Part Five

Buffy and Angel were on the bed. Angel was on his back, his shoulders and head resting against the headboard. Buffy was astride him, her hands resting on his chest, rocking... in control, confident... very much liking the fire she had kindled in his eyes.

Angel reached up and touched her breasts. "What do you like?"

"If I wanted you to turn me on, I'd be paying you three hundred dollars. Just lay back and let me drive." Smiling, Buffy reached behind her and touched him.

He tried not to groan. She moved faster. Angel suddenly pulled her urgently to him, rolling her over.

****

A heavy spray of water came down upon Angel. He stood there quietly letting it wash over him. He turned off the shower, stepped out of the stall, picked up a towel and dried himself off.

He walked into the bedroom and stared. His expensive clothes were on the floor haphazardly dropped everywhere. Buffy's clothes as tattered as they were, were neatly folded and piled on a chair.

The incongruity of it touched Angel in a sad way. He looked toward the bed. Buffy was fast asleep. Her heavy make-up had long since been rubbed off. Asleep, her wary, smart-ass attitude was gone.

She looked like a sweet, gentle girl. He stared at her moment longer before turning and going into the living room.

Buffy opened her eyes. Through the open door she saw Angel sitting in a living room chair flipping through contracts.

****

The elevators doors opened and a waiter rolled a cart of into the hallway. He took it tp the doors of the penthouse and reached out and rang the doorbell.

"It's open," Angel called from the inside.

The waiter wheeled in a table of food, coffee, champagne and orange juice.

Angel, dressed in suit pants and a white shirt, stood in the middle of the living room, talking into a cordless phone. Angel pointed the waiter to the dining table.

"Sorry. Go ahead," Angel said into the phone.

"Finn knows you're after his company," Lindsey informed him. "He wants to talk with you. I don't think you should."

The waiter walked up to Angel with the bill for the food. Angel signed it and the waiter left.

"I want to," Angel told Lindsey.

"Angel," Lindsey sighed, "if the three of us sit down and talk together, we might as well announce our plans in the Wall Street Journal."

"I'll see him alone," Angel replied. "Everyone knows you're my muscle. We'll make it social. Tell Finn I'll meet him for dinner. Tonight if you can arrange it."

"You shouldn't go alone," Lindsey warned. "He might claim that you tried to blackmail him."

"Lindsey, we're business men, not the damn mafia," Angel chuckled. "I'll see you in the office. By the way, about your car..."

"Oh, god, what?" he gasped.

Angel smiled. "I'll bring it back." He hung up the phone and poured himself a glass of orange juice. A noise behind him caused him to turn around.

Buffy, wearing a monogrammed hotel terry robe, was standing uncertainly in the bedroom doorway.

"Good morning," Angel greeted.

"You didn't wake me," Buffy accused. "I'll be out of here in a minute."

"No hurry," Angel assured. "Would you like some breakfast?" he offered, gesturing to the cart of food.

Buffy thought about it for a minute. She was really hungry and the food did look delicious. "Only if you do."

Angel sat at the table and waited for her to join him. She sat acrossed from him and he served them breakfast.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked causally.

"Yeah. Too good," Buffy grumbled. "I forgot where I was."

Angel chuckled. "Occupational hazard?"

Buffy looked up sharply. She relaxed when she saw he meant no offense. "Where'd you go?"

He nodded towards the living room. "I took the couch. I had some work to do." He hesitated a moment. "About last night..."

Buffy grinned. "Oooh, baby, you were the best. I was beside myself."

Angel cocked an eyebrow. "Mmm, I could tell."

"I just hop it was worth three hundred bucks."

"I'd say you give a good dollar value.:

They shared a small smile as they began to eat.

"Do you ever..." Angel paused, "enjoy it?"

"I like guys if that's what you're asking." Buffy shoved a syrup covered bite of pancake in her mouth. "Not that I trust 'em."

"No?" Angel asked, taking a bite of buttered toast. "Why's that?"

"Occupational hazard," she joked.

Angel chuckled and Buffy grinned.

"What do you do anyway?" Buffy asked, changing the subject away from her so- called occupation.

