Chapter 11 – Who Are You?


Laying with Spike on the lounge chair, Buffy enjoyed the simple act of kissing him, feeling like she was a teenager again while his hand ghosted over the soft swell of her breast, still bare from their earlier escapades.

Neither made a move to deepen the kiss or take things even further, enjoying the simplicity of the moment.

Pulling away after a moment, Buffy gave him a soft smile, becoming all too aware that she was still topless. “I should probably get dressed,” she said softly, smiling when Spike pouted. “Considering we just said we would take it slow…it would probably be a wise move.”

“Just thought you’d want to cool off,” he said with a grin. “Since I got you all hot.”

“Horrible pun,” Buffy replied, rolling her eyes as she sat up and reached for her bikini top. “And I think I’m cool enough.”

“Aww, come on…you know you want to be a little wetter,” he said, biting his bottom lip and giving her an evil smile while his arms wrapped around her waist.

Her eyes widened as she pulled back slightly to look at him. “Spike…no…NO!” she shrieked, giggling when he swung her onto his shoulder and ran over to the pool, tossing her in and laughing as her scream was swallowed by the sound of splashing water. Nearly doubled over when she resurfaced, sputtering and rubbing the water out of her eyes, Spike watched as she tried to compose herself, glaring at him.

“Cooled off, lamb?” he asked, renewing his laughter when her eyes narrowed on him.

Crossing her arms over her chest, Buffy continued to stare at him.

“Oh, come on, don’t tell me that wasn’t fun,” he said, smiling at her. “You’re not one of those women who can’t get their hair wet, are you?” he asked, raising an eyebrow when he saw her roll her eyes.

“Could you at least be a gentleman and hand me a towel?” she asked, waiting until he nodded before moving to the edge of the pool. Watching him walk back toward her with a fluffy white towel, Buffy offered him a slight smile, reaching up to accept it. “Thanks,” she said, jerking the towel until Spike fell into the pool.

Resurfacing the same way that Buffy did, Spike was greeted with her giggles when he turned to face her.

“That has to be the oldest trick in the book,” she said, her smile slowly fading when he moved toward her, pinning her to the side of the pool.

“That’s what I get for being nice?” he asked, his voice dropping to a seductive whisper.

“You should have known better,” she whispered with a coy smile, closing her eyes when his lips met hers in a tender kiss.

Reaching up to cup his cheek in one hand, the other held onto his shoulder, urging him to get closer as his tongