Chapter 20

Negan knew in that moment as they broke from the tree line that Burbon City was a good four hour drive from Canton and that Cash’s ex wasn’t just going away that night. He also knew that The Mackey’s most certainly were coming back. They were probably in a panic right now devising a plan but they would be back for Cash for sure. They absolutely could not stay there at the cabin any longer then they had to and they certainly didn’t have time for Cash and his ex to have it out. He had real strong inclination that Miranda was not going to handle this news of Cash being gay in the same fashion as when he told Emily about himself. They didn’t have time for that discussion and any extra amount of time spent there could potentially put them all in danger. It was made clear now more so than ever that Bob had an intent to kill. Negan knew that he was now morally responsible for Miranda and ground his teeth so hard that it sounded like he had a mouth full of dirt. Cash heard it and went to speak to alleviate Negan of what obligation that he knew he felt but Negan beat him to it. “I have plenty of rooms in my home. She can stay ONE night before but she will be gone by morning. Do I make myself fucking clear? ONE night.” He stressed pointing a finger. “What? Negan, no. I would not ask that of you.” Cash said in shock that he was offering up his home to her in the first place on all honesty. “Well we can’t very well fucking leave her here can we and like HELL am I leaving you here even if she WASN’T.” Negan made clear even though he didn’t want that woman within 10 feet of either he or Cash. She obviously had made the trip to find reconciliation with Cash. “She can get a room in town. You are not responsible for her, Negan.” Cash tried to reason. Negan shook his head. “Mackey’s own both of the hotels in Canton. If she checks in under Howlett, uses her fucking card, she’s hit. She will come up a missing because the arrow you took for me is spreading like wild fire. Regardless of Bob’s pull, he shot an officer. That’s a BIG fucking no-no.” Negan pointed out. Cash understood and knew what was happening with The Mackey’s, Negan wasn’t wrong but why did he care for Miranda? “Miranda isn’t your problem, Negan. Why do you care?” Cash questioned pressing his hand into his wound while Negan led him into view. Miranda had seen them now and she stood. “Because at one time she was your wife. A fucking shitty wife she was but never the less your wife. You may hate the bitch now but at one time you loved her and that’s why.” Negan supplied. “But she has ONE night under my roof and then she’s in her fucking Benz there that I KNOW she fucking stole from you in your divorce and her ass is back to Burbon City at day break. We need out of here and who knows if she’s been spotted already.” He graveled under his breath in a strain to hold Cash’s weight. 

“Cash!” Miranda called out waving her hand above her head. Negan now thought he’d puke. He truly didn’t know how Cash was going to react in the long run and he really, really was wanting Cash in his life. “Miranda, what in the hell are you doing here?” Cash questioned continuing to limp along under Negan’s brace without stopping to chat. Negan kept his dark eyes faced forward and locked in on Cash’s front door. He didn’t want to look at her or her adulterous smile. It was bad enough that he could smell her lovely perfume or maybe it was her hair. He didn’t know what it was but it smelled soft and very feminine and he was sure that if he found it alluring that it was sparking all sorts of memories for Cash. “Oh my God. You’ve been shot again.” She groaned spotting the blood that seeped threw Cash’s dark clothes and stained his hands. Now Negan looked her way with a narrowing glare. Her statement sounded deeply of an inconvenience to herself, maybe even disappointment rather than any sort of concern. “I have and I don’t have time for this, whatever it is that you’re here for.” Cash answered. “Getting shot is a habit of yours?”  Negan questioned and then reminded himself of how much that he hated that Cash was a cop and that there was nothing that he could do to change that. “Oh yes. I can readily name four times. Trouble finds him or he finds it.”  She spoke in a calloused tone and again in inconvenience. She never loved him. “Well, I don’t know why I’m surprised. I suppose hicks in the sticks own guns too.” She joked sarcastically and rolled her eyes. “Anyway, hi. I’ll introduce myself since Cash isn’t the best with introductions. I’m Miranda Howlett. Cash’s wife. You must be Cash’s new partner.” She said extending her hand around Cash in search of Negan’s and in which he winced against. “Negan Coldwell.” He replied and regretfully took her hand curtly. “Actually, Miranda..” Cash spoke up to interrupt her with as they separated in their greeting. “We don’t have time for this. Not now, Beasty.” Negan said sternly shaking his head no amd helping Cash up the porch steps. Miranda had brushed off the pet name without a second thought. Officers always had stupid nicknames they’d call each other by. She hardly placed it as endearment.