"I buy companies," Angel answered.

"No shit," Buffy exclaimed. "They expensive?"

He almost smiled. "The one I"m buying the week will cost around 150 million."

"...dollars."

He nodded.

Buffy was impressed. "You are major league, baby," she gushed. "Your mother must be proud."

Angel grinned. He didn't know why but he felt oddly pleased by her reaction.

****

Angel reached into the closet and pulled out a tie. The closet was filled with a dozen expensive suits, shirts and shoes.

"So, what do ya do with the companies once you buy'm?" Buffy asked walking into the room, continuing with their conversation from breakfast.

"I sell them," Angel mumbled distractedly, fumbling with his tie.

"What" Why?" Buffy undid the knot he had tied in his tie and started over. "Let me do this.

part of the all services."

"By breaking up a companies assets-"

"What are assets?" she interrupted.

"Buffy?"

"C'mon, I might buy a company someday," she urged.

Angel sighed. "Assets are anything a company owns. Sometimes the pieces are worth more than the whole. By selling them off, I make a profit."

"Sorta like stealing cars and selling 'em for parts, huh?" Buffy commented.

"Uh, not... quite."

Buffy finished with the tie. "There, see" Now the emblem is right in the middle of the knot."

"Where'd you learn to do this?"

"I fucked the debate team in high school," Buffy replied sarcastically. "I had a granpa. He liked ties on Sunday." On the into the bedroom Buffy had noticed a large bathroom with a huge tub. "You mind if I take a swim in your bathtub before I hit?"

Angel nodded. "Don't drown."

Buffy smiled, turned and headed toward the bathroom. He followed. She turned on the water in the tub, it filled with a torrential rush. "You could hold a pep rally in here!"

The phone on the marble bathroom wall suddenly rang. Angel reached for it. "Yes?"

"Angel, its me," Lindsey answered from the other end of the phone. "Finn is all set for tonight."

Buffy stared at the bidet and turned it on. The water hit her in the face.

"Listen, I gotta say this again, I don't like you going alone," Lindsey told him.

"I'm a big boy," Angel replied, stifling a chuckle at Buffy.

There were lotions and shampoos and bubble baths on the edge of the tub. Buffy felt like a kid in a candy shop.

"Let me at least get you a date," Lindsey begged. "Keep it social."

Angel watched as Buffy smelled some bubble bath. She smiled at him and her eyes asked if it was okay to use it. He nodded.

"Angel, do you hear me?" Lindsey whined in his ear.

"Yes, I'm listening."

"I know a lot of nice girls," he offered.

Buffy poured the bubble bath into the swirling water. Angel stared at her. There was something about the look on her face. The way she bit her lip

"I have one," Angel said and hung up the phone as Buffy wondered into the living room as she waited for the tub to fill.

She turned on the television. The sound blared and she fumbled to turn it down.

Angel reached over her and turned it off. "All right. How much for the week?"

"What?" she asked confused, looking up at him.

"I'm in town until Saturday."

She looked at him as if he weren't speaking English.

"Do-you-want-to-stay-here-for-the-week?" he rushed.

Buffy was shocked. It took a minute for her to respond. "It'd cost you."

"Of course. How much?"

Buffy thought. "Five full nights... days too?"

Angel nodded. Buffy hesitated. Five nights and days, that had to be enough to really change things. She decided to shoot for the moon.

"Four thousand."

"Buffy, may I point out that five more nights at three hundred a night is only 1,500."

"But you want days too," she argued.

"All right, two thousand," Angel agreed.

"Three," Buffy debated.

"Done."

"Holy shit!!" Buffy squealed, jumping up and down. She quickly pulled herself together, flipping on the sexy smile. "Baby, you got it. I will treat you like a prince. Anything, anyway you want."

"I'm not just talking about sex."

"Look butthead," Buffy grinned. "I'll treat you so good you'll never want to let me go, okay?"

"Three thousand for five day. And, Buffy, I will let you go."

Part Six

Angel left the bedroom and went into the living room. Buffy followed quickly behind him.

