Love & Bullets (bucky barnes x oc)

14: A New Beginning

"What can I get you, ma'am?"

"One iced coffee, please. With milk."

"Right away, ma'am."

It doesn't take long for you to settle in Chicago. After all, you're finally free, safe from any harm. Deep down, you can't help but think about James, despite running like hell out of his bedroom.

Maybe I shouldn't have gone... God, stop it, Alexandra! He's a mafia man, damn it!

You can't afford to occupy your mind with any men, not after your marriage with the Don. Didn't you swear to never fall in love again?

"One iced coffee with milk for you, ma'am. Enjoy."

Your hands wrap around the chilly glass, snapping you out of your thoughts. You watch as the ice floats atop the chilly beige drink. Lifting the glass to your lips, you indulge in the milky goodness. Oh, how you've missed iced coffee.

It doesn't take long before you drain the entire glass, carefully setting it down in front of you. You reach for a ten and place it on the table before standing up and making your way out of the café. Although you've never actually been to Chicago before, you're positive you can find a place to stay. A hotel? A studio apartment? With the money you have, you'd be lucky to get a one-bedroom. Even then, your feet take you to the Chicago Getaway Hotel's front desk, where a woman with a smile plastered over her face greets you.

"Good afternoon, Miss! How may I help you today?" Her voice is unusually cheery.

"Hi, do you have any available rooms? I'm not sure how long I'll be here for..."

"No worries, ma'am. Let me go ahead and check for you!"

You force a smile and nod in reply. The woman begins typing something incredibly fast, leaving you stunned that she didn't become a web developer. A moment later, she looks up from her computer and beams, "We've got a room on the third floor. I just need a card to put on file."

You nod, reaching into your pocket for a credit card. Of course, it's not yours. Your heart aches for the poor server from earlier, he was incredibly kind. Completely undeserving of this. Yet, you need this more than anything, you simply had  to do it.

"Thank you. Here is the keycard, the elevator is right down the hall to your right. Have a lovely stay!"

You take the sleek white keycard from her fingers and make your way towards the elevator. With a ding, the door opens and you step inside, admiring the intricate details along the walls and ceilings. Burgundy and gold accents dance all around you as you look down to the polished glass floor. You stare at your reflection, yet you don't recognize who you are. What you see is a complete stranger, someone wh-

Ding!  The doors open to the third floor. Royal blue and white colours fill the walls around you as you make your way to your room. 310. You stop at the door, swiping the keycard across the monitor until it turned green, signifying the now-unlocked door. Grasping the handle, you push the door open, revealing a cozy, lofty-style room.

The floors are covered with a soft cream-coloured carpet. A medium-sized TV mounts atop the walls, a white lamp standing next to it. Directly in front of you sits a twin bed with fluffed-up sheets and a velvety pillow waiting to be used.

"Looks like this is my new home..." You shrug, getting used to the sight, "A hotel room."

You sit on the bed, snuggling up under the sheets, alone. Your mind wanders yet again to James. To his body. How he touched yours. All of it.

Bellezza.

The name repeats over and over in your head, desperate for his touch. You swallow, feeling the tears well in your eyes. No. You can't do this, you can't get attached.

You know the dangers too well to fall in love again.

In an effort to close out the thoughts, you turn on the TV and flip through the channels. Why do hotels always have the worst channels?

After what feels like hours of searching for something to watch, you give up and throw the remote on the bed. As your eyes flutter closed, one thing remains on your mind: James. It's as if being 700 miles away isn't enough. It's too late to go back. He'll never leave your mind... You can never escape him.