Chapter 13

 

The exchange of looks between them was mutual and Cash was now reminded of his business that he had wanted to discuss with Negan. He didn’t feel as though it was a good idea to be seen as friends much less partners just yet. Not for awhile yet. He had a bad feeling about his placement being brought in and he just had a suspicion that Negan had a number over his head. For this matter, Negan was far from stupid and didn’t think that it was a good idea either but he wasn’t worried for himself. He was worried for Cash. Now there was company and only one way out and that company stood directly on the other side of it. Cash stood and looked to the driveway but he and Negan’s trucks parked side by side were big boss machines and hogged the entire view. “Is it Walker?” Negan hushed. He was aware of his deep voice and that it would carry. “No.” Cash answered looking sharply around the corner. “I don’t know who it is.” He said quickly thinking of a plan. Negan stood and urged Cash out of his way to take a look for himself by running his hand across Cash’s hip and down his outer thigh in order to nudge him aside. That touch, clothes or not was a first for them both. Negan pressed his fingertips into Cash’s muscle. “You’re a good looking man.” Negan hoarsely whispered passing by Cash’s bare neck to see who it was. Cash had lost his train of thought momentarily as Negan flattened against the wall. “Mackey?” Cash questioned. “No. Your new boss.” He grumbled. “Fuck.” Cash replied under his breath knowing that he’d have to have him in. Mackey he’d meet on the porch but that wasn’t going to fly with the chief. “Get in my room and don’t come out.” Cash rushed and peeled out of his shirt in a hurry. “What?” Negan snapped but at the same time, holy fucking shit. Why he was surprised at Cash’s upper body he wasn’t sure. The shirts that were painted on him told him plenty but seeing skin and the dark hair that dusted his pectorals was another thing. “He can’t know that you’re my company. Go.” He pointed with one hand as he was kicking out of his boots and pulling from his belt with the other at the same time. “Not as if that I’m not enjoying this fucking strip tease, Beasty but what the fuck are you doing?” He asked. “Beasty.” Cash smirked. He liked it and Negan truly had no idea. He was all smiles as he unbuttoned his jeans and pulled the zipper down a few clicks. Negan couldn’t break his stare. “You don’t wear underwear?” He questioned for it was obvious as a peek of his hilt was exposed. “No.” He smiled. “Why am I not surprised?” He asked. “I don’t know. Why are you?” he asked continuing to hustle in his rustled appearance and squatted to make the legs of his jeans stretch. “Are you gonna fuck him? What are your doing?” Negan repeated. God he looked fantastic bare just like that as he ruffled his dark raven winged hair. “Making it awkward. Go.” He repeated and ordered with a snap of his fingers in a point. “Well, for the record, Jesus fucking Christ.” Negan added zig zagging his finger over Cash’s nude torso. Cash couldn’t help but laugh. He was no stranger to the reaction but it meant something entirely different coming from someone he was equally interested in. Negan stepped in the bedroom closing the door. Cash hoped that the chief wouldn’t recognize Negan’s truck as he opened the door. If Cash was looking to make his first meeting with the chief an awkward one, he had succeeded in just such. Chief Barnes was rendered speechless as the door swung open in front of him and he was greeted just as Negan had called him, a beast. “Can I help you?” Cash asked holding the door playing dumb. “Hello, Officer Howlett. Chief Barnes.” He introduced intensely focusing on Cash’s eyes because his eyes wanted to wander. It didn’t matter the orientation, Cash was cut from stone. “Chief Barnes. Holy shit. I’m so sorry. Come on in.” He invited in an embarrassed tone stepping aside for him in his bare feet with the cuffs of his jeans dragging at his heels. The chief glanced at the undone button and the illusion absolutely had worked. They looked to have been thrown on in a hurry and there was nothing underneath them. This was actually a brilliant move on Cash’s end. The chief walking in on him intimately entertaining would detour the chief from wanting to introduce him to suitable mates that would play into Mackey’s favor. Negan carefully sat at the foot of Cash’s bed with his knees barely clearing the back of the door to listen to Cash work. He looked around the room and noticed that it was all bed pretty much. It was vastly different from his own and although he enjoyed his rich kingly satin sheets, he couldn’t wait to crawl in the thread bare, neatly made up bed to wake sore in the morning. “I apologize for stopping in unannounced like this. I hadn’t figured that you’d have company.” The chief said as Cash closed the door behind him. “Hey, I’m sorry it took me so long to get to the door. I thought the knocking at first was my headboard.” Cash lied padding to the fridge to get himself out a bottle of water acting as if he were parched. Negan smirked to himself. “Nice touch.” He thought and set his elbows down onto his knees to listen. He felt a wash of exhaustion wash over him that he was familiar with. He needed to get home soon.  “I had no idea you’d be entertaining.” Chief Barnes repeated looking to the bar at the burning candle that had been lit so long that the wick just floated in a pool of hot wax. Cash slugged down his bottle of water without coming up for air and crunched the plastic in his fist when he was finished. “What? Because it wasn’t mentioned in your article?” Cash asked in a belch. “Not cool.” He added tossing the mauled bottle in the trash can. “My apologies.” Barnes was quick to reply. Cash shrugged. “Well, I suppose a man has his needs.” Barnes added in. ”You can times that one by 2.” Cash replied showing his digits in reference to Negan. Negan chuckled deep in his chest without making so much as a peep. “Smart ass.” He smiled but appreciated the fact that he wasn’t playing him off as a woman either. Cash was playing this out perfectly but was also making himself loud enough so Negan could easily hear him. “Well, there’s ladies I can introduce you to should you require a buffet seating.” The chief tried to persuade. Negan’s smile flattened immediately. It was a concern in the back of his mind. Cash was open with the fact that this feeling for a man was a brand new thing for him and he knew exactly who the chief was referring to for his new officer to date and they were indeed beautiful, well kept women. Cash’s mind would certainly decide that he was mistaken in his new found feelings for a cock. His cock. Ray had been correct in telling Cash that the chief would try this to secure himself a sure thing that he’d play for his team. He was dangling tits and ass in front of him on a hook but what neither the chief or Negan knew that Cash wasn’t interested in taking the bait. He’d already been caught. “I’m real happy with my new partner who happens to be on the other side of that door.” Cash defended. Even though Cash’s voice sounded to be stern and certain, this didn’t settle Negan’s worry. He knew full well what Cash looked like and he was magnificent. The women would be crawling all over him. He wasn’t going to be able to compete. “My dating will not become something of a department policy.” Cash added in putting his foot down. “Of course not.” The chief quickly retracted. “Happy to hear it.” Cash said with a curt nod and put himself between the chief and his bedroom door. “Now what can I do you for? I hate to cut this short but I’m kind of in the middle of something that I’m eager to get back to.” He stated pointing out the obvious. The jeans had begun to sag on his hips with the weight of his genitals pulling them down further yet. The chief nodded knowing that this was going to be revisited later no matter what his new officer had to say about it. Mackey wasn’t going to be pleased that Officer Howlett’s new love interest wasn’t one from his choosing. “Right.” The chief agreed. “I spoke briefly to Walker this morning and he said that you two had met and that he took you for a tour of Canton.” Chief Barnes began. “That’s right.” Cash agreed. “He told me that you had your first run in with our town’s thorn.” He embellished. “ Ahh..Negan Coldwell.” Cash supplied. Negan was hardly surprised that this meeting had everything to do with him but listening to what was to be said was interesting from a private perspective. “Yes. Negan Coldwell.” Barnes confirmed with a nod. “I wouldn’t so much as call it as a run in as I would best describe it as abuse of a badge from an off duty officer.” Cash stated flatly. “Finally.” Negan whispered interjecting. “Yes, I was introduced to Negan Coldwell but he wasn’t doing anything wrong. He was out on his nightly run which I can assume given his hobby as an accomplished marathon runner that running would be something that he does a lot in order to keep himself conditioned and in such fine physical shape.” Cash pointed out for it was hardly a lie. Negan had legs up to his goddamn ears. He packed a pair of jeans the same as he filled out those damn black runners leggings. “You’ve done your homework.” Barnes added too ignorant in the fact that just possibly Cash had paid Negan a flattering compliment. “I like to know what I’m getting myself into.” Cash reciprocated. “Then you’ll have seen that Negan Coldwell causes quite a bit of grief for our town of Canton and is of real concern. Walker choosing to stop Coldwell was a wise decision.” “Mmmm… “Cash hummed with a head nod. “He was within a football fields length from his home when he was stopped. We didn’t find him sneaking around Mackey’s horse barns. I’d like to think that are two sides to every coin and a man is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law and in which case, there has yet to be any charges brought up against Mr. Coldwell that have stuck. If you wish for change in Canton I believe that it’s due time we start considering looking into what actually is poking at your bear.” Cash added reflecting the fact that he was a no bull shit, back woods Officer. The chief made for a hard stare at Cash and Cash didn’t falter. At the moment both the chief and Cash knew that there was going to be trouble. Negan knew it too and listened with his eyes shaking his head. It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate the defense but Cash had just handed the chief his own rope. Not his. His own. Well, I’ll let you get back to your company.” The chief excused of himself after a few moments of tense silence. 