"I'll be out most of the day." He reached into his pocket and took out his wallet.. He pulled out couple bills and handed them to Buffy. "I want you to go out and buy some decent clothes."

Buffy's eyes went wide at the amount of money he had given her.

"Nothing too flashy, not too sexy. Conservative. Understand?" He headed toward the door.

"Yeah, you want me to dress like your high class girlfriend. You're wasting your money though. All I'm gonna do is hang around the hotel. As a matter of fact, I may never get out of that bathtub," Buffy joked.

Angel opened the door and turned back to look at her. "Think again. I'm taking you out to an important dinner with me tonight." He door closed in her face.

"What" Are you crazy?" he could hear yell from inside.

He smiled to himself. "Probably."

****

Buffy stretched in the hot bubble bath. The TV was on and she flipped through the channels until she found a music station.

"Three thousand..." she mumbled.

She laid back into the soapy water and her head disappeared under the water. She suddenly popped back up, laughing. "Three thousand!"

A thought occurred to her, she had to call Faith. She reached for the cordless phone and dialed. The phone rang... and rang... and rang. She was about to disconnect when a groggy voice answered.

"'Lo?" Faith mumbled.

"Faith! Where've you been?" Buffy demanded.

"I was asleep," she complained. "You woke me. You okay?"

"Faith, listen, the guy last night, the one in the Ferrari, I'm at this hotel, the Regent Beverly Wilshire, it's this absolutely unbelievable place and he's hired me for a whole week and Faith, listen, he's paying me three thousand bucks! We can get out of the apartment. We can get out of this town. We can do anything!" Buffy babbled excitedly. When Faith never replied, she asked, "Faith" Hey, you there?"

"Why'd he want you?"

That hurt, although, Buffy had been thinking the same thing to herself. "He... he just does."

"I'm sorry, B," Faith apologized. "Spike has been on my back again, even after you kicked his ass, so I'm a little cranky. Did you get the money up front like I taught ya?"

"Three hundred for last night and he gave me extra to buy some clothes. Now listen, I'm gonna leave an envelope for you at the front desk. Give two hundred to the scum bucket and the other hundred to that asshole landlord for

part of the rent. Spend it on drugs and it'll be your ass I'm kicking," Buffy threatened.

"I'm getting dressed now," Faith told her. "I'll be over. Bye."

"Hey Faith," Buffy called before she could hang up the phone. "Where do I go for the clothes" Good stuff on him."

"In Beverly Hills?" she asked brightly.

"Yeah."

"Rodeo Drive, baby!"

****

Buffy came out of the elevator and crossed the lobby, wearing her hooker clothes. She left an envelope at the front desk.

Rupert Giles, the prim, British, middle-aged hotel manager, stepped out of his office. He stared in surprise and displeasure as he saw Buffy walk by.

As she exited the building, two middle-aged women entered, shooting add glances in her direction. Buffy didn't seem to notice.

****

Buffy looked wide-eyed and delighted as she passed upon stores, where each display is more beautiful and expensive than the one before.

Buffy was also aware that she is getting odd looks from people passing by. Two beautifully dressed girls her own age looked at her, turned away and giggling.

Feeling more and more uncomfortable, Buffy came to a posh woman's boutique. She hesitated a moment before entering.

Buffy was no sooner in the door than she was subject to the disapproving stare of a saleswoman standing behind the counter.

"May I help you?" she asked cooly.

Buffy smiled nervously at her. "I'm just looking, thanks."

Buffy tiptoed through the shop as if it were filled with delicate glass objects. She cautiously examined a dress.

The saleswoman quickly came around the counter and approached her. "Are you looking for something in particular?"

"Yes. Something... conservative."

"Yes..."

Buffy eyed the saleswoman, puzzled at her tone. She continued examining the dress. "You have beautiful things." No reply. "How much is this?"

"I don't think it would fit you."

"I didn't ask if it would fit," Buffy snapped, beginning to get the drift. "I asked how much it was."

"It's very expensive," the woman replied, emphasizing the word very.

Buffy tensed as she stared at the saleswoman. "What is with you?"

"Excuse me?" the lady asked, unblinking.

