Glass [James Bucky Barnes]

chapter XXXI

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The first day in court ended around midday, and nothing was decided yet.
James stormed into his office and the door slammed loudly against the wall, shaking the whole frame. A few heads turned in the hall, but no one dared to speak.
His lawyer followed, entering the room a moment after. He was told to go back to the company to discuss some details but had noticed his client looked quite angered, and anxiety had set in.
James turned around, taking a step toward Walford and towering over him. "What the hell was that?" He seethed, his jaw almost as sharp as his stare.
The lawyer cleared his throat, lifting his chin a bit. He was not easy to intimidate, but James was the exception. "We may not have won the cause yet Mr. Barnes but today we did a great job. It's only a matter of time before-" The man began to speak, but was almost immediately interrupted.
"What did I tell you when I hired you?" James' voice was deep, but it seemed to rattle the whole room. He took his jacket off, dropping it on his desk.
Waldorf cleared his throat, keeping his composure. "If I may give you my professional advice..."
"I don't give a fuck about your advice." James cut him off. "I thought I had made myself clear before we even got to the trial."
"We can't openly sabotage a trial, sir. The firm's reputation is very important to us."
"You called her fucking ex to witness against her. That was not what we agreed on." It was clear that James was getting worked up, and Waldorf survival instincts kicked in. He knew who his client was, and upsetting him was not on his to-do list. He was smarter than that.
"Well, I thought," he tried to explain himself once again, but James was not having it and stopped him immediately.
"I don't pay you for thinking. Just do what I told you to do or find yourself another client. Now get out."

The man shut his mouth, clenching his fists along his sides. He was a seasoned attorney and felt he was entitled to more respect and not to be dismissed like such. It was a complicated case and an even more complicated client, and his firm warned him. Now it was too late to back off.
James was left alone in his office, sitting on his dark leather chair, his chin resting on his clasped hands. His mind went to Ivy, the look of betrayal on her face piercing through his soul. Her face turned into stone when Aaron walked in. What was she going to think?
He wanted to push her away, and he may have done it a bit too well.
Not to have her was a thing, but for her to hate him was not what he had in mind.
Someone knocked on the door, and if it was possible, irritated James even more, but his anger faded away when Steve walked in. "May I?" He asked.
James sighed. He knew he was not in the right mood and hated when it took it out on his friend. "It's not a good time now, Steve." He mumbled, keeping his gaze on his hands. Having to act cool when everything inside of him was boiling made his skin itch.
"I think you may want to know what I have to tell you." Steve insisted, unphased by his pal's pissed look. That was on his face almost always. The only times he saw it switched with a relaxed expression could be counted on the fingers of one hand. Half of them were even recent, but he knew the reason why now was the same that was now giving him hell. Ivy.
"Rebecca is in town." He delivered the news like a surgeon after a bad surgery. His hands intertwined together in front of him, a serious face to frame the image of a man who'd rather shut up.
James muttered something under his breath, his chair being pushed back as he stood up and grabbed his jacket. "Tell the pilot I might night him to fly to Los Angeles tonight."