Negan stood from the bed and waited till he heard Chief Barnes being shown out the door to come out. “It’s clear.” Cash announced stepping back from the front door to let Negan know it was ok. Negan had serious concerns of his own now. “We need to talk.” He said flatly stepping out to see Cash standing there with his arm stretched out holding the bars ledge “Yeah, we do.” Cash agreed and went to further in his speech but Negan had cut him off. “No.” He dismissed. “You need to play their fucking game.” He directed fisting his keys knowing that he needed to be taking off for home himself and the sooner the better. When he was sitting Cash’s room he had begun to feel light headed and he knew that he needed to get home. “What?” Cash questioned shaking his head. “I appreciate your valor and it counts but you need to play their game. None of this good cop bull shit. You proved yourself worthy to me and that’s all that fucking matters. Now it’s time to play the game. Play his game. I’ve got to get going.” He stated knowing full well that now wasn’t exactly a good time to be walking out but if he didn’t get going now there was going to be an even bigger problem that he wasn’t going to be up for explaining. “Negan.” Cash snapped. “They’re going to find a way to stop you and my gut says they mean to kill you.” Cash grounded. Negan laughed which took Cash by surprise. “By the time they figure out how to get that done it’s going to be too late for them.” He said heading towards the door passing by Cash’s shoulder and reached out for the cupboard to catch himself. “I’ve got to go. Find a way to comply to them: if you want to do me a favor, be my informant. I can’t risk your life.” He spoke over his shoulder and reached for the door handle. “Risk my life?” Cash asked gruffly and now saw Negan better in the light and he was looking pale which shifted his concern. “You don’t look good all of a sudden. Why don’t you come sit down.” Cash switched pointing towards the living room. “I’m fine.” He added opening the door anyway. “You don’t look fine. Come on. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about.” Cash said reaching out for Negan’s arm. “If you get sick, you get sick. Come sit down.” Cash pleaded. Negan was drained of his color and he was actively running his tongue over his teeth behind his lip. “I’m not going to be sick.” Negan made certain of. “Do you have sugar or blood pressure issues?” Cash asked in growing concern. He’d have Negan over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry in 2 seconds flat and to the hospital in minutes and he wouldn’t care who asked or saw what. “Something like that.” Negan smarted thinking good, let’s go with that. “I just need my meds.” He lied. “We’ll talk business later but I’ve really got to go.” He repeated. “I’ll be in touch.” He added and just like that he was out the door. Cash stood dumbfounded staring at the back of his door. “Just like that, huh?” He asked to himself but wasn’t ok with it by far. He wasn’t ok about not talking about their problem and certainly not letting him leave looking like he’d pass out. Maybe his meds were in his truck he thought and hoped. He knew that it was too soon to pry. He’s have done the same thing if had had suddenly felt ill. He was trying hard to take in account that Negan needed to be treated differently. He was a man and a man had a certain amount of pride that required respect and needed to let him be such. That was hard because had he been a woman he wold not have let her leave that house. Negan got to his truck and held the door handle a moment and looked back up to the cabin with the lights on: He was weak but he couldn’t leave it like this and he knew it. He seemed to keep making these mistakes. He really didn’t have the energy but 5 or 10 minutes more wasn’t going to leave him wasted and went back up to the cabin. Cash hadn’t paid attention to if Negan had left or not because he was gathering his clothes and boots to get re-dressed. He was going to catch up to Negan and make sure that he made it home ok. He’d keep his distance so Negan wouldn’t know it was him but like hell was he not getting himself a police escort home. If Walker could play off duty cop then so could he. As he found his shirt on the arm of the couch he heard a knock on the door. “Thank God.” He thought knowing it had to be Negan doubling back. “Coming!” He called out quickly coming to the door. Negan had his courage up and even if depleted all had left in him, he didn’t want to leave it like this. “You forget something?” Cash asked with a thankful smile opening the door and braced himself in the door jam. Negan didn’t answer or he’d lose his nerve and reached in the door by sliding his arm around Cash’s waist with one hand and grabbed hold of his broad neck with the other and pulled him in abruptly to kiss him. There was an immediate shock as Cash felt Negan’s thick mustache pressed against his upper lip and under his nose not to mention the very distinct difference the muscle of a man’s mouth turning into him. There was a brief moment of hesitation for his mind to play catch up and make the adjustment of what was happening but then he settled in quite comfortably. Negan was one hell of a kisser and the chemistry between them was now confirmed. His body was rapidly responding and tugged Negan’s hips in tight to his own. Negan felt his partner’s chest heave against his own and release had escaped him for Cash to catch. The kiss mutually had deepened and Negan knew that there was no retracting this. He was hungry, depleted and felt mesmerized in the slide of their tongues that the pulse in Cash’s neck that beat against his palm has begun to entice him. He could taste it in his mind. He could feel the ecstasy of sinking his teeth into the artery. Cash felt Negan’s thumb pressing hard into his jugular that it ached up into his ear hearing his blood pumping hard like a drum. If Negan could have found yet another switch to flip , he had. Cash grabbed hold of Negan’s leather jacket to pull him inside the house. That was just the force that Negan needed to rouse him from his trance and pulled back from Cash’s mouth in a breathless pant. Negan’s eyes were as black and as dilated the moonless night sky and Cash knew that he needed that as that  he needed to bed him. He was out of breath himself. Negan had noticed that the constriction that he had caused on the artery in Cash’s neck to protrude like a soda straw and snake down his collar bone in a rope to his heart. He couldn’t open his mouth to speak at this close of a distance because if he did, he’d turn into the meat that he hungered for and turned to find the railing instead. Cash watched him brace himself.  “I’ll text you when I get home.” Negan now spoke with his back turned taking himself back down the steps. “No bother because I’m seeing you home.” Cash promised to his backside.