“Where’s your keys?” Negan asked switching his weight to lean Cash up against the cabin so that he could get the keys and unlock the door. “Front right pocket.” Cash answered closing his eyes. He had lost a good amount of blood and although he knew that he’d begun to clot, he was feeling weak and drained. He needed stitched up and soon so he could fully recover. Without missing a beat, Miranda had squeezed herself in between Cash and the house to dove her hand deep into his jeans pocket. Negan thought he’d lose his fucking wits to himself knowing damn well that she had copped herself a feel while in that pocket. Cash had jerked his hips back when she indeed had tapped his nuts and Negan knew that she had helped herself to more than just his keys. The startle and sudden movement that he had made to get her hand off of him made him yelp in pain. “Oh, he’ll be fine.” Miranda disregarded. “He heals really fast. It’s actually really weird the way he will heal it seems over night. Don’t you, Honey?” She asked and cupped his cheek in her left hand to plant a kiss on it. “Miranda!” Cash scolded yanking his head back. “Don’t fucking touch me.” He snarled with a stiff neck and a tense jaw. That gesture made Negan settle but only marginally. He had seen that she was wearing the fat diamond ring that Cash had once placed on her hand at a martial alter. Negan was ready to bust that finger to get that ring off and to whip it as hard as he could out into the trees. He had had it with her feee hands and lips and it was going to fucking stop immediately. “We don’t have time for this bull shit.” Negan snapped and yanked the keys from Miranda’s opposite hand and jammed the key in the lock. “Don’t touch him again.” Negan threatened pointing his finger to her nose and grabbed back hold of Cash’s waist for support and pushed the door open wide. 

Negan left no room for Miranda to help him in assisting Cash down into the recliner. Scanning the counter, he grabbed a dish towel and handed it to Cash to hold against himself. “My bags are in the closet.” Cash coached as Negan was already on his way and flipped the bedroom switch. “What are you doing?” Miranda questioned hot on Negan’s heels following him into the small bedroom. “It’s not safe here. He’s coming to my place.” He answered fighting with the rusty track of the folding closet door. “Just go sit down.” He barked once the door freed itself and he began tossing bags up onto the bed. “Cash doesn’t run.” She argued not liking this move at all. “He is planted in the middle of the woods in a match box. Do you want to go up in flames because I can guarantee you, that’s what’s going to fucking happen next.” He snapped turning to Cash’s chest of drawers and began emptying the contents. “Fantastic.”  Miranda stated in a huff realizing that Cash’s partner was probably right. “Well, he and I will get a hotel room then.” She supplied. Negan had enough and spun from the dresser with his hands full of Cash’s shirts. “Look here, lady.”  “Excuse me?” She defended. It was on the tip of Negan’s tongue to just let her have it but it just would have to wait till they got back to his place. Right now would take up way too much time and besides, Cash couldn’t handle this either. He had been doing ok up until he’d seen Miranda. “I’m taking care of him. You make ZERO fucking decisions about that and IF you DON’T fucking like it, you get in your  FUCKING car and drive your ass BACK to Burbon City.” Negan ordered and jammed the clothes into the bag so full that the zipper would not close and reached for another. Miranda fumed watching Negan turn back to the dresser and pulling another drawer. She hated cops, hated their attitudes and everything about them. Her eyes narrowed behind his back knowing that this wasn’t a fight that she was going to win. 

Cash’s cell phone had caught her eye plugged in it’s charger on his night stand so she decided to help herself while Negan was busy stuffing the bag in his hand. Her snooping was always real quick. She was used to grabbing Cash’s phone for all those years that they were married to spy on him. Her guilty and cheating self had always had her accusing Cash of the same. She had never found anything of concern till now. She shook her head pulling up his browsing history. What she saw both confused and shocked her. His history was full of it. Never, ever before had anything remotely ever been found like this and she wanted a fucking answer. The fact that Miranda had suddenly gone quiet and walked past Negan and out of the bedroom to the living room had him in question. He did not see Cash’s phone in her hand. 

