Oleander - Bucky BarnesxOC

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE: THE NICEST THING

He and James are just two sociopaths who happened to find each other. He has to play chess now.

Maybe for the rest of his life.

Rebecca packs her laptop and James quickly packs his suitcase, leaving his dorm room barren, save for a few posters. They walk out the door and James puts his suitcase in Rebecca's trunk. She drives him to the parking garage across campus and he bolts toward it, looking around frantically and no fucking clue what he's going to do or what he's looking for other than an old station wagon. James gets a text from Steve.

[Stevie]: I see you.

James looks around and spots Steve standing behind a car, both hands on the hood. His eyes are rimmed red, pupils large, and he's jittery.

"I fucked up," he whispers, bursting into tears and pounding his bloodied fist onto the hood of the car. "I fucked up, Bucky!"

"What did you do?" James whispers.

Steve gestures at him to follow him around the side of the car. James stops in his tracks when he sees Claudia's crumpled, lifeless, and bloodied corpse staring up at him with wide, vacant eyes. Her skirt is pulled up and there's blood between her legs. James looks to the side and exhales softly, trying to push down the urge to curl into a ball and sob hysterically.

"She didn't want to be with me anymore," Steve whispers through tears. He looks at James, his gaze wild and terrifying. "I lost control." A sob. "I need help, Buck."

James's brain feels like it launches into cruise control. He feels like he knows exactly what to do.

"Help me put her in the car. We'll fake something and I'll call in a few favors."

"You'd do that for me?" Steve whispers.

James puts his hands on Steve's shoulders and gives them a gentle shake.

"You have to promise me that you'll get help."

Steve nods, and James sees a grin flicker across his face.

"I promise, Buck."

🌺🌺🌺

PRESENT DAY

Dahlia pulls into the driveway and doesn't see her aunt's car. Rita drives a shitty light blue Volkswagen Bug - one of the old ones from the late 1990s. Dahlia is amazed the thing still drives, but her aunt insists that it's a great car.

She kills the engine and climbs out, sliding her key into the lock. Her key. She still can't believe it some days. When she pushes open the door, Alpine and Basil trot up to her, meowing loudly.

"Hi, babies!" She whispers as she slides out of her heels. She crouches down to scratch them both and cover them in kisses.

"Dahl?" James calls.

"Is that my baby?!" Her aunt exclaims.

A stool slides across linoleum and Rita runs out of the kitchen, full force, in her bright red leather pants and a black tank top. She has a glass of red wine clutched firmly in her hand, her long claws tapping against the glass as she runs. Her hair is dark, like Dahlia's, sleek, and perfectly straight. Her makeup looks immaculate, thick black eyeliner framing her light brown eyes. She must have googled James and found out what he did for a living and then dressed somewhat accordingly because this is the most dressed up Dahlia has ever seen her.

Rita used to date bikers when she was younger, which makes Dahlia feel more and less nervous about what she's about to tell her. Although, she's not going to mention the organized crime part.