feet on the bench, so he pulled her gently to kneel between his feet where he could kiss her with a soft smile.

Megan giggled and balanced herself with her hands on his shoulders. She gave him his kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck to pull herself closer.

Bishop chuckled as he redressed when he saw Hank pull Megan in for a kiss. He outright laughed at her response. His god daughter was feeling invincible right now and it showed. “Alright, alright. I thought you had a plan for the night, Tranq. You got business to handle before you go romancing my favorite student,” he called out.

Megan snorted in laughter and pressed her forehead to Hank’s as she bit her bottom lip teasingly. “He’s got a point. You promised me a surprise. I promise I was very good all day.”

“That I did, mi princessa.” He pressed another kiss to her lips before reaching for the roll of tape for his hands. “Wrap me up, baby. I’ll take care of our rude friend and then we can head out.”

Megan was very concentrated on wrapping Hank perfectly. Bishop and Taza watched from where they were leaned up against the back of the club house wall. Bish lit a cigarette and couldn’t help the smile on his face.

“Our girl is a fast learner, Taza.” Bishop flicked her ashes and chuckled as he watched Hank’s face as he mooned over Megan.

“Yes. She is.” Taza chuckled too. “Next time she hits someone, she’ll break more than their nose.”

Bishop looked around and saw that they were out of ear shot for most of the people in the yard especially if they were quiet. “My jeweler sent me a picture today. He finished Megan’s Quince ring.” He pulled his phone out of his kutte and pulled up the picture before handing it to Taza with a grin.

On the screen were several angles of a dainty Mayan signet ring like the one Marcus wore - only this one was crowned. It was silver colored and matched the style of her necklace and the earrings Hank had bought her.

“That’s beautiful, brother. Silver?” Taza asked with a small smile.

“Tungsten. Safer than titanium, but still harder than silver.” He kept his eyes on the gathering crowd and his voice low.

Taza handed him back the phone. “Her tiara will be done in a few days. How’s Marcus coming with the watch?”

“I know he’s got it ordered. Knowing him - it’s over the top.” Bishop chuckled.

Taza laughed outright. “And you aren’t?”

“Maybe a little bit.” He looked at his boots with a sheepish grin.

Marcus joined them with fresh beers. “Taking bets on how long Carlos lasts against Tranq?”

“Nah - discussing our progress on la princessa’s Quince gifts.” Bishop pulled the picture back up and showed his cousin.

“Beautiful, Primo. Was that done here in town? I may need to get one for Tessa to grow into.” He grinned at Bishop.

“Yeah. My guy just across the border in Santo Madre made it. Based it off a picture of yours.” Bishop sipped his beer and noted that Hank’s hands had been wrapped for a while now and the giant man had resumed sneaking kisses from a slightly giggly Megan. “We need to get this fight going before Tranq forgets that he’s pissed off.”

Taza looked over and grinned. “Believe me. Carlos steps out, he’ll get riled up real fast.”

Marco and José brought the loudmouth from that morning to the side of the ring. He’d wrapped his own hands and stripped off his kutte and shirt for the fight. He looked scared out of his mind.

Marcus sighed and shook his head. “I honestly thought Carlos was smarter than this. He’s got a good head on his shoulders in Oakland, but this is his first ride with my crew. Let’s hope Hank can educate him on how to behave when visiting another charter.”

Bishop grinned. “He’s about to get VERY educated, Padrino. Very educated.”

Creeper joined them shortly and looked to Bishop. “How’re we doing this?” Normally Hank was the ref, but Creep was the best second. Bish indicated that Creep should wait a moment and Creeper just nodded.

After stepping to the side of the ring, Bishop let out his high pitched whistle and everyone got quiet. Megan slid out of Hank’s lap and tucked herself against his side. “Alright. We’ve got a cage match that’s been called by Tranq. Carlos spoke rashly this morning about la princessa de los Mayas causing major offense to her, her father, her padrinos AND her caballero. Now, he pays the price. Tranq… teach him some manners.”

Hank was all serious now with a fire in his eyes. He took his kutte off and wrapped it around Megan’s shoulders before stripping his shirts and laying them beside her. “Be right back, mi princessa.” He pressed a kiss to her still wrapped knuckles and one more to her lips as he tugged his kutte closer around her. Then he made his way into the cage with Carlos and shut the door, decisively, behind himself.

Taza moved to sit on the bench by Megan’s feet with a grin. “This shouldn’t take long, Chica.”

Megan snuggled into Hank’s kutte and nodded, but pressed her knee against Taza’s side.

At Bishop’s nod, Creeper fired his pistol into the dirt.

The fight was certainly quick. Carlos tried to land blows on Hank, but they were mostly glancing blows. Hank was very quick on his feet for such a big man and he was even pulling some of his punches. Carlos was a lot smaller than him and he didn’t want to severely injure the guy for being an idiot. He also couldn’t go too easy on him or he wouldn’t be defending Megan’s honor properly though. So, Hank thoroughly tenderized the poor man.

He took a few glancing blows to the body while watching Megan out of the corner of his eye to check on her. She sat where he’d left her with his kutte around her shoulders and her eyes glued on him. She looked damn good in his kutte.

Carlos was getting winded - the blows to his ribs and diaphragm didn’t help. After Hank threw a right hook to his jaw, Carlos hit the mat for the first time.

Hank looked at Megan again. She was biting her bottom lip again. Nervous. When Carlos stood back up, Hank turned back to the fight.

Taza grinned. He knew what Hank was doing. The bigger Mayan was completely ignoring Bishop. Not looking for his cues like he normally did in a cage fight. “Well Princessa? Has your honor been avenged? Hank will keep going until you give him the sign to stop.” He gently jostled her knee.

“Is that what he’s waiting for? He’s not going full out either, is he?” Megan asked quietly. “What’s protocol here, Papa?” She glanced down at him but quickly went back to watching the fight at the loud ‘OOOOH’ from the gathered crowd. Hank had busted Carlos’ nose pretty solidly.

“No he’s not Chica, but I imagine that’s what he’s waiting for. Bishop usually calls a fight, but Hank isn’t watching Bishop for the signal. He hasn’t glanced at him once. He’s watching you.”

Bishop chuckled from a few feet away. “Whenever you’re ready, Poquito, just give him a little nod and he’ll end it.”

Megan sat up a little straighter and slipped her arms into Hank’s kutte properly before nodding nervously at her godfather. The next time Hank looked her way, Megan gave a deliberate nod of her head.

Hank nodded back with a small smile and turned back to Carlos. “Are you ready to publicly apologize to mi princessa? If not, I can do some more damage,” he called out.

“Yes! I will apologize,” Carlos answered after spitting a mouthful of blood onto the mat.

“Good. You can do it when you wake up.” Hank threw a true right hook - without pulling his punch this time - which landed perfectly to plant Carlos on the mat, out cold.

Creeper fired his pistol again to signal the end of the fight and people started to drift away to get drink refills or settle bets.

Megan met Hank at the cage door to be scooped up in his arms and held tight against his bare chest. “Alright, mi princessa?”

She nodded and pressed her face tight between his neck and shoulder, clinging to him like a koala.

He hoisted her higher and guided her legs to wrap around his waist. He kept her close and moved to reclaim his perch on the picnic table. “Take your time, Princessa. You’re doing good. Breathe.”

Taza gently rubbed her knee. He knew this wasn’t a panic attack. She was just overwhelmed. It had been a very long and tiring day for her. “Just breathe, Chica.” Marcus and Bishop stood nearby, ready to help if they were needed.

Hank ran his hands firmly down her back and smiled. “You know, I thought you couldn’t look better than you do in my shirt, Princessa. Proved myself wrong when I saw you in my kutte. Gonna have to let you keep the shirt though…”

Megan giggled and sniffed a little before loosening the stranglehold she had on him and sat back. She wiped her face and laughed again. “Like you could stop me.”

“Thata girl,” Taza chuckled.

Hank smiled. “Truth.” He kissed her gently. “Better?”

“Yeah. No one’s ever stood up for me before. Not really.” She smiled shyly.

“I told you, Princessa. I’m all in.” He pressed his forehead to hers with a smile. “Arthur and Guinevere.”

“Arthur and Guinevere,” she repeated.

“And just like Guinevere - my lady needs to choose a second knight for her escort for the evening…” Bishop said with a laugh. “You two have a ‘date’ to get to.”

Hank laughed and pulled back to look at Bishop. “Gilly’s going to be our escort until Taza comes home. We already arranged it while the Prospect was putting shit together. Everything’s all set.”

“Good. Then maybe it’s time to get Poquito somewhere more comfortable, hmm? Take her home, Hank.” Marcus said with a smile. “And you better treat her right, eh, or she might try out those new punches.”

Hank grinned and tucked a stray hair behind Megan’s ear. “I think I’m safe enough.”

Megan grinned back.

“C’mon, Princessa, let’s go home.” Hank smiled and helped her to stand and say her goodbyes. He led her away after waving Gilly down and headed for the pit.

Back at the ranch, they went inside and Hank sent Megan to get changed for their movie date.

“What should I wear?” she asked him with a grin.

“Warm and comfy, Princessa. We’re going to be outside.” Hank pressed a kiss to her hand and smiled as she turned to go change. “Take your time.”

“Please tell me there is at least food involved? That poor girl hasn’t eaten since the diner,” Gilly mentioned.

Hank chuckled at Gilly’s mother henning. “Yes, I’m feeding her. You - on the other hand - better raid the fridge for leftover chicken salad.”

Gilly laughed. “Ouch, hermano. No love for the chaperon? I’m hurt.”

“Yeah well you better be ‘hurt’ in the fucking livingroom. We’ll leave the patio doors open so you can hear if anything bad happens, but she’s getting a damn date one way or another.” Hank shoved him playfully and went to heat up the food he’d picked up from Mama earlier in the day. When he’d mentioned wanting to do this, Mama had told him she’d make them dinner so that they weren’t eating take out.

He heated up the barbacoa and rice while being sure all the toppings were ready. Hank COULD cook. Mama had made sure of that. But his shift at the yard today prevented him from being able to devote the time he felt the first meal he made for Megan with his own hands needed, so he loved the fact that his mama wanted to help.

Once everything was out on the patio, Hank slipped into the bedroom to change himself. The fight had been short, but he’d worked up a sweat anyway.

He found Megan in a pair of black leggings and an oversized gray sweater. She was taking down her braids carefully. She hadn’t reclaimed her jewelry from Taza and she’d washed her face. She looked entirely too innocent for him, but the smile she flashed him was so worth it.

“Gonna get changed too?” she asked.

“Yeah. Going to rinse off real quick. Get a real shower later.” He leaned in the doorway watching as she sat at the new dressing table EZ had put together that day at Taza’s behest. Megan smiled at him again in the mirror as she finished unbraiding her hair.

“Okay. Need me to do anything?” she asked as she reached for her hairbrush.

“No, mi princessa. Everything is taken care of. Stay in the living room or even in here for me though. No peeking.” He grinned and went to press a kiss to the top of her head before grabbing some clean clothes and slipping into the bathroom.

A few minutes later he came back out in his sweats and a long sleeved white shirt to find Megan curled up in her arm chair with a book from her new shelf. It made him smile again. Megan returned his smile and placed a bookmark in her book. “Ready, Princessa?”

“Whenever you are. Figured if I stayed here there was less of a chance of Gilly getting his ass kicked.” She put her book on the little side table and stood. She had added fuzzy socks which made her look even tinier.

“Probably a good idea.” Hank shook his head with a laugh before wrapping his arms around her. She snuggled into him with a sigh that sounded like pure bliss. “Not exactly how I wanted this date to go, but I’ll take it. C’mon. Dinner’s getting cold.

He led her down the hall and out to the back patio where a white screen and projector had been set up courtesy of Creeper so that they could watch a movie. The patio love seat was covered in cushions and the fuzzy blankets she loved. Dinner was on the patio coffee table. “Not quite the dinner and a movie I promised, but the best I could do under the circumstances.”

Megan’s eyes twinkled up at him under the fairy lights the guys had helped him string. “I love it. What are we watching?”

“Well you have a few to choose from. I asked Creeper to download a variety that wasn’t too heavy. We’ve got a few superhero movies and Incredibles 2 - the new Disney movie,” Hank said with a smile. “Nothing too drama filled. Just fun stuff.”

“Can we really watch a Disney movie?” she asked as she snuggled into his side excitedly.

“Absolutely. I’ve even got candy for after dinner too.” He held her close and kissed her forehead. “C’mon, Princessa. I’ll put it on. Let’s eat.”

After dinner, Megan was curled against his side giggling at the movie when Gilly poked his head out of the patio doors. He quietly snuck out and grabbed the dishes off the coffee table. On his way back inside, he spoke quietly to Hank. “I’ll run these through the dishwasher. Taza should be home before the end of the movie, so I’ll just slip out when he gets here.”

“Thanks, ‘mano,” Hank whispered.

Megan looked up at him with a tiny smile. “Thank you, Gilly. See you tomorrow?”

“Of course, Short Stuff. See you tomorrow.”

After he was back inside, Hank pulled Megan closer and tucked the blanket up around her shoulders. “Warm enough, Princessa?”

“Mmmhmm. Maybe we should talk Taza into a patio heater for this winter. I know it doesn’t get that cold here, but it would be nice.” She tucked her head down against his chest with a smile.

“We’ll get one. Anything to be sure you’re warm enough.” Hank pressed a kiss to her forehead and let her go back to watching the cartoon.

When the credits started rolling, he glanced down to find Megan yawning into the blankets. “Sleepy? Ready to call it a night?”

“Nuh uh.”

He laughed. “You’re practically asleep in my lap, Princessa. Why don’t you head inside. See your papa for a few minutes. I’ll clean up out here and meet you inside, hmm?”

“Papa’s home?” she asked quietly.

“Yeah. He pulled in a few minutes ago. He’s probably packing.” He nudged her gently. “Go on in.”

“Okay.” Megan stood up taking her blanket with her. “Sure you don’t want me to help out here?”

“I’m sure. I’m just bringing in the pillows and blankets and the electronics. Go.” He kissed her gently and shooed her inside.

Megan made her way to Taza’s bedroom door and knocked tentatively. “Papa?”

“Come on in, Chica,” he called through the door.

Megan found him throwing a change of clothes and a few toiletries into a backpack. He intended to turn around and come straight back after the drop, but had been caught too many times in freak weather or something not to be prepared.

“Did you have a good time on your ‘date’, Sweetheart? Hank really wanted you to have something fun.” He smiled and opened his arms for a hug.

Megan gratefully took the affection. Seeing him packing made his leaving too real. “Mmmhmm. We watched the new Incredibles movie from Disney. It was fun. We need a patio heater so we can do more out there even after it gets chilly.”

Taza kissed her hair. “Of course, Chica. We’ll look at one later this week, okay?”

Megan nodded and buried her face in the front of his button down. “I wish you didn’t have to go,” she said quietly.

“I know, Chica. I hate that I have to go so soon after you got here. But I’ll be back before you wake up day after tomorrow.” He held her close to him and stroked her long hair. “Hank will be here with you and I asked Coco to be your second here tomorrow night. You’ll be perfectly safe with them.”

“I know. I just really don’t like being separated from you for that long.” She squeezed him and tilted her head to look up at him.

He kissed her forehead. “I know. I know. Just this run, Sweetheart. Then I won’t have to go anywhere without you for a few months.”

“Sorry. I’m being a baby. I know.” She sighed.

Taza sat in his rocking chair and pulled Megan into his lap to tuck her under his chin and rock gently. “You aren’t ‘being a baby’, Chica. You’re telling me how you feel. And everyone knows first runs are always the hardest for those left behind. Truthfully, I hope you never really get used to me being gone. I kinda like that you want me around.” He rested his head on hers.

“I don’t want to go to bed. Means it’s closer to you leaving,” she said with a quiet sniffle.

He smiled a little and rubbed her back. He may not have gotten to experience her separation anxiety on her first day of school or daycare when she was growing up, but it looked like he was making up for it now.”What if we do like we did the other night, hmm? I’ll start the fireplace and we can do stories again until you fall asleep.”

“I don’t want you to be too tired tomorrow when you have to ride, though.” She sighed.

“I promise, Chica. It’s only a six hour ride. We’re leaving at eleven. I’ll get plenty of sleep if you promise not to fight sleep too hard.” He chuckled and kissed her hair again. “I’ll bet you were an anxious little thing who didn’t sleep the night before big events, weren’t you?”

Megan giggled. “Drove my foster families nuts until I got old enough to be left to put myself to bed at like age seven or eight. Almost never slept before a rodeo either. I run mostly on caffeine and nerve.”

“Mmmm. From what I remember, you mother was the same way. Big runs drove her crazy.”

Megan waited a beat as Taza rocked her and played with a button on his shirt. “Taza?”

“Yes, Sweetheart?”

“Were you in love with Gabriella?” she asked quietly.

Taza thought about his answer carefully. He wanted to be honest with her, but he also had things that he wasn’t ready for her to know just yet about his past. “Maybe. In a way.” He never stopped rocking her or stroking her hair. “Your mother was beautiful, Megan. You got your looks from her. Size too. Definitely got my coloring though. I know you only ever saw her as an addict, but she was beautiful and kind. She was so sweet when she was younger. There was another boy that we were very close to, your mother and I. David.” Taza smiled softly. “We were an inseparable trio at the VM parties and even outside them. At one point we even all lived together. We were young, Chica. And dumb. Very dumb sometimes. But I did miss her when she disappeared. We looked for her for days. When we couldn’t find her and no threats came through for the club, we gave up and just hoped she’d come home.”

“You mean when she left to have me?” she asked quietly.

“That’s what it looks like now, Chica.” He cuddled her close in his lap like a child. “I’m still not sure why she ran. I’d have loved you even as young and reckless as I was. I always wanted a family. David would have loved you too. Maybe if she had stayed, you’d have grown up very differently. Been a little more spoiled, but you would never have had to doubt that you were loved, Chica. That I AM certain of.”

Megan was quiet for a few minutes, just enjoying the comfort that her papa offered her. “Papa?”

“Yes, Sweetheart?”

“Did something happen to David? Is that why you left the VM? You keep talking about him as if he were gone.”

“Yes, Chica. Once there was no David and no Gabriella - there was nothing holding me there anymore. I no longer agreed with the direction the club was going. So… I left. And it was the best thing that ever happened to me.”

“Because then you met my padrinos?”

Taza laughed. “I sure did. I met your tío Bishop first and he introduced me to your tío Marcus. Marcus sponsored me and when Bish moved down here to start the new charter, I followed. The rest is some very inappropriate history.”

He glanced down to find Megan asleep in his lap. She really did hate to sleep. At least she was getting some rest between the naps in his or Hank’s laps and having her very own giant teddy bear in Hank at night.

Taza heard a chuckle from the doorway. Hank stood there watching as Taza continued to rock. “She really is like a toddler. Falls asleep at the drop of a hat when she gets still,” Hank said quietly.

Taza stroked her hair back out of her face. “I used to do it too right out of the service. I’d run myself ragged until my body forced me to sleep. She comes by it honestly. Hopefully, once things calm down and she feels safe, she’ll be on a more normal sleep schedule.”

“Hopefully soon. She’s not doing her body any favors pushing like she does. You gonna keep her for a bit? If so, I’ll go get a real shower. Maybe write that armory report for Bish real quick,” Hank whispered.

“Yeah man. Go on. I’ll bring her to bed in a bit. I’ll read for a while. It’ll let her get some time before the run,” Taza said, but he didn’t reach for his book. He was too lost in the past and the memories the conversation with Megan had brought to the surface.

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elivanah-writes · 2 years

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Lost Princessa 26

Alright. Here's 26. Kinda a filler chapter, but there is some foreshadowing.

As always, thanks to @drabbles-mc. You keep me sane. Let's hope I stay that way with all this forced "rest" I'm getting with pneumonia.

Please do not copy, translate, or otherwise steal my work. You do not want to be me right now. COVID and Pneumonia sucks.

Warnings: Cursing (I feel like that's obvious by now...), some anxiety, mention of prostitution and pimps, mention of porn, ALL the family fluff! Let me know if I missed anything.

Outside, Letty was standing with Coco as they waited for Megan to join them. He handed over what cash he had in his wallet with a chuckle. “Be good, Leticia. No sass.”

“Sure, Coco,” Letty said with a grin. “I’ll see you here when we get back.” Megan laughed as she exited to whistles and catcalls from her friend. “Look at you! I told you wearing that dress was your best option.”

“It’s not too bad with the shorts underneath it. They keep the skirt from tangling me up too badly.” Megan twirled for effect with a giggle.

“Speaking of…” Hank pulled a small tube of lotion out of the inside pocket of his kutte. “Here. In case it starts to itch, Princessa. I’m sure your papa will help you put it on.”

Taza nodded with a grin as he realized Hank was well prepared to handle Megan. Always taking care of her.

Megan took the lotion. “Thank you. You remember everything.”

“I try. And here -” he pulled a card out of his wallet and handed it to LEtty. “Just in case she finds something she likes that isn’t Quince related,” he said with a wink. “If I give it to her she won’t use it.”

Megan groaned. “Hank! I don’t need things!”

Bishop chuckled. “Should we start a count of how many times we hear that this afternoon?” He threw his hands up in surrender at the glare he received from his god daughter. “Get used to it, Princessa. You will be spoiled completely if Hank has anything to say about it.”

“Not just Hank…” Marcuse said with a smile.

“See! Tío Marcus understands!”

“Oh no, Poquito. Just because I haven’t started spoiling yet doesn’t mean it’s not coming. I was just waiting for backup!” Marcus chuckled.

Taza chuckled as well. “C’mon. Let’s go feed the girls before we go on this dress hunt. Shopping on an empty stomach is a bad idea.” He winked at Megan. “Kiss him goodbye, Chica. We’ll see him in a few hours.”

Hank grinned at Taza’s teasing and kissed her gently. “Remember - breathe. Be good. Call or text me if you need me.”

She flushed with a grin, knowing all eyes were on them. “I’ll try.”

“That’s all I ask.” Hank helped her into her riding jacket and checked her helmet before kissing her deeply one more time and letting her mount Taza’s bike behind him.

Letty was behind El Padrino since he had a double seat. She had a small backpack on with her sketchbook and pencils in it.

After lunch at the diner and visiting both formal dress stores in Santo Padre, Megan was getting frustrated. Bishop and Marcus had pushed her to describe what she wanted until she got frustrated enough to completely clam up. She didn’t have the words these shop ladies wanted to describe what she was looking for.

They found a pretty green formal for LEtty that was perfect right off the rack. Bishop had bought it, assuring Letty that he’d talk to Coco and settle up since he wouldn’t let her use the cash her dad had sent.

At the last store, Megan basically went and stood by the door after less than fifteen minutes. The sales lady was pushy and kept getting in her face about things. She was completely frustrated with the whole situation.

She pulled out her phone to see a text from Hank asking how things were going. She text him back explaining things. A few minutes later her phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Mi Princessa, I’m sorry you’re frustrated. Are your tíos there now?” Hank asked quietly.

“I’m within sight - and Papa is less than ten feet away,” Megan assured.

“Good. Take a deep breath for me.” She did as he asked. “Better?”

“A little.”

“Alright. Does Letty have her sketch? Maybe that will help.” She could hear him rattling around in what she assumed was a toolbox.

“She has it, but the lady here refuses to look at it. SHe won’t even speak English, despite the fact that she was speaking it when we came in. She insists on me trying on a bright fucking pink dress that’s four sizes too small!” Megan sniffed and wiped her face. “Tío Bishop keeps trying to reason with her while Tío Marcus just gave up and started looking himself.”

