The Angel and The Billionaire

chapter 45

Tony

The smell of Clint's cinnamon candles mixed with old beer and sweat fills my nose as I walk back to the couch with new drinks, spreading them around a set of teammates with different levels of drunkness.

The super soldiers have the serum and Nat is Russian so they can pass a sobriety test. Sam is passed out, sucking on his thumb like a 5-year-old. Barton is intoxicated, more cheerful than usual but nothing dramatic. Sharon lost one of her shoes but is having fun regardless. Wanda is drunk enough to slur her words and Vision has to keep her from using magic for stupid shit like giving Sam a Cinderella costume. He has to blackmail her with ice cream and the bird boy owes his reputation to the fact Vision knows the witch so well. Scott is having a heart-to-heart with a fan and will probably join Wilson on the sleep team soon. Rhodey went to bed a while ago, aside from him and the secret lovers everyone is here. The fact Bruce and Thor think I don't notice when they leave together is funny to me.

We've been here for almost an hour, talking and laughing at the mess around us. I'll give the cleaning crew an extra, the place looks like a dystopian scene, 'remains of the last party before the virus' kind of mess.

Rogers has been all over his girlfriend the whole night, which is kind of cute in a gross way. It upsets me because Grace and I would be like that, maybe even worse, but we can't. She looked sad dancing with Sam. I know because I felt the same way.

Laura joined us as soon as everyone who doesn't live here left and the doors of the tower closed. She and Katniss keep their life and kids a secret but there's no reason to be careless.

- Never took Clint for such a romantic. - Wanda jokes, probably about some story of the early days of Barton's relationship.

- He is. - Laura giggles, holding his hand. - But not when other people are around to see it.

Barton rolls his eyes dramatically but doesn't argue.

On the other side of the room, taking advantage of the stocked bar, Carol and Valkyrie are heavily flirting. It wasn't surprising, at least not to me but from what has been said, my teammates didn't see this coming.

It's past 2 am when Banner and Thor return from wherever they have been for the past 3 hours. No, the team doesn't seem to find it suspicious they keep disappearing. I don't wanna know where it was or who was fucking who. I'd rather not have that information and Thor might be just oblivious enough to reveal it by accident. Grace and Barnes exchange a smirk when they sit with us, which makes my blood boil.

- What about you, Tony? - Laura turns to me. I can't appreciate enough how nice she has been tonight. - Anyone .. special in your life?

- Well... - I try to come up with an answer that won't turn into more questions but it feels impossible. - It's complicated.

- I thought he was with Pepper. - Rogers says, not particularly interested in the conversation.

- Not anymore. - I shrug, doing my best to not look in Grace's direction. - We broke up a while ago.

Bruce offers me a sad smile, probably thinking back to our conversation in the shawarma place months ago. Thankfully he doesn't say anything about it.

- So I'm guessing the answer is a lot of women. - Barton jokes, earning a giggle from the room. - I haven't seen anyone so you must be good at sneaking around here.

- You have no idea, Legolas. - I hope this wasn't a trap because if it was I'm toast.

- Oh, I bet he can sneak people around. - Sharon is drunk but I don't think she'd say anything compromising.

Right?

- Why do you say that, sugar? - Roger asks, frowning.

- It's his tower. - Her words slur more than Wanda's. - So he must know all the blindspots and least used hallways and all that shit. Grace told me...

Wrong.

- What? - Steve presses but she catches her slip, faking a coff to think of an answer.

- That she thinks there are secret passages here.. - She gives Grace a desperate look. - Like... in.... like in Hogwarts!

- That sounds like me. - My girl nods, laughing like she didn't almost have a heart attack. I did. - But that's probably just my imagination.

- Stark, anything to say? - Rogers speaks to me directly for the first time all night, a playful tone in his voice.

- No comments. - I carry the joke. - I'll keep plausible deniability for later.

Sharon and Wanda laugh loudly because drunk people find big words funny for some reason. As I look around, I see Scott is now cuddling with the fan, dead asleep.

The rest of our after-party goes on without any more invasive questions. Aside from having to see Barnes openly flirting with my girlfriend and being unable to do anything about it, I had a good time.

One thing that brings me comfort in this secret relationship dynamic is that Grace sleeps with me. We might not have sex, although she turned out to have a big appetite, but she always drops by or asks me to go to hers. It's the only constant in our turbulent day-to-day. We don't have dates, Instagram posts, or introductions to parents but we have our nights.

I wait until everyone leaves, soldiers carrying drunks and Nat making sure everyone gets to bed alive and well. I soundproof the room, blocking the view with mirrored walls just to be safe, and turn off the cameras, texting Grace to meet me here in her party attire.

- Hey. - She walks in, looking confused as I lock the door she used like I did with all the access points. - What are you doing?

- One second. - I press buttons on my phone until the lights dim and 'Moonlight Serenade' starts playing on the speakers.

Her eyes widen, looking at the room that has a similar energy to a 40's bar, or at least that's what I tried to accomplish. Grace covers her mouth with one hand, shock all over her face. I fix my suit and step closer, extending a hand.

- May I have this dance, my lady?

- Tony. - She giggles, noticing the precautions. - Yes, of course.

She takes my hand and I snake the other arm around her waist, her free palm resting on my shoulder. We sway to the rhythm, slowly and calmly. Every time I think she can't get prettier I'm proved wrong, she is and continues to be the most stunning woman I've ever seen.

- How'd you know? - She asks, her face inches away from mine.

- It was written in your eyes as you danced with Wilson. And to be fair I was thinking the same thing.

- This is amazing. - She beams, watching the room with a sorrowful look. - I wish people danced more in the 21st century. It'd be good for them.

- Maybe. It's certainly good for me.

Her smile goes straight to my heart, making it skip a beat while also beating faster. The music changes but we continue, just looking at each other and enjoying the moment. For a moment there I can feel what she meant, the world could be better if we danced more often. It's like I could stay here forever.

- I love you. - She wraps her other hand around my neck as mine goes to her waist.

- I love you more. - I reply, kissing her forehead and allowing myself to get lost in us.

A moment where there's nothing but me, soft jazz, and the incredible woman that for some reason chose me to be here with her. And to think it all started in a HYDRA base.