Fandom: Iron Man (movieverse)
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Tony/Pepper
Summary: Time to clear the air.
Disclaimer: Most of the characters and situations in this story belong to Marvel Comics, Fairview Entertainment, Dark Blades Films, and other entities, and I do not have permission to borrow them. No infringement is intended in any way, and this story is not for profit. All others belong to me, and if you want to borrow them, you have to ask me first. Any errors are mine, all mine, no you can't have any.
This may be laid entirely at the feet of mona_lisa303 and 4persephone, whose separate suggestions sparked this particular bunny. Just be grateful that I left Happy out. *eyeroll* And without Cincoflex providing advice, enthusiasm, and much hand-holding, it would never have finished.
Addendum: this story turned out to have a decent amount of complication attached. Further discussion can be found here, though the conversations are long since finished; please note that incidences herein could prove uncomfortable for some people. I urge you to read responsibly.
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It had been one hell of a birthday party, but then he expected nothing less. Tony had to admit that his new assistant was just as good as Pepper in setting up a really great bash, and she was just as hot as well--and, unlike Pepper, had no qualms about flirting bodily with him once she'd had a drink or two.
But, he reflected in the quiet of the morning after, she wasn't Pepper. Lush where the new CEO was slender, bold where Pepper was reserved--he'd enjoyed their dance thoroughly, but he'd still gone to bed alone.
When the hell did you get so damned picky?
The disgruntled thought was rhetorical; he knew the answer perfectly well. Somewhere in the dark and cold of a mountain's heart, things had changed.
“What's up with Pepper these days?” Rhodey asked, breaking into Tony's train of thought as the colonel poured another cup of coffee. “She's so grumpy.”
Tony regarded him across the kitchen table. Rhodey looked rather the worse for wear; neither of them had gotten to bed much before dawn, and Rhodes always beat him in the “epic hangover” department. “You mean when she cut and ran last night?”
Ran was an exaggeration; it had been more of a dignified withdrawal. Still, the flash of her glare across the crowded party had stung, and in defiance Tony had raised his glass and leaned closer to Natasha.
“I mean lately.” Rhodey sipped his coffee and grimaced. “She's, like, permanently annoyed.”
“New job jitters, I guess.” Tony stared down into his own mug, feeling guilty. Appointing Pepper to the position of Stark Industries CEO had been a stroke of genius; convincing her to accept, against her better judgment, still made his battered conscience itch. And while they still interacted quite a bit, he found he missed having her around.
It made him restless.
“I guess. Hopefully she'll slack off a bit soon.” Rhodey rubbed his head as if it ached, which Tony was pretty sure it did. Come to think of it, as the Air Force's liaison to SI, Rhodey saw more of Pepper these days than Tony did. “I overheard that short dude in Acquisitions call her Iron C--well, you know.” He looked embarrassed.
Tony felt his shoulders tighten in anger, but the automatic impulse to fire the man was checked by the realization that he no longer had the power to dismiss someone on a whim. He laughed instead, a short sharp chuckle, and made a mental note to have a quiet word with Andrew Ban at the first opportunity. He's always been a fucking misogynist anyway. There's more than one way to adjust his attitude.
“Pepper can handle it,” he said, knowing that she could but planning the aside all the same.
“I hope so.” Rhodey looked around blearily. “Where's your new PA this morning?”
“I gave her the day off. What, are you disappointed she didn't catch you sleeping on the couch in your skivvies?” Tony teased. That was another difference; offer Natasha a break, and she actually took it, unlike Pepper. Though even the indomitable Potts had come in late after parties in the past.
Rhodey yawned. “Nope. Not my type.” He downed the rest of his coffee and rose, putting the mug in the dishwasher with absent care. “I'm going to head home, Tony, I gotta report in this afternoon.”
“Sure.” Tony didn't stand, just watched his rumpled friend stretch. “Say hi to Pepper for me when you see her.”
Rhodey's eyes narrowed, but he didn't rise to the bait. “I'll do that. Thanks for letting me crash here.”
“Always.” Tony raised his mug, and Rhodey waved and disappeared in the direction of the front door.
Fifteen minutes later Tony had finished his coffee, stripped, and settled himself in the electric dry sauna in the master bath. Heat was always a good way to sweat out the toxins of the past night; Pepper used to tell him it wasn't medically advisable, but like he often had, he ignored her, though he always had Jarvis monitor his vitals.
