𝑺𝒉𝒆'𝒔 𝒂 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒚 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍 𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝒂 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅-𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏.
LIKE FATHER, LIKE DAUGHTER.
Charlie, also known as the jet-setter and billionaire Tony Stark's only daughter, is 26 and in a relationship with Steve, soon-to-be successor...
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𝑬𝒙𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒌𝒆𝒑𝒕 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒊𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒔𝒍𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕. So when her alarm clock rung the next morning, she struggled to leave her warm bed, her temples pounding. Even a shower didn't clear her drowsy head.
Droplets dripping on her skin and her towel wrapped around her body, she bent above the sink, putting away a few strands of her dark wet hair to better examine her face in the mirror. The bruises on the corner of her lips and on a side of her forehead began to fade.
Charlie needed litters of coffee to hope to emerge from her fatigue. Heading to the kitchen barefoot and only wearing her towel whose she adjusted along the way, she held it around her body with one hand. Knowing her father, he was already in his office even though sun had barely risen, so she could freely walk around the floor naked if she wanted to. At least, that was what she would have done if she was at her own place, without J.A.R.V.I.S. around and maybe even security cameras. So a towel sounded the safest option.
On her tiptoes, Charlie opened the top cabinet to grab the coffee beans to pour into the machine.
"Slept well, sweetheart?" The voice made her start. Still not completely wide awake, Charlie hadn't noticed her father sitting in the lounge area.
"Like a baby," she lied, fainting playfulness. But when her gaze landed on her father, someone else was sat next to him, catching her attention. His elbows resting on his knees, his blue eyes were looking directly at her, cold and emotionless, exactly like when she first met him yesterday. Some sheets of paper and a pen were laying on the coffee table.
Blood rushed to her face, her cheeks burning. Leaving the bathroom with a towel was definitely a good idea.
They both rose from the couch and it took them only a couple of steps to stand in front of her.
"This is Sergeant James Barnes. He'll be in charge of your safety until... Well, I guess we don't know when."
James locked his gaze into hers, as he didn't dare to look elsewhere. He extended his hand for her to shake. When she finally did after switching the grip on her towel, a muscle in his jaw tightened at the contact of their skin.
"Sergeant Barnes."
"Miss Stark," even if his voice was deep, it was inexpressive. Destabilized, Charlie wasn't used to that much nonchalance.
"Well," Tony put his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "Now that we're done with the introductions and the signature of the contract, I'm heading back to work. James will bring you back to your place. Call me when you're there, munchkin," Tony kissed the top of her head before turning back and leaving the floor.
A long and deafening silence now remained in the room.
"Co-coffee?" she cleared her throat, blinking fast. Even with the cloth hiding most of her skin, Charlie felt as naked as if there were no towel at all. "While I finish getting ready?"