"I'm going to spend money here," Buffy practically spelled out as if she were speaking to a child.

"I don't think we have anything for you here. You're obviously in the wrong place."

Buffy was speechless. She turned and stomped toward the door. She stopped and spun around, glaring at the woman. She opened her mouth as if to say something but changed her mind and stormed out the doors.

Buffy came out onto the street and stood, feeling lost. She took a deep breath, trying to control herself. Two women, in elegant designer outfits, strolled by, eyeing Buffy as if she were a freak. Buffy suddenly felt naked and turned and hurried away.

****

Buffy entered the lobby, upset, nervous and paranoid. She felt an emptiness in her stomach at the sight of all the luxury around her. She hurried toward the elevators.

At the front desk, Mr. Giles, once again spotted her. He crossed the lobby and deftly cut her off from the elevator. "May I help you Miss?"

Buffy stopped. "I-I'm just going to my room."

"You're a guest here?"

"I'm.. I'm with a friend."

"And who is that?" Giles questioned.

"I.. Angel..." Buffy's face filled with confusion. She didn't know his last name. The elevator doors opened behind them and the operator from the night before stepped out. "He knows me," she pointed.

Giles turned and eyed the operator curiously. The operator looked back at them innocently. With a smooth gesture Giles waved him over.

"Do you know this young lady?"

The operator nodded. "She's with Mr. O'Reilly."

"Mr. O'Reilly?" Giles repeated, surprised.

The operator nodded again. "She apparently joined him last night."

Giles waved him away. "Why don't you come with me. We'll chat for just a moment." He took Buffy gently but firmly by the arm and lead her off.

****

In a richly furnished office, Giles placed Buffy in a comfortable chair and then leaned against the edge of his desk. "What's your name?"

"What do you want it to be?" she asked in a faux seductive tone.

He gave her a pointed glare.

"Buffy."

"Miss Buffy," he began his lecture. "Things that go on in other hotels don't happen at the Regent Beverly Wilshire."

When Buffy didn"t say anything, he continued, "Mr. O'Reilly, however, is a very special customer. And we like to think of our special customers as friends. As a customer, we would expect Mr. O'Reilly to sign in any additional guests. But as a friend, we're willing to overlook it, I'm assuming you're a... relative"

Buffy found herself nodding.

Giles nodded. "I thought so. You must be his...?"

"Younger cousin?" Buffy offered.

"Of course. Naturally when Mr. O'Reilly leaves, I won't see you in this hotel again."

Buffy bit her lower lip, and nodded.

"Good," Giles continued. "We understand one another." As a gentle afterthought, he added, "I would also encourage you to dress in a more appropriate manner."

Buffy's face screwed up as she tried hard not to cry. "That's what I was trying to do." She couldn"t help it as the tears started come. Buffy pulled out the money Angel had gave her and dropped it on the desk. "I was trying to get some other clothes... but... they wouldn't... they made me feel like shit..."

She couldn't go on. Giles politely glanced at the money. He unfolded and smoothed it out, then handed it back to her. He sighed, picked up the phone and began dialing. "Women's clothing," he said into the phone. "Cordelia Chase, please."

Buffy stared at him.

"Cordelia, hello, this is Rupert Giles over at the Regent Beverly Wilshire. Well, than you, that's flattering. I'd like to ask a favor of you. I'm going to send someone over. Her name is Buffy. She's a guest of ours. A very special guest." He glanced at Buffy. With those simple words, he'd made her feel better. "She's from out of town and she needs a little help in dressing. Perhaps you could help her out. Thank you very much. She'll be right over."

He set the phone down and smiled patronizingly at Buffy. "There you are. If you have any other problems, come ask for me personally. I'm Mr. Giles."

"Giles," she grinned mischievously.

part Seven

Angel, Xander, Lindsey and Oz walked toward the building's edge. They looked out over the empty shipyard as Xander described it. "Okay... this is the jewel in Kross's crown. We can strip out all the heavy equipment. Some of the cranes are very valuable overseas. The Japanese are salivating for them."

"Prime industrial property straddling the Port of Long Beach and Los Angeles. It gives me a hard-on," Lindsey said sarcastically.