It was depressing to think that she would no longer be nagging him.
Tony leaned his head back against the wall of the little room and closed his eyes, letting the heat bathe his skin and trying to ignore the feeling of loss that accompanied the thought of Stark Industries' new CEO. It's for the best, he argued silently. She's doing a better job than I ever did, and I know I can trust her.
But even having a new hot, efficient, redheaded assistant around didn't seem to make up for the loss of the original.
The knock startled him. Tony opened his eyes. “Who is it? Natasha?”
“No, it's me.” The impatient voice was half-muffled by the wood of the door, and Tony sat up.
“Pepper?” He wasn't sure what surprised him more--her presence, or the fact that Jarvis hadn't announced her. Tony reached for a towel and draped it over his naked lap. “Come in.”
“I'm not here for a sauna, Tony, can't you come out?” She sounded annoyed, and that annoyed him. Tony set his jaw.
“I just got in. Talk through the door if you want.”
For a moment he thought she might, but finally Pepper opened the door a crack and peered in. “Tony--”
He didn't move. Pepper sighed, and kicked off her shoes before pulling the door wide enough to step inside. She was dressed for work, in a jacket over one of the stunningly severe dresses she favored, her hair swept up; as usual, Tony wanted to remove every confinement she wore and taste whatever was revealed, hair included. As usual, he resisted the urge.
“So what brings the CEO of Stark Industries to my humble home at this hour of the morning?” he asked, obnoxiously cheerful.
“Tony, it's almost noon.” Already a bloom of perspiration was appearing on her upper lip, and Tony felt his mouth water at the thought of licking it away. "We need to discuss the reactor development outlay. You won't come to a division meeting, and we're running out of time."
"I've been busy," Tony muttered, which was true, but Pepper could still make him feel guilty with one reproachful look.
She sighed, and swiped at a loosening strand of hair. "I understand that, but the fact remains that our researchers need a little guidance."
Tony grimaced. "Could we set something up here?"
"You don't run the company any more, Tony," Pepper reminded him. "We can't just conform to your whims."
What is this "we" and "your" stuff? "What I'm doing is important," Tony snapped.
"So is changing Stark Industries' direction," Pepper shot back. "Or don't you care about that any more?"
"Since I still own a controlling share, that would be a 'yes'." The last word rang off the sauna's walls, and Tony made an effort to lower his voice. "You--"
The world lurched sideways with a sharp jerk. Tony slid a good six inches along the bench as the suana rattled and clanked, and Pepper staggered, hands flying out for balance. Tony grabbed her arm and pulled her down next to him, instinctively trying to shield her head.
The shuddering stopped as quickly as it had begun, but Tony didn't relax. "Jarvis?"
"A tremor of approximately 3.3," the AI replied. "Some minor aftershocks are expected."
"Yeah, great." Tony loosened his grip as Pepper wiggled, and realized belatedly that she smelled delicious.
She ducked out of his arms, looking a little alarmed. “I never get used to that. Aftershocks, Jarvis?”
“They are not likely to be noticeable to you,” Jarvis said.
Pepper rolled her eyes, and stood. “Thanks,” she added absently, shaking out her skirt.
Tony smirked up at her halfheartedly. "Potts, I'm hurt, you don't want to snuggle?"
Her glance could have dried out a martini. "Can we just get out of here?"
Before he could answer, Pepper reached for the door handle. But her tug downward produced no results.
Frowning, she pulled again, but it didn't budge. "Hey!"
Tony stood, wrapping the towel around his hips, and took the two steps to the door. "The quake must have made it stick. Let me."
Pepper moved back, cheeks flushed with heat and annoyance. Tony gripped the handle and yanked, but it gave not at all. "Jarvis, what's going on?"
"It appears that the tremor has damaged the sauna door. Without more data--"
"Nothing's blocking it?" Tony interrupted.
"My cameras show no obstruction."
"Right." Tony set his shoulder to the door, throwing all his weight against it and producing a dull thud. Infuriatingly, nothing happened.
Annoyed, he tried harder, backing up a bit first, but still the door did not budge. The insulation seemed to soak up the force as if it were nothing.
He scowled and tried a third time, bruising his shoulder as he slammed into the wood with no effect. "Tony, stop." Pepper's hand on his back halted his next shove. "This isn't working."
He blew out a breath, feeling fresh sweat slick his skin. "Jarvis, get Butterfingers up here with an axe."
