Love in the Shadows (Book 2)

Chapter 10

"Secrets" - Pink

"All I'm saying is I was technically closer to the mall than Steve was, and I should have been the one that went in to save those people. Meaning that it was me who would've met Mia first and it was me she would have fallen in love with."

There's a complete silence that encompasses the room as the entire table just stares at Sam while he sits back in his chair, feeling extremely confident in the statement he just gave.

We've managed to get a few of us together for breakfast, and honestly after everything that's been happening these past couple of days, it feels nice to do something normal. Unfortunately not everyone could be here, but it wasn't because they didn't want to, but because they had important things to do. So Tony, Nat, Wanda, Vision, Steve, Sam and I are all seated at the dining table. Bucky is technically joining us, but he's standing at the counter top, which makes me think that Steve and Sam forced him to come.

I'm sitting on Steve's lap since we're short one chair. Tony offered to get another one, but much to his annoyance I declined.

"So, in your eyes, you think the only reason I fell in love with Steve is because he was the one who went into the mall to rescue me?" I say, not sure if I should be insulted or flattered. Behind me I hear Steve chuckle as he hides his face against my back.

Sam puts his hands up, making it clear he's not trying to offend anyone. "I'm not saying it's the only reason, I'm just saying if your first connection was with someone else." he says, pointing to himself. "Things might have gone differently."

I chuckle because that's definitely not the case, but I shrug because I don't have the heart to break his fantasy of what could have been.

"Don't shrug like you agree with him!" Steve says, his fingers digging into my hips in retaliation. There's a burst of laughter that fills the room as I turn around and find Steve pouting at me.

"Aw, no baby, of course not." I say as I put my arms around his neck. "One look at you and no one would stand a chance." I run my hands down his cheeks before leaning in and giving him a swift kiss.

Some of us are all still in our pajamas making this whole breakfast feel so natural. Like one big, not really normal, somewhat happy, occasionally in a fight, family.

"She needs to say that so he doesn't feel bad." Sam says as he shrugs his shoulders.

I feel Steve stir beneath me and I put a hand on his chest. "Easy boy." I say, shifting on his lap to sturdy myself in case he tries to get up.

"I'm going to kill you." Steve tells Sam, even though his body does end up relaxing beneath me.

"I'll help." Tony says holding his coffee mug up to Steve in s sign of truce.

Steve lifts his own cup, both of them toasting to being protective over me.

Steve finishes off his coffee and then taps my thigh, signaling me that he wants to get up, probably to get a refill.

"Are you going to behave?" I ask as I stand up.

He gets up, then takes my arm and pulls me down onto the chair, making me take his place. "If you want me to." he says, then reaches down and grabs my chin between his thumb and his forefinger, tilting my head up. "But something tells me you don't" he whispers before leaning down and giving me a quick kiss and then walking away.

"And I'm back to killing Steve." Tony says, clearly annoyed.

Steve chuckles as he heads away from the table and towards the counter, but not before reaching over and smacking Sam in the back of the head.