Angel pointed toward one of the edges of the shipyard. "What's that long building over there?"

"Storage, I think," Oz informed.

"Not with those smokestacks it's not," Angel disagreed.

Xander pulled out a notebook. "Let me check."

"The real estate possibilities are endless," Oz said. " Most of the yard we'll just level. I talked to a couple of developers, under the table, of course, and they said " "

"You what?" Angel interrupted

"I talked to some developers about the land," Oz repeated.

"What kind of an idiot are you?" Lindsey yelled. "You don't talk about this to anyone."

"They're close friends," Oz swore, "they'd never breathe a word ?"

"Where did you dig this moron up?" Lindsey asked Xander.

"He's right, Oz," Xander said reluctantly, "that was an incredibly stupid thing to do." He turned to Angel. "It won't happen again, Angel. I'll pull him off the project immediately.

"Don't bother."

"What!?" Lindsey gasped, surprised.

"We don't have the time to bring someone new up to speed. Besides..." He looked not unkindly to Oz, "You've already impressed everyone you need to, haven't you?"

"It won't happen again, Mr. O'Reilly," Oz promised

Xander found what he had been looking for in his notebook. "This is interesting. That building is storage now, but it used to be a smelting plant. They closed it down after World War II."

"I want our lawyers to check into the toxic waste licences on them right away," Angel instructed. "I want to know if the permits are still valid and what kind of limits are on them."

"Jesus, yes," Lindsey cheered, catching on. "It's a long shot but if the permits are still in effect, they're worth a fortune."

Angel turned and walked back toward the stairs, the others followed him. "What time's diner tonight?"

"Eight o'clock," Lindsey informed. "Finn is bringing his son. Very bright kid, watch yourself with him. Who's this girl you're taking?"

"No one you know," Angel replied mysteriously.

****

The elevator opened and Buffy walked out, surveying the room nervously. She walked toward the women's clothing section. Cordelia, a sophisticated, friendly looking woman, spotted her and quickly approached.

"You must be Buffy." She smiled warmly.

Buffy nodded.

"Let's look at you..." Cordelia continued. She stepped back, regarded Buffy with a professional eye. "Where are you from, dear?"

"Sunnydale," Buffy replied.

Cordelia nodded, giving Buffy a 'so that explains it' look. "No wonder. For starts, you should know that hot pants are horrid, even when you do have the legs to carry them off. What are your plans while you're in town?"

"Well... I might be going out to dinner."

Cordelia's face brightened. "You'll want a cocktail dress then. Turn," she instructed. "You have a beautiful figure. A little too out in the open but simply lovely. Size six" Do you need shoes?"

"I dunno. Do thigh high, leather boots go with a cocktail dress?" Buffy joked.

"Philip!" Cordelia called out. "We'll need shoes!" She lead Buffy toward a rack of clothes. She pulled out a dress. "Your cousin will like this."

"He's not really my cousin," Buffy admitted.

Cordelia eyed her knowingly. "They never are, dear."

****

Giles sat behind his desk. He heard a noise and looked up. Buffy was standing there, a happy look on her face. She held up a garment bag.

"I got a dress."

"I rather hoped you'd be wearing ," Giles replied dryly.

Buffy shrugged. "I didn't want to get it messed. I got shoes too. Wanna see?" She set a bag on his desk.

"That's all right," Giles assured her, stopping her from pulling the shoes out. "I'm sure they're quite lovely."

"They were real nice to me there. They treated me, y'know... nice," Buffy said shyly. "Thanks, Giles."

Giles tried not to wince at the familiarity. "You're very welcome, Miss Buffy."

She smiled at him. He watched as she turned and walks toward the elevator. The provocative way her hips moved just naturally attracted the attention of a passing male. And the white gloved elevator operator literally leapt to press the elevator button for Buffy who rewarded him with a happy smile. Giles sighed.

****

The phone was ringing as Buffy entered the room. She hurried to pick it up.

"Hello?"

The phone kept ringing -- it had more than one line. Buffy frantically punched buttons. "Hello" What" Hello?"