"Regrettably, he is offline," Jarvis answered.
"Damn, I forgot. Send Dummy then." Tony ran a hand through his damp hair to push it out of his eyes.
"Dummy is charging. Estimated time to sufficient charge for the task at hand: two hours, eleven minutes."
Tony swore. Behind him, Pepper made a distressed sound. "Butterfingers is offline?"
Tony turned and leaned back against the unyielding door. "I was fixing his treads, got sidetracked." He grimaced. "Dummy could probably put him back together, but it'd take the same amount of time."
Pepper's face was flushed with the heat, and Tony realized abruptly that she looked exhausted. "Jarvis, can you call someone to let us out?"
"I have already attempted to reach Colonel Rhodes, but his phone is off. Mr. Hogan is not answering his."
"What about your assistant?" Tony asked Pepper, but she put a hand to her lips, eyes going wide. "What?"
"We can't call anyone, Tony. Imagine what would happen if this got out."
Oops, yeah. He raised a brow. "Iron Man Locked in Love Sauna with Lovely Ex-Assistant, yes, I see your point. You can't trust Cedric to keep his mouth shut?"
Pepper dropped her hand, looking distressed. "Ceddie, yes, but what if he can't open the door himself? If you can't do it--"
"Good point." Tony rubbed his chin. "I guess we'll just have to wait."
Pepper bit her lip, then nodded reluctantly. "Two hours isn't that long," she said sturdily. "But can you turn the heat down?"
He had to laugh. "I'll knock it down a few notches, but if you turn off the heat all the way, the lights go out too." Tony tapped the implant in his chest. "I put out a few lumens myself, but I don't know if that'd be enough to suit you."
Pepper sighed. “I'd prefer lights, thank you.”
As he adjusted the thermostat she peeled off her suit jacket, draping it carefully on one of the empty benches. The crisp fabric of her dress was beginning to wilt in the heat, and Tony reached for the little refrigerator set into one wall.
"Here." He held out a bottle of water, its chilly surface instantly beading with condensation. Pepper took it with a nod of thanks, twisting it open and drinking deeply, and Tony let his eyes follow the curve of her throat as she swallowed. Her complexion was more peaches than cream in the heat; the delicate color was beautiful.
Tony sat back down with a bottle of his own. The fridge held six, which he figured would be more than enough to keep them both hydrated for two hours; all they had to do was wait.
"Turn around," Pepper said abruptly, and Tony blinked, lowering the bottle from his lips. Pepper circled one finger in the air. "I want to take off my stockings."
He gave her a slow, salacious grin. "I definitely approve of this trend, Potts, but do you really trust me not to peek?"
Her expression was obdurate. "Turn, or I blindfold you with a towel."
"Kinky, I like it." But Tony obediently shuffled around on the bench until he was mostly facing the wall. "There. Can't see a thing."
"Thank you."
Staring at the cedar wall, Tony listened carefully. In the small space, sound was easy to catch, and he heard Pepper's dress rustle softly as she moved. He gave her a few seconds, and then with no qualm at all, he peeked.
She had her back to him, one foot propped up on the bench across the way, her spine bent as she reached under the hem of her dress and rolled her stocking down. The translucent fabric peeled easily away from her leg, and she slipped the neat ring of it off her toes and switched feet. It was an efficient striptease, this stolen sensuality, and Tony swallowed hard as Pepper bent lower to finish the job.
He was looking. Pepper knew he was, as surely as she knew her own name, but she didn't call him on it. There was no point; he'd only laugh, and anyway she wasn't actually revealing anything Tony hadn't seen before. She'd made him look away in order to keep some control of the situation--and because she'd never hear the end of it if she didn't.
The entire situation bordered on the farcical, and she wouldn't put it past Tony to set something like this up for his own arcane amusement, except that even Tony Stark couldn't create an earthquake on demand.
You hope, the little voice in her head whispered sardonically. Pepper ignored it studiously. She had better things to do, like surviving two hours in a hot-box with her former boss. Her former, highly attractive, lecherous, just-this-side-of-naked boss.
At least the heat was slackening slightly. Pepper tossed her stockings onto her jacket and set her foot back on the floor, turning around. As she expected, Tony was facing away again. “I'm done, you can look,” she said sweetly.
