Wednesdays

Chapter 6

"You know it's wrong," Natasha said to Hank as he escorted her into the house, a few girls lingering by the bar, keenly interested in their newest roommate. "Hank, I know you know it, I know you. You have to talk to him."

Hank's lips were tight as he looked at her, shaking his head. He gestured toward the steps, reaching for her hand, while he held her duffle with the other. "Come on, let's go upstairs." As soon as they were alone in the hall, Hank was sure to tell her how he felt. "I'm not having this conversation with you, Tash."

"Of fucking course not," she shook her head, rolling her eyes on the way to her room. "You know what scares me most about this shit?" She charged at him, her finger in his face, the second he closed the door to her room. "I don't know what would win out if it were me in Riz's place or if Marco or Lili had been the ones to lose an eye." Natasha glared at him. "What do you think, Hank? Retaliation or money for me and my kids?"

Hank shook his head, an exasperated look on his face. He couldn't tell if she was purposely trying to rile him or her faith in the club or even worse, her faith in Bishop, had really been that shaken. "That's not even a question and you know it."

"Do I?" She raised her hands at her sides, shrugging dramatically. "Cause just yesterday I would have been sure it would have been retaliation for Riz and Coco too," she spat bitterly. "It's bullshit," she shook her head, disgusted as she looked at him. "You and Taza, you're supposed to be his guys, help guide him when he can't see straight." She spoke forcefully, loud and quickly, pronouncing each word clearly. "The pressure he's catching from those assholes is clouding his vision, this is where you come in."

"I'm not getting in his head," Hank corrected her. "We'll have Templo, we'll talk it out and vote. Bishop's vote counts the same as everyone else's. No one convinces anyone, we discuss it and make up our own minds."

Natasha rolled her eyes again.

"You keep doin' that and they're gonna roll outta your head," he warned her, a smirk on his lips. "Come on, Tash," he softened, "You're upset, you're tired," he commiserated, "I am too."

"I'm scared," she corrected him. "I don't like to doubt my husband and I haven't had many reasons to but this, this is a big one and it's creeping out, it's touching every decision he's made that I wasn't completely behind." She said, voicing the thoughts that plagued her on the ride back to Vicky's. Natasha could barely believe she was even thinking it at first but it fit and she couldn't shake it.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, deeply concerned now.

A rare occurrence, Natasha refused to meet Hank's eyes and she spoke sadly, almost whispering. "I can't stop thinking, Hank, wondering," she admitted, her heart hurting as she said the horrible thought out loud. "What if there was a way to bring me home, a way to handle the warrant and the charges but it cut too deep into the Mayans' pockets? Would he even put it to a vote? Would he tell me? Or would Bish just leave me down there because the other Kings don't think I'm worth the profit loss?"

"Natasha," Hank sighed sadly, wrapping her in his arms. "You know Bishop wouldn't let that happen."

"I don't know," she cried into his chest. "I don't know even know, Hank," she looked up at him. "I've never doubted him, not like this, but if he's willing to do it to them why not keep me in Mexico? I'm not dead, I'm close enough to see weekly, is it that bad of a deal for him?"

Hank looked at her, brows furrowed, and shook his head. "He wouldn't do that and if it was even a fuckin' thought, I wouldn't let him." He said, his voice deep and low, soothing her. "I'd bring you home myself." Hank had never seen Natasha like that in the decade that he'd known her and it was deeply upsetting.

"You're not my husband though," she whimpered, not that he needed the reminder.

She was a beautiful woman, anyone would have agreed, but he always found himself attracted to much more than that but this was different. She was opening up to him, so vulnerable and terrified, he couldn't help wanting to be her savior, the protector she felt she didn't have in her husband anymore.

"I still wouldn't let anything happen to you," he murmured. Without thinking, Hank leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, calming her with a sudden and surprisingly sweet kiss.