****

Angel was in a private office, on the phone waiting for Buffy to pick up. "Never answer the phone. Ever," he warned her, when she finally answered.

Buffy made a "tsk" sound with her tongue. "Believe me, this will be the last time."

"Did you buy some clothes?" Angel questioned.

"Yup, I got a dress."

"Just one?" Angel groaned, hoping she would have gotten more. "Christ... I hope it's appropriate."

"Oh, it's very tasteful," she assured him. "I think you'll especially like the zipper in the crotch," she teased. There was silence on the other end. " I'm joking."

"Let's hope so," Angel sighed, relived. "You'll get some more clothes tomorrow. I'll be pushed for time so meet me in the hotel lobby at seven forty-five sharp. Got it?"

"No, I don't "got it"," Buffy snapped, annoyed at being ordered. "Even the farm boy from Iowa I used to date back in Sunnydale come to the door when he was taking me on a date."

"This isn't a date," Angel told her.

"Go by yourself then," Buffy grumbled. "Where you taking me anyway?"

" The Rex."

"Any good?"

"I think you'll approve."

"... all right," Buffy said as if she were agreeing to do some dirty chore. "I'll meet you in the lobby. But only cause you're paying me to."

"Thank you very much," Angel snorted.

Buffy slowly set the phone down. She had no sooner let go of it, and it had rang again. She, very carefully, punched the flashing button and picked it up. "Hello?"

"I thought I told you not to answer the phone," Angel's voice growled from the other end.

"Oooh!" Buffy groaned playfully. "Stop callin' me then!" She hung up the phone.

Buffy chewed her fingernails, looking a bit bored. The doorbell rang, startling her. She moved to answer it. It was a Spanish maid, who nodded politely at her.

"Housekeeping. I come to turn down the bed," she informed her. "5:00, I turn down the bed."

"What?" Buffy asked, confused.

The maid pointed to her hotel badge, trying to explain. "Housekeeping. I come to turn down the bed."

"Okay." Buffy moved aside to let her in. "Is there a trick to it?"

The maid walked into the bedroom and turned down the bedspread.

"Is that all?" Buffy asked. "You just fold back the bedspread?"

The maid shook her head. "I also place las chocolates on the pillow."

Buffy smiled. "Oooh, I love those."

"I leave extras, miss."

Buffy"s smile grew. "Thanks! Consuelo, are all rich people so lazy they can't do this on their own?" she wondered.

Consuelo shrugged.

part Eight

Giles was behind the desk, working when a soft voice startled him.

"Giles"

He looked up and sighed. It was Buffy and she still hadn't changed out of her small halter top and mini-skirt.

"What is it, Miss Buffy?"

"Angel is taking me to some fancy place for dinner. The Rex. Ever been there?" she asked nervously.

Giles shook his head. "It's a bit beyond my... range, shall we say."

"Yeah, mine too," she agreed. "Is it like, y'know, normal?"

"I think you'll find it normal enough."

"Will I like it?"

"You'll like it fine."

"Okay. Thanks, Giles," Buffy smiled, feeling reassured. "You're the best." She turned and started back to the elevator.

"Just mind which fork you use," Giles called after her.

Buffy turned back abruptly, a horrified look on her face. "Fork?"

****

Giles and Buffy sat across from one another at a fully set table with an elegant formal placesetting complete with a myriad of different size forks, spoons, stacked china plates and crystal glassware.

"In fifteen minutes I can teach you everything you need to know to dine with the Queen," Giles told her. "First, as you pick up the knife you shift your fork to the left hand."

Buffy looked down, her fork was in her right hand and the knife was in her left. "But I always eat like this."

Giles winced. "Either you're European or badly brought up."

Buffy giggled. "Hmmm... I vonder vich."

"Actually, some of the richest people I know have the worst manners. Of course, Mr. O'Reilly, being of old money, knows his way around a table. All right now, pay attention please. Salad fork."

"What if they serve soup?" Buffy worried.

"They will serve salad," assured her.

"But what if they serve soup?" she insisted.

"Then you use your soup spoon."

Buffy smiled. "I like steak."

