Page 30 of Cage's Fall

“Well I am. But I know you won’t come to that. So I suggest we go out for dinner.”

I laughed. I full out laughed. “That was a good joke.” I slowly dried up. “You and me, and dinner.” I giggled again, and then saw his expression— he was fucking serious and by his expression I had insulted him.

“Guess not, don’t worry about it then.” Jacob brushed the subject off, and looked and sounded insulted by my reaction.

I sighed, stepping in his path as he went to escape. “Where and when?”

I knew there was a chance I’d regret it. However, my brother never had made an effort to be with me, outside of the club. He wasn’t inviting me to his birthday club party because he knew I wouldn’t go. So he had given this some thought. The least I could do was go.

* * *

Arriving at The Thai Palace. I inhaled slowly, pushing the door open. Jacob said he would meet me here. I went to the waitress, and just assumed Jacob had put the table under our last name.

“Table for Watson?” I said, and she smiled nodding, ushering me through.

I frowned when we approached a closed door, and then she opened it. Why would we not be eating with the other guests? Then I walked in the room. A table set, and Jacob sitting down looking at the menu. Everything was as expected. Apart from, and my eyes went to him.

Hawk was here.

Fucking Jacob had tricked me.

“Thought we could do family tea.” Jacob got up, and I clenched his present in my hand. I wanted to storm out. I wanted to fucking leave! But I couldn’t.

“Happy birthday.” I said, and he was shocked by my reaction. To be honest if it wasn’t his birthday, I would have lost my shit. I kissed his cheek, and gave him half a hug, handing him the gift.

I took a seat directly across from Hawk, whose eyes were on me. He hadn’t seen me in nearly over a year. Last time we spoke, it was clear I wanted nothing to do with him.

Well I had made it clear. And he had accepted it because I had pushed him to believe that he was no good for me. That he could never be the father I needed.

Hawk picked up the menu and it sort of made sense why we were in our own small room away from the rest of the restaurant. Because there was a high chance things would get vocal.

Jacob sat the present on the table, and while his master plan was coming together, it was fair to say, he had no idea how to bring conversation between Hawk and I.

“Geez a Thai place, that serves steak, bit weird if you ask me.” Jacob muttered looking at the menu.

“One of the reasons the club is getting this place so cheap.” Hawk spoke for the first time, and it sent a ripple of emotion through my body. He sounded so cold. Like someone had broken his heart.

It occurred to me, that Hawk was a good man. Though I always knew that but this right now was a perfect example of why. He was having dinner with his dead wife’s kids. He had no obligation to be here. So that was why I dropped the menu blocking his view of me.

If he was trying I could try. He didn’t have to put me up in one of his rentals. Hell he didn’t have to make sure there was always money in my bank account. The least I could do was be nice at one dinner. Wasn’t like I was letting them back in my life. But I could be polite— for one night at that.

“Open your present.” I said to Jacob.

“So confident I’ll love it.” He winked. I rolled my eyes, watching him rip the paper. “Fuck I feel like a kid.”

“Jacob you’ve always been a child.” I replied.

Then he frowned at the box, before opening it, and I saw his expression drop.

“How did you get this?”

“Tracked one down on eBay.” I didn’t tell him that I stayed up to the early hours of the morning being a sniper on the site to get it.

He grinned. “And you got the game to go with it!”

“What is it?” Hawk asked.

“Nintendo 64!” Jacob said with way too much delight.

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