The rattling stopped. “Alright Princessa. Put your papa on the phone. You just breathe and drink some water, please?” Hank asked.

Megan walked the phone to Taza. “Papa, Hank wants to talk to you.”

“Sure, Chica. C’mere.” He lifted his arm to offer her a place to cuddle against his side.

Megan snuggled against him as Hank spoke to him in rapid fire Spanish. The conversation went on for a moment or two with Taza chuckling under his breath before he handed the phone back to her.”Here you go, Chica.”

Megan took the phone back. “Do I want to know?” She asked. Taza shook his head and hugged her close as Megan gave a tiny giggly before putting the phone back to her ear. “Everything okay, Hank?”

“It will be soon, Princessa. You’ll be leaving soon. Try to have fun, okay? I’ll see you back at the yard in a few hours.” Hank said softly.

“Okay. See you soon.”

They hung up and Megan glanced up at her father. “Can we go now? She doesn’t want to sell to me Papa. She wants Mexican Barbie not a princessa de los mayas.”

Letty came over after having furiously had a rapid fire argument with the shop owner. “She’s right. That bitch doesn’t know what the fuck she’s doing.”

Taza caught Bishop and Marcus’ eyes. “La Princessa is done with this bitch’s bullshit. Let’s go. We’ll cross over and buy from a real dress store.”

Marcus chuckled. “Thank goodness. I say we make sure to mention to Mama Loza how rude she was to la princessa. I’m sure she’ll have something to say about it at mass on Sunday.”

The shopkeeper blanched. “What color were you looking for again?” Suddenly she spoke perfect English.

Megan’s temper ignited. “Oh no Bitch. I wouldn’t buy from you now if you have me a dress for fucking free. You can shove that offended attitude too.” Megan stood tall and gripped her necklace. “We’ll be sure ALL the friends and family of the Mayans know how you treat OUR family.”

“That’s our girl. C’mon, Poquito. Let us take you somewhere more your class anyway,” Bishop said with a proud smile.

They left the shop keeper gaping and went to mount up on the bikes.

“Are we really going to Mexico to buy a dress?” Megan asked quietly. “I don’t have a passport.”

“You won’t need one, Chica. Not the way we’re going.”

A short drive to the hidden tunnel and a hike underground put them out at an old Bronco. They drove that into the small town just on the other side of the border from Santo Padre.

“Are there dress shops here?” Megan asked Taza quietly. “It looks smaller than home.”

“It is smaller than home, Chica, but we aren’t looking for a dress shop. We’re headed to a house to meet one of our seamstresses from the dress warehouse. Hank’s calling ahead. We’re getting you a custom dress. Fuck all that off the rack bullshit.” Taza kissed her head with a grin.

Bishop laughed. “We should have done this from the start. La Princessa deserves a perfect fitting gown.”

“And what ever she fucking wants it to look like,” Marcus finished.

Megan sighed quietly. “It won’t help. I won’t have the words to tell her what I want anyway. Maybe we should just grab a dress from the mall and call it done.”

“Oh FUCK no!” Letty said. She turned in her seat to look at Megan. “Listen to me - we’re getting you THE dress you want. You may not have the words to tell her what you want, but I do.” She tapped the cover of the sketchbook. “You already told me what you want. We’ll work off that.”

Bishop glanced at Megan in the rearview mirror. “This will be different, Poquito. I promise you. If you want to give up for that day after this - we won’t argue, okay?”

“Promise?” Megan said slightly petulantly.

Marcus turned to look at her from the passenger seat. “We promise, Poquito. It’ll be okay.”

Taza slipped an arm around her shoulders and kissed the side of her head. “You’ll like Francisca. She’s a friend of Mama Loza’s from church. That’s why Hank’s the one calling ahead.”

“And she won’t be pushy?” Megan asked, looking up at him.

“No, Chica. She may tell you certain design elements may not work or that something needs to be done differently - but she’ll give you a reason and options instead of trying to make you something you’re not.” He smiled. “We’ll get what you want and then maybe stop by the market before we go home, hmm?”

“Alright.” She looked at Letty. “But you’re in charge of making sure I don’t look like an idiot - agreed?”

“Agreed.” Letty smiled and opened her sketchbook to review her notes from the day before’s tattoo session.

They stopped in front of a small, gray house where an older woman waited for them on the front porch.

“Hola Francisca. Did Hank call?” Taza asked as he climbed out of the Bronco.

“Yes. He also warned me la princessa doesn’t speak Spanish and is anxious as hell after you dragged her to the swamp witch’s shop.” She glared at all three men but turned kind eyes on Megan and Letty. “Come in girls. I have tea ready. We’ll talk about what you need.” When the men started to follow she turned to glare at them again. “You three will stay in the living room and let the women fix this mess.”

Bishop and Taza chuckled and shook their heads. Marcus followed their lead. “Yes ma’am,” Bishop said.

An hour later, after Letty and Megan had worked out what the final design would be with Francisca, she took Megan’s measurements. When she was done making notes on a paper next to the sketch Letty had finished, she looked up at Megan. “There, Princessa. All settled. We’ll do a fitting in a few days. I think I have everything at the warehouse I’ll need. If not - I’m sure your Padrino Bishop will help me get it.” She offered a hug which Megan gratefully took.

“Thank you, Francisca. I probably would have given up and gone to Sears if we hadn’t come here,” Megan said with a relieved sigh.

“Hmph. Not likely. María would have called me first.” She winked. “You just worry about learning to dance with Hank. That young man knows what he’s doing.”

Letty laughed. “She’s learning alright.”

Francisca smiled at the teenager. “And you, young lady, are an accomplished designer. Don’t give it up. You’ll go far. Especially after the women at the warehouse see this design. Well done.”

Letty ducked her head with a shy smile. “Thank you.”

Taza poked his head in. “All good ladies?”

“Si, Taza. La Princessa is all set. We’ll meet at the warehouse in a few days for fittings. I’ll pass the message through María or Hank,” Francisca said with a smile.

“Good. We need to get going. Hank’s getting anxious. He has a surprise planned and we have things to do before he can do that.” Taza chuckled as Megan’s eyes lit up.

After quick goodbyes, they loaded back up in the Bronco. Bishop chuckled as he noted the difference in Megan’s posture. “Better Poquito?”

“Much. Francisca is even going to put pockets in my dress. And she’s going to make it convertible so that I can take some of the layers out and it’s shorter for the fun party bit.” Megan sat forward to talk to Bishop and Marcus.

“Ahh. You’re much happier now, Poquito. Is it because of the dress or because Hank’s waiting?” Marcus asked with a chuckle.

“Is it bad if I say both?”

“Not if it’s true,” Bishop assured.

“Definitely both then.”

They chuckled as Megan settled back in her seat.

Taza smiled and tucked her under his arm. “Rest, Chica. We’ll be home soon.”

Megan laid her head on him and closed her eyes. Despite having controlled her reaction earlier, the anxiety had still taken a lot out of her. A few minutes later, she was sleeping soundly against her papa’s chest.

Letty smiled and rested against the window. “She’s getting excited, you know. About the party.”

“Good. She should be.” Taza smiled and looked out the window.

“She likes the idea of being part of the family. Thinks of the party as her official adoption by the club,” Letty said quietly.

Bishop spoke up. “She’s already family. You both are.” He looked at Letty in the rearview mirror. “And nobody touches our family.”

Letty nodded. “You guys are going to kill that jackass aren’t you?”

Marcus nodded. “As soon as we can find him.”

“I wonder if Coco thought to check Julien…” Letty mused.

“Julien? Who’s Julien, Sweetheart?” Bishop asked, keeping his voice level.

“Celia’s pimp. The one who tried to get me into Dogwood’s porn. I don’t even know if Coco left him alive when he found out, but he’s got all sorts of connections when it comes to selling girls…” Letty’s eyes started to close.

Taza was already texting one handed and nodded at Bishop in the mirror. “Just rest, Leticia. We’ll take care of everything.”

They finally reached the parking place for the Bronco and woke the girls. They made their way back to the bikes and from there, back to the scrapyard. Chuckie rolled the gate shut behind them as they parked the bikes in the pit.

As soon as the bike stopped moving, Megan was off and stripping her helmet with a huge grin. Hank was waiting on the club house steps, leaning casually on the porch railing. Megan looked at Taza who laughed and said “Go on… I know you want to.” She raced to him with a laugh and wrapped her arms tight around his torso.

“Welcome back, mi princessa.” Hank held her close and kissed her head. “How was your first trip down south?”

Megan breathed deeply for a second. “Good. I like Francisca. My dress is all handled and we found Letty a dress too.”

Hank chuckled and Megan felt the rumbling through his chest. “Good. I’ll be sure to send her flowers on Sunday for taking such good care of you.” He tilted her chin up and kissed her deeply.

“Hey now - let the girl breathe. She did good today,” Bishop teased as he passed them on the way inside. He chuckled as Hank flipped him off and kissed her again.

“Give him a break, Bish. He’s got several hours of missed constant affection to make up for,” Taza said as he followed, getting a muffled giggle out of Megan in the process.

Hank broke the make out session with a reluctant smile. “C’mon. I gotta go reclaim my bank care from Letty. Did you find anything you liked?”

“We only went to the dress stores. We were going to stop by the open air market on the way back, but I fell asleep and Taza didn’t want to wake me up,” Megan explained.

“Ahh. We’ll go back later this week then. After Taza gets back from Vegas maybe. You’ll like the market.” He led her inside leaving EZ outside on watch again.

Most of the guys were relaxing in their own ways. Gilly and Creeper were playing video games while Angel and Coco shot a game of pool. Riz had his guitar out and was quietly strumming it, much to Letty’s amusement. Coco was apparently losing at pool because he was trying to keep one eye on Letty.

Some of the Oakland guys had a poker game going. Bishop and Marcus made their way over to join the game while Taza went to razz Coco over losing.

Megan quickly realized that with EZ on watch and all the hang arounds and girls closed out by the lockdown gate - there was no one behind the bar.

“I should probably check to see if anyone needs refills or anything…” she sighed, reluctant to leave Hank’s side so soon after getting back.

But Hank didn’t turn her loose. “Oh no you don’t, Princessa. The bar is closed for business. They can get their own drinks. We have somewhere to be anyway.”

Megan looked at him confused. “Where exactly do we need to be?” she asked him, puzzled.

“Well, someone wanted a boxing lesson from their padrino. We set up the ring while you were gone,” he nudged her gently with his hip and smiled. “Let’s get you a shirt from behind the bar so you don’t mess up your dress. After that, I’ll take care of our friend from this morning.”

Megan’s eyes widened in surprise and she nodded eagerly. Once again, she was thankful to Letty for the cotton shorts under her dress. “Okay - but all the shirts from behind the bar are in the laundry. Chuckie spilled juice on them when we did family breakfast.”

“Shit.” Hank rolled his eyes with a grin. “Guess you get to steal more of my clothes, mi Princessa. Wait here and I’ll grab a spare from my locker.”

“‘Kay.”

Hank pressed a kiss to her hairline and ducked out the back while Megan made her way over to where Taza leaned against the wall.

“Surprised he let go so quick-” Coco muttered when she was within ear shot. “Fucker was antsy as hell all damn day.”

“Oh leave him alone, Coco. He’s gone to get me a t-shirt so I can have my first boxing lesson.” Megan smiled and nudged him with her shoulder as he started to take a shot.

“Hey! Not cool, Ma! Made me miss.” He pointed at her, narrowing his eyes.

Megan burst out laughing and hid herself behind a very amused Taza. “Oh like you were going to hit it anyway. You’re too busy making sure Letty is behaving to take a shot.”

Coco playfully lunged at her, making her giggle uncontrollably and hide herself even more behind Taza.

“Papa! Tell him!” Megan gasped out between giggles.

“You can’t blame the girl for seeing what’s in front of her, Coco.” Taza chuckled. “She can’t help it if you’re too busy to focus.”

“Can you blame me dude? She’s sixteen,” Coco huffed, emphasizing her age loudly, only to be flipped off by his own daughter.

Taza laughed again and pulled Megan around to wrap his arms around her and let her lean on him. “You good, Chica? If you’re tired, I’m sure your tío will understand.”

“I’m good, Papa. Besides, it shouldn’t take long. Hank still has that cage match too.” She snuggled into him. “Is Tío Bishop sure he wants to do this tonight? He’s pretty involved in that poker game.”

Taza smirked. “Watch this.” He winked at her and raised his voice so it would carry to the other side of the bar. “You may be right, Chica. Bishop may be too tired for your boxing lesson tonight. Maybe we should ask one of the other guys…”

Bishop’s head whipped around to glare at Taza. “Don’t you dare, Taza. You know very well, no one else is going to teach my god daughter to box.”

Megan giggled. “Of course not, Padrino. Whenever you’re ready…”

“Good girl. Hank getting you something to wear?” He bowed out of the game and gathered his winnings.

“Si, Padrino.”

Bishop winked at her. “Good. Don’t forget to take your jewelry off, Poquito.”

“Yes, sir!”

Hank came back with a black t-shirt bearing the Mayan symbol on it. “Here, mi princessa. It’ll swallow you, but we can tie it up.”

Megan took the shirt from him with a soft smile. “Sure you want me wearing your soft colors to get all sweaty in?”

He kissed her softly. “Yes, Princessa. It’ll wash. Go get changed.”

“‘Kay.” Megan popped up on her tiptoes to press a kiss to his lips before she went to go get changed.

Hank watched her go with a smiled that Coco and Angel quietly mocked.

“Dude - at least TRY not to look completely pussy whipped in front of Oakland. You’re makin’ us look bad,” Angel said as he laughed and finished his beer.

Hank shoved him but grinned. “I’m allowed to be whipped for mi princessa, idiota. Watch it or she’ll be whipping you soon. Bishop’s gonna teach her to box. I wouldn’t piss her off.”

Angel grinned. “Eh… I’d let her win.”

“Watch it now, hermano. I already got one cage match tonight. Don’t make it two.” Hank propped himself up on the edge of the pool table with a grin.

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elivanah-writes · 2 years

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Lost Princessa 25

So I'm quarantined until Thursday (if I don't pop positive on a test before then) so you guys reap the benefits of me having bronchitis and possibly COVID.

Thanks to @drabbles-mc and @iamthegraham. I love how you guys keep me going with this story and take anything I throw at y'all in stride.

This is a BEAST of a chapter with plenty of set up for the next chapter which may or may not already be written, so let's get the formalities out of the way.

Please do not translate, duplicate or in anyway copy my writing on any other platforms. I promise, there's only one of me and the only place this is posted is right here.

Warnings: cursing, talk of murder, talk of human trafficking. Let me know if I missed anything please?

After her shower, Megan searched through the closet to see what Letty had bought. There were a couple of backless dresses - surely Letty had thought of what went under those. Megan sighed and picked up her phone to call and find out.

Two rings in, Coco picked up Letty’s phone. “Who the fuck is this?!”

Megan giggled. “Well good morning to you too, Coco. It’s Megan. Got a question for my personal shopper.”

Coco chuckled. “Sorry Ma. I was expecting it to be some asshole boy. Gimme a sec. I’ll roll her outta bed.”

“‘Kay. Thanks, Coco.”

“No problem, Ma.”

Megan giggled again as she heard a muffled scuffle and much swearing from the teenager. A minute or so later, Letty’s sleepy voice came through the speaker. “‘Lo. Who’s this?”

Megan outright laughed. “It’s Megan. Got a question for you about my wardrobe that you purchased.”

“Oh. Hey girl. What’s up?” Letty asked through a yawn.

“So, you bought me backless dresses - any chance you bought the bra to match? I can’t exactly wear a regular one for a few days. It’ll rub the new ink.” Megan flicked through hangers looking for a shirt to wear. The dresses were tempting just because they were something completely new to her - and they were especially tempting after this morning’s time in bed with Hank - but not exactly practical with riding the bikes.

An excited squeal came through the speakers. “Yes! I got some of those stick on bras. Things work miracles for a clubbing dress. Please tell me you’re wearing one of the dresses today?”

Megan laughed again. “I thought about it, but I really can’t. I’ve never worn one and dresses and bikes don’t mix.”

“Oh please! I thought of that too. There should be some cotton shorts you can wear under the dresses in there somewhere too. Please wear one? I desperately want to see you in the green one. Hank will lose every bit of his SHIT!” Letty begged.

“So will Papa!” Megan exclaimed.

“Nah. Taza’ll be cool with it. Please…?” It sounded like Letty was really turning on the puppy eyes. “It’ll make putting lotion on your tattoo SO much easier too!”

Megan bit her lip and sighed as she found the dress Letty was referring to. A dark green skater dress that was backless but actually had ¾ length sleeves to it. It wasn’t TOO short… and if she had shorts on under it, it couldn’t be TOO bad… “Fine! You win. But if Papa or mi padrinos lose their shit - I’m blaming you!”

Letty cheered triumphantly and Megan could hear Coco in the background asking what the fuck was going om. “I’ll take it! See you later at the club house?”

“Yep. See you soon” Megan chuckled as she hung up before going to dig through the dresser and find where Hank had put the bra and the shorts Letty mentioned.

Forty-five minutes later there was a knock on her bedroom door. “Chica - you good? Breakfast is ready,” Taza called.

“Ugh. Okay, Papa. Just fighting with my hair!” Megan called back.

He cautiously cracked the door open to find Megan fighting to twist her long hair into a bun in front of the dresser mirror. His eyes briefly scanned over her in the deep emerald dress with the open back proudly showing off her new ink. He couldn’t help but smile. “Well look at you, Chica! Don’t you look pretty this morning.”

Megan smiled a little at him in the mirror and let her hair fall again. “Need to let the tattoo breathe. I couldn’t find a shirt to do it, and Letty begged me to wear the dress so…”

Taza slipped inside and shut the door. “You’re beautiful, Sweetheart.” He kissed her forehead gently. “Want me to braid your hair like yesterday so it doesn’t irritate you so much?”

“Do you mind? I was trying not to bug you about it today.” She smiled sheepishly up at him.

“I’ll never mind helping with your hair, Chica. We need to get you a dressing table for in here.” He smiled. “I’ll have the prospect go pick one up today. Til then…” he slipped out and found the little wooden step stool she’d been using in the kitchen “this’ll do.” He sat on the bed with the stool in front of him and patted it.

Megan sat in front of him and handed him the pins and hair ties from the day before along with her hair brush.

Taza brushed her hair gently and started braiding. “Yeah. A dressing table and a good hair brush. Somewhere to keep your hair things. Maybe a few pretty things for if you feel like getting dressed up sometimes.” He smiled and carefully slid some pins in as he went. The braiding went a lot quicker today since he’d remembered the feel of it.

“Papa… you know I don’t need things like that.” She played with the hem of her dress and looked down at the white low tops she was wearing.

He kissed her hair and smiled. “I know, Chica. You’re gorgeous without them but every girl deserves some pretty things. And I have some of my mother’s things in my closet. Seeing you in that dress reminded me.” He slid the last pin in. “There you go, Sweetheart.” He stood with a smile.

Megan went to glance in the mirror. “Thank you, Papa. I love it.”

“You’re welcome, Chica. Wait right there for me. I’ll be right back.”

Taza slipped out the door and shut it firmly before moving to his room across the hall.

“Hey - she okay, Taz?” Hank asked anxiously from the end of the hall.

“Yeah, brother. She’s fine. Just had an issue with her hair. We’ll be out in a minute.” Taza chuckled and went to get the wooden box from the top of his closet.

Inside was all his mother’s everyday jewelry. Some of it was heirloom stuff from his mother’s tribe. Some of it was Mexican from after her marriage to his father. Either way - it would all be Megan’s now. He chuckled and resolved that he’d buy her something pretty on each run he went on without her - starting with tomorrow’s Vegas run.

He took the wooden box back in and set it on Megan’s dresser for now.

She smiled at him as she finished putting in her earrings. Her crown necklace already sat around her neck. “Wow.” She touched the lid reverently. “Was this hers?”

“Yeah. And her mother’s before that. Only right that it belongs to you now.” He opened the box to show beaded and metal jewelry alike. He pulled out a soft cloth bundle and revealed a pair of small silver hair combs with a single green gem on each.

Megan gasped softly. “Oh! They’re gorgeous, Papa. I can’t wear those. What if they get lost?”

“Then they get lost, Chica. It happens. Most of this is everyday wear. I have all the special pieces put back for special times for you.” He smiled and slipped the combs securely into her braids. “There. They suit you, Chica.”

“Are you sure, Papa?” Megan looked in the mirror and couldn’t help but touch the silver pieces where they stood out against her dark hair.

“Of course I’m sure. You’re allowed pretty things.” He nudged her chin up so she was looking him in the eyes. “Don’t worry. I have all her ceremonial things with her regalia. These are all things that she wore whenever she felt like it.” He smiled. “You’ll get her regalia too, when you’re ready for that.”

Megan nodded and smiled softly. “Okay.”

“Good girl. Now - breakfast is ready and Hank is anxious.” He chuckled. “I hope you have shorts under that dress so he can show you off before Templo.”

Megan giggled a little and nodded again. “Letty thought of everything I think.”

“Good. C’mon then. Let’s get you fed.” He slung his arm around her shoulders and led her to the door. “Besides, I want to see his jaw hit the floor.”

Hank looked up as Taza entered the kitchen. “Get it straightened out? I put the pancakes in the oven to stay warm.”

“You tell me…” Taza smiled and stepped to the side to start making Megan a cup of coffee.

Megan laughed at her father’s dramatics. “Sorry. I was trying to get my hair to stay up…” she trailed off as she watched Hank’s jaw go slack.

Taza chuckled. “Told ya, Chica, and he hasn’t even seen the back. Give him a spin.”

Megan shook her head a bit. “You gonna catch him if he passes out? Hank, Baby, you gotta breathe. It’s just a dress.”

Hank took a deep breath. “Dios mío! Warn a man, Princessa.”

Megan laughed again. “It’s JUST a dress, Hank. Letty bought it and I figured it would let my tattoo breathe.” She played with her hem a bit self-consciously.

“It’s not just the dress, Princessa. You’re beautiful.” Hank stood and took two steps towards her.

“Thank you.” Megan smiled and took the cup of coffee from Taza when he offered it. “Thank you, Papa.”

Hank offered his hand to escort Megan to her seat and she took it with a grin. As he seated her, Taza replied “you’re welcome, Chica.” He chuckled as Hank stared at Megan’s exposed back and Taza saw him swallow hard. “You okay, hermano?”

Hank chuckled back. “Fine Taz. Our brothers on the other hand may not survive the day if they can’t keep their eyes to themselves.”

After breakfast, Megan tucked her wallet and phone into the inner pocket of her riding jacket. “What time is Templo?”

Taza glanced at his watch. “About an hour. You ready, Chica?”

“Yeah. I’ll do whatever you guys decide - as long as it doesn’t put any of you at risk.” She took her jacket down off the hook Taza had hung next to the one where his kutte hung.

“Princessa, we won’t take unnecessary risks.” Hank took her jacket from her and held it for her to slip into before brushing his fingers gently over the back of her neck. He couldn’t help envisioning a gold crown tattooed just below her hair line. While Taza was shrugging into his own kutte, Hank placed a kiss there.

Megan smiled at him over her shoulder. “Try not to kill your brothers today, hmm. It’s just the dress.” She squeezed his fingers gently.

“No promises, Princessa. And I keep telling you - it’s not just the dress.”

Taza chuckled. “C’mon. Let’s get la princessa there early enough that the novelty of seeing how pretty she is has time to wear off before Templo or her padrinos might just murder them all for you, Tranq.”

At the club house, the only bikes there before them were EZ, Marcus and Bishop.

Hank helped Megan out of her jacket and tucked her securely under his arm. Taza just shook his head with a smile. He knew Hank was going to lose his shit, but this was better than he expected.