Giles picked up the appropriate utensil. "Then you would use your..."

"Steak spoon!" Buffy joked, laughing.

Giles swallowed his exasperation. "Miss Buffy -"

"Maybe I'll just order a burger, Giles, that way I can eat with my hands," she told him, getting discouraged with the utensils.

"Miss Buffy... there's a salon here in the hotel. Instead of worrying unnecessarily about table manners, why don't you just have your hair done instead"

Buffy"s face brightened. "Professionally?"

****

Buffy sat in a salon chair. The stylist, Thane, a young man of about twenty-five with his long hair pulled back in a pony tail, tilted her head one way and then another, eyeing her professionally.

"I have a friend who has a friend who does Cher's wigs," Buffy informed him.

"I hate him already." After a beat, he asked, "All set?"

"Yeah...," Buffy nodded. "What a ya say we chop it all off and dy the tips hot pink?"

"Darling" Trust me."

****

Angel entered and looked around the lobby. No Buffy. Annoyed, he crossed to a house phone and picked it up. He's about to dial when Giles walked up to him.

"Good evening, Mr. O'Reilly," he greeted.

Angel looked at him blankly.

"Rupert Giles, manager of the hotel," he introduced himself.

"Of course, yes," Angel said, remembering him. "If you'll excuse me just a moment --"

"I have a message for you from your 'cousin', sir."

Angel squinted at him, confused. "My what?"

"The young lady staying in your room?"

Angel's eyes narrowed. He hung up the phone. " I think we both know she's not my cousin."

Giles looked uncomfortable.

"Does this hotel have any problem with that?" Angel continued.

"Mr. O'Reilly, a guest of yours, is a guest of ours and shall be treated accordingly," Giles assured him. "The young lady asked me to tell you that she is waiting for you in the lounge."

Angel nodded. "Thank you."

He started toward the lounge.

"Very intriguing young woman, Miss Buffy," Giles called after him.

His tone stopped Angel in his tracks.

"Have a good evening, sir." With a polite smile he left, leaving Angel to wonder what had happened during the afternoon.

****

Angel entered the lounge and looked around, not seeing Buffy. Suddenly his eyes went back to a beautiful girl with the beautifully styled hair in the beautiful black cocktail dress at the piano bar. Angel tried to hide his surprise as Buffy rose and moved elegantly toward him.

She smiled. "You're late."

Such a beautiful woman deserved an apology and so, without thinking, "I'm sorry."

"You're forgiven."

She waited expectantly. He held out an arm and she took it.

****

Buffy came out of the ladies room. She walked forward past the matre'd's station. She stopped and took a breath, then walked forward again.

Buffy moved down a marble staircase, through the elegant restaurant toward a far table. Her beauty and natural grace draw approving stares. She was like a queen moving through a ballroom.

At a secluded table, Angel sat in conversation with two men. James Finn, in his early 70's, a bulky self-made millionaire industrialist. Sitting next to him was his son and second in command, Riley Finn, a handsome man in his middle twenties. All of them rose as Buffy came to the table. James held out Buffy's chair for her. Surprised, she nodded her thanks. In front of her was an enormous placesetting. She smiled down at the utensils, filled with confidence.

Waiters had placed a delicate salad down in front of each of them. Buffy proudly reached for her salad fork. But then she saw that James Finn had picked up the fork closest to his plate and was digging into his salad with that.

She looked to see what Angel would do. He didn't seem interested in eating. Neither did Riley. Feeling a sudden panic, Buffy put her fork down.

"So young man, I understand you are trying to take over my company," James said to Angel.

The abruptness of the statement took Angel back for a moment. But then he almost smiled. "Please don't patronize me, Mr. Finn. Our ages mean nothing here."

James and Riley looked at each other.

"Mr. O'Reilly, we know you've purchased at least twenty percent of our stock," Riley told him. "We also know you plan to file a formal bid for a majority share."

"Twenty-five percent" Angel corrected.

"Mr. O'Reilly, I built Finn Enterprises myself. I know every man who ever worked there by his first name. I know their wives... and their children. If your intention is to take over my company and turn it into a glorified real estate deal, think again," James Finn warned.