He straightened on the bench, looking as innocent as possible, and Pepper kept her smile to herself, taking a seat on the bench opposite him and reaching for her bottle of water. “Since we're stuck for the moment, let's discuss reactor development.”
Tony grimaced, and propped one ankle up on his other knee, somehow managing the process without flashing her. “I'm locked in a small space with a beautiful woman, and all she wants to do is talk business. Just my luck.”
Pepper ignored the complaint as rhetorical. “If you really want reactor tech to be part of Stark Industries' new direction, you have to give us something to build on. You kept talking about redesigning it, but you never followed through.”
She plucked a towel from the niche where they lived to blot some of the sweat from her face. “I understand you don't want to go as far as that--” She nodded towards his chest. “--But there must be a happy medium somewhere.”
“I gave you guys some new specs two months ago.” Tony was frowning distractedly, and Pepper hoped he wasn't having a moment of inspiration. Tony on a design kick was a thing of awe; Tony with an idea and absolutely no way to carry it out would be impossible to live through.
“Three cryptic notes and a diagram sketched on a cocktail napkin don't count.” She dribbled a little water onto one corner of the towel and dabbed at her neck, trying to cool herself. “It would only take a couple of hours. Just think how much fun you'd have wowing the team.”
It was so easy to fall into the old habit of coaxing him, of trying to present a task in the way that would entice him best. She usually tried to avoid it--it smacked of manipulation now that she was no longer responsible for him--but she was too hot and tired now to try another way.
Tony shrugged. “I'll see what I can do. Set up--no, call Natasha and set something up with her.”
The awkward slip stung. Judging from Tony's stiff expression, he felt it too, but Pepper knew there would be no apology. She raised her chin.
“I'll do that. I'd also like you to make the next quarterly meeting, if you can. The board needs to see you outside of a television screen for once.”
“As your biggest shareholder, I guess I'd better,” Tony agreed sardonically. “Especially if it means avoiding an injunction filing.”
Pepper winced. “Tony, we--I would never do that.” And she wouldn't, she vowed silently. Tony and Stark Industries were inextricably linked; there was no way she would sever that bond.
His cheek twitched, and then he shifted, leaning forward and pressing his palms against his eyes, a weary gesture. “Sorry. Sorry, Pepper, I know you wouldn't. I just--”
He cut off the words and let out a long breath, grinding his hands into his face. Pepper slid a few inches closer and reached out to touch his shoulder briefly. “It's okay.”
Tony went still, then sat back, lowering his hands. “It's...not easy, that's all.”
There was really nothing to say to that, so Pepper just nodded. It was hard for her too; her MBA was years behind her, and while she had often handled a lot of Tony's duties at SI when he was otherwise occupied, it wasn't at all the same thing to have all the responsibilities on her shoulders. Making day-to-day decisions was a far cry from long-term strategic planning.
Not to mention the media exposure. It felt like the gaze of the world on her sometimes, waiting avidly for her to screw up; she was used to being in the public eye, but not in its focus, so to speak.
Fortunately, the SI board had accepted Tony's appointee with good grace--even, in some cases, a touch of relief. And while there were no few executives who'd expressed displeasure at her “promotion” over their heads, she knew how to handle them. After dealing with Tony, most people were easy.
Annoying, but easy.
She still had to deal with Tony as well, and they hadn't yet found a balance as equals, as it were. Part of the problem is time. Hers was at a premium and his even more so, and their schedules rarely meshed.
He tilted his head back and let it rest against the wall, closing his eyes, and Pepper took a moment to look him over. Unshaven, hair clumping with sweat, hard-muscled arms and chest scattered with scars--some pink with new skin, some older. The arc implant glowed silently, and Pepper reflected that it no longer looked out of place to her; he'd annexed it, accepted it and made it a tool and a defiance.
There were lines in his face that hadn't been there before, a scattering of silver hairs in his beard and eyebrows. To her, they made him seem more human, as if there were chinks in the armor he'd carried since long before Afghanistan. It was a strange mixture, this compassion and longing all tangled together; suppressing the desire to touch him was just about automatic, but it left her aching.
The desire had always been there; the slow and humiliating realization of need was new.
Well, he doesn't need you, Pepper told herself sharply. Underneath the horror, she'd been flattered when Tony had shoved her into the position of CEO; he'd always appreciated her--in more ways than one, that little voice added with a silent snicker--but to be entrusted with his company was proof that he really did know her capabilities.