The bigger Mayan seemed stuck between wanting to keep his hands on Megan at all times and trying to be a gentleman. The planned boxing lesson should be absolutely hilarious. Taza shot a quick text to Marcus and Bishop so they’d be sure to watch Hank and be as amused as Taza was.

Inside they found only the Padrinos at a table. EZ was nowhere to be found. He was probably in his trailer.

“Buenos días, Poquito! Look at you! Remind me to send a picture to your tía of you today. She’ll love this.” Marcus smiled as he stood to offer his god daughter a hug.

“Buenos días, Tío Marcus,” Megan said with a smile. “Thank you. I just needed something to let my tattoo air for the day.”

“You definitely found something to do that.” Bishop chuckled and motioned for her to turn so he could examine her ink. “Wow.” He looked at Hank. “Beautiful work, brother. Can’t wait to see it finished.”

“Thanks, Bish. She takes ink like a champ.” He smiled but kept his eyes on Megan as Marcus led her away to get another cup of coffee. He startled a bit when Taza patted his shoulder.

“Easy, hermano. Just her tío,” Taza said with a smile. He knew how Hank felt.

Hank grinned sheepishly. “Can you blame me? She looks like she stepped out of a storybook.”

Bishop chuckled. “She’s beautiful, brother, I admit. Where’d the hair combs come from? I thought we weren’t giving jewelry gifts before the Quince?”

Taza chuckled at his brother’s suspicion. “Not a gift. An heirloom. They were my mother’s.”

“Ahh. Fair enough.” Bishop looked at Hank only to see he was smiling at Megan who was watching him from across the bar with a grin. Bishop shook his head and nudged Taza who hid a smile behind his hand. “Dios mío. I swear - he’s twitterpated!”

Hank snapped out of it to look at the two older men. “What?”

“Man, are you going to be able to concentrate during Templo? We need all hands on deck here,” Bishop reminded him. “Megan’s safety depends on it.”

Hank nodded and shoved his hands in his jeans pockets. “I’ll be fine.”

“Good, because we’re holding Templo out here. El Padrino and I agree - Megan needs to be a part of this discussion. We can’t just make decisions for her. Since she’s not patched, she can’t enter Templo. Prospect is gonna get a headstart on his yardshift and we’re holding full Templo in the bar.” Bishop lit a cigarette.

Taza nodded. “Sounds like a good idea to me. She can keep Hank focused enough. We’ll just sit her on his lap!” Taza teased.

Hank just chuckled. “Fair enough. That’s where I want her anyway with both charters here.”

EZ slipped inside from the kitchen doorway and Hank tensed. Marcus noted the sudden tension in the younger man from across the room and smiled down at his adopted niece. “Hank seems extra protective today. Everything alright, Poquito?” Marcus asked her as she put together coffee for herself, Hank and Taza.

Megan smiled. “Everything’s fine, Padrino. I just startled him this morning with the dress. I’ve never worn one before.”

Marcus chuckled. “If he loses it this much over a sundress, we may need EMTs at your party.”

Megan caught Hank’s eye with a smile and ducked her head a little shyly. “I’m still me.”

“You sure are, Poquito, but Hank is new to this relationship stuff too. He desperately wants to keep you safe and near him. He’d do anything if you never had to cry again. He doesn’t want anyone to even think about you in a disrespectful way, but he has no way of marking that you’re under his protection except his presence either.” Marcus reached out to gently tug the crown pendant around her neck. “That marks you as a daughter of the club. Gives you your father’s protection as well as Bishop’s and mine- but not HIS.”

“But I AM his girl. Eventually I’ll wear his mark. The vote just said only wives wear the permanent mark. We haven’t been together long enough for that.” Megan poured coffee into the three cups she had ready and offered Marcus a refill.

“True enough, Poquito. We just need to keep him from killing anyone until he relaxes into it.” Marcus winked and held the tray of coffee for her as she came out from behind the bar.

She laughed and waved at EZ to let him know she had Hank and Taza covered. They had settled into one of the seating areas of the club house and after she had put the coffee on the table between them, Hank gently guided her into his lap.

“Yo Prospect!” Bishop called, making Megan startle a bit. “C’mere.”

Megan settled closer to Hank's chest and leaned into him and his arm went around her bare back to steady her. He couldn’t resist stroking her soft skin with his thumb soothingly.

EZ came over to see what Bishop needed. “Yes, sir?”

“I need a Templo table put together here in the bar. One large enough for el Padrino’s men as well as ours. Once everyone gets here - you clear out and shut the gate. You’re on guard duty until otherwise notified for that rat bastard cop.” Bishop lit a cigarette.

“Yes, sir. Should I set up the front office for the girls? They’ll need a cooler and I can go turn the A/C on for them…” EZ asked.

“No need. Coco’s girl can stay in here if she comes. She’ll keep her mouth shut. And Poquito will be at the table with Hank and Taza.” Bishop exhaled smoke and waved it away from the group.

EZ startled a bit. “Yes, sir.” He went to start pushing tables together as the other men chuckled.

“Why hold Templo in the bar?” Megan asked quietly. “Isn’t the table in there big enough for both groups?”

Bishop chuckled. “Yes, but you have to have a full patch to enter Templo and YOU don’t.”

Marcus smiled softly as awareness bloomed across Megan’s face. “You deserve a say in what happens to the bastard, Poquito. He’s tormented you for fourteen years. Now you get to return the favor.”

The roar of bikes cut through the bar as Megan nodded, but pressed herself closer to Hank’s comforting warmth.

Hank stroked gently down her spine as her felt tension begin to knot her up. “Easy, Princessa. I’m here. Lean on me,” he whispered. He felt her tuck herself completely against his chest with her forehead pressed against the side of his neck. Her back was braced by his arm and the arm of the couch.

“Hank?” Megan whispered as men began to come inside revealing el Padrino’s men and not the men of the Santo Padre charter.

“Si, Princessa?”

“What happened to that prospect’s sponsor?” she asked quietly as her eyes roamed the unfamiliar men nervously.

“Hmm. Dunno.” Hank slid the hand that rested on her knee up to cup her face and kiss her forehead. “Stay right here until we find out though.”

Marcus sat up in his arm chair and greeted his men. “Buenos dias! Get yourselves some coffee. We’re holding Templo here in the bar.”

Marco - who Megan recognized as Hank’s friend - nodded with a frown. “Everything alright, Padrino?”

“You’ll find out during Templo,” Marcus said and lit a cigarillo.

“Si, Padrino.”

The men were noisy, but Megan could see that they weren’t as close as her own little family. There was joking and ribbing, but almost no contact between these strange Mayans. She looked to Taza and Hank. “Should I be behind the bar since EZ is busy putting the table together?”

Bishop answered her. “No, Poquito. You aren’t here as the bartender today. You’re family. You stay right where you are. You’re doing plenty keeping Hank focused.”

Megan nodded and glanced up at Hank who pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. “Stay right here, Princessa. I’ve got you.”

One of Marcus’ men noticed her and laughed. “I didn’t realize we could bring our own girls. I’d have brought a few of Vickies’s for myself.”

Hank tensed and Megna slipped her hand under his kutte to grip his shirt. “Remember - Arthur and Guinevere…” she whispered.

Hank took a deep breath of the scent of her shampoo and forced his muscles to relax. “Arthur and Guinevere.”

Megan smiled and kissed his jaw before looking up at the stranger. “You obviously weren’t here last time.” She held up her crown necklace. “But I KNOW the results of the princessa vote went wide, so either you’re begging for a cage match or you’re stupid. Which is it?”

“I’d like to hear that answer as well…” Bishop said, ashing his cigarette casually, but sitting forward in his chair with authority. “If you want a cage match, I’m sure Tranq will oblige, but making stupid comments about my god daughter will almost certainly get you killed here.”

Marcus sighed theatrically. “I thought I’d weeded out the dumbasses this time. Clearly I underestimated his stupidity. My apologies Bishop, Poquito.”

The man stuttered through an apology to Bishop and Marcus.

“Why are you apologizing to us? It was OUR goddaughter you basically called a whore. The daughter of the Santo Padre VP, I might add. You should be apologizing to her and her caballero - not us.” Bishop pointed out.

Hank was still tense, but Megan stayed snuggled against his chest and his hands were gentle as they continued to stroke the skin of her lower back and outer thigh.

The Mayan attempted to apologize to Hank - who growled deep in his chest causing goosebumps to litter Megan’s skin. “Still no apology for la princessa de los Mayas? You and I will be meeting in the cage this afternoon,” Hank growled. “We’ll see if you apologize better with fewer teeth. Get the fuck away from us.”

The man scrambled to put himself on the other side of the bar from them and Hank relaxed a smidge. He pressed apologetic kisses to Megan’s forehead.

Megan sighed. “I’m going to have to sit at the table with them, aren’t I?”

Bishop sipped his coffee. “We were just going to leave you on Hank’s lap so you’d be more comfortable, but now I think we need to establish you as Princessa. You’ll have a chair between Taza and Hank. You won’t have to be near anyone you don’t want to be.”

“How are we doing this?” Taza asked quietly. “Santo Padre on one side, Oakland on the other? Usually we only combine for Grand Templo and then it’s just officers at the table.”

“Sounds like a plan to me - Bishop and I at the head of the table - but you run the show, hermano. Your club house,” Marcus said. He sat back in his arm chair and offered Megan a small smile.

A loud rumble of bikes announced the arrival of the Santo Padre charter. Megan relaxed just a little bit more as she realized that her friends were here.

The men piled in laughing and joking to be greeted by their more serious brother charter. They quickly made their way over to the gathering at the couch. Morning greetings were passed quickly with many of them aimed at Megan.

Hank watched as Megan resituated herself on his knee so that she wasn’t hidden against him any more and had to smile. She was much more comfortable in the presence of her family.

Creeper had noted it too. “Everything go alright before we got here, Little Princess?” he asked her with a smile.

“I guess. Hank’s got an appointment in the cage this afternoon though.” Megan shrugged a bit nervously. “Apparently my reputation does not precede me yet.”

Creeper looked to Hank for an explanation.

“One of our Oakland brothers needs a lesson in manners is all. I’m more than willing to be the teacher.” Hank kissed Megan’s knuckles and smiled. “They’ll learn to give mi princessa the respect she deserves.”

“Fair enough.” Creeper smiled and patted his brother’s shoulder. “I’ll ref for you.”

“Hey Coco? Where’s Letty?” Megan asked curiously. “She said she’d be here and she better show after begging me to wear this dress.”

Coco lit a cigarette with a smirk. “She’ll be here later, Ma. I made her finish her homework first. Chuckie’s gonna go get her around lunch.” He chuckled. “She told me she’d picked your outfit this morning. Said something about airing out new ink. Lemme see.”

Megan grinned and stood to give the guys her back and show off Hank’s work. “Hank started fixing it yesterday so I had to be careful what I wore. Isn’t it gorgeous?”

All the guys very pointedly kept their eyes on her back as Hank narrowed his eyes at them.

“Wow, Shorty. That’s a lot of ink over your spine,” Angel said. He looked at Hank and grinned. “Very nice work, brother.”

Hank smiled up at Megan. “She took it like a champ too. Nearly four hours work and only took one break. She’d have kept going if I hadn’t stopped where I did.” He chuckled. “I’ll finish it in a few weeks when she’s healed.”

Coco looked closer and Hank tensed a bit before realizing that Coco was just admiring the art. “You did a great cover-up. Can’t even tell the old one was there.”

Megan smiled down at Hank proudly and preened - just a little - at his public praise for her stamina.

A sharp whistle cut through the air. “Time for table - Prospect make sure everyone has what they need and then shut the gate. Keep an eye out for our out of town friend,” Bishop called.

EZ quickly made sure everyone had a drink and put a few bottles of water at the end of the table where he knew Hank and Taza would have Megan and then went outside, shutting the door decisively behind him.

Bishop and Marcus moved to the head of the table before indicating for each group to take their places. Hank and Taza escorted Megan between them to the chair placed for her. None of the Santo Padre chapter batted an eye when Megan took her place, but a few grumbles were heard from the Oakland men.

Bishop called the meeting to order. “We have serious business to discuss today, brothers. My god daughter has a very large stake in the main matter of discussion. That’s why we’re holding Templo out here, so she can express any opinions she might have. Other matters can be freely discussed with her present as well - she knows all club business - but she won’t speak on anything to do with normal business.”

There were nods all around the table.

Marcus spoke next. “First - let’s get the run planning out of the way. Housekeeping first. Galindo will match our numbers. Who’s going?”

That was Creeper’s que to speak. “Taza is going as senior officer. As Road Captain - of course I’ll be going. We need at least two more.”

Bishop looked over his men. “Your turn Riz. Coco, Gilly and Angel were on the last run. Hank - you’re on minimal runs until we get the situation with Megan sorted and I can’t go because either Taza or I have to be present for the trespassing complaint to stick.” He turned to el Padrino. “Any of your boys want to make some quick cash while they’re down here? That’d solve our issue nicely.”

Marcus looked over his men. “Marco - I’ll give you first dibs. I know your daughter’s quince is coming up.”

Marco nodded. “I’ll go, Padrino. Becca’s party is getting close. Appreciate the extra cash.”

Bishop nodded. “Good. Coordinate with Creeper or Taza then. Preferably Creep. Taza has his hands full.”

Once Marco nodded, Bishop lit another cigarette and leaned forward over the makeshift ‘table’. “Now - for our main order of business. Some of you don’t know, so I’ll summarize from the beginning. A short time ago, Taza discovered that he had a daughter on a run. When given the option, Megan decided that she wanted to get to know her Papa and came back to Santo Padre with us. She is now my god daughter as well as being Marcus’ god daughter. She is also the reason for the princessa vote that happened in Santo Padre a few days ago as well as the markers for our queens.”

Marcus interjected as he tapped the ash off his cigarillo. “She is la princessa de los Mayas and will be treated as such. By all charters. She’s chosen Tranq as her caballero until they either part ways or she becomes his reina. Any slight to her means a cage match with him or another chosen champion. Am I understood?”

A chorus of “Si Padrino”s was heard. Marcus nodded and turned back to Bishop as Hank slid an arm around the back of Megan’s chair offering quiet support.

Bishop nodded. “Once here, we discovered MEgan was being stalked by her abusive ex-husband to attempt to beat an attempted murder rap. We eventually caught him and disposed of the issue.” He saw heads nodding all around. This was pretty standard practice in the club. “We disposed of the body in a car accident since the asswipe was out on parole. Figured it would keep the State of Tennessee happy while still giving Megan any benefits he may have had as next of kin.” He stopped to take a sip of beer. “Yesterday a Tennessee detective showed up asking questions and demanding to take Megan into custody. He set off her PTSD pretty bad, but after we got rid of him, she identified him as her foster brother from the age of twelve, Brandon Coleman. Further investigation on our part shows Detective Coleman is actually on leave from his department and is not here on state business. He just wants Megan and thought he could bluff his way into getting her because we’re a bunch of ‘dumb bikers’.”

One of the Oakland brothers frowned. “Why? No offense, but why does he want his sister so badly? No offense.”

Bishop looked to Megan who was chewing her lip hard enough to make it bleed. “We think he’s tied up in human trafficking. All evidence points to him selling Megan to her ex- for an undetermined price. He may want to dispose of her as evidence…” he paused and took a deep breath. “Or he may want to sell her again.”

The table was silent except for Megan’s harsh breathing. Hank was doing his best to resist pulling her into his lap to comfort her. He kept his arm tight around her and noticed Taza gripping her hand under the table.

Bishop swallowed and looked to Marcus. “You called Galindo’s people to see what you could find out. Any answers?”

Marcus nodded to the man beside him. “José was the contact I gave. I wanted to be freed up to help if Poquito needed us.”

Bishop nodded. “Anything?”

José pulled a folder out of his kutte. “Coleman is connected to three powerful trafficking rings. Two are of the mail-order bride type and the third is a hard core sex slavery ring. From what we can tell - la princessa would have been his first victim. No money seems to have exchanged hands, but shortly before he made detective, Coleman broke three drug cases wide open. The only way he could have gotten them is insider information.” José paused. He looked at Megan apologetically. “Then again - after the wedding of his sister to her now ex-, Coleman broke another career-making case wide open.”

Megan swallowed hard. “So he did sell me to advance his career.”

“I’m afraid so ma’am.” José said quietly before clearing his throat and continuing. “After that, Coleman can be connected to the disappearance of several women after their cases were closed. He goes on record saying he found them resources to start over and have a better life. On paper - the man’s a saint. In truth, Lucifer himself would condemn this man.” He passed the folder to Bishop. “All the proof is in there.”

Bishop flipped through it. “We’ll pass this information to our local police contact. It should be enough to get his badge pulled and a bolo put out for him. Until we can catch him - Megan you will stay in the presence of two full patches at all times.” He looked at her apologetically.

Megan nodded. She’d expected as much. At least they weren’t locking her down at the club house. “Si, Padrino. I understand,” she said quietly and looked down at her hands.

“Everyone else who isn’t on the run or babysitting duty - be on the lookout for anyone out of place. We’ve got pictures of him, but we don’t know if he has any allies here in Santo Padre.” Bishop passed around a picture from the yard security camera.

Megan spoke up. “Be careful if you do find him. He does have law enforcement training as well as being a big game hunter back home. He shouldn’t have S.W.A.T. or special ops training though.” She looked down at her lap. “If you have him and need physical leverage - his left shoulder is very weak from an old injury when we were teenagers.”

One of Marcus’ men spoke up, “Anything else you can give us? Any habits he would need to feed while he’s out here?”

Megan thought carefully. “No drug habit, but he likes to drink. Can’t hold his liquor very well though and has a rotten temper as a drunk. He’ll probably get himself thrown out of at least one bar.” She flinched at the memory of him being drunk and belligerent as a teenager. “He’s a bully. He won’t pick on someone his own size. And he likes to hit women. Like a lot.” She looked at Riz. “Did Vickie get warned about him? I’d hate for her girls to get hurt because he’s here after me.”

Riz smiled and nodded. “I can send her a copy of his picture, but I asked her this morning to not accept any new customers until this is sorted. They’ll be safe, Princessa. And this was NOT your fault. He’s not here because of you. He’s here because of him.”

Megan nodded and swallowed hard before looking at Hank. “You aren’t going to like this,” she said quietly. She met everyone’s eyes at the table. “I’m telling you all - right now. If he somehow does get his hands on me and tries to use me as a shield to get out - I’d rather be dead than be sold again. Take the damn shot.”

Coco spoke up. “It comes down to it, Ma, it’ll be me taking that shot. I won’t let him take you, but I won’t kill you either.”

Hank gave up and pulled her into his lap. “He won’t take you, Princessa. Not again.”

Megan nodded and curled tight in Hank’s lap burying her face in his kutte. He shielded her from the eyes of the brothers who didn’t know her situation as Taza petted down her back. Creeper was on Hank’s other side and gently jostled her white sneakers in support.

“Alright. You heard her. Spread out if you don’t already have an assignment. Show his photo to bar bouncers and diner girls. You find him - you call one of us -” Marcus indicated himself and Bishop. “And don’t be shocked if five-oh and Galindo’s men are looking for him too. Remember - today we’re all on the same team.”

Bishop struck the gavel and Oakland immediately cleared out. Gilly and Angel both patted Hank’s back on the way out but Coco reached out to Megan and nudged her gently where she was curled in Hank’s lap.

“I gotchu, Ma. He ain’t gettin past me.” He kissed his fingers and pressed them to the crown of her head before heading out to work in the yard.

Creeper nudged her again. “Hey Little Princess. We got you just like we got your pops. Ain’t nobody taking you from us now. We’re family and you’re stuck with us.”

Megan gave him a tiny smile from her safe spot under Hank’s chin. “Thanks, Creep.”

“No problem.” He winked and went out to patrol the perimeter of the scrapyard.

Soon it was just Megan, Hank, Taza and her Padrinos. Then men sat and let Megan calm as Hank rocked her.

“So, Poquito, ready to hang with the old guys for the afternoon?” Bishop asked with a smile. “Hank’s got a shift so we thought we’d take advantage and take you to look and Quince dresses. He’s not allowed to see your dress as your escort until your party anyway.”

Megan giggled as Hank groaned.

“Hey now. It’s tradition - and you best be making bouquet arrangements, hermano. You know that’s on you.” Marcus teased.

Hank chuckled. “You’re funny if you think I’ve got ANY say in that matter. Mama probably had had the flowers on order since we got back from the reservation run.”

Taza laughed outright. “You aren’t wrong. She asked me about colors at dinner the other night!”

Once they’d all had a good laugh at Hank’s expense, Megan spoke up hesitantly. “Could Letty come look at dresses with us? She’s really good with clothes.”

“Of course, Poquito. Maybe even see if she wants to be on your court, heh?” Bishop asked. “She could be your first maid. You really should have at least a small court.” He looked at everyone else. “Who could we get as her escort?”

Taza grinned. “Either make the Prospect do it or one of the other idiots.”

“The Prospect - definitely the Prospect. Coco would shoot our asses if we did Angel or Gilly and we’ll be lucky if Coco puts on clean jeans for the party,” Hank chuckled.

With all the talk of the party, Megan started to relax and come out of the shell she’d been hiding in. She’d uncurled some and was now more just resting back against Hank’s chest with a small smile.

Bishop grinned as Megan relaxed some more and even joined in the teasing. Even though he knew she was scared out of her wits - she was comfortable enough with just these few men to still relax. She was finally starting to realize that she was truely family and it made him very happy..

He stood and stretched. “I’m sending the prospect to pick up Letty. I know Chuckie was supposed to go, but I’d rather someone a little more alert pick her up to be safe.” He patted Hank and nudged Marcus. “C’mon Padrino, Taza. Let’s swap Megan’s stuff to our bikes.”

Marcus chuckled. “Not subtle Primo, but alright.” He winked at Megan and followed Bishop.

Taza chuckled and kissed Megan’s head. “Come find me when you’re ready?”

“Okay, Papa. Be there in a minute.”

The elders slipped out leaving Megan and Hank alone.

“What happened to two patches at all times?” Megan asked Hank with a grin.

Hank chuckled. “Guaranteed one of the assholes is right outside the door. It counts.” He nuzzled her gently before encouraging her to sit astraddle of his lap. Once she was settled. He lifted her chin to kiss her deeply and smiled as she melted into him. He held her close once he finally let her breathe and kept their foreheads pressed together. “You did good, Princessa. Real good. I’m proud of you.”

Megan fiddled with his rosary and sighed. “Do we trust Oakland?”

Hank nodded. “For the most part. They’re El Padrino’s home charter. The Mother Charter if you will. We trust them with club secrets and we trust them not to betray us to our enemies.” He gently stroked a wisp of hair out of her face. “Do I trust them alone with you? Hell no. But I don’t trust anyone but Taza and your Padrinos for that.” “Okay, so let’s keep my babysitters local if we can? Please? I know that’s a lot, but I don’t know those other guys.” Megan shrugged.

“Of course, Princessa.” Hank pressed another kiss to her lips. “Try to have fun with your tíos and papa this afternoon, huh? They’re excited to get to do this with you.”

Megan laughed. “We’ll see how excited they are after they see all the frills and lace.” She planted her knees and sat up tall to kiss him on a more even level, deepening this kiss and running her fingers through his hair.

Hank let her lead with a grin. She was getting comfortable with starting affection and he loved it… at least until he realized that he was going to pull a yard shift with his jeans tighter than they should be in a certain spot. He groaned and broke the kiss. “Mi Princessa… you are making it very difficult to let you go with your Papa this afternoon…”

She smiled and pecked his lips again slyly. “But now you’ll think of me this afternoon…”

He petted firmly down her spine to grasp her hips and sighed. “Definitely. Tell you what. We can’t exactly go on a date right now, but this evening - if you’re good - I’ll have you a surprise planned for at home.”

