THE FADING FALLEN ● Bucky Barnes X OC ● 18+ ● ENGLISH [COMPLETE]

Chapter 35

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Emilia had no idea how to do it. So for now, she continued to focus on the man who knew more about a human trafficking ring than he was willing to admit.

Before she could even come up with a plan to somehow get to Zemo, she was suddenly called to the boss.

Not knowing what that meant, she reluctantly kept her waiting.

As she strutted down the winding corridors, the tall guy typed something into his cell phone. Seconds later, the door opened from the inside.

With her first step into the room, she immediately knew who was in there - even without seeing their faces.

Everything inside her tightened. She tried to stay in her role as best she could. This was harder for her than she thought... even with the help of Josephine and her pragmatic way.

Without letting on, she walked past Bucky. She could literally feel everything in him tense up. Then she knew he recognized her.

Emilia sat down on the couch and leaned over the back of it in a sexy manner.

"I would have dressed up a little fancier if I'd known you were having guests." Her voice sounded teasing and sweet, like she was buttering her up.

"They asked for you, Velvet." The Boss looked at her with a slight skepticism in her gaze.

Emilia's surprise was not feigned: "For me? Why would these gentlemen ever ask for me?"

"You don't know them?"

At the question, Emilia let her eyes wander over the three faces that were all too familiar to her.

"Well, who doesn't know the highly venerable Baron Zemo."

Like the devil himself, she sparkled at him. But Zemo didn't really take any notice.

Unlike Bucky, after all, who winced a little more than he wanted to at her next words.

"I'm just a little surprised at how he... got his beloved puppet back."

Emilia looked him up and down dismissively. It felt like thousands of little knifes digging deep into him.

Bucky couldn't explain what had happened to her. For months he wondered what in the world was going on. He no longer recognized Emilia under the wig and her emotionless demeanor.

"And you can tell our Smiling Tiger just by his bad taste in fashion. No offense, but what you're wearing would make a better tablecloth in a retirement home."

Sam, still irritated at running into her in this play, countered in such a somber manner which he hoped would be convincing.

"I'd watch what you say, or you won't live to see the old folks' home, Velvet."

The slight twitch around the corner of her mouth didn't escape Sam, Bucky or Zemo. None of them caught the fact that an uneasy feeling was spreading beneath it.

"Boss, I'd love to keep talking to the gentlemen. But you know how I hate to keep my guests waiting. Unfortunately, I don't know how to help them either."

Emilia stood up and walked toward the door. Only inches from Bucky, she paused when she heard what The Boss had to say.

"Hold on a minute. Carmen shall handle your guests. I want you to escort our VIPs to the back door and wish them farewell."

The Boss gestured to the bodyguard behind her to relay the information to the staff.

It was dark, but Bucky could see the sheer horror in Emilia's face when the word 'back door' came up. She turned white as a sheet. At that moment, he thought he had rediscovered something of her old nature beneath the hard shell.