And that, whatever brief and foolish moments they'd shared, he had no qualms about letting her go. He'd replaced her within two weeks. Granted, he'd run through three assistants before Natasha, but in fact Pepper was surprised that it had only been three.
“How's teletonics doing?” Tony asked without opening his eyes, and Pepper settled back against the wall herself and told him.
They discussed Stark Industries for a while, without the previous animosity. Tony was full of ideas, some more radical than others, and Pepper debated with him, blessing her excellent memory as she tucked suggestions away for later. All else aside, he did understand business.
Eventually they wound down. The heat had dropped a few degrees, but it was still very warm, and Pepper sipped water frequently, feeling her dress and lingerie get downright soggy. It was a nasty sensation; and, she realized, the fabric of her dress was starting to chafe her, particularly her collarbone and arms.
Tony had closed his eyes again, soaking up the heat in nothing but a towel and looking far too comfortable for someone trapped in a little box, and suddenly her patience snapped. “I give up.”
He opened one eye to peer at her. “What?”
Pepper stood, and reached back for the zipper of her dress. “I'm too hot. And I swear to you, Tony Stark, if you so much as think about this once we get out of here, I will make your life a living hell whether I'm your assistant or not.” She pulled the zipper down in two quick motions.
Tony sat up, widening gaze fixing on her, and Pepper hoped that her heat-flushed face wasn't reddening further. She peeled the bodice of the dress down, blessing the fact that she'd decided to wear a full slip that morning and reminding herself that a plain ordinary bathing suit showed more skin than she was revealing.
“Can I think about it now?” Tony asked, voice a little constricted. Pepper ignored him and stepped out of her dress, carefully smoothing down the skirt of the white satin slip beneath. It was lace-edged--she had a taste for pretty underclothes as well as for shoes--and dipped low enough to reveal the edge of her bra, but it was sufficient.
Still not looking at Tony, she folded the dress and set it down next to her jacket. It wasn't going to be pleasant putting it on again when they got out, but at least she wouldn't have a rash.
When she took her seat again Tony was still staring. Pepper folded her arms and glared back. “Living hell,” she repeated.
His slow grin was so familiar. “You can't honestly expect me to forget, Potts. Some memories a man just has to treasure.”
She huffed, and reached for her damp towel. Beneath the irritation was a hidden pleasure in his attention, and the concurrent annoyance; sure, he might lust at her, but he did that with any attractive woman who crossed his path. It never meant anything.
Once upon a time, back when she'd only been his assistant for two years, Pepper had seriously contemplated taking Tony up on his constant innuendo. The experience would be memorable, of that she was sure, and the temptation had been strong. But in the end she'd decided that she liked her job too much to give it up that way, and they'd gone on as they always had, though every so often she would amuse herself picturing his expression if she did.
She'd wondered, when he'd hired Natasha, what Ms. Romanoff would do. Judging from their spectacle last night, she'd made a different choice; and Pepper now had to wonder sourly how long that would last. Tony's attention span was notoriously short.
It really wasn't fair.
Tony forced himself to relax, and kept his breathing slow, lest Pepper reach across the little space between them and relieve him of dignity or testicles. But it was, to pardon the pun, hard. The silky slip she was wearing clung to her damp skin in a way her dress hadn't, and displayed the soft curves of her breasts as if cut to do just that. He could see the small square of a birth-control patch just below her collarbone, and wondered jealously just how often she had to test it. Her thighs looked so soft and smooth where its hem lay that he wanted to lie down and pillow his head on them, rub his rough cheek along that creamy skin--
He shifted uncomfortably. Careful. Too much of that train of thought and he'd need another towel to hide the evidence, and he didn't think visible proof of his lust would go over too well. Even sweaty and half-dressed, Pepper was as cool and untouchable as ever.
Well, almost ever. Tony hadn't forgotten their dance at the benefit, nor the kiss she'd almost given him, and it was one of his most personal regrets that the kiss at least had never happened.
When he'd given her the CEO position, it hadn't occurred to him that by doing so he was sending her out of his immediate orbit. It was still the best decision, he was sure of that, but the knowledge didn't lessen the feeling of loss. His new assistant was smart and efficient and hot as hell, but she wasn't Pepper.
He hadn't missed someone like this since his parents had died. And under the pang was a bit of anger, too. She didn't have to walk away so easily.
