Cash switched off the stove and flipped the steak slices onto a plate, spraying them with salt and pepper before getting salad ingredients out of the refrigerator to make as a side item for their meal. “I don’t know, man. It sounds like she’s just stupid. Not seeing what’s in front of her. Most women are like that.”
Gage didn’t know about that, but he didn’t have enough energy to argue about it at the moment. “I love her, you know,” Gage murmured, getting himself yet another shot, even though he was feeling a bit unsteady, his otherwise empty stomach roiling around its new liquid contents.
“Mmm,” Cash mumbled, putting two plates down on the countertop and pulling up another chair to sit down next to Gage. “Dig in. You need to eat. Get your strength, at least, if you’re going to fight for her.”
Gage laughed humorlessly, leaning his head in his hands while he dug his fork into the meat on his plate, stabbing into it as if it were responsible for his pain. “I can’t fight for her,” he murmured, sipping at his drink. “It’s got to be her decision. That’s the whole point. She’s got to choose her own life. If she can’t have that…” If she couldn’t have that, she wouldn’t be free from the worst thing that ever happened to her, not really. And no matter what, Gage would fight for that, for Fiona’s ability to feel like she was in control of her own life. He couldn’t take that from her, even if it killed him not to.
“She sounds like a fucking bitch, if I’m being honest with you,” Cash said between swallows of steak. “I mean, I don’t know her. I wouldn’t really know. But I think I’ve known quite a few women like her.”
“You haven’t,” Gage said sharply, feeling anger surge up inside of him. “You’ve never known anyone like her.”
“Fair enough,” Cash said, putting his hands up in the air as if he was declaring defeat. “I don’t know her. You’re right. But I just don’t like seeing you upset, man. I haven’t seen you like this the whole time I’ve known you.”
Gage shifted uncomfortably in his seat. The implication behind Cash’s words was clear—this was Fiona’s fault, yet Gage was paying the price. “Whatever,” he muttered, finally bringing a piece of the steak to his mouth, practically moaning out loud at the sweet yet salty taste of the meat. “Jesus, what’s in this shit? Crack?”
“Something like that,” Cash said with a laugh, shaking his head. “No, just my secret stuff. I’ve been out of work for a while, you know. Got to get back into making food for real people.”
“Real people? As opposed to what? MC people?” Gage said with a knowing smile. He knew what Cash meant, though. It was weird sometimes, the way the MC lived apart from the rest of the world.
Cash just shrugged. “Tell me more about your relationship drama. I need something to entertain me.”
“Not sure there’s much else to say,” Gage said as he began to eat more quickly, shoving meat in his mouth to fill his unsteady stomach. “She left me. She picked somebody else. She’s moved on. That’s good for her, right? I should just be happy, instead of whining about it like a little bitch.”
“Nah, come on. You love her, right? You should fight for her, man! Don’t give up that easily. She’s got to know what a catch you are.”
Gage shook his head. “It’s not about that. I got to respect her. That’s the thing that I think was holding us back all these years. She didn’t feel like I listened to her when she used to talk about how she wanted to leave all this investigation shit behind. He lets her be someone she can stand to live with. That’s got to be worth more than love,” Gage said sadly, finishing his last drink before hurriedly shoving the rest of his food into his mouth.
Cash was silent for a minute, just staring at him. “I know what you mean, but still, Gage. You got to at least try, otherwise, you might regret it forever.”
Gage shook his head. “I can’t, man. I can’t risk overwhelming her. She might never talk to me again.”
“Would she really act that way?” Cash asked. “If so, she’s a bigger bitch than I even thought.”
“Alright, stop it. Stop that shit. I can’t have you talking about her that way, Cash,” Gage said as he cleaned off his plate, taking it over to the sink to dump it in with the rest of the MC’s dirty dishes.
Cash put his hands up in the air, again in surrender. “Alright, alright, I get it. Just…give it a shot, okay? You can’t ruin something if there’s already no chance, and if there is a shot, you’re not going to fuck it up by just trying. That’s all I’m saying. And anyway, most women are…well, you know my opinion on them. When you find a good one, you’ve got to treasure her. You’ve got to fight for her. Don’t just let her out of your grasp.” Cash got up and walked over to Gage. “Or, hell, if you’re really that hung up over her and feeling that hopeless, let’s take your mind off it, huh? Let’s go out! Get some drinks, maybe meet some women and see what happens?”