She nodded eagerly and kissed his jaw before allowing him to stand. She couldn’t help but giggle as he tugged his kutte straight but forgot to straighten the mess she’d made of his hair.

“Good girl. Let’s go find your pops, mi princessa. You’ve got shopping to do.”

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elivanah-writes · 2 years

Text

Lost Princessa 24

Let's make this clear - this chapter has a little bit of steam to the fluff so 18+ ONLY. BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN MEDIA CONSUMPTION!

Thank you @drabbles-mc, @iamthegraham, and @jemmakates for the support and help with this chapter.

Please do not translate, copy, or duplicate my work. You do not want to be me. Promise. I'm snowed in and it's in the negatives with the temperature tomorrow in the deep south.

Warnings: cursing, FLUFF, and at least semi-steamy bit at the end.

After a late lunch or early dinner for most of the familia of steak, baked potatoes, and grilled corn thanks to Coco and Creeper - Taza and Hank took Megan home to decompress. At the ranch, EZ and Angel were finishing up with moving the furniture back into Megan and Hank’s bedroom and bathroom after a deep clean.

“Hey! You’re back early! Give us about thirty minutes and we’ll be done with everything,” EZ said with a smile.

“Sure, Prospect. We’ll be in the kitchen,” Taza replied. “Come on, Chica. Let’s get a cup of tea for your nerves.” He led Megan into the kitchen with Hank bringing up the rear.

“Hey… Hank?” Angel called softly. Hank paused to see what his brother needed. “We didn’t put all the new clothes in bags away. Didn’t want to invade the Princessa’s privacy or make her uncomfortable. But from the looks of her, she’s not going to have the energy to do it tonight. Want us to do it or do you or Taza want to come give us a hand real quick?” Angel asked as quietly as he could.

Hank glanced through the kitchen doorway. Megan was sitting at the kitchen table with her head propped up on one fist while Taza heated water for tea at the stove. “‘Preciate it. Let me tell her where I’ll be and then I’ll come in and take care of the personal stuff. Thanks, Angel.”

“No problem.” Angel slipped back in to help EZ finish hanging the curtains and place all the new things they could for her. He didn’t know what had happened today, but it was obvious from the state of Megan that it wasn’t good.

Hank poked his head into the kitchen with a soft smile. “Hey, Princessa, I”m going to go make sure they put things where you wanted them, okay?”

Megan looked up surprised. “Oh! I didn’t even think of that. Do you need help?” She started to stand and head to the bedroom.

Hank caught her. “No, Princessa. You sit here and drink some tea and rest some more. Maybe make that promised call to Mama and check in before it gets too late? Tell her about your little design session with Letty. She’ll enjoy that.” He guided her back into the kitchen chair with an affectionate kiss on the forehead before scribbling Mama’s number on the kitchen notepad.

“Are you sure? I can come help…” Megan started.

Taza put a cup of peppermint tea in front of her with plenty of honey in it. “He’s sure, Chica. Relax a bit. Call Mama Loza. I’m going to go get changed and sit down with a book myself for a bit. If Hank needs extra hands, I’LL go help, okay? Rest, Sweetheart.” He chuckled and kissed her hair before following Hank out of the room.

Hank grinned at him. “Prospect and Angel were scared they’d invade her privacy by putting away her clothes, so I’m going to go help them,” he murmured.

“Good call. Don’t really want Angel near her underwear drawer, myself. I’ll sit out here and play lookout so she doesn’t sneak in to ‘help’.” Taza chuckled knowingly. They really wanted the room finished before Megan saw it.

Forty-five minutes later, Megan hung up her new cell phone from her chat with Mama feeling much lighter. Somehow, Hank’s mother soothed her anxiety about everything with her simple reassurance that Hank could handle anything. Megan felt much better and more refreshed. She had promised Mama that Hank would arrange a meet up in the next few days for them to have ‘girl time’ with Letty along for the ride. Megan wasn’t sure what security was going to look like after today, but knew that if all else failed Mama could come to the bar for lunch one day this week.

Megan rinsed her tea cup and put it in the dishwasher - making a mental note to run it later - before wandering out to the living room.

Taza looked up from his book and smiled at her from the recliner. He removed his reading glasses and put his book aside before patting the wide arm of the chair for her to come and join him. “Did you have a good chat, Chica?”

Megan smiled and went to perch on the chair arm next to him. “I did. Mama wants to have ‘girl time’ with me and Letty in the next few days. I may have just gotten LEtty adopted by her too. I told her that I’d see what we can do since I wasn’t sure how tight security would be until you guys find Brandon.”

“Good call. We aren’t entirely sure either to be honest. Bish will probably call Templo tomorrow to discuss it. We’ve also got our regular Vegas run on Tuesday. That’s going to take me and three others out of the equation for about 18 hours, give or take.”

Megan nodded and swallowed hard. “I’d forgotten you were going on the run…”

“I’m sorry, Sweetheart, but either I or Hank have to be there as club officers. Hank will still be here with you so that you can sleep and I’ll drive straight through to be back by Wednesday morning when you get up. Promise.” Taza squeezed the hand that was nearest him and placed a gentle kiss on her knuckles.

Megan smiled weakly. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. If you need to stay over, please do. I don’t like the idea of you driving tired. Who’s going with you?”

“Riz and Creeper and maybe one of El Padrino’s men. It’s a drop and go run, so it shouldn’t take too long. Mr. Galindo is matching our number of guards, so it should be smooth sailing.”

Megan nodded and smiled. “At least Creeper will have to take a break from hovering over me if he’s with you. I swear, I thought he was going to cut my food for me today at lunch.”

Taza chuckled. “He was a bit much, but it’s only because he loves you, Chica. They all do.”

“I love them too. Even if they do treat me like a china doll most of the time.”

He patted her knee. “Tell you what - tomorrow afternoon I’ll see if we can get Bishop to give you a boxing lesson in the ring, huh? Maybe help with that.”

Megan brightened. “Really? I’ve always wanted to learn how to fight properly. I mean… I know how not to break my hand when I hit, but only by trial and error.”

“You already throw a mean hook, Princessa,” Hank said from the doorway. “Add your shooting to it and you’re probably more dangerous than some of the guys in the club.”

Megan giggled before realizing that Angel and EZ were standing behind Hank. “All done?”

EZ beamed and nodded. “All done.”

Angel smiled. Hank had filled the brothers in on what had happened as they worked, so he did what he does best and lightened the mood with jokes. “Si, Princessa. Your royal bedchamber awaits.” He bowed comically.

Megan swallowed a giggle and stood from her perch to curtsey cutely.

Hank chuckled and offered her his hand. “Close your eyes, Princessa. No peeking.”

Megan did as instructed and closed her eyes, taking Hank’s outstretched hands. Hank led her gently down the hallway to her bedroom door. He turned her to face the newly painted door and stood behind her with his hands on her shoulders. “Alright, Princessa. Remember, deep breaths. You’re allowed to have things.”

Megan nodded and smiled just a little.

“Good girl. Go on in.” Hank planted a gentle kiss on the back of her head and released her.

Megan opened her eyes and took a deep breath before opening the dark green door.

The walls were the soft cream color they’d chosen at the hardware store. The huge bay windows were open to let some of the paint smell out, but where there had been a blank wall in front of them, a new window seat rested with a Mayan green pad and cream and green pillows on it.

The green blackout curtains were hung on new wooden curtain rods that matched the stain of the bedroom suite and tied back to let the sunset shine into the room. Soft cream gauze curtains fluttered in the light breeze while keeping the evening bugs out.

Her clothes were all properly placed in the dresser and closet, and a few of the bigger seashells decorated the flat spaces in the room.

The biggest surprise was that the bookcase she had picked out had been assembled and placed for her near a green armchair with a fuzzy blanket thrown over the back. The shelves were half full already. Some of the books were by authors she had mentioned to EZ during short conversations at the bar. Others she didn’t recognize. She ran her fingers over them and glanced over her shoulder at EZ, who grinned.

“They’re favorite books of your new familia, Princessa. Most of us chose some,” EZ explained. “They’ve got notes from each person written inside.”

Megan gasped happily and reverently touched the spines again. “They’re perfect.”

EZ smiled and held the edges of his kutte proudly. It had been his idea after they had spoken of her love of books.

Megan peeked into the bathroom to see the room painted the light seafoam color with soft grey accents. Seashells decorated everything and there were a few candles on the counter that weren’t too girly along with her favorite products.

Back in her bedroom, she noticed two new silver picture frames on the wall too and went to examine them closer. One was one of the selfies she and Hank had taken on the boardwalk. In this one she was looking at the camera and Hank was gazing down at her with such love that she caught her breath. The other fram held a still from the video Hank had taken of Megan and Taza dancing in the kitchen. It was beautiful. They were both laughing and a little breathless.

“Hank mentioned that you enjoyed the family pictures at Mama Loza’s. We thought you could start your own memories,” Taza explained quietly.

“I love it. Thank you all so much!” Megan looked each man in the eye with a huge grin on her face and joyful tears in her eyes.

“Welcome home, Princessa,” Hank said with a smile.

Megan hugged Taza first and then moved on to EZ who looked shocked as hell at the affection. “You can’t tell me you weren’t the one who hunted down those books,” Megan muttered softly. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Princessa.” EZ smiled brightly and stepped back.

Megan carefully approached Angel. “Still want your own hug?” she asked quietly.

“You know it!” Angel threw his arms wide comically and Megan hugged him around the waist. Angel sheepishly placed the tiniest kiss on her hair. “I’m sorry I was an ass.”

Megan pulled back and smiled up at him. “I’ll forgive you - this time. Don’t do it again.”

“Oh you KNOW I’m gonna fuck up again, but I promise to try not to scare you like that again, Shorty.” Angel shot her his version of the charming Reyes grin and shoved his fists in his pockets.

“Fair enough, Angel. Fair enough.” Megan turned her bright brown eyes to Hank who stood patiently waiting for her to finish thanking her Papa and his brothers. She never said a word, just launched herself at him knowing he’d catch her.

He laughed and caught her in a hug before spinning her gently. “Happy, mi princessa?”

“Very,” she assured him as he set her down and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of her smile.

The Reyes brothers offered their goodbyes and headed out to find their own dinner - or other entertainment in Angel’s case. This left the little family home by themselves.

Taza smiled. “Alright, Chica! Time for a low key night at home. Get changed into something comfy - both of you. I’m going to light the fireplace in the living room. I think tonight calls for stories by the fire with tea and cocoa, hmm?”

Megan’s tired face lit up again. “Will you tell tribal stories? Please?”

“Anything you want, Sweetheart. Anything you want.”

Several hours later found Megan asleep on a couch with her head in her papa’s lap again. She’d changed into a flannel pajama set and let down her hair. She had actually started out sitting on the beautifully woven rug in front of Hank’s chair. He had offered to brush out her hair for her after helping to clean and apply ointment to her tattoo and she had jumped at the chance. She wanted to be able to see Taza’s face as he told the stories of their people.

When Taza noted her starting to nod off, he had suggested that he and Hank swap places so she could lay down. Instead, Megan had crawled up to lay on Taza’s lap again and listen to the stories. He’d smiled and petted her hair as he told an old, old story quietly and watched her fall asleep.

“You want me to put her to bed, Taza?” Hank asked after a while.

“Not yet,” Taza said with a tiny smile. “Let her stay like this for a bit. She’s nervous about me leaving her to go on the run.”

Hank nodded. “Understandably. She’s been abandoned a lot. And it’s doubly understandable now. This bastard worries me too, Taz. He’s not as stupid as I’d like him to be.”

“That’s the truth.” He stroked his daughter’s hair gently. “If her mother wasn’t already dead, I’d probably strangle the bitch myself. How could she think foster care was better for our child than growing up with me as a father? If she’s only sobered up long enough to tell me about her - I’d have kept Megan safe from these bastards that made her life such a misery.”

“The woman was sick, Taza. Nothing she did or said made sense from what Megan has told me,” Hank muttered. “You can’t change the past, Hermano. Only her future.”

“I never thought about kids, Hank. Didn’t think it was in the cards for me - especially at my age - but I’ll be damned if I let anything happen to my little girl now that I’ve got her.”

“She’s safe with us now. And she’ll be even safer once that cop bastard is dead.” Hank nodded.

“Think you can do without her for a bit tomorrow after Templo?”

“Yeah. Course. I’ve got a yard shift tomorrow too. Why?”

Taza grinned. “Her padrinos and I are taking her dress shopping.”

Hank chuckled. “You should take Letty too. Megan and her were talking dresses today and Letty had a sketch of what Megan’s dress might look like.”

“Really? Coco’s kid’s an artist?” Taza chuckled softly. “Who’d have thought. Yeah. I’ll text Coco later about it. I think the kid has officially moved in with him now. Might be good for Megan to have another girl there for support too.”

“Yeah - and Letty’s damn good actually. Had Megan all kinds of excited and talking about what she actually wanted.”

“Good. Good.” Taza smiled and watched Megan sleep peacefully - safe and warm in her papa’s lap.

The next morning Megan woke up snuggled into Hank’s side with no memory of having gotten there. Hank was still sleeping with his arm slung around her waist, so Megan rested against him and thought of how she was going to get through the day.

Bishop would most likely call Templo early so that the club could make plans. She’d probably be left with EZ as a babysitter in the bar, but the club had a lot to work out with teh Vegas run the next day.

Megan dreaded that run. Taza would be so far away for the first time since they’d met. She could only imagine what it would be like if Hank had to go too. Thank goodness Bishop had agreed to them not being gone at the same time. She wouldn’t deal well with one of them being gone, let alone both of them like they were used to doing.

She wiggled a bit against Hank’s side as her back itched. Even with the wrapping, she could tell it was time for more ointment on her tattoo. It itched a little.

Hank’s arm around her waist tightened a bit and his other hand came up to brush her hair from her face. “Shhh, Princessa. You’re safe, baby. I’ve got you,” he muttered softly before even opening his eyes.

“Had to do that a lot last night, huh?” Megan asked.

Hank smiled upon realizing she was awake. “A time or two, but not too bad. Sleep okay?”

“Mmmhmm. How’d I get in here? Last I remember I was listening to Taza telling the story of the thirteen moons. Then I woke up here.” Megan nuzzled against Hank’s bare chest and soaked up his warmth some more.

“When we got ready to call it a night, I brought you in and put you to bed. Didn’t have the heart to wake you.” He pulled her closer and buried his face in her hair with a small shiver of pleasure. “How’s your back? Any pain?”

“No, but it itches a little,” she said against his neck.

“Mm. Good itch or bad itch? And I know you know the difference, Princessa.” He ran his hands down her spine in a firm petting motion starting right below where her tattoo ended.

Megan moaned softly as he rubbed tension out of her back. “Uh… good itch. The kind that says it’s healing.”

Hank repeated the motion. He really liked that sound she made and wanted to hear it again. “Good girl. We’ll uncover it so you can shower in a minute.” He gently kneaded over her lower back as he found a particularly large spot of tension. “It shouldn’t need to be covered from here on out, but you’ll need to wear light weight clothes or tanks for a day or two. Nothing that rubs or constricts.”

Megan groaned again and nodded. “I remember.” She sighed as she realized that even a strapless bra would rub with the new linework Hank had done. “Remind me to make EZ do all the stocking for a day or two. They don’t need a show at the club house.”

Hank chuckled as he realized what she meant. “I’ve got some ‘derm at the shop we can cover it with for the first week if you’d rather. I just don’t like it because I feel like my own tattoos don’t heal as fast as when I use it. I don’t have to wear a bra though.” He grinned and watched her flush a bit.

“We’ll see. Letty may have already bought a wardrobe solution. I just haven’t checked yet.” She laughed.

“If she hasn’t, you can always get one today too.” Hank nudged her head up until she looked at him. When she did, he grinned rather wolfishly. “Though I’ll be perfectly happy if you’d rather now too. Just won’t let you out of my sight.”

Megan giggled and pressed a kiss to his jaw feeling the prickles of stubble against her lips. “We’ll see.” She pulled herself slightly higher against him and his far hand guided her leg over his torso. She settled when she was nearly nose to nose with the much larger man, and placed a gentle kiss to his lips.

Hank smiled and held her close with the arm around her waist before cupping her face with the other and stroking her cheekbone with his thumb. “I really want to kiss you properly right now, but I don’t want to push you, Princessa.” He smiled and nuzzled his nose against hers.

Megan reached up to cover his hand on her face with a small smile. “Hank… kiss me properly, please?”

Hank’s smile grew. “You sure?”

She nodded.

Hank leaned in and slowly kissed her letting her relax into him before he deepened the kiss as he pressed her body closer to his.

Megan moaned softly and slid her hand back into the hair at the back of his head, her nails gently running along his scalp and neck as she pressed herself against his hip.

Hank let out a soft groan of his own and smoothly flipped them so that she was under him. He kept his weight mostly off of her and on his forearm of the hand buried in her hair, but allowed himself to rest fully along the front of her body.

When he could sense that she needed to breathe, he placed gentle, wet kisses across her jaw and down her neck muttering praises in Spanish as her fingers pressed into his tattooed back. He nipped gently at the skin there over her pulse and smiled as she craned her neck to give him more access as she drew in a sharp breath and pressed her hips up into him.

Hank struggled with it, but managed to keep his free hand from wandering too much. He couldn’t resist the warm skin of her side and lower back under her pajama top though and gently stroked his rough hand across it.

Eventually he knew he needed to stop before he embarrassed himself and slowed and gentled his kisses. Once his body had calmed, he rolled them again until she was laying on his chest breathing a bit hard. “Sorry, Princessa. Almost lost myself there.” He kissed her one more time gently, before leaving soft kisses on her cheeks and forehead as he waited for her breathing to calm.

“I’m not complaining, babe. Believe me.” She gave him a dreamy smile.

He chuckled and couldn’t resist kissing her softly again. “I don’t want to push you, Baby. Besides, we need to get up so you can get a shower before breakfast and I can put some lotion on your tattoo.”

“Ugh. Fine. I guess we can’t stay in bed all day.” She pouted cutely and giggled when Hank responded by tickling her sides.

“No, we can’t. Get your cute ass up so I can unwrap that tattoo.”

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elivanah-writes · 2 years

Text

Lost Princessa 23

I know tags aren't working right now, but I had to get this out of my head. I figure people will see it eventually. This is certainly not my favorite part and I really struggled with it.

Thanks to @drabbles-mc and @iamthegraham for listening to me about this bit. I struggled hard and y'all kept me sane.

Please don't duplicate, translate or repost my work anywhere else. You don't want to be me, I promise.

Warnings: Panic, talk of human trafficking, asshole cop talk, cursing... let me know if I missed anything and PLEASE be responsible for your own media consumption.

An hour or so later there was a rumble of bikes in the yard. Megan never stirred. As long as Hank and Taza stayed still, she was dead to the world.

They thought it was Angel and EZ coming for a lunch break from painting so they just stayed still to let Megan rest as long as possible.

Bishop - however - knew better. He met the bikes in the yard. He had had a phone call from Marcus saying he was on his way down to discuss some things about Megan’s party.

Marcus dismounted and hugged Bishop as his men greeted Creeper and Gilly. “Primo! Where’s our god daughter? I thought she’d be here to greet us when you said she’d planned to spend the day at the club house.”

“She’s resting inside. We had some unexpected blow back from her ex’s death this afternoon. Her foster brother showed up as the Tennessee detective investigating the case and really set Megan’s PTSD off.” Bishop put a calming hand on El Padrino’s shoulder as the taller man tensed up. “We’re trying to take care of it legally so that it doesn’t blow back on her more. We filed a harassment complaint with SPPD. They’ll handle it, or we will.”

“Is Poquito alright?” Marcus asked quietly.

“She’s not woken up yet after her panic attack.” Bishop shook his head. “I’ve seen multiple tour combat vets not have THAT strong of a reaction. Thought she was going to do some major damage to herself for a bit.”

They slipped in quietly to find Megan hadn’t even moved. Taza and Hank waved at Marcus, but made no other moves to greet him. Marcus slipped quietly over to sit nearby.

“How’s she doing?” he whispered.

“Her breathing is even now and her temperature is regulating. Aside from dehydration, I don’t think any serious physical damage was done,” Hank whispered back.

Taza nodded and shifted Megan a bit so she was lying with her head in his lap. “We need information, Padrino. No way a foster brother - a normal foster brother - caused this reaction.” He gently stroked Megan’s hair back from her face.

Marcus looked to Hank who was nodding. Hank had shifted briefly when Letty brought him a couch cushion to sit on, but otherwise hadn’t moved.

“I’ll call in a favor with Galindo’s man. They have more resources,” Marcus said quietly. “He had a soft spot for Poquito anyway.”

Creeper came in with the burner phone open in his hand. “Bish,” he called quietly, “it’s Frankie. Says it’s urgent.”

Bishop stood and went to take the burner from Creep and take the call in Templo.

Creeper came forward and handed Hank another bottle of water for Megan. “How’s the Little Princess? Any change?”

“Nah. She’ll wake up soon though. Her body’s been through a lot between the tattoo session and panic attack. She needs to rest,” Hank answered him quietly.

“I sent Coco to Filipe for some fresh beef. She needs the iron. I don’t like her color…” Creeper frowned. Hank could see how worried he was about Megan. It was written all over his face.

“Thanks, hermano. Appreciate all the help,” Taza whispered, keeping his eyes on his daughter’s breathing and color.

“Course.” He nodded and slipped back into the kitchen.

Marcus smiled. “They really do love her. She has no idea…”

Hank chuckled. “No she doesn’t. I thought Coco was going to shoot that asshole right here. He probably would have if it wouldn’t have scared Megan. And Gilly was NOT gentle showing him out. If Creeper doesn’t mother hen her to death over the next few days, we’ll be lucky.”

“Where’s the prospect and his idiot brother? And Riz?” Marcus lit a cigarillo.

“Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum are at the Ranch painting Megan’s bedroom. Riz took the day to help one of Vicki’s girls with something. He’ll be here after. He probably had to go to the other side for something,” Hank assured.

Megan whimpered a bit in her sleep and shook her head. She was mumbling, but they couldn’t make out her pleas.

“Shhh, Sweetheart. Shh. Papa’s got you,” Taza soothed, petting her hair softly.

Hank rested a heavy arm across her body and rocked her gently.

Megan shuddered, but quieted before her eyes opened. She tensed up tight.

“Easy Princessa. You’re safe. He’s gone. Shhh now,” Hank soothed. He patted the hand still tangled in his rosary.

Taza stroked her hair and arm softly. “Shh. don’t panic, Sweetheart. He can’t get you here.”

Megan closed her eyes and shuddered. “He’s gone?”

“He’s gone and he can’t come back here without his own law working against him. We filed trespassing and harassment charges,” Taza said quietly.

Megan nodded tiredly. “Good. I never want to see him again.”

“Then you never have to, Poquito,” Marcus spoke quietly.

Megan’s eyes popped open with a small gasp. “Tío Marcus! You’re back!” She smiled and Hank breathed a tiny sigh of relief as a spark of joy returned to her eyes.

“Si, Princessa. And with love from your Tía Diana and little Tessa.” He grinned at making himself sufficiently distracting for her. “Tessa starts Fall Break in a few days and she and Diana are coming down to meet you.”

Megan sat up slowly. “Really? I get to meet them? Wait, where will you stay? I could stay on the couch and you could use my room.” She looked to Taza for approval. “Right, Papa?”

Taza grinned as he realized that it wasn’t just the panic that shifted his name for her. He chuckled. “Easy there, Chica. No hurry. Padrino knows he could stay at the Ranch if he wanted.”

