The Winter Cowboy || Bucky x Reader

Chapter 13

Note before reading:

Yes- I've been updating more slowly. That's because this story only has 15 chapters and I am mentally already in mourning because I do not want it to end.

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"I already told you sir. I don't know where he is," you repeated through gritted teeth as you nursed your pounding headache. The line of questioning you had received from the officer had quickly switched from blaming everything on Harper to Bucky, whom they knew as James.

"Just doing my job here miss," the officer replied with a sigh. You didn't like the way he looked at you like you were lying, which you were. And he clearly didn't like the way you had snorted derisively at him on multiple occasions. Your eyes travelled away from the officer's nametag, back to the television screen on the wall. On it was Luke, pinned to the wall, Bucky's gloved metal hand wrapped tightly around his throat. Your hand was on his right shoulder. Bucky's face was barely visible due to the cap and the lack of lighting in the backyard. It was bad grainy footage pulled from the house's security camera.

"He seems awfully strong, lifting a boy clean off the floor like that," the officer, who was apparently named Brown, commented. You breathed in sharply, trying to keep your face straight.

"I guess," you replied as casually as you could manage. The officer didn't respond, but simply watched you for a good long minute. You fought the urge to produce fake excuses for his strength, as you figured it would only increase officer Brown's conviction that you were protecting Bucky. Which you were.

"What's your- relationship with James Harris?" he continued, heavily emphasising the word you dreaded most.

"He helps out at the farm, I don't really know him that well," you blatantly lied as you thought of all the ways you knew truly knew Bucky. How you knew the depth of his complex, stubborn and caring personality. How you knew every dip, crevice and mark on his skin. You swallowed deeply and felt an urge to start playing with the empty water bottle in your hand. Knowing that would be a dead give-away of you being nervous, you kept your hands firmly between your legs instead.

"Can Harper and I go now? My parents should be here any minute," you started as you felt your heart pounding harder with the fear that your lies were written across your face. You noticed yourself starting to sweat slightly, the nervousness slowly shining through as you realised that the interview hadn't been centred around Harper's arrest at all. It had all been about locating Bucky.

You squinted your eyes as officer Brown didn't respond to your question, but instead kept watching you intently.

"How did you make him stop?" he then asked, his voice low with anticipation.

You blinked at him a couple of times as you allowed the question to sink in. You instantly remembered how scared you had been for Luke's life at that moment, uncertain whether Bucky would stop if you asked him to. It was the same night when you had kissed him for the first time. You could only think of one reason why the officer would ask you a question like that.

"Excuse me- I have to use the bathroom for a small mo-" you stuttered as you made an attempt to get up.

"Sit down," Brown interjected, eyeing you back to the chair. You felt a slight panic rising in your chest as the man did so. He truly was on to Bucky.

"You cannot hold me here, I came in voluntarily," you protested as you refused to sit down and continued to make your way to the door. To your horror, you found the door locked.

"I ask again, how did you control him?" he repeated in a much colder tone than he had taken at the start of the interview. Your suspicion that officer Brown might not be a legitimate police officer quickly became more real. Your eyes immediately shot to the officer, looking for signs that might indicate he wasn't being truthful.