AFTERGLOW - JAMES BUCKY BARNES FANFIC

CHAPTER 9

" Keep it, in case he's still tailing on me, I'm probably just going to stay out for another day, I have the spare one," I say before the knock on the door made me jump back into focus, I groan as I put my laptop aside and get off the couch I've been crashing in for the last few ten hours.
" Gotta go, thanks again," I say but before I hang up Ross says," Oh, he also mentioned about a ballet shoes, said he saw a pair-"
" Great," I groan as turn off the call and threw my phone to the couch.

I fix my wrinkled t-shirt before I climb out of the couch and run to check on the peephole, " Glad you're back," I sigh the second I open the door and Wanda shrug her shoulder, " Oh geez, Grace you okay?" Wanda says, rushing her way to give me a very unnecessary hug she always does.

" I'm fine- thanks for letting me crashing in here though." I let out a rush of breath after Wanda release me and take a step back, looking up and down at my obvious lack of sleep. " Yeah well, I don't think you're fine, but I'm here now, do tell me what you need," Wanda nods her head before I turn around and walk back to the couch, taking the laptop on my arm before I walk back to her.

" Well, between the break in and the pain in my ass I'd say I'm a solid seven," I grin dryly," I mean at least it's not an eight, seems manageable to you," Wanda says sarcastically as she take off her coat and hang it on the custom-made marbled hanger she got from her brother two summers ago.

" Your phone just buzzed," Wanda says before I shuffle my way and grab my phone off the kitchen counter. " Yelena," I sigh as soon as I see her name on the screen," She've been on edge since I told her what happened earlier," I let out a rush of breath as I start typing a text back to her.
" She knew?" Wanda asks, looking toward my direction the same time I look over her, " Yeah, we supposed to have breakfast this morning," I say before I throw the phone to Wanda's couch. " I went with her to the charity ball before he dragged me out, remember." I sigh before I scroll down on my laptop.

" I've been doing some digging," I start, Wanda stares at me with a confuse look before she look down to the screen on my laptop, " Shit, how long you've been up," Wanda says the second she sees the profile on the screen, " I don't know," I sigh, turning my back around and walk to the kitchen cabinet and mixed both of us a drink like I owned the place.

" I've been staying awake since I went back from my place to put up the fake set, he knew too much so might as well turning the place around to sidetracked him off my tail," I say bitterly before I take a swing on the martini," Who did you send?" Wanda asks with both eyebrows furrowed as she looks at me, " Ross," I jokingly making a face as I say the name, Wanda laugh the second she connected the dots.

" Your neighbor from the second floor," She says but it sounds more like asking a confirmation if I was joking or not," He's paid actor!" I chuckle genuinely for once, Wanda shakes her head as soon as her laugh fades out," A very bad one for sure," She chuckles." It was pass midnight, Wanda, he happened to be the one con actor I could booked up right away," I say jokingly as I walk away to grab my phone, " And you know damn well my feeling was right," I nod, " because James, send someone down to my place earlier before he get back there again himself this morning." I say trying to hold myself together after saying his name out loud.

James, the name really starting to taste bitter coming out of my mouth.
" Damn it, Grace," His voice somehow taking a permanent residency in my head with a pile of guilt against my chest as if it was totally my fault someone took his ring along with my jewelry box.

" The married guy has a name now," Wanda says in whisper but I can hear her clearly, I shot a look over her before she shrug her shoulder in defeat," I'm sorry," She winches," It just- you've never actually mentioned his name before," Wanda says as she walks around the kitchen counter and grab a bag of bread, " Yeah, well not that it matter but he's not married- at least not a single article about it that I could find." I mutter as I turn my back around away from Wanda before I take a deep breath in and let out a rush of breath, " Well,either way he's a problem I'd do anything to get rid off," I say as I look up at her," Okay, I'm sorry, let me just take a quick shower before I check around your place for a hint," Wanda says as she cuts the peanut butter sandwiches in half.