Marcus chuckled and winked at Megan. “Truth, but we will stay with Tessa’s Tío Bishop. She has her own room there though I’m sure she wouldn’t object to a Princessa sleepover.”

Bishop slipped back in. “Mi sobrina may have to wait for her princessa sleepover. We have to deal with this asshole detective first.”

Hank stood. “What do you mean, Bish?”

“That was Frankie. Apparently Detective Brandon Coleman is not here at the behest of the state of Tennessee. They gave the coroner the go ahead to cremate Jimmy’s body and consider the case closed. Detective Coleman took personal leave to ‘attend to family matters’ around the time Dogwood caught Jimmy.” Bishop glanced at MEgan worriedly. “I guess we know how Jimmy found you now, Poquito.”

Megan stared at her hands in her lap quietly.

Taza placed a gentle hand on her knee and squeezed. “What is it, Chica?”

Megan sighed and looked to Hank nervously. “Just connecting a few dots, Papa. Things from my past that didn’t make sense before.”

Hank sat on her other side on the couch. “Like what, Princessa?”

“Little things mostly… Like how there were never actual wellness checks done when the neighbors would call the cops over Jimmy’s episodes of noise complaints. Or how Jimmy suddenly knew that a wife couldn’t be made to testify against her husband. Jimmy getting a six year sentence - the lowest possible - despite the other changes against him. And him only doing three years of it.” She shrugged uncomfortably. “Just trying to see how far back it goes… Brandon got me the job at the diner where I met Jimmy.”

Taza swore softly and reached for Megan’s hand. “He couldn’t have…”

She gripped his hand tightly and thought back to some of the conversations she’d walked in on. She swallowed. “Yes. He could. He must have. The only question is really… what did he get out of the deal?”

Bishop looked between Taza and Megan. “What have you realized, Poquito? What did he do?”

Taza quickly pulled Megan back into the shelter of his body as her eyes welled up with angry tears. Megan finally looked up and met the eyes of her godfathers. “Brandon - he might have -” she choked on a sob. “He must have - he sold me to Jimmy. He had to have.”

Hank swore and stood to pace as Bishop’s eyes blazed and Marcus’ fists clenched.

“It’s the only thing that makes sense. Why Brandon encouraged me to keep him happy. Why he insisted the bruises were my fault. Why every time I tried to leave - Brandon convinced me to go back or just plain returned me to Jimmy like a lost puppy…” she buried her face in Taza’s kutte and cried.

Taza’s eyes weren’t exactly dry either. “Shh. I’m sorry, Sweetheart. I’m so sorry. Shh. Papa’s got you. He’ll never get near you again.” He rocked her and looked up at his two best friends pleadingly. “What can we do?”

Marcus stood. “We can kill the bastard. I’m calling Galindo. We need that information. NOW.” He strode into Templo to make the call.

Bishop looked to see if Hank was calming. He wasn’t. He was still pacing and his fists couldn’t clench any tighter. “Tranq - “ Hank’s head snapped up. “Breathe, hermano. You won’t do her any good if you’re too pissed off to think. You won’t do ANY of us any good that way.”

Hank nodded and tried to calm himself so he could help his girl. He breathed deeply and shook off his temper for the moment. He could compartmentalize. His princessa needed her knight. He needed control. He moved to squat down in front of Megan. “Princessa. Hey, can you look at me?”

Megan shook her head and buried it deeper in Taza’s chest. Her hair was catching on the zipper of his kutte.

“Babygirl - hey - I need you to look at me. C’mon now.” Hank coaxed her. “Look at me, Megan. Look at me, please?”

Megan choked quietly on a sob, but turned her head enough to meet her ol’ man’s eyes.

“There she is. I need you to listen very carefully, Princessa. Can you do that? For me?” Megan nodded a bit and kept eye contact as Taza rocked her gently. “Good girl.” Hank smiled encouragingly. “Now, I know you’ve just had a shock, but I need you to know - this changes nothing, Princessa. It doesn’t matter if all that asshole did was step on your toe. What HE did changes NOTHING. You never have to go back there. You never have to see him again. You never have to do ANYTHING again that YOU don’t want to do.” He gripped both her hands gently and held her gaze. “You are la princessa de los mayas. No one will ever force you to do anything against your will again. I promise you that.”

Megan glanced over Hank’s shoulder at Bishop. She was afraid of his reaction. It was written all over her face.

Bishop smiled softly at his god daughter. “Hank’s right, Poquito. Nothing changed for us. You are la princessa, my god daughter.” He ran a gentle hand over her hair. “This is just one more thing for you to overcome with the help of your familia.”

“We’re ALL, all in, Chica. He’ll never touch you again,” Taza soothed her.

Megan sat up carefully and wiped her face, nodding as she swallowed hard. “What can I do?”

Bishop pulled a chair up and straddled it. “What do we need to know about Brandon Coleman? You knew about Jimmy setting up a shooters nest. What will Brandon do?”

Hank slipped up to sit next to Megan for support. He took one of her hands and Taza took the other.

Megan nodded. “I’ve known him since I was twelve. He was the foster brother who was into rodeo.”

Bishop nodded. “Good. Any old rodeo injuries?”

“Yeah. Left shoulder has had surgery twice and he’s had his ribs broken a lot… he’s spent time in a neck brace for whiplash too.” Megan wiped at her face and Hank slipped his black bandana into her hand. She smiled and used it gratefully.

“Alright. That we can work with. What caused him to go into law enforcement?” Bishop asked her gently. “You told us that he couldn’t cut it in the rodeo world, so he’s no cowboy.”

“Ummm.. he went to the academy right out of high school. My guess - he liked to pick on those smaller and weaker than him. Always had to be the biggest guy in the room. As a cop he had a legal reason to be a bully.” Megan shrugged.

“That bullying include you, Chica?” Taza asked carefully, offering her the bottle of water that Creeper had brought out for her.

Megan took a sip. “Of course. I was the twelve year old girl his parents brought into his house when he was a teenage boy. He tormented me every chance he got. Did everything he could to make me cry.”

“Then why’d he help you get the job at the diner where you met Jimmy? What was his excuse?” Bishop asked.

They were taking turns asking questions so that it didn’t seem like someone was interrogating her. They were keeping it as gentle as they could while still getting some information.

“Said he couldn’t afford for the town to see his ‘baby sister’ on the street when he was on the books going for detective. It was a small town. People talked.” Megan shrugged. “I didn’t see why it had changed suddenly, but by that point I was too grateful to have the reference to care.”

“Course you were. So he’s a narcissist. Most cops are. Especially the dirty ones.” Bishop said with a gentle smile. “What about special training? Is he like Jimmy? A big game hunter?”

Megan nodded. “We all were. It helped put food on the table. He and Jimmy were hunting buddies. Hunted everything that moved. Brandon wasn’t great at it - didn’t have the patience for it - but he’s got the training, same as me.”

“Any military or S.W.A.T. training?” Hank asked her softly.

“Not to my knowledge. I know he was never military and the closest S.W.A.T. unit to our hometown was over 45 minutes away. He’d never drive that far for training if he didn’t have to.”

“Does he have any ‘professional contacts’ we need to worry about?” Bishop asked.

“Not as far as I know, but then again - I just realized that he probably sold me to a drug dealer for some unknown price. For all I know, he could be in bed with the freaking mafia.” She shrugged apologetically.

“That’s okay, Poquito. That’s good. We’ll get information from Galindo if Coleman is more than just an asshole with a badge. You did good, sweetheart.” Bishop smiled at her.

Megan looked down and played with the hem of her shorts. “Seems like all I bring is trouble for y’all. I’m so sorry.”

“No, Chica. We’re sorry. Jimmy shouldn’t have blown back on you. We should have taken the time to suss out if he was connected,” Taza apologized softly. He kissed her hand gently.

“You couldn’t have known, Papa. I didn’t even know and I was married to the bastard.” Megan squeezed his hand.

Hank nodded and chuckled as Taza broke into a huge smile.

“I really like that, Chica. I know the timing sucks, but I like you calling me Papa.” Taza hugged her to his side and kissed her hair.

Megan snuggled against him but kept hold of Hank’s hand.

Bishop chuckled and patted her knee. “I’m going to let Creeper and Chuckie know you’re awake, Poquito. You need to eat something.”

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elivanah-writes · 2 years

Text

So heartbreaking but it's also a big thing for her to call Taza papa for the first time, clearly a sign that she is more than 100% comfortable with him.

Lost Princessa 22

Here's Chapter 22. Getting closer and closer to the end. Let me know if there's anything that you want to see before I close it out.

Thank you @drabbles-mc! Here's the tattoo scene and a bit of drama.

Please do not copy, translate, or duplicate my work anywhere. I promise you do NOT want to be me.

Warnings: cursing, panic attack, asshole cop (I know they aren't all this way. My brother is an officer. This one just happens to be based off of one in my life that IS an asshole.), tattooing (may be horribly inaccurate. I hate needles and avoid tattoo parlors due to that. I did try to keep it vague.), Letty being a normal teenager... let me know if I left anything out. As always, if you don't like it, don't read it.

After a happy breakfast at the diner where Patty continued to try to flirt outrageously with Taza, they headed to the club house. It was a warm Fall day and Letty had convinced Megan to wear a long pair of shorts that hit her at about the knee with the black off the shoulder top that reminded Hank of Sandy’s carnival top from Grease. She looked amazing. Letty had even bought low top Converses to give Megan another pair of shoes. Today’s pair were bright cherry red.

Megan felt a little self-conscious, but after much weedling from the teenager, she agreed to wear the outfit.

Hank personally thought he should have changed into a looser pair of jeans. He had thought Megan was gorgeous before - especially with her hair down. Today he discovered exactly how tempting being able to see all of her neck was.

As they went into the club house, Bishop pulled up. He and Taza were going to try to knock out as much paperwork for the week ahead as they could before the run on Tuesday. They also had a meeting with the club lawyer later. Taza wanted to get the paperwork in order to take care of Megan in case something happened to him. He didn’t want her to have to depend on charity. She was his heir and daughter and he wanted to get that legally on paper as soon as possible with the life they led.

Inside, Letty beelined for the TV. Coco has a missed yard shift that he decided to make up today. Gilly was working on his bike outside and Creeper was detailing a customer’s bike from a job they had done recently.

This left Hank and Megan alone in the club house, but with most of the club nearby.

Megan grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge as she stashed her riding jacket behind the bar. “You want something to drink, Hank?” she asked.

“Yeah. I’ll take one of those waters. Let me get the station set up and the chair wiped down. Meet you in there in twenty?” He smiled slightly nervously.

Megan grabbed his water and came to him. “You okay? We don’t have to do this if you’ve changed your mind.”

Hank took a deep breath and tugged her in for a hug. “I’m fine, Princessa. I just don’t want you to hate it.”

Megan squeezed him tight and lifted her head to kiss him gently. “I won’t. Your design is gorgeous. And you’ve already said you wanna break the session up so if we want to change anything later, we can.”

Hank nodded. “Okay.” He smiled and kissed her again as he took a deep breath of her scent that was quickly becoming comforting to him. “Lemme go get set up.”

Twenty minutes later, Megan straddled Hank’s tattoo chair with confidence. Hank was sure to tuck some napkins into her top so that it wouldn’t get ink stained before disinfecting her skin. There was no stencil to transfer. Hank planned to freehand it so he could adapt the design if he needed to. The old dreamcatcher would serve as enough of a stencil.

“Ready, Princessa?” he asked her quietly.

“Almost. C’mere.” She gestured for him to come around in front of her before she pulled him into a deep kiss.

Hank sank into the affection and relaxed. When they broke apart he felt a little dazed while she gave him a cheeky grin and a wink.

“Now I’m ready.”

Hank chuckled and turned on his tattoo gun to begin the linework.

Hank checked in with Megan continuously as he worked at first. He wasn’t sure how much she’d be able to take before she’d need a break. He quickly discovered that he didn’t need to worry. She was completely comfortable as he worked. In fact, she appeared to doze off for a bit at one point.

After nearly an hour, Letty wandered in. “Oh wow! That looks amazing already!” she said before taking a seat at Megan’s head. “Will you do my first tattoo, Hank?”

Hank chuckled and set his gun down for a breather. “Sure kiddo. When you’re 18 and Coco gives the go ahead. Without your dad’s permission, I don’t care if you’re 30. I ain’t touchin’ you.”

Megan giggled a bit and sat up to drink some water. “I truly don’t think Coco has any room to tell someone ‘no’ about a tattoo.”

“Maybe not, but I like my skin attached so I won’t do it without his go ahead,” Hank grinned and stretched a bit. “You good, Princessa?”

Megan nodded and smiled at Letty’s pout. “Yeah. It definitely doesn’t hurt the way it did when it was done originally.”

“Good. You’re taking it like a champ. Let me know if I need to stop at any time, okay?”

“Course.” Megan leaned to kiss him softly and smiled before settling back in.

Hank turned his gun back on and started where he had left off.

Letty and Megan chatted about her upcoming party. Letty wanted to know what Megan was looking for in a dress.

“Taza and Bishop say that the base needs to be white, but I can have some color if I want to. It also has to be a ball gown apparently,” Megan told her.

“Well, yeah. That’s to be expected. What color do you want with the white. Most girls do pastels, but I really don’t know why.” Letty settled back in her chair.

“What color did you wear?” Megan asked.

“Oh, I didn’t have one. But I’ve been to a few.”

“Why didn’t you have one?” Megan frowned. “You should have had it last year, right?”

“Yeah, but at the time I was too busy trying to keep my head above water. I didn’t know Coco was my dad and thought Celia was my mom. She’s fucking useless on her best day, so I just skipped it.” Letty didn’t seem upset at all.

“Oh.” Megan’s brow furrowed. “What about your god parents? Didn’t they do anything?” She thought about how insistent Bishop and Marcus were about all the preparations and traditions.

“Don’t have any. I always wondered why. Guess I know now.” Letty shrugged. “Coco was about to do time when I was born and apparently my birth mom was a junkie. Coco wanted to put me up for adoption the way he did his other two kids, but Celia fought him on it for some reason. He didn’t have a chance to be sure I was baptized and shit before he went inside. Celia never actually gave a shit, so I just don’t have any.”

Megan sighed. “So you’re like me. At least you were raised in and know the culture and language. I’m continuiously sure I”m gonna fuck something up majorly.”

Letty smiled. “True. Hey, we’re both where we belong now though.”

Hank grinned as Megan nodded slightly.

Letty poked the front of Megan’s shoulder gently. “So… what color?”

“Oh! Right. I dunno. I really like the dark green like the guy’s patches. I’m just dreading being in the big dress for the entire party.”

“What if you didn’t have to be? One of the girls at school had the big ball gown for the traditional parts, but then could shorten the skirt for the rest of the party.”

“You can do that?” Megan asked slightly excitedly.

Hank spoke up. “Princessa, you can do whatever you want. You want a convertible dress? We’ll get you a convertible dress. We’ve got an entire warehouse of dressmakers who work with us. You want something? It’ll be yours, I promise you that.” He gently kissed the back of her head before he went back to tattooing.

Letty’s eyes gleamed. “You could have a completely one of a kind dress. A dress fit for a Mayan Princess. You could design whatever you want.”

“Oh no! I couldn’t. I don’t know how to explain it to anyone and I certainly can’t draw it myself.” Megan was mortified at the idea of having a dress designed just for her by some strange woman who would be judging her the entire time.

“Hey - you could tell me what you want. I don’t have a problem speaking up.” Letty shrugged. “Hey, Hank, got some blank paper and a pencil lying around here?”

“Sure, kiddo. Top desk drawer should have a new sketch pad and pencils in it. Got for it.” Hank smiled at the sixteen year old girl’s enthusiasm.

“Thanks.” Letty grabbed the stuff and planted herself on the floor at Megan’s head so that Megan could see over her shoulder. “So a convertible ball gown…” She peppered Megan with questions about sleeves and colors while Hank finished the line work on the dreamcatcher and moved on to inking the stars that Megan had asked for.

By the time he’d finished all the linework, Letty had a ton of notes as to Megan’s dress and was sketching as they talked. Hank quietly cleaned up and sanitized everything before interrupting their design session. “Hate to interrupt, but do you wanna see it before I bandage it, Princessa?”

Megan startled a bit as she realized the hum of the gun was gone. “Oh! Are we done?”

“With the linework. Color and shading come after you heal some.” He smiled and pressed a kiss to her exposed shoulder.

“Please!”

Hank helped her to stand with her back to a mirror and handed her a smaller mirror so she could see the work.

It was incredibly detailed. You could see every line in the feathers and the texture of the string in the webbing of the dreamcatcher.

Megan caught her breath. “Oh, Hank! It’s beautiful!” She put down the mirror and threw her arms around him. “Thank you! I love it.”

Hank chuckled and squeezed her carefully around the waist. “I’m glad. It’ll look better when it’s done. Promise.” He kissed the top of her head. “Let me wrap it. I’d normally give aftercare instructions, but I don’t think that’ll be necessary since you’ll be with me.” He grinned and wrapped her tattoo in plastic, carefully taping the edges well.

Letty smiled and closed the sketch book. “It’s perfect. Do you mind if I borrow this sketchbook, Hank? I could just tear the stuff out.”

“Nah. Take it. Keep it. I’ve got them stashed everywhere.”

Letty’s eyebrows shot towards her hairline. “Really? I can keep it?”

“Really, kid.” Hank ruffled her hair affectionately and made a note to tell Coco to get her some art supplies.

“Thanks!” She smiled and slipped out into the bar to find a table to sit at and sketch.

“C’mon Princessa. Lunch time.” Hank slipped his arm around her waist and guided ehr out to the main room of the bar. He was fully ready to pry Bish and Taza away from the office, but to his surprise they were in the bar.

A uniformed man stood with them and it seemed to be getting heated.

“You WILL tell me where I can find her or I’ll have you arrested for obstruction!” the man shouted.

Megan flinched heavily against him and tension flooded her muscles.

“Shhh. Stay here, Princessa. I’ll go see what he wants. You don’t have to get anywhere near him,” Hank tried to soothe her - torn between his president and his girl.

Megan clutched at his arm, her short nails digging into his skin slightly as she shook. “Me. He wants me.”

The stranger’s head popped up at Megan’s voice. “Finally! Where the fuck have you been? And what the hell happened to Jimmy?”

Megan flinched heavily again and Hank stepped in front of her. “Who the FUCK are you?!” Hank growled.

“Oh please. The big, bad biker bit doesn’t scare me. Megan’s always been good at wrapping men like you around her fingers,” the man scoffed. “Megan. Get the hell over here so we can go home. You have a husband to mourn and a funeral to plan. Time to stop playing hide-and-seek and grow the fuck up.”

Hank stood to his full height as rage flooded him. Taza and Bishop moved to back him up as Letty scurried out the door. “I asked you a question, Asshole. Who the fuck are you? And why do you think you have any control over Megan.”

Megan buried herself in Hank’s patch and sobbed softly. “Don’t Hank. He’s a cop.”

“Not here he ain’t,” Bishop said. “That badge only works in his own jurisdiction if he ain’t a Fed.”

The uniformed man straightened. “I am Detective Brandon Coleman. I’ve been sent to investigate the death of the parole dodger Jimmy Melton. His wife is now my key suspect in his death.” He snapped his fingers at Megan. “Stop that whimpering. You aren’t twelve anymore.”

Taza growled. “Then as an officer of the law, you should know that the investigation is already closed. Santo Padre Police Department conducted their investigation. Mr. Melton died in a car accident while stalking my daughter.”

“Your daughter? Oh that’s rich. Did she finally find someone to adopt her ass? Lord knows my parents wouldn’t.” Brandon chuckled coldly.

Bishop stepped forward. “Look. You obviously know my god-daughter and you obviously have strong opinions about her ex-husband. That still doesn’t answer the question of who you are.”

Megan hiccupped quietly as Creeper and Coco slipped in through the kitchen door to back their brothers. Letty had obviously fetched them when she sensed trouble.

Creeper soothed her with a hand on her shoulder. “Shhh Little Princess. We got you.”

Megan took a deep breath of Hank’s scent and nodded as she felt for the chain around her neck. “He’s my foster brother. And a friend of Jimmy’s,” she stuttered out.

Hank could feel her fingers clutching at the back of his shirt above his belt. Her forehead was leaned on the Mayan patch on the back of his kutte. Her breath was stuttering enough that he could hear it. “Alright then Detective Coleman. Here’s the facts for you. Megan came to find her family. Apparently Jimmy Melton followed her here - stalked her here. He was killed in a car accident while Megan was in plain sight having dinner and dancing in my mother’s backyard. She has an airtight alibi for her ex’s T.O.D. So does everyone in this club. Megan identified his body when called to the Santo Padre Police Department. Before that moment, Megan had no proof that he was even in Southern California. She was terrified. She finally got some relief and closure before you showed up threatening her peace.” Hank saw Gilly between the jackass and the exit. Coco and Creeper had the kitchen door covered. “I can overlook you accusing us of having something to do with a crime, but you made my girl cry. You’ve set back her recovery from her fears. I WON’T overlook that.”

Bishop and Taza nodded. “Megan is family. She is loved and safe here. I get the feeling that wasn’t the case when she was a part of your family. She’s not going ANYWHERE she doesn't want to go - and she’s not going ANYWHERE with you,” Bishop stated.

Brandon puffed out his chest and tapped his badge before resting a hand on the handle of his service weapon. “This badge says I can do whatever I want with the little bitch and there’s not a damn thing you can do about it.”

Taza stepped to the front and completely blocked Megan from Brandon’s view. “Listen, Detective Asshole, that’s my daughter you’re talking about. MY DAUGHTER. I don’t give a fucking shit what kind of claim you think you have - legal or otherwise. My daughter will ALWAYS be safe as long as I’m around. And I have every confidence that should I not be around, my brothers will protect her with their lives. So you can take those cocky-ass false threats and shove them up your own ass sideways. Now, unless you have a warrant, get the FUCK off my property. You’re trespassing.”

Hank felt Megan trying to get her breathing under control against his back. Creeper was muttering quietly to her, assuring her that she was safe and no one could take her from them. From the sound of it, Coco was pacing like a caged lion in front of the kitchen door. He kept muttering in Spanish and Hank would almost bet the sniper had a hand on the gun concealed beneath his kutte.

Bishop gestured to Gilly. “Gilly, make sure the detective doesn’t get lost on his way out. Then call SanPad PD and ask them to send someone out to take a complaint and pick up the security tapes that show this encounter.” Gilly stood and used his larger frame to crowd Brandon out the door. “Good luck, Detective. We won’t meet again.”

Coco strode past to back Gilly up.

As soon as he was actually gone, Hank pulled Megan around to his front and scooped her up. Her arms locked around his neck and her legs locked around his waist. “Shh, Princessa. He’s gone. You’re safe. Breathe for me baby.”

Megan sobbed harder and hiccuped against his neck. She was shaking so hard her teeth were chattering. She was hyperventilating.

Hank carried her to the bar and sat her on the top of it with him still locked against her. It freed his hands to try to soothe her. “What do you need, Princessa? How can we help? Breathe, baby. Just one breath. Breathe for me, please?” She wasn’t calming. Hank threw a panicked look to Taza. “Taza, she’s gonna pass out if she doesn’t breathe real soon…”

Taza hurried around behind the bar and then climbed up behind her. He situated himself with her back to his chest with her still clinging to Hank. “Time to breathe, Chica. Can you feel me breathe?” He took a few exaggeratedly deep breaths against her back and slipped an arm around her to rest his hand on her diaphragm. Megan nodded against Hank’s neck. “Good girl! Breathe with me, Sweetheart. In through your nose for me. Good job. Now out through your mouth.” Megan managed a stuttered breath with Taza’s verbal coaching.