Angel, much to Buffy's relief, reached for his salad fork and began to eat. Relieved, Buffy picked up hers and began eating.

"What do you suggest, Mr. Finn?" Angel asked.

A group of waiters approached, some to clear the salad plates, some to put down the next course. Buffy, thinking she had to finish, quickly stuffed her mouth with the rest of her salad. She was reluctant to let the waiter take her fork.

"What would it take to buy our stock back?" James asked. "Name your price."

"To get me in a mood to sell " double what I paid. But your company doesn't have enough capital right now to buy anything," Angel said.

"We're on the verge of closing a large navy contract," Riley informed him. "Double is ridiculous but we can assure you a healthy profit on your shares. We would give you a promissory note..."

"You're not getting any navy contracts," Angel cut in.

Buffy could see that both father and son were stunned by this news.

"There's no way you could know that," Riley argued.

"But I do know. I also know your lines of credit are over-extended. If I don't buy your company, someone else will..." Angel watched as a waiter sat a plate in front of him. "Ah, the escargot."

Escargot were put down in front of everyone. Buffy stared at them dubiously. She picked up what she assumed was the next 'right' fork. She picked up a snail. The two do not fit. Flustered, she didn't know what to do. No one else seem to be eating. And now a Waiter came and placed escargot forks at each place. Vivian picked it up with a sigh of relief.

"Excuse me," she whispered to the waiter. "What are these things?"

"Escargot, mademoiselle," he answered softly.

Angel leaned close and whispered, "Snails."

"Oh," Buffy replied, forcing a smile. "Yum.."

She stared at them, horrified. She, like James and Riley Finn, was no longer interested in eating. Angel ate with pleasure.

"Mr. Finn, I'm not here to sell you my stock," Angel said casually. "On the contrary, I'm here to buy yours."

"You've got a lot of nerve," James replied, angrily.

"No," Angel disagreed. "What I have is a lot of money."

"I know all about you, Mr. O'Reilly," James stated. "When you buy companies, they have a way of disappearing. Even the pension funds are stripped clean. The last three companies you took over were cut up in so many pieces, widows were left without their retirement checks.

"What I did with those companies was perfectly legal," Angel defended calmly."

"I don't question the legality of what you do. It's your morality that makes me sick," James replied, his teeth clenched. "I will not allow my company to be raped by a man like you."

"It is not your company," Angel argued, starting to get angry. "It's a public company. And I am going to acquire it. Either I buy from the other stock holders, or I buy from you."

Buffy, getting a little nervous by the conversation, began struggling with her escargot.

"I would suggest that you and your board cooperate with me, rather than fight a battle you don't have the ammunition to win," Angel continued.

Suddenly Buffy's snail slipped form her fork and zinged across the table. Everyone looked to her.

"Slippery little bastards..." she said with an embarrassed smile.

James rose from the table. "If you'll excuse me young lady, Mr. O'Reilly..." He turned to Riley. "Deal with this, Riley, you know where we stand. I need to go someplace and puke." With that he turned and walked away.

"Men like my father built this country. He was no saint. He screwed people. But for every guy he stepped on, he gave a hundred a good job," Riley said looking at Angel.

Angel was silent.

"He seems like a nice man," Buffy spoke up.

Riley looked at Buffy as if seeing her for the first time.

"We can reach an understanding on this," Angel said.

"I don't think so," Riley disagreed. "You should know we're going to fight you with every resource we have."

"Do what you have to do. I don't take it personally."

"I do. I take it all very personally." Riley turned to Buffy. "Very nice meeting you." He got up and left. Buffy and Angel sat in silence.

"And that's the way the game is played," Angel said after a moment.

"Some game," Buffy replied. "Screwin' some poor slob out of his retirement."

Angel said nothing. But Buffy could see she hit a nerve.

She looked at her plate and shook her head. "Snails for dinner. No wonder everybody is in such a bad mood."

A waiter appeared at the table. "Are we ready for the next course, sir?" he asked Angel.

"No. Bring a check, please."

Go to Part 9