He knew it was irrational, but the spark burned on. In a very real sense, Pepper was just about the only family he had, and he'd thought he was just as important to her. Sure, she'd turned down the CEO proposal at first, but it hadn't taken that much to convince her.
You put yourself into that lose-lose situation, dumbass, so get over it. He tried to shut his eyes, to think about something else, but he couldn't. She was just too damned much, sitting so close, all soft and sweet-smelling, vanilla and hot skin. His internal clock told him they still had over an hour before Dummy would have enough power to come get them out, and while Tony wasn't about to force himself on her, he wasn't sure he could keep his mouth shut long enough. Desperate, he cast around for some topic of conversation that would keep him from making the sort of comment that would get him half-killed.
“So how is the new job? Rhodey thinks it's been pretty rough for you,” he blurted finally.
Pepper shrugged. “I'm busy,” she said shortly. “He tries to help, but there's not a lot he can do.”
That was news to Tony. He sat up a little. “What do you mean, help?”
Pepper looked at him, a little puzzled. “He talks to some of the board members, gives me their opinions, that sort of thing. Some of the execs trust him more than me right now--they're a little more forthcoming with him.”
Tony shook his head, alarmed. “Please tell me you're kidding.”
She frowned. “Why would I kid? It's not unethical, Tony, they all know that he talks to me.”
“No, I mean Platypus. Don't get too close to him, Pepper.” At her uncomprehending stare, he rubbed his eyes. “He's your Air Force liaison. It's his job. It's his interests he's serving, the Air Force's, not Stark Industries'.”
Pepper huffed. “I know that. He's only still there because of the contracts we have going. Once those run out he'll be gone, Tony, did you even think of that?”
Tony ignored the pang that reminder brought. He'd never thought to warn her--after Rhodes had brushed him off in the hangar months ago, and Tony had realized that his old friend's loyalties didn't exactly lie where he'd thought they had-- “The Air Force isn't just interested in weapons. There's a lot of tech we produce that they could make use of.”
Not that Tony objected to that, actually, as long as they didn't weaponize it, but that option was exactly why he wanted it under his control, or that of the company, not open to interpretation by trigger-happy militarists.
He was fully cognizant of the irony; he'd been a trigger-happy militarist. And that's why I know how they think.
Pepper folded her arms again, looking stubborn. “I know what I'm doing, Tony. Rhodey's just being a friend. I'm not giving away any company secrets.”
“No, but--” He cut himself off. Pepper was well aware of the subtler ways of power, he had to believe that or they were all screwed. “Yeah, okay, fine.”
Pepper's lips tightened. “I don't see why you care so much anyway. You hardly ever bothered with SI even when you were in charge of it.”
That hurt, partly because there was some truth to it. “Of course I care. And you're wrong--practically everything I did went to the company eventually.”
“Oh sure, the artificial intelligence programs, the plans for robotic cars, the X-ray goggles--I could go on and on. You may fool yourself, but I ran your life for years. I know what you did and didn't do.”
That was hardly fair. There was plenty he'd submitted and Obie had turned down, but Stane was still a forbidden topic and he didn't even want to say the man's name. “Yeah, well, you don't run it any more,” he snapped bitterly. “You've got a whole company to boss, you don't need to nag me.”
Pepper went white. “Clearly Ms. Romanoff's not doing an adequate job,” she retorted. “What's wrong, did you wear her out last night?”
That stunned him, because Pepper was never catty. “Wouldn't you like to know.” The argument was turning him on, Tony realized with dismay; Pepper in a rage was always arousing, and the adrenaline rush of having her mad at him wasn't helping. “Unfortunately for you I don't kiss and tell.”
He hadn't shared more than a dance and an off-the-clock conversation, but he wasn't about to admit it, not when Pepper's assumption hurt so badly. Her expression was contemptuous. “I thought you'd changed, but clearly I was wrong. It's a good thing to find out, I suppose--”
After all his effort, all his restraint, all the blood and loneliness and doubt, that was too much. “I thought you trusted me, Pepper.” Tony struggled with his hormones, caught between hurt and anger and the desire to just pin her down on the bench and end the fight his way.
“I did.” She bared her teeth. “If you're going back to your old habits I guess it's a good thing you gave up Stark Industries!”
His fists clenched and his head spun. “I can't believe you're doing this to me. You were the one person I trusted, that's why I gave you the damned company in the first place. Out of everybody in this world, I thought you at least were loyal!”
Chapter One Chapter Two