Hank soothed his hands down the outside of her thighs. “That’s my girl. Breathe with Taza, Princessa. Keep breathing. You’re okay. You’re safe. We’ve got you.”

Megan slowly caught her breath a bit and her grip started to loosen.

Creeper slipped a cool rag into Hank’s hand.

“Shh. We’ve got you Princessa. Can you sit back just a little for me? Lean on Taza. He’s got you. We’re not going anywhere,” Hank coaxed.

Megan relaxed back against Taza’s chest, shuddering and shivering. Hank quickly, but gently cleaned her face. He wiped the tears and snot off before tossing the rag aside.

Coco pressed a hoodie into Hank’s hands. “Here. It’s not yours but it’ll help warm her up.” He’d stripped his own hoodie off and stood there in his wife beater and kutte.

“Thanks man.” Hank worked the hoodie onto Megan. “Shhh, Princessa. Let’s get you warm.”

Taza rocked his upper body soothingly and hummed under his breath against her ear. “Papa’s got you, Sweetheart. We’ve all got you. You’re safe here.”

Gilly spoke quietly from the door. “Bish. Frankie’s here to take that trespassing complaint. You want him in the office or in here?”

Bishop took his own calming breath. “I’ll talk to him in the office, but I want him to see what that cabrón has done,” he said quietly. “I think it’ll get our point across.”

Gilly nodded and stepped outside to explain Bishop’s request to their contact in the police department.

Frankie stepped in quietly with a nod for Bishop and watched as Hank and Taza continued to talk Megan down. He stepped close to Bishop to speak quietly. “Damn. How long has she been like that?”

Bishop glanced down at his watch. “Going on twenty-five minutes. Let’s go talk. This won’t happen to my god-daughter again. I’m giving you a chance to do this legally. If he comes near her again - I’ll take care of it.” He gave the officer a hard look.

Frankie nodded. “Yes sir. Let’s go get this harassment report filled out.”

Bishop led Frankie out and Gilly followed as a ‘witness’.

Megan’s breathing had finally settled into something resembling normal. It still hitched on sobs every so often, but it was much better than it had been. Her forehead rested on Hank’s rank flash and her eyes were closed.

Taza shifted to get down and panic flashed across her face. “PAPA! No!” She gasped and clutched at his hands.

Taza froze before gently soothing her and settling back in to rock her softy. “Shhh. I’ve got you, Sweetheart. Papa’s not going anywhere.” He met Hank’s eyes as his own started to water. It was the first time Megan had called him anything but Taza.

Hank ran his hands down her thighs again. “Megan, baby, can we move you to a couch? Somewhere a bit softer? We’re not leaving you, baby. We just want you comfortable. That okay, Princessa?”

Megan nodded a little.

“Okay, Chica. I’m going to shift you to Hank, okay? I’m right behind you.” Taza nodded and Hank pulled Megan back up into his arms to walk her to the couch where Letty was already waiting with blankets and water.

A small whimper slipped out and Megan’s head whipped around to be sure Taza was still there.

He was. He hopped down off the bar and followed close behind smiling reassuringly. “Right here, Sweetheart. I’m coming.” He kept his soft smile on his face and followed Hank to the couch in the most protected section of the bar.

Taza sat and Hank placed Megan next to him where she could cuddle beneath her father’s arm. He took the woven Apaché blanket from Letty with a brief smile of thanks and tucked it around his girl.

“Stretch your legs out, Princessa. Rest. Your Papa and I are right here.” Hank settled on the floor with his side braced against the couch so he could see Taza’s face as well as Megan’s. When Megan followed his instructions, he smiled. Letty handed him a cold bottle of water.

“Creeper said to find the coldest bottle I could so I dug to the back. I put another one in the freezer for a few minutes for after she finishes that one,” Letty told him quietly. She watched Megan with fearful eyes and trembling hands.

“Thank you, Letty. Here, Princessa. Sip some of this for us. It will help your sore throat. Good girl.” Hank held the bottle for her to drink from and cupped her chin to help her lift it to drink. Everything seemed like it took a monumental effort for her.

Coco came to stand with an arm around Letty’s shoulders. She looked up at him worriedly. “She’ll be okay, right Coco?”

Coco pressed a gentle kiss to Letty’s forehead. “She’ll be fine. She’s crashing from a pretty major anxiety attack. It’s part of her PTSD. I used to do the same thing. That asshole cop scared her pretty bad. You did good coming to get us when you saw he was throwing his weight around like that.” He watched as Megan’s eyes started to drift closed. One hand was fisted in Taza’s shirt and the other tangled in Hank’s rosary. “C’mon. Let’s go see if Creeper found anything edible in the kitchen. Megan will need to eat something when she wakes up.

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elivanah-writes · 2 years

Text

Lost Princessa 21

Well... fuck. I THOUGHT there were only like 2 chapters left. Apparently Hank and Megan had other thoughts. We're still close to the end, but I've given up on guessing how close. I've got at least one more chapter written and possibly 2 before the end. Sorry (not really). Here's chapter 21 to tide you over while I'm at home with family and spotty internet.

Please do not copy, translate or duplicate my work anywhere. I promise. You do not want to be me. I have 24 four and five year olds who I deal with daily. You don't want that. I promise.

Thank you to @drabbles-mc. You keep me going here. I hope this lives up to what you were expecting. The promised tattoo scene ended up falling in next chapter.

Warnings: cursing.... FLUFF. This chapter is literally all fluff. I just curse like a sailor with a construction worker accent....

After dinner had been eaten and the dishes were in the dishwasher, Taza pointed out how clear of a night it was. “Why don’t you two stick around out here until the fire goes out?” he suggested. “I’m going to finish some book work for Bishop before we spend the day at the club house tomorrow.”

Hank grinned. “What do you say, Princessa?”

“Sounds great, but I want cocoa and a blanket.” She shivered a bit in the desert night.

“Good idea. Why don’t you go get into comfy clothes and grab a blanket. I’ll get the cocoa and my sketch pad so we can go over what you want to do with your tattoo.” Hank suggested quickly.

“Good plan.” Megan hopped up and quickly slipped inside to change into sweats to be warmer and grab one of the new fuzzy blankets they had bought for the living room.

Taza smiled. “You’ve already got it designed, don’t you?”

“What?” Hank asked.

“Her reina tattoo. You’ve already got it designed.” He watched Hank’s face carefully and chuckled at the shocked look on his brother’s face.

Hank shrugged uncomfortably. “Maybe. We’re working on her back piece refresh tomorrow. Just want to get some designs on paper for it before we get to the club house and the Village Idiots try to influence her.”

“Good idea. I need to get her opinion first, but I’ve got an idea for matching tattoos for after her Quince,” Taza mentioned.

“Let me know when and we’ll get it designed.” He patted Taza’s shoulder and went inside to make Megan cocoa.

Hank met Megan back outside at the firepit with a cup of cocoa for her and a cup of tea for him. She was tucked up on the patio loveseat swathed in the grey fuzzy blanket they had bought that morning. She also was wearing the zip-up hoodie that he still hadn’t reclaimed.

“Comfy, Princessa?”

“Uh huh. Be even more comfy when you come sit with me.” SHe grinned mischievously at him.

He chuckled and handed her both hot drinks and his sketchbook so he could sit behind her and let her lean on his chest.

“Can I look at your sketches?” Megan asked quietly after he had reclaimed his tea for a sip.

“Of course. There’s not many in this book. I started it not long ago, but I have more of them in my foot locker.” He sipped his tea and slid a hand around her waist under the blanket while she looked through his tattoo sketches.

“These are amazing, Hank. Why don’t you have your own shop?” Megan asked as she looked at the finely drawn line art and delicately shaded pieces.

“I kinda do. The chair at the club house is licensed at my shop. I just don’t take many clients by choice.” He pointed out a Mayan themed piece. “That’s part of Angel’s back piece. Each of the guys have a few of my pieces - except the prospect. Gotta be a full patch before I’ll ink him.”

Megan shifted to look up at him. “So what’s your plan for mine?”

He chuckled and settled her back so he could sketch around her. “Your dreamcatcher is super basic right now. I want to flesh it out a bit. Give it some more detail.” As he spoke he sketched with a pencil from his kutte pocket. “I want to make the feathers more lifelike and make the beads more than just dots. Maybe even add to the webbing. Then I wanna touch up your sunset watercolor. Give it some defined edges instead of fading it out so that it won’t fade as fast.”

Megan watched in awe as the drawing took shape in her lap. Hank was more than an accomplished artist. He was amazing and Megan couldn’t help but be wonderstruck. “I love it. Can we add something?”

“Of course, Princessa. Anything you want.”

Megan pointed to the darkest part of the ‘sunset’. “My favorite story has always been Peter Pan. Can we add two stars here on the shoulder?”

“The one on the right bigger than the other, right?” Hank asked as he added it in while noting the subject for later.

Megan nodded excitedly. “Perfect.” She smiled and ran gentle fingers down his arm to link her fingers with him. “I love it.”

Hank pressed a kiss to her shoulder. “I’m glad. We’ll get what we can done tomorrow.I don’t think I can do it all in one sitting. Doing the wash over fresh linework would be too painful for you.”

Megan snorted. “The original wasn’t too bad. We did it in one sitting because the artist was so impatient to have it done.”

“Well I’m not impatient. I won’t put you through unnecessary pain, Princessa. Not when we can just wait a week or two to finish it.” He hugged her tight as the fire died next to them.

When it was down to coals, Hank felt Megan shiver despite the blanket and his body heat. “Alright, Princessa. You’re getting chilled. Why don’t you take the cups and things in and I’ll put out the fire. Meet you in the bedroom in ten minutes?”

Megan yawned and nodded. She headed inside to put the cups in the dishwasher and found Taza at the kitchen table with his paperwork.

“Off to bed, Chica?” he asked, leaning back to take a break.

“Mmmhmm. Hank’s putting out the coals.” She yawned.

“Good. I’ll check them again before I turn in for the night.” He stood and kissed her forehead. “Sweet dreams, Chica. I”ll see you in the morning.”

Megan squeezed her father around the waist and shuffled off to get ready for bed.

A few minutes later, Hank came inside with his sketchbook and the blanket.

“All good, hermano?” Taza asked with a smile.

“All good. You wanna see the design?” Hank opened his sketchbook to the page drawn for Megan. “Any notes?”

“Mmm… the beads - yellow, turquoise, black and white. She doesn't need all black beads. And let me check on the specific pattern for her feathers. She earned her battle feathers by dealing with Jimmy. I’ll call Adam and have a reference photo for you by morning.” Taza tapped the page. “Beautiful work, brother. Can’t wait to see it finished.”

“Me either. At least this time it’ll be done properly. Apparently her entire back piece was done in one sitting last time. Pair it with the crap inks and it’s no wonder it’s fading unevenly.” Hank shook his head with a growl.

Taza winced. “Ouch. That had to hurt over her spine like that. And a wash over fresh linework? I’d have shot someone.”

“Yeah. I’m headed to bed. I text the prospect and the idiot to come paint tomorrow while we’re at the club house. Buenas noches, hermano.” Hank patted his shoulder.

“Buenas noches, Hank.”

Megan was in the bathroom with the door open when he came in. He could head her washing her face and went to lean on the doorframe. He watched as she dried her face and then dabbed something on with a cotton ball. After that she applied a lotion around her eyes and another all over her face and neck. “What’s that Princessa?” he asked genuinely curious.

Meggan grinned at him in the mirror and put toothpaste on her toothbrush to brush her teeth. “What? My moisturizer or the whole process?”

“I guess the whole thing.”

“It’s my skincare routine. It helps keep my skin healthy. One of my foster moms was big on it and it just kinda became a habit. First I wash my face to get rid of everything from the day. Then I use a toner, eye cream, and moisturizer. In the mornings I do it too, but I also apply sunscreen. Especially here.” She grinned and started brushing her teeth.

“Huh. Never knew there was more than washing your face involved.”

Megan rinsed her mouth and laughed. “Haven’t lived with many girls, huh?”

“Just Mama. She doesn’t use much stuff.” Hank stepped in to brush his own teeth and Megan slipped out behind him pressing a kiss between his shoulder blades.

“You’ll get used to it. Maybe even try it one day.” SHe left him in peace to get ready for bed.

Hank came out of the bathroom to find Megan curled into a ball facing his side of the bed. He climbed in and propped himself up on his elbow facing her. “All good, Princessa?” he asked sliding his hand to cup her neck gently and stroke over her cheek with his thumb.

Megan leaned into his hand and nuzzled the soft skin of his inner wrist. “All good.”

“You sure?” he tugged her gently to offer her her favorite spot against his chest.

“Mmmhmm. Just trying to figure out my reaction earlier tonight.” SHe snuggled close against his bare skin and practically melted at the heat of him.

“Don’t overthink it. You did good. You didn’t panic. You just controlled you emotions until you got the whole story. Needing reassurance is okay, Megan. Especially from me or Taza.” Hank placed a kiss on her head and smiled. “Get some rest, Princessa. I’m here. You’re safe.”

Megan tilted her face up to get her goodnight kiss and smiled as Hank turned out the light.

Hank woke the next morning to an empty bed. Megan must have slipped out recently though because her spot was still warm. He could hear the shower running and sat up to scrub his hands down his face. A knock on the door came. “Come in,” he growled.

Taza stuck his head around the door. “Coffee’s ready. EZ is on his way too.”

Hank nodded and yawned. “And Angel?”

“Supposed to meet EZ here apparently - after we leave. Bishop is taking no chances that Angel mouths off at you and gets himself killed.”

Hank chuckled. “Probably smart. I’m not exactly at my most patient right now.” Hank stood up with a groan. “Do you happen to remember if you bought any tops that’ll show her upper back when you went shopping with her the other day? I really don’t want her in the club house chair in her bra. That’s a sure way to get someone killed today.”

Taza laughed. “Nope. Want me to call Coco? See if Letty has something she can borrow?”

“Nah. I’ll call him. Get him to take Letty shopping for Megan. They can meet us at the club house after breakfast.” The shower cut off. “Besides - that way Megan gets some more clothes but doesn’t have to shop for them.”

And you don’t have to fight her to let you buy them,” Taza muttered.

The door to the ensuite opened with a billow of steam. “Well… good morning.”

“Morning Chica.”

“Good morning, Princessa. Sleep okay?”

Megan squeezed the water from her hair gently with a towel. “Mostly. Just woke up early and figured I’d get the shower out of the way. Give my hair time to dry some.”

Hank nodded. “Good plab. I’m going to ask Coco to take Letty shopping for you a shirt to wear while I work on your back. That okay?”

Megan started to protest the need for yet another new piece of clothing, but stopped herself as Hank watched. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, but didn’t speak. Finally she nodded. “ Alright. Can you remind him to tell her to keep it decently modest, please? She and I don’t exactly have the same sense of style.”

Taza grinned. “I’ll make that call to Coco. You guys get ready for the day.” He slipped out through the open door shaking his head ruefully.

Hank took a few steps to close the distance between himself and Megan before tilting her face up to meet his eyes. “Good girl. You remembered.” His warm, dark eyes sparkled down at her and he leaned in to place a gentle kiss on the corner of her apologetic grin.

“I’m trying. Keep her contained? Please?” Megan fiddled with his necklace against his bare chest.

“Of course, Princessa. Thank you.”

She patted his chest and nodded. “Okay. Go on and get ready. I’m going to head to the kitchen to see what I can find to make for breakfast.”

“Alright, Princessa, but don’t worry about cooking. Let’s go to the diner for breakfast. It’s Sunday,” Hank said as he slipped into the still slightly steaming bathroom to brush his teeth and get ready for the day ahead.

Megan shook her head as she watched him and went out to the kitchen - still drying her hair.

In the kitchen, Megan made herself a cup of coffee. Taza was sitting at the kitchen table, so she went to join him - kissing the top of his head in greeting.

Taza smiled at her east affection. “Ready for today, Chica?”

Megan smiled a little and nodded. “I think so. Last time I had some trouble with the healing, but that may have been because it was all done at once and I was trying to take care of it alone. Hard to spread the aftercare ointments on the center of my shoulders alone.”

Taza snorted. “Yeah. A bit. I know you were emancipated at sixteen, but that artist should have spread shit out better.”

She shrugged and sipped her coffee. “I survived. This time will be better. I’ve got you guys to help and keep me from screwing it up too bad.”

“Damn straight you do. We hitting the diner on the way to the yard?” Taza stood to rinse his coffee mug before putting it in the dishwasher.

“Hank said so. Something about ‘it’s Sunday’?”

Taza chuckled. “Sunday is cinnamon roll day at the diner. Patty makes them and all the guys go nuts over them.”

Megan laughed. “Gotcha. So, what you’re saying is that if I make sticky buns for at the club house I should prepare to be mobbed.”

“What’s a sticky bun?” Hank asked from the doorway, pulling on his plaid overshirt over his dark jeans and black wife-beater.

Megan turned to smile at him. “Like a cinnamon roll, but with caramelized pecans and caramel with the cream cheese icing.”

Hank’s face lit up. “I definitely want to try that.”

Taza held up a hand. “Seconded!”

Megan giggled at the gleeful look on the men’s faces. “Maybe I’ll make some sometime this week. Is everyone a big sweets person in the club?” Megan finished her coffee and stood to take care of her cup. Taza took it and did it for her since he was still leaned up against the sink.

“Most of us. Creeper loves it, but doesn’t always eat it. He’s more health conscious than the rest of us,” Taza told her. “Would you like me to braid your hair up out of the way of your back today?”

This time it was Megan’s turn to get excited. “Please? I was just going to throw it in a messy bun and hope for the best.” At Taza’s happy nod and chuckle she bounced on her toes a bit. “Let me go change out of this shirt. It’s drenched.”

“Okay, Chica. Bring hair pins and ties back with your brush please?”

Megan hurried out of the room to go change her now wet t-shirt as Hank chuckled. “She’s so excited. I’m going to have to learn to braid for when you’re on runs, aren’t I?”

“It probably wouldn’t hurt your chances. Don’t tell Bishop you know this, but he can do a basic braid too if y’all get desperate.” Taza laughed. “She CAN braid her own hair. She just likes being pampered a bit and it gives me a chance to spoil her in a way she’ll allow. Braiding her hair costs me nothing but time and that’s something that she’ll let me spend on her.”

A knock sounded on the front door.

“That’ll be the prospect. You wanna let him in while I take care of Megan’s hair?” Taza dried his hand on a dish towel Megan had left on the counter.

Hank chuckled. “Sure.” He stood and started for the door.

At the door, Hank did find EZ, but also found Coco and Letty loaded down with shopping bags. “Shit, man. Did you let her buy the whole town?” Hank laughed ruefully. “Come on in. Taza’s got coffee in the kitchen.”

Coco grinned. “She’s been shopping for days, hermano. Taza calling just fueled that shit.”

Letty shrugged. “Hey, the girl can’t blame me and I DID buy a lot of it second hand so she can’t even bitch about the price.” She shoved the bags she was carrying into EZ’s hands. “Here. My arms are tired. Put those muscles to work.”

EZ took them quickly. “Yes ma’am.”

They headed into the ranch house and Coco and EZ put down their loads of bags. Letty looked to Hank expectantly for direction to Megan.

“She’s either in the kitchen with Taza or in our bedroom. I’d check the kitchen first. Taza was going to do her hair.” Hank pointed to the kitchen doorway.

Letty grinned and headed into the kitchen.

Hank looked over the mountain of shopping bags. “Damn. When did she start shopping?”

Coco shrugged abashedly. “After she met her the first time. I got the sizes from the Boyscout so they should all fit.”

EZ shoved his fists in his pockets with a grin. “I was told to do whatever the princesses asked of me. So I did.”

Hank laughed and shook his head. “Lemme know how much I owe you, man. Megan really needed clothes though so, thank you.”

“Nah man. We all chipped in to Letty’s shopping fund. Megan needed shit. Family first, brother.” Coco grinned. “Even Chuckie chipped in!”

Hank patted his brother’s shoulder and nodded as he swallowed hard. “We appreciate it.” He cleared his throat. “More than you can know.”

EZ nodded as well. “She needs to know she’s family, man. We’ll do what we need to to prove it to her.” He shrugged awkwardly. “Angel and I talked to Pops and he made sure to point Letty to friends of your Mom’s too. I know they made sure Megan would have more traditional clothes for festivals and things.”

Letty poked her head around the kitchen doorway. “Are you guys coming?”

“Patience Leticia! We’re coming.” Coco shook his head. “C’mon man, before Letty comes to drag us in there.”

EZ smiled. “I’ll take the bags back to your room. That way la princessa can freak out in semi privacy at least.” He picked up half the bags and took them back as Coco and Hank went on into the kitchen.

Megan sat as Taza braided her hair into a crown to keep it off her neck and skin for the day. He was quiet and concentrated as Letty gushed over how pretty Megan looked with her hair braided that way.

“You’d make a perfect La Calavera Catrina! I can’t wait for next month! And you just wait. I found the perfect shirt for you to wear today in one of the thrift stores in town. It’s off the shoulder with a low back and high front so it’s still fairly modest. I know you don’t show a lot of skin, but a little won’t hurt, right Hank?” Letty rambled.

Hank smiled softly at Megan. “As long as you’re comfortable, Princessa. That’s all that matters.”

Megan smiled a little shyly. “You didn’t go overboard, right Letty?”

“Pshh. No. And almost all of it is second hand. I just have connections at all the thrift stores in town so no freaking out about money. If you play it right you can get BAGS of clothes for like ten bucks.” Letty sipped coffee and sat back triumphant.

Megan cut her eyes at Hank without moving her head. “You’re going to let me pay you back for it, right?”

“Not a chance, Princessa. Besides, it’s not from me. Your familia all got together and did it.” Hank offered her his hand to squeeze as she worked through things in her own way.

“Really?” Megan asked sniffing.

Hank looked to Coco to let him answer and was surprised when the sniper squatted down in front of Megan’s chair so she could see his face while Taza braided the back of her head.

“Ma…” he reached out and took her free hand in his. “You came to us with nearly nothing. You had a panic attack in a Harley dealership because someone spent money on you for the first time in your life. You insisted on helping even before you got a job at the bar. You treat every one of us as if we were the most important people in your life - but then you can’t seem to understand when we return the favor. It goes both ways. You know how to treat people like family. Now it’s time to let us teach you how it feels to really BE family.”

Megan sniffed and released Hank’s hand to wipe at her eyes. “Thank you.”

Coco squeezed her hand gently. “You’re welcome, Ma. Now quit it with the crying. I ain’t any good with fuckin’ tears.”

She gave a watery chuckle as Taza slipped the last pin in place in her hair.

“There you go Chica. A true Princessa. Now - you and Letty go dig through bags so you can get changed and then we’ll go to breakfast while the Prospect does all the dirty work.” Taza patted her shoulder and laughed as Letty grabbed her hand to drag her off to change - again. They nearly bowled EZ down as he started to come into the kitchen. All the Mayan men chuckled and shook their heads.

“Why do I get the feeling that even with ten years separating those two, they’re gonna be a true force to be reckoned with?” Hank asked.

“Shit man! Gonna be?! You shoulda seen Letty practically shaking Bishop down for shopping money. We’re fucked,” Coco said laughing.

“And gonna enjoy every minute of it…” Taza finished with a grin.

41 notes · View notes

elivanah-writes · 2 years

Text

Lost Princessa 20

Chapter 20 : Megan remembers to straighten her crown.

Thank you to @drabbles-mc, @iamthegraham, and @jemmakates. Y'all keep me sane in this. I promise I'm almost done.