“Hey, like what in the fuck is all of this?” She asked marching out to Cash to stand in front of him holding the towel to his chest. The tone in her voice pulled Negan’s attention to stop what he was currently doing and step from the bedroom door into the frame to see what her problem was. Cash opened his eyes that had been resting to see his phone screen faced to him of a gay porn site that he had been looking at the night before.  “And THIS.” She continued flipping to another page pausing for a moment before choosing yet another page to show Cash with as if he didn’t know. “What in the fuck is all of this, Cash?” She demanded progressively becoming more upset by the moment. Now Negan was curious and fully stepped around the corner to crane his neck to see if he could catch a glimpse of what had her so upset. Miranda was quick and pulled up another page. “Why in the hell is your phone full, FULL of this?” She shouted turning the phone from Negan’s view but it was too late. Negan had seen and smirked to himself. “Beasty, I’m almost set here.” Negan added to continue on what he was doing and now stepped in the tiny bathroom to empty Cash’s shower and medicine cabinet. “This isn’t fucking research so what is it?” Miranda now hushed because now she was embarrassed with a sickening feeling twisting in her gut and like hell would his partner know about this. She’d rather die first. Be it as it may that Miranda tried to now be discreet, it was pointless. The cabin was small and even with Negan’s banging around in the shower retrieving bottles of soaps, he could hear everything. “Actually, in a way it is research.” Cash answered in a smart assed tone. Negan now couldn’t hold it it in. He busted out laughing. The kind of laugh that had him doubled over, holding the porcelain pedestal sink laughing so hard his sides split. Cash tried to laugh too. He knew that Negan had seen as well and they both were finding it way too damn funny but laughing for him hurt too damn bad. “Oh, fuck!” Negan roared pushing his glasses up onto his forehead to wipe his watery eyes. “Shut the fuck up in there!” Cash called back and stomped his foot. Negan’s laugh was making him laugh and he couldn’t. Raising his voice felt like a hot poker to his wound. Miranda was fuming. “Give me my goddamn phone.” Cash demanded now getting serious holding out his hand. “Yeah, I don’t fucking think so.” She hissed holding it back over her raised shoulder knowing damn well that he couldn’t get up on his own. “It’s none of your damn business now give me back my fucking phone.” Cash snapped. Negan’s laughter stopped immediately. Cash was pissed and probably embarrassed on a few levels. Hell, anyone would be. Gay porn or straight.  No one liked to be called out on it let alone be shown to their face and Cash was sensitive as it was. Yeah, Cash was embarrassed. Negan dropped what he was doing, stepped out of the bathroom and snatched the phone from Miranda’s fingers. “Not your fucking business.” He said and slid Cash’s phone in his own back pocket. “This fine for now?” He asked Cash patting his hip. “Yeah. Thanks.” Cash replied shaking his head. Negan quickly winked and dimpled a grin to Cash that it was ok. Cash had wondered before he’d met Negan and even once after if Miranda ever did come back to him how he’d feel. Now here she was and he now had his answer. He was empty inside for her. Looking at Negan that very instant, the way that he winked and smiled back at him, he knew that he was already in love and that he had changed. Miranda was a hallow memory. “Miranda, I’m gay.” Cash spoke out. He wasn’t waiting. He felt far too much and realized too much from that wink that he wasn’t waiting. Negan sighed knowing this was going to open a whole new can of what in the fuck that again, they didn’t have time for. “I’m getting your bags.” Negan said to Cash. “What?” Miranda asked loudly shaking her head. “You are not.” She protested to Cash’s face that didn’t falter. “We REALLY don’t have time for this.” Negan corrected coming from the bedroom with bags strapped over his shoulders and in both hands, loaded down like he was a pack mule.  “I’m loading my truck. Not now.” He grounded to Cash but at the same time sighed in relief having his feelings settled a bit knowing that Cash wasn’t having any reconciliation feelings or that he seemed to be. Negan walked out with the screen door slapping at his heels. “Cash, you are not gay. What in the hell makes you even consider this?” She asked angrily with her hands on her hips. Cash shook his head. “See, I don’t owe you a goddamn thing anymore. We are divorced. I don’t owe you a damn thing.”  He repeated as Negan came back in for another load and now the screen door slapped on his return. “I’m stripping your bed.” Negan stated choosing to ignore everything and walked back to the bedroom. “I get this done, we leave. Where’s Mittens?” Negan called out yanking the fitted sheets from the corners in one layered scoop. He was taking it all. “She’s out here, Nee’-g.” Cash added closing his eyes for a moment. He wanted out of those clothes, cleaned up and stitched up. He wanted to relax. “Oh, Oh! AND you have a cat too. So you’re gay AND you have a cat. Cash, you are NOT this man. You are THEE LEAST gay man that I’ve ever met!” She fought. “I will take your to the hospital, your partner can just go to hell. We are checking into a hotel and I WILL remind you that you aren’t fucking gay.” Thinking that she was going to have the upper hand. She always could bend Cash but not anymore. Negan had fucking had it. He wanted so badly to let her fucking fend for herself but he couldn’t. He was trying really damn hard to let her have her moment. After all, he knew it was a shock. Emily and he had cried when his truth had come out but that didn’t make he and Emily, Miranda and Cash either. He morally couldn’t let something happen to her. “Look.” Negan shouted coming out of the bedroom with the blankets, sheets and pillows wrapped into one massive ball in his arms. “He’s coming with me back to my place where I’m going to fucking take care of him. END of FUCKING story. You’re EXTREMELY…LOOSELY invited to stay under my protection for the night till morning. If you don’t fucking like it, get back in your fucking car and drive your ass home.” Negan flattened. “Now I’m taking this out to the truck. I come back in, we all leave.” He ended going for the door. “This is such bull shit, Cash. All of this.” She began to cry now out of frustration. “We have some serious shit to talk about.” She continued. “No. We really don’t, Miranda. We are divorced and you’re the one who decided that. Negan has offered you a place for the night. I suggest you take it. I’ve been shot with a mother fucking arrow. An arrow, Miranda. These people after us are dangerous on a whole new level of gorilla warfare. Am I making myself understood?” Cash added. “An arrow…Jesus. We are in the sticks aren’t we?” She asked shaking her head. “This is my home now, Miranda. Whatever brought you here is not my fucking problem anymore. This town is not safe for you with the name Howlett attached to it. Now make your fucking decision, because we are leaving.”