Warnings: cursing, family tension?, bit of a filler chapter really... let me know if I missed anything.

Do not copy, translate, or duplicate my work anywhere else. I promise, right now you do NOT want to be me. Hell, sometimes I don't even want to be me right now.

Enjoy.

They exited Templo to find everyone sitting at a makeshift family-style table made by pushing the bar tables together. Everyone was eating pancakes, eggs, and bacon and there wasn’t a beer in sight. Everyone had coffee or juice instead. There was the happy chatter of conversation all around them. Even Letty was there.

Taza looked for Megan and found her sitting close to the head of the table with Hank across from her. He’d almost bet that the empty seat to her left was for him and the empty to the left of that was for Bishop at the head of the table. He grinned and started towards her. “You’ve been busy, Chica.”

Megan grinned up at him. “Letty’s friend dropped her off while y’all were in Templo so I thought we’d just have a family breakfast.” She patted the chair next to her. “Saved you a seat.”

“I hope you saved ME some bacon before Gilly ate it all, Poquito!” Bishop said.

Megan winked at him. “Chuckie just fried you up some, Bish. Come on and sit down. Eat before it gets cold.”

They laughed and talked shit about each other throughout the whole meal. After all the food was eaten and EZ had cleared the dishes to go help Chuckie with the clean up duties, everyone started to filter out.

“Hey Creep!” Hank called as the bald Mayan started getting ready to leave. “Where’s the keys to the van? We gotta make a run to the hardware store for Megan’s room,”

Creeper pulled them out of the pocket of his kutte. “Here, man. Just cleaned it so you should be good to go, Lemme know if you need help with shit, a’ight? I ain’t got shit to do this afternoon.”

“Thanks man. We’ll let you know,” Taza said with a grin.

He turned to find Megan looking over the bar inventory she’s had EZ do that morning. Chuckie stood at her elbow pointing out his methods of tracking to her so she could help him out some too. “You ready, Chica?” he called.

Megan grinned and handed the papers to the odd little book keeper before calling back, “Sure. Be right there!” and grabbing her jacket from behind the bar.

At the hardware store, Hank witnessed Megan’s stubborn insistence that she didn’t need things that she couldn’t buy herself for the first time. It took Hank and Taza insisting that she needed some things before she finally gave in.

They chose a light cream color for her bedroom walls and a color that reminded her of the sea glass she had picked up at the ocean for the bathroom. Taza purchased little things like hooks for beside the door for her jacket and their kuttes without her opinions.

After they had what they needed there loaded in the van, Taza insisted on going to the home goods store.

“Chica, I was a bachelor. I only have like three towels and shit. We need things now that three of us are gonna live there,” Taza said matter of factly. “We need another set of sheets for your room, curtains for your damn windows, stuff for your bathroom… we need shit. Might as well get it all at once.”

Hank chuckled. “And a coffee maker that I know how to use, please?”

That made Megan giggle and broke the tension. “No coffee maker! The percolator isn’t hard to use, I promise.”

“Fine, but we do need some stuff, Princessa. You deserve your own space decorated your way.” Hank kissed her hair gently and nudged her. “Don’t think about the cost. Think about the comfort of everyone.”

Megan sighed. “Can we get a fuzzy blanket for the couch?”

“Anything you want, Chica. We can get as many fuzzy blankets as you want. For every room in the house even.” Taza grinned as she nodded as if she’d just been negotiating and not out right refusing to have things bought for her.

At the home goods store, Megan was much more cooperative. She would find small comfort items that would be nice in the house for everyone- not just for herself- like the bench for the mudroom so they could take off their boots when they came in the door.

Hank joined her in choosing things for her room and that relaxed her even further. Rugs for both sides of the bed to protect from the chill of the hardwood in the morning were bought as well as the sheets and Mayan green blackout curtains for her massive windows. A bookshelf stained the same color as her bedroom suite made its way one the list of purchased items along with bedside lamps for reading.

For her bathroom, they bought things in a soft grey - rugs, towels, and shower curtain were all bought. Things like a soap dish and toothbrush holder for the his and her sinks were needed as well as a shelf for the large shower to hold shampoo and things.

By the end of it, they had what Hank and Taza had termed ‘the bare necessities’ and checked out. Hank loaded it all into the van with a sigh of relief.

“Alright. One more stop before home guys,” Taza said. “We need groceries - we’re out of beer and coffee.”

“And Megan needs shampoo and shit that isn’t travel sized,” Hank reminded him.

Megan nodded reluctantly. “I do have some things that I need.”

“Good. Last stop then before the Ranch.” Taza put the van in gear and they headed to the biggest grocery store in town.

It was afternoon by the time they got back to the ranch with everything from town. Taza and Hank unloaded things while Megan put groceries away. She rearranged some things so the kitchen was easier for her to navigate while she was at it.

She poked her head out the front door to where they were putting together the bench they’d bought. “Are we eating here tonight? I can cook something if so.”

“Sure, Princessa. I’ve still got to run into town to get some stuff from my apartment and check on Mama like you asked, but I can be back by dinner.”

Taza modded. “Alright. Need any help, Chica?”

“Nope. Chili okay? I can pop it in the crockpot that I bought and it can cook while I go do other things. I wanna go to check on Mama too.” She grinned.

“Sure! Let me know if you can’t find something. We should be done with this soon. I can hang hooks and things while you guys are gone,” Taza said.

Megan grinned and went back to the kitchen to start the chili. She’d bought the crockpot to make taking things to the club house easier and for the long days at the yard and bar. She couldn’t wait to try it out.

An hour or so later, Taza and Hank came in. The bench was together and so was the blanket ladder for the living room to hold Megan’s fuzzy blankets.

The savory smell was drifting through the house and they could hear music from the kitchen. Together they peeked through the doorway to see how Megan was doing.

Megan had her favorite classic rock songs on the radio and found herself singing along and even practicing some of her dance moves with a small giggle as she stirred the last of the spices into the chili. She had all the stuff to make jalapeno cornbread too, but that would have to wait until closer to dinner time.

She twirled herself like Hank had done in his Mama’s yard on Thursday and burst into laughter when Taza caught her hand and joined her in her little kitchen dance party.

“Told you you’d pick up dancing fast, Chica. Look at you! Dancing along to the radio like it’s nothing.” He grinned and spun her again.

Hank leaned on the doorway to the kitchen with his phone out filming as Megan and Taza danced and acted silly. She’d come so far in just a few days. He couldn’t help but be super proud of her strength.

The song ended and Taza twirled her one more time with a chuckle, ending the dance with a kiss to her forehead.

“So, you’re feeding us chili for dinner, what should we have for lunch, Chica?” He smiled and reached for a bottle of water from the fridge. He’d normally reach for a beer, but after the conversation with Megan about alcohol, he was making an effort to cut back. There was even fruit juice in the fridge. He offered Hank a bottle and tossed him one at his nod.

“What would you like? I’ve got everything for chicken salad, I think. We could have sandwiches. Or I picked up the stuff for mac and cheese later this week - we could have that instead.” She grinned at them both. “You’ve been working pretty hard so I’m not sure if you want lighter or heavier.”

“Honestly, sandwiches sound amazing,” Hank said. “It may be fall, but it got warm out there in the sun.”

Megan looked at Taza for his confirmation. When she got it, she pulled out all the ingredients to make chicken salad sandwiches.

“What can I do, Chica? Let me help.” Taza went to wash his hands.

“Could you chop the pickles and the onions for me?”

“Absolutely.”

“I’m going to grab a shower real quick and change. Mom will give me ‘the look’ if I show up without cleaning up some,” Hank chuckled. “I’ll be back in a few minutes to help too.”

“‘Kay.” Megan winked at him and put her father to work chopping the vegetables for her chicken salad.

Hank slipped away. He really was going to go shower and change, but he mostly wanted to give Taza and Megan some time together.

After lunch, Megan hugged Taza and got in the van with Hank. They decided to stop by Mama’s befor beheading to Hank’s apartment to load up some stuff to bring to the ranch. Hank laughingly turned the radio to the station they’d caught Megan dancing to earlier.

They pulled up to Mama’s driveway behind a car that hadn’t been there last time, causing Hank to sigh in exasperation.

“Who’s here?” Megan asked.

“My aunt. I’m sorry in advance. I”m not her favorite person and she will most likely make it known as soon as we walk in. It might even spill over onto you.” He ran his hands through his hair and down his face.

Megan frowned. “What’s her problem? The kutte? Or is she just the bitchy aunt?”

“Not really sure, but it’s too late to run. Mama’s spotted us.” He grinned ruefully and pointed at the porch.

Megan touched his arm until he looked at her. “Hey. My turn. I got you.” She smiled softly and stroked down his jaw before leaning in to kiss him softly. “I’m all in too.”

He took a deep breath and relaxed into her touch. “Thank you, Princessa.”

They got out of the van and Megan met him at the front to grasp his hand in hers before they started up the front path.

Mama met them at the door. “Hijo! I wasn’t expecting you today. You usually come by on Sunday.”

“Sorry Mama. Megan wanted to come by and check in with you early. We didn’t realize you’d have company.” He kissed her cheek and watched her relax as she realized that nothing was really wrong.

“Ahh!” She turned to cup Megan’s cheek. “Such a good girl. Hola cariňo. How are you?”

Megan grinned. “I’m good, Mama. How’re you?”

“Better now that I see you smiling.” She kissed Megan’s cheek with a smile. “Come in. We’ll have a cup of tea and you can tell me about yesterday and your shopping trip this morning.”

“We don’t want to intrude, Mama. I just needed to see you were okay,” Megan said with a small smile.

“You’re never intruding, cariňo. Besides, if Hank doesn’t come inside his tía Rosa won’t let him forget it. Come. Have a quick cup of tea before you finish whatever errands you have this evening.” She looked to Hank with a small smile.

“Of course, Mama. We brought you some of Megan’s chicken salad for sandwiches this week too.” Hank held up the tupperware container they’d brought. He dropped a reassuring kiss to Megan’s hair. “I need to pick up my nice clothes to take too. I’m going to be staying at Taza’s ranch for a bit to keep Megan company.

“Of course, mijo. You need your nice clothes for dates.” Mama winked at Megan and led the way inside and into the formal dining room. “Rosa! Look who stopped by. Hank, hijo, will you put the tupperware in the refrigerator for me? Megan, come meet Hank’s tía Rosa, My older sister.”

Hank escaped to the kitchen while Megan put on her best Southern Belle company smile. “Hello! Sorry to crash your visit. I wanted to check in on Mama a bit earlier than Hank normally does. I’m Megan Morales, Hank’s girlfriend.” She offered her hand for Aunt Rosa to shake.

Rosa’s lip curled in distaste and she flew into rapidfire Spanish while completely ignoring Megan’s offered hand.

Mama started to stiffen and Megan could tell that she was about to start an argument with her sister. Megan gently patted Mama’s shoulder and beat her to it. “Oh! I’m so sorry. I don’t actually speak Spanish yet.” She smiled toothily and offered Aunt Rosa a chance to save herself. “My father is going to teach me when he can, but we haven’t gotten to it just yet. I know it must seem terribly rude of me not to answer you in Spanish. I apologize.”

Rosa turned to Mama and growled something else as Hank returned to the room.

“Hola tía Rosa. Please, speak English. You’re being rude to Megan.” Hank wrapped an arm around Megan’s shoulder and kissed her hair quickly.

“And why should it matter if I’m being rude to someone I’ll never meet again? I’m surprised you introduced such an inappropriate girl to your mother!” Rosa said.

“Now wait just a moment, Rosa! Megan is a good girl to my Hank and to me! Leave her out of your nastiness,” Mama defended loudly.

Megan once again patted Mama’s shoulder. “I’m alright, Mama. I’m used to not being good enough to some people. She doesn’t scare me.” Megan turned back to face Rosa. “Now. I’m not sure what makes me inappropriate in your eyes and I really don’t care. However, you will not disrespect your sister and your nephew in front of me. They have been nothing but supportive of me and I love them both very much. You can hate me, you can insult me, you can even call me names to my face. I don’t particularly give a shit, but leave them out of it.” She smiled cheerfully at the old woman. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, Hank has to grab a few things and then we’ll be out of your hair.”

Hank grinned down at Megan. “Well said, Princessa. Why don’t you go on into my old room and I’ll be in in just a moment.” He indicated the hallway. “Second door on the left.”

“Of course.” She leaned over and kissed Mama’s cheek. “I’ll call later tomorrow to check in and come by for tea later this week, okay?”

“Si, cariňo. Of course.” Mama smiled up at Megan gratefully. “Thank you for the chicken salad.”

Megan squeezed her shoulder gently and slipped into Hank’s old room to wait for Hank, hoping she didn’t overstep dealing with the hateful aunt.

Hank watched her close the door with a grin. “Now. Tía Rosa, you WILL leave Megan alone and even be polite. I can put up with a lot from you because you are my tía. However, I will not sit meekly by while you insult my Princessa in front of me. As far as I’m concerned, she’s here to stay. You can either bite your tongue and be polite to her, or you can be silent. And, you leave Mama out of it. You don’t like that what I have to say goes - you don’t have to be here when we are.” Hank turned and smiled at Mama. “We’ll grab that stuff and get going. I’ll call you later tonight, okay?”

“Of course, hijo. Te quiero. Tell Megan yo también la amo.” She kissed his cheek softly.

“Te quiero, Mama. I’ll tell her.” He smiled and went to his room to pack some things up.

In his bedroom he found Megan examining his bookshelf. It was mostly Harley manuals and books from his time in the Army, but there were a few picture frames as well. She jumped when he closed the door softly.

“Sorry, Princessa. Didn’t mean to startle you, but I also don’t need an audience for this.” He smiled and crossed the room in a few strides before lifting her to sit on the desk behind her and kiss her deeply.

Megan melted into his kiss with a smile before pulling back a bit. “And here I was ready to apologize if I overstepped. I don’t think I will now.” She kissed him again and threw her arms around his neck to pull him closer.

Hank chuckled and stepped between her knees to let her press herself against his chest. He finally released her to breathe and pressed his forehead to hers. “That was amazing, Princessa. I’m so proud of how you handled that. You were absolutely perfect.” He pressed a quick kiss to her lips again.

Megan smiled. “So you aren’t upset that I snapped at your aunt?”

“Not in the least. And neither is Mama. She’s probably just waiting for us to get out of the house before she gives tía Rosa the dressing down she has coming. Rosa may be Mama’s big sister, but Mama has never been afraid to tell her how it is.” He hugged her close and nuzzled her hair. “I like that you defended me. I like it even more that you defended Mama. Thank you, Princessa. And I’m sorry you had to deal with it in the first place.”

Megan fiddled with his rosary and snuggled into his firm chest. “I told you. I’m all in too.”

Hank chuckled and kissed her one last time before he turned her loose. “Let me grab my stuff and we can get out of here. It won’t take me long. I just usually keep my nice clothes here since I only wore them to Sunday Mass with Mama every once in a while.”

Megan smiled and hopped down to pick up a picture frame with a snapshot of Hank as a toddler standing on the stairs of the church with a younger Mama in a little three piece suit. “You were adorable in your little suit.”

Hank chuckled and glanced to see which picture she held as he put his nice clothes into the hanging suit bag in his closet. “I was about three or four there. It’s one of Mama's favorite pictures.”

“I can see why.” Megan smiled and put the frame down before running gentle fingers over a more recent photo. This one of Hank in full dress uniform with his mother smiling up at him. “She’s so proud of you.”

Hank grinned. “About ten minutes after that photo she was chasing me with a broom for startling her.”

Megan laughed out loud. “Then you deserved it.”

Hank smiled. “Probably.” He paused in his packing as he realized that these were all things Megan didn’t have. She didn’t have photos to remember her childhood. She didn’t have a proud parent at her high school graduation, let alone big moments after that. She didn’t even have possessions to remind her of her achievements in life. He put things down and went to stand behind her where she was looking at his life in pictures. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and cuddled her back against his chest while pointing out a picture in a small gold frame off to the side. “This one is my dad.”

Megan rested against him and ran soft fingers over the tattooed forearm wrapped around her collarbone. “Yeah? I can see it. You look like him a bit, but you’ve got more of Mama in your face.”

“Yeah. Mama says I act like him too. She called him ‘Bear’. I’ve definitely got his temper.” Hank rested his head on top of Megans.

“Did you know him at all?” she asked quietly.

“Not that I remember. He was killed in action when I was about ten months old.” He smiled softly at her where she couldn’t see. “He was in the Army too.”

“Mama must have loved him a lot. She never remarried?”

Hank grinned again. “She did love him, but that also had to do with me. I never liked men around my Mama and they never liked the thought of raising another man’s son.” He pressed a kiss to her hair. “So it’s always been Mama and me against the world. Until you.”

Megan turned in his arms to face him with a slight frown. “You know I’d never ask you…”

Hank smiled and tugged her braid. “Exactly. We’re here aren’t we? We’re here because you were concerned for my mother and wanted to check on her. That’s why you’re part of us now.”

Megan kissed him softly. “I’d like that. To be part of a family.”

Hank cupped her cheeks in his massive hands. “You already arm. But Mama will gladly add you to her family too.” He kissed her one more time and then released her. “C’mon. Help me pack what’s in the dresser and we can get outta here.”

They packed a duffle and grabbed the hanging suit bag before they headed out to load the van. Tía Rosa was getting into her car and completely ignored them except for a dirty look.

After she left, Mama came out to say goodbye. She hugged Megan tight. “I’m so sorry, cariňo. You won’t have to deal with her again. She won’t be welcome back in my home until she learns some manners.”

“Mama, you didn’t have to do that. She’s your sister. Your family.” Megan pulled back to look at her. “Don’t alienate family over me. It’s not worth it.”

Mama shook her head. “That is where you’re wrong, Princessa. Blood isn’t family. Family is family. YOU are family. She’s just blood.” She kissed Megan’s cheek and smiled. “Now - you make Hank bring you by for tea in a few days and we’ll talk through what you want to learn for your party.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Good girl. Keep her safe, son.”

“Always, Mama. Call if you need me.”

A few minutes down the road, they stopped at a rundown apartment complex where Hank had an efficiency unit. Inside was sparse, but neat. It very well could have been a military style dorm.

“You weren’t kidding about not really living here, were you?” Megan asked with a chuckle.

“Nope. Anything of value was at Mama’s or is at the club house storage.” He pointed at the foot locker at the end of the queen bed. “That’s all I came for really. Everything else came with the apartment.”

There were no pictures, no TV or computer, not even dirty laundry. Hank hauled the trunk over his shoulder and walked it down to the van. Megan checked the standing wardrobe that functioned as a closet to find it empty. The same with the kitchen cabinets. Hank came back in to look the place over for anything he missed.

“Why have this place at all?” Megan asked puzzled.

“Basically just to get mail here. I needed an address on record that wasn’t linked to Mama. Anyone surface searched to find me…” he shrugged.

“Led them here and not to Mama’s.”

“Right. I’m not on any of her bills or accounts on record. Even the ones that I pay. They’d have to dig back to my birth records to trace her to me. Keeps her safer.” He smiled a bit. “Probably why Taza hasn’t asked about your last name.”

“Because it keeps one more barrier between me and the bad guys.” Megan nodded.

“Exactly.”

On the way out, Hank dropped the key in the rent box. He really was sure about this move. “C’mon, Princessa. Let’s go home.”

Back at the Ranch, they unloaded Hank’s stuff and arranged it in Megan’s bedroom. The foot locker went perfectly at the end of the king sized bed. They cleaned out the “extra” clothes from the dresser that wouldn’t work for them and put them in the hallway closet.

Hank discovered after putting his clothes away that what Megan owned fit into one drawer and sighed. “We’ve got to get you some more clothes, Princessa. You deserve nice things.” He closed her drawer with a grimace.

“I’ve got plenty of clothes…”

Hank sat on the bed and pulled her to straddle his lap. This was quickly becoming his favorite way to have serious conversations. “Princessa, you don’t have to be ready to move in an hour's time anymore. You can own things without having to worry you’ll have to leave something behind because someone is making you move.” He held her close and petted her hair. “You can put down roots.”

Megan thought carefully as she rested against him. “Is that what I’m doing? Avoiding having things because it’s not a necessity?” she asked out loud.

Hank nodded a bit. “I think so. Coco did the same thing for a long time after his last deployment. We finally figured out it was a habit from living out of his rucksack on missions. I think you’re doing the same thing because you never knew when your placement would change as a kid. You were in the system so deep they moved you all over the damn state.”

Megan contemplated it. “So, there’s a reason I’m like this? There’s an explanation?”

“I ain’t a shrink, Princessa, but there’s a reason for everything we do.” Hank rocked her gently. “I just think it’s so deeply ingrained in you that you don’t think about why you refuse things every other girl your age has. If you don’t want it, it doesn’t hurt when you don’t get it, right? Bet you don’t do birthdays or Christmas either, do you?”

“Nope. Not really. They’re just another day.”

“Do you trust Taza, Megan? Do you trust me?” Hank asked softly.

“Of course I do! You’re my safety in this world,” Megan said, sitting back to look at him in shock. “I trust you two with my life.”

Hank nodded and cradled her neck in one huge hand with his thumb stroking over her cheekbone. “Then trust us when we say you can own more that what fits in one backpack now. Let us give you things, please?”

Megan looked him in the eye before nodding. “I’ll try.”

“Good girl.” Hank smiled and rewarded her answer with a deep kiss.

Taza knocked gently on the doorframe. “EZ just dropped off the bikes and something for you Megan.” He held up a gift bag. “Now before you get nervous - this is from me and your padrinos so no mysterious gift giver.”

Megan sighed in relief. “Okay, good cause I was nervous there for a second.” She smiled and climbed off Hank’s lap togo over to her father.

“No nerves, Princessa. Just something you need.” Taza handed her the bag.

“Thank you.” She smiled and opened the bag to find a new cell phone and case for it.

“We put you on my cell phone plan, Chica. You can keep your burner for emergencies and club shit, but this way you have a decent personal phone like the rest of us.” Taza grinned.

Megan laughed. “Thank you.”

“Hank’s and my numbers are already in there. So are your padrinos. We left everything else for you to set up how you want it.” He smiled. “It’ll fit the case we bought for your belt too.”

Megan hugged him tight and sat down to pull everything out of the wrapping and start setting up her phone.

Taza smirked as Hank joined him at the door. “That was less of a fight then I was expecting.”

Hank chuckled. “Your timing is impeccable. We literally JUST finished a discussion about letting us give her things that are normal for other people. She’s been living out of a single backpack for her entire life so now we just need to remind her that she never has to leave here again if she doesn’t want to. She can have things.”

It was like a lightbulb went off for Taza. “Like Coco when he first joined.”

Hank nodded. “Like Coco.”

“Hank! I need that picture of us from the boardwalk for my background!” Megan bounced up to him.

Hank chuckled. “Sure, Princessa, but I need your new number first.”

Megan froze with a giggle. “Um… I don’t know it either!” SHe started searching through the settings to see if she could find it.

Taza laughed. “Just send him a text, Chica. His number is in your contacts.”

Megan opened her contacts and burst into giggles again. “I’m guessing Hank is ‘Teddy Bear’.” She shot off a quick text and Hank’s phone buzzed.

Hank laughed out loud and read the text. It said ‘I’m not changing your name in my phone’. He scrolled through the pictures of them at the boardwalk and sent a few of the selfies they’d taken ending with the kiss she had given him. That one was his home screen. One of the beach shots was his lock screen.

“Thank you!” Megan went back to the bed to finish setting up her phone.

“EZ also said that a box came for you at the club house from that tattoo supplier you like in L.A.” Taza mentioned quietly.

“Good. That’ll be the ink I ordered for Megan’s tattoo touch up.” Hank nodded satisfied. “We can do that tomorrow while EZ paints in here. What’d Bish say about the run?”

“We’re all good. We’re going to make it where you and I aren’t gone at the same time. Actually, it’ll be more like you’re on limited runs anyway since she can’t seem to sleep without you.” Taza patted his shoulder.

“Well limited runs won’t hurt as long as you don’t charge me out the ass for rent. I turned in the key to my apartment today so no bills there.” Hank grinned, tucking his hands in his jeans pockets.

“Hermano, I ain’t charging you rent at all. You’re here because Megan needs you…”

“Bullshit.” Hank said and Megan looked up with a concerned frown at his outburst. “Don’t worry, Princessa. Club shit. C’mon Taza. Let’s step out and discuss this.”

Taza snorted indelicately. “Yes. Let’s.” He led the way out to the kitchen.

Hank followed him. “Listen, brother, I won’t freeload. I’m paying somethin’.”

“You aren’t freeloading. You’re re-allocating resources. Give you more money to spend on Megan.” Taza shrugged. “I don’t exactly have a lot of bills, brother. The ranch is mine - free and clear. Water is outta a well on property. I pay for electric - what the solar panels don’t provide already - internet and TV, and cell phone service. That’s it.”

“That’s all well and good, but Megan’s party is coming up. You’re going to need some extra cash. Let me pay something so you can put more money towards Megan too,” Hank reasoned.

Taza sighed and ran his hands through his hair. “Fine. Throw some money in the cookie jar once a month. It’s cash for household expenses and shit like take-out. That’s all I got for you.”

Hank nodded. “Alright. AND I buy groceries every other week.”

“Fair enough.” They shook on it.

Megan peeped her head around the corner. “Is it safe to come make the cornbread for supper?” she asked. “If I do it now we can eat in about an hour.”

“Sure, Chica. It’s safe.” Taza smiled and gestured for her to come on in to the kitchen.

She shuffled in and cuddled up to her father’s side. “Are you guys arguing about me?”

Taza froze in shock. “NO, Chica. Never. We weren’t arguing at all. We were just discussing shit and got a little loud.” He realized Megan had probably had at least one set of foster parents who argued a lot in front of her at some point. She must hate to see the people she saw as “safety” arguing or getting heated.

Megan looked at Hank for confirmation.

“Princessa, we weren’t arguing. Sorry we got loud. We tend to forget our volume control when we discuss shit. Habit from talking over Angel’s dumb ass.” He grinned. “Taza and I don’t really argue. We communicate loudly sometimes, but we don’t argue. We’re too old for that shit.”

Megan looked between the two of them and cracked a small smile. “‘Kay. Jalapeno cornbread okay with the chili?”

“Sounds great, sweetheart. Need any help?” Taza squeezed her gently around the shoulders.

“Nope. Any chance we could eat around the fire pit outside?” she asked shyly. “It’s pretty out tonight.”

Taza’s face lit up. She’d finally asked for something she wanted. “Sounds like a plan. Hank and I will go get the fire going and get it set up, okay? Just call if you need us.” Taza kissed her forehead and slipped out the French doors to the back patio.

Hank held his arms out to offer her a cuddle. Megan gladly accepted it, snuggling into his chest and toying with his rosary beads. “Sorry we startled you, Princessa, but you handled it well. No panic.”

“I’m okay. Just don’t like y’all arguing.” She kissed his chest and rested there a moment with her eyes closed, breathing deeply.

“We’ll do better. We just aren’t used to everything quite yet.” Hank rested his lips against her hair and rocked her gently in his arms, letting her draw comfort from him for as long as she needed.

“I know. I’ll try not to be so sensitive,” she whispered.

“You’re just fine, Princessa. How about after dinner we talk about what you want done with your tattoo refresh? Your inks came in today and I can refresh it tomorrow at the yard while EZ is here painting.”

She smiled a little bigger. “Okay, but I thought EZ wasn’t painting until Monday?”

Hank shrugged. “He might as well get it done tomorrow. Maybe even make Angel help in place of one of his punishment yard shifts.”

Megan giggled. “He told me prospects get all the shit jobs. Now you’re sticking him with his brother all day?”

“He’s not wrong, but he’s only got about eight months left before the member vote. He’ll live.” Hank leaned down and kissed her softly. “Now, I’m going to go help your dad set up before he burns the place down lighting the fire pit in his excitement. Call me if you need anything.”

“Okay. Don’t let him burn his eyebrows off or anything.” Megan popped up on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. “I’ll call when it’s time to bring stuff out.”

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elivanah-writes · 2 years

Text

Lost Princessa 19

We're starting to come towards the end of this story. I plan on writing little one shots in this universe after I finish this entire thing. You guys have been amazingly supportive throughout this writing process and I can't thank you enough. You've made it where I want to write again and I can't wait to find other ideas.

This chapter has the honest to goodness main idea that I had for this story in it. I hope you guys enjoy this peek into the family life of a few of our favorite Mayans.

Thank you to @drabbles-mc, @iamthegraham, and @jemmakates for all the cheerleading and letting me bounce ideas off of you. This fic wouldn't happen without you guys.

Warnings: cursing, talk of PTSD and military service, my own head cannons about the guys and their service, FLUFF (I feel like this is a given with me), technical Mayan bylaw discussions. Let me know if I missed something.

At the ranch, Taza laughed when Hank started unloading the beach gear from his saddle bags. “Did you bring home the entire beach, Chica?” he asked, holding up the net bag of shells.

Megan shrugged sheepishly. “Hank ran out of room in his pockets.”

Taza threw his head back in a laugh again and took the blanket roll too as Hank handed it to him.

“Leave her alone, Taza. SHe had fun. Besides, she can use them as decorations in her bathroom or something.” Hank grinned and pulled the bags with their wet swimsuits out. “Here’s your wrap, Princessa.” He handed the red material to her and she giggled when he wouldn’t let her carry anything else.

Megan took the shells from Taza too and skipped ahead to unlock the door.

Taza smiled at how carefree she seemed. “Was she like this all day?”

Hank chuckled. “Pretty much. She’s been super bubbly all day. I think it’s the relief.”

“Maybe. You know you don’t actually have to sleep on the couch, right? I found you in bed with her this morning and you survived,” Taza pointed out as he led the way inside.

“That’s up to her, isn’t it?”

“Good answer.”

Megan called from inside, “Hank, do you want me to throw those swimsuits into the laundry? I don’t quite have a full load.”

“Sure, Princessa. Be right there.”

Later that night, after showers all around, Megan and Hank sat on the couch with mugs of tea and a movie on. Taza had already gone to bed, but Megan continued to resist turning in for the night.

“Alright, Princessa, why don’t you turn in? You’re exhausted,” Hank said as he nudged her awake for the third time.

“I’m fine. I just want to finish the movie.” Megan sat up straighter in effort to stay awake.

“No you aren’t. You’re exhausted. Why don't you want to go to bed?” Hank took her tea from her and pulled her over into his lap so that he could see her face better.

Megan mumbled something and tucked her face against his neck to hide.

“Na-uh. Try again.” Hank nudged her gently and lifted her until she straddled his lap. He tucked his fingers under her chin and made her look at him. “Why don’t you want to go to sleep?”

Megan twisted her fingers in his rosary and took a deep breath. “I’m scared to sleep alone. I hate the nightmares.”

Hank nodded and pulled her against his chest fully, finally letting her hide her face against him. “I’ve got you, Princessa. You don’t have to sleep alone if it scares you.” He kissed her hair and rocked her. “Told you I was all in.”

“You must think I’m such a baby,” Megan said. She pressed her forehead against the side of his neck.

“Nope. I think you’ve got a touch of PTSD. It causes some hellish night terrors. I should know.”

“Really?” Megan peeked at his face to judge his sincerity.

“Yes, Princessa. Most of us get it. Most of the club is made up of vets. It’s why Marcus started it.” He cradled the back of her head in one giant hand before gently rubbing the back of her neck.

“Which branch were you?”

“Army. I was a Green Beret.”

Megan’s eyebrows shot up. “What about Taza?”

“Taza was Army too. I don’t know what his rank was, but I know he was Army. Bishop and Marcus were Marines. Gilly and Coco were both Army too.” Hank grinned. “We pulled Creep out of an L.A. gang, but Riz did National Guard for one term.”

“And the Reyes boys?”

“Never served.”

“Ah. Yeah, I couldn’t see Angel in the military. Too hot headed. And I know that EZ was a college boy.” She snuggled against his chest again and yawned.

“You aren’t wrong. But Princessa, all of us know about PTSD. None of us will judge you for yours. If you can’t sleep alone - you won’t have to.” Hank petted down her still damp hair and kissed her forehead.

“That’s a lot for me to ask though,” Megan muttered.

“Oh yes, it’s such a hardship for me to fall asleep next to my girl. Poor, poor me,” Hank joked. “Besides, your bed is so much more comfortable than mine. I need a new mattress.”

Megan giggled a little.

“So, Princessa, what do you say? Are you ready for bed?”

“Yeah. I think so.” Megan climbed off his lap and grabbed his go-bag from the floor.

Hank chuckled and took it from her to move it to her room.

Megan used the bathroom first, so when Hank came out she was braiding her hair loosely sitting cross-legged in the middle of the bed. He chuckled as he realized that her pajamas tonight were sleep shorts and a shirt that he’d left in Taza’s spare room at some point.

“What?” she asked suspiciously.

“You love stealing my clothes even when you don’t know you’re doing it, don’t ya Princessa?”

Megan giggled. “Can’t seem to stop myself.”

Hank braced his hands on the bed and leaned over to kiss her softly. When he pulled away, Megan’s face was completely blissed out. “You have no idea how much of a relief it is to be able to do that when I want to.”

“Mmm.” Megan opened her eyes with a small smile. “Believe me. I don’t mind at all.”

Hank chuckled. “Which side of the bed do you want me on Princessa? Or does it matter?”

“Ummm. Not sure it matters. I’ll probably end up practically on top of you anyway if this week has been any indication.”

“Fair enough.” Hank climbed in, putting her on his left. He indicated her bedside drawer to his right. “My pistol is in there.” Megan pointed to the shoulder holster hanging on the bedpost on ‘her side’ of the bed which held her 9mm. “Fair enough.” He held the blankets up for her to crawl in under and settle against his side.

Megan snuggled in and tilted her head to kiss him good night. “Night, Hank.”

Buenas noches, Princessa. Sweet dreams.” Hank kissed her gently again and held her close. Her fingers wrapped themselves in his rosary beads and she fell asleep.

The next morning, Megan woke up alone in bed. Hank’s side of the bed was cool to the touch, but she could hear soft voices through her cracked bedroom door.

“We’re needed at the table. Shit hit the fan, brother.” That was Taza. Hank had left his cell phone charging in the living room the previous night.

“Alright. I’ll go wake Megan.” Hank yawned.

“How’d it go last night anyway?” Taza asked curiously. “I noticed you slept in her room.”

“She fought sleep until I got her to admit she was afraid to sleep alone. She’s definitely got PTSD, man. I explained that most of us got it since we were military and promised her she didn’t have to be tough with us. You may need to get used to me being around for a bit, I’m afraid. I’m all in, man, and she knows it now.”

“I was serious last night. Move in if you want, hermano. Anything to help her. I’ll take the Vegas run this week and you can just move some shit in.”

“We’ll see. We’ll see.”

Hank slipped back into Megan’s room. “Good morning, Princessa. How’d you sleep?”

“Morning. I slept great. Are you guys needed at the table? Megan stretched and climbed out of bed.

“Yeah. Shouldn’t take too long. Your pops wants me to move in for a while. What do you think?” Hank sat on his side of the bed to put his boots on. He was already in his jeans and wife-beater, his red and black flannel was hanging on the back of the door.

“Honestly?” Megan played with her shirt hem.

“Of course. Always honestly, Princessa.”

“If you don’t mind, I think it would help. You and Taza are my security blankets right now. The closer the better.”

Hank reached to pull her to stand in front of him. “I don’t mind at all, Princessa. Honestly - I mostly just keep my apartment for storage. I usually crashed here or at Mama’s.”

Megan searched his face for any sign he wasn’t sincere. “Really?”

“Yes, really. Ask Taza. Half the spare clothes in that dresser are mine.” He pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “And even if I’m living here - that doesn’t change us. You’re still in charge of everything with us. I’m a VERY big boy. I can wait for anything I need to, Princessa, and I will.”

Megan nodded shakily. “Okay. Good then.”

Hank kissed her knuckles again. “Go get dressed, Princessa. We’ll have breakfast waiting at the club house. After templo we’ll take the van and get what we need to make this your real home.”

Megan went to her dresser and pulled out one of her band shirts and her dark jeans. She popped into the bathroom to change quickly. When she came back after dressing, brushing her teeth, and washing up, Hank was finishing up tucking in his flannel.

“All ready, Princessa?” he asked.

“Almost. I’ve got to braid my hair and put on my boots. Then I’ll be ready.”

“Good.” He smiled and stepped over to her before nudging her face up to kiss the corner of her mouth. “I’ll meet you in the kitchen. Taza was making coffee. We need to grocery shop some today too.”

“‘Kay.” Megan smiled and pulled a pair of boot socks out of a drawer to get her boots on. “Be right there.”

Hank met Taza in the kitchen with a smile.

“Well… that’s not the face of a man who had to wake his sleeping girl earlier than she likes.” Taza handed him a cup of black coffee and sipped from his own.

“Nah. She was awake before I got back in there. She’s putting her boots on and doing her hair. Then she’ll be out.” Hank grabbed a travel coffee cup to make Megan’s coffee. “You sure you’re good with me living here? Cause I talked to Megan about it.”

“Yeah. I’m sure, brother. You practically lived here before Megan got here. That doesn’t have to change. She say yes?”

“Yeah. We’ll stop by the apartment today and grab some of my shit. At least if this isn’t too big of a shit show today.” Hank grinned.

“It’ll make me feel better on runs too. We gotta try not to be gone at the same time. I’ll talk to Bish after Templo.”

Megan came to the kitchen with her hair still down. “Morning Taza.”

“Morning, Chica. Hair not cooperating?” Taza kissed her forehead with a grin.

“Or my fingers aren’t. I give up.” She yawned and Hank handed her the cup of coffee he’d fixed as he chuckled.

“C’mere then. I’ll braid it. One or two?” Taza patted the kitchen chair in front of him.

“Two please. It’s not as heavy that way.”

Taza separated her hair quickly and plaited it before tying it off with hair ties from Megan’s wrist. “One morning I’ll show you how your grandmother used to wear her braids to help with the weight. We gotta get a move on this morning though.”

They grabbed kuttes and jackets and headed for the bikes.

At the club house, most of the bikes were there. Only Coco’s was missing.

“Wonder where Coco is?” Megan mused as she hung her helmet from Hank’s handlebars and unzipped her riding jacket.

“Dropping Letty off at a friend’s before he comes in. She and his mom are into it again,” EZ answered as he came out of his trailer.

“Gotcha. Have you done inventory yet from the party last night?” Megan asked.

“Uh… no. Not yet. I usually don’t do inventory - Chuckie does.” EZ shrugged helplessly.

Megan looked to Taza and Hank. “Chuckie does enough with the books. Inventory needs to be a bartender or prospect job.”

“Whatever you say, Princessa. I’ll tell Riz you’re claiming the Prospect for the morning.” Hank grinned and kissed her as he went by to greet his brothers inside the club house.

Taza chuckled and tugged her braids. “That’s my girl. You tell them how to run this shit.”

Megan grinned and poked EZ in the side. “C’mon Prospect. Time to find Chuckie to get the inventory lists. We can let him place the orders, but inventory takes up too much of the book keeper’s time. Give him more time for paperwork so Taza doesn’t have to do it.”

Taza headed in with a laugh and Megan led EZ away towards the yard office.

Bishop waved him over with a grin. “I hear our girl’s ready to take on the Prospect this morning.”

“She sure is. I kinda like it. A true Princessa.” Taza sat at the table with him. “We just waiting on Coco?”

“Yeah. He’s dropping his kid off. Should be on his way.” Bishop sipped his coffee. “Chuckie is cooking breakfast. Pancakes, I think. Coffee’s hot too and Chuckie made it so it’s drinkable this time.”

“Alright. I think Megan was looking for Chuckie to get his lists. She’s probably in there right now.” Taza sat Megan’s travel cup on the table with a grin. “She’ll want that in a minute.”

Hank chuckled as Megan came through the door to the kitchen with EZ trailing after her like a puppy. He was sitting drinking coffee with Gilly and Creeper and watched as his girl put EZ to work counting bottles of liquor and beer. Once she put him to work and was sure that he’d do it right, she grinned and turned to look for who else was around.

“Good morning, Poquito. Looking for your coffee?” Bishop asked with a chuckle.

“Good morning. Yeah. I was wondering where I left that.” She crossed the bar confidently to pick up her travel mug with a smile and wave at everyone around. “Thanks, Taza. I think I’d lose my head if it wasn’t attached.”

“No problem, Chica. You got the Prospect working hard already.” Taza chuckled as Megan sipped her coffee.

“Eh. Riz said stocking a prep fell to the Prospect. I’m just kicking him into gear.” She plopped down at Taza’s side with a grin. “If Chuckie has less bar paperwork, he can do more yard paperwork. If he does more yard paperwork, you don’t have to do as much paper pushing and can focus on real shit.”

Taza saluted her with his coffee cup. “Appreciate that, Chica. Anything that gives me less paperwork gets my vote.”

“Likewise, Poquito. You do what you think needs to be done here at the bar. Anything that costs - run it through Riz first - but if all it takes is a few hours of the Prospect’s time he’s completely at your service, Sweetheart.” Bishop laughed as Megan grinned wolfishly.

“Sounds like a plan, Bishop. I’ve got lots that he can clean.” She stood and wandered over to Hank and the others.

Taza watched her go with pride in his eyes. “She’s starting to trust us, Bish. Look at that confidence.” He laughed as she plopped herself next to Hank and snuggled into his side without so much as a look at the empty spot further away from him.

“She’s not scared of everything any more. Give her a little more time and a little more spoiling from Hank and the others and she won’t be afraid of anything.” He chuckled and sat forward. “That girl is exactly what this club needs and we’re exactly what she needs.”

A bike rumbled through the gate - Coco had arrived. It was time for Templo.

Templo was not good news. It also wasn’t anything that the club could do anything about. Miguel Galindo was being held at Calexico East and no one knew why. He was attempting to cross back over to the U.S. side after paying the ransom and reclaiming his son when he was detained. Bishop was staying in touch with Galindo’s man though Riz since Taza and Hank were slightly distracted at the moment.

“Before we go on about our day - Hank you had something that you wanted to put on the table?” Bishop said after everyone had finished discussing Galindo’s predicament to death.

Hank ast forward and clasped his hands in front of him on the table. “What happened to Megan last night should not have happened. We’ve always protected the women here in our club house, but that was a club prospect laying hands on our princessa - the daughter of a full patch.” Hank ran his hands through his hair exasperatedly. “We don’t all have families yet, but how would you feel if it were your daughter or your ol’ lady? We need a way for them to stand out even when charters who we don’t know personally are visiting.”

Bishop sat forward and nodded. “WE treat ol’ ladies as queens, but how does a visitor know your ol’ lady is a queen and not just a sucia claiming a position?”

Creeper stroked his beard in thought and looked at Hank. “Reapers mark their women - especially SAMCRO - with crows. Jewelry and tattoos even. That what you’re thinking of?”

“Yeah. Something like that. Something to mark them as familia. SAMCRO only marks their ol’ ladies. I think we should mark our princessas too.” Hank said. He relaxed back against his seat when he realized there were taking him seriously and actually thinking about this.

“But we can’t mark little girls, hermano. That ain’t fair. They need a choice.” That was from Gilly.

“Little girls ain’t gonna be at club parties to be messed with. And no one in their right mind messes with kids anyways,” Angel replied.

“What about Leticia? She’s still in school, but she don’t look it, man.” Coco had a point.

“But Letty ain’t supposed to be unattended at club parties anyways, brother. Bishop’s rules,” Riz replied. “She really doesn’t need to be around anyone not local or familia until she’s of age.”

Taza had been quiet, but suddenly spoke. “An age limit. A right of passage. Our boys can’t prospect until they’re eighteen anyway. Why not present the girls with their ‘markers’ at the same age?”

Everyone thought for a moment.

“What are you suggesting, Taza?” Bishop asked.

“Boys can prospect at eighteen in the bylaws. The fathers of legacies usually have the boy’s sponsor present their prospect kutte on their birthday, right?” At everyone’s nod he continued. “So at a girl’s eighteenth birthday, her father - or even godfather- presents her with a piece of jewelry marking her a princessa.”

Bishop grinned. “Like a silver crown necklace?”

Hank smiled and nodded. “I like it. And when she becomes an ol’ lady - or if we choose a woman as an ol’ lady - she naturally promotes to queen. A gold crown instead of silver.”

Taza nodded. “But I suggest only las reinas can wear a permanent mark like a tattoo.”

Creeper nodded. “That gives the princessas an out. They grow up and wanna cut ties, go straight, they just stop wearing the necklace when they aren’t here.”

Bishop nodded. “I like this. This is good. Let’s vote.” He looked them all in the eyes. “All in favor of las princessas wearing silver crowns as markers after they’re eighteen?” All hands shot up. “All in favor of the promotion of las reinas with a gold crown and tattoo?” Once again all hands shot us. “Passes. I’ll make the charter calls to let other charters know about the change to our bylaws to protect our women. This time tomorrow - any disrespect to a marked princessa or reina will meet with consequences here in Santo Padre.” With that, he struck the gavel ending templo for the time being.

Everyone filtered out of the temple to go eat breakfast in the bar except Taza and Bishop. Hank slid the door closed when he noticed that Taza wasn’t following him out.

“What’s on your mind, brother?” Bishop asked.

“The Vegas run on Tuesday.” Taza leaned forward. “Hank and I can’t be gone at the same time. I don’t care how important this run is.”

Bishop nodded. “You’re right. And Poquito can’t tag along this time because we don’t know if it’s safe yet or not. What’s your thoughts?”

“I’ll go. Hank stays here with Megan. He’s gonna move in for a bit. Just until she’s less dependent on the two of us.” He sighed. “Bish, she’s terrified to sleep alone. Hank thinks it’s some major PTSD shit. She hasn’t had an attack since we killed the bastard, but it could be right around the corner.”

“So… El Pacificador is her chosen teddy bear, huh?” Bishop lit a cigarette and grinned. “Exactly how tightly is he wrapped around those tiny fingers?”

Taza chuckled and shook his head. “She came back from the beach yesterday with a tote bag full of seashells. When I teased her about it, she said Hank ran out of room in his pockets so he got her a bag.”

Bishop snorted a laugh. “Bet he bought her anything she looked at too.”

“Not quite, but close. They came back with beach outfits for them both, beach blanket, the earrings to remember her first day at the beach…” Taza laughed and adjusted one of his rings. “She probably wouldn’t let him buy her anything else. He had to sneak off and pretend to be going to piss to buy the earrings.”

Bishop threw his head back laughing. “Did he really?”

“Mmhmm. So she probably wouldn’t let him buy a lot.”

“True.”

“Oh yeah - we gotta get her a ride, Bish. She needs some freedom. Hank thinks she’d be real cute on a Softail Slim and I don’t hate the idea.” Taza grinned. “I think I’m gonna make some calls and find her one if you want in on it.”

“Definitely. And count Alvarez as in on it too. He won’t want to miss her first bike. I’ll keep my eyes peeled for one too.” He snuffed out his cigarette. “C’mon. Let’s go eat before the Village Idiots don’t leave us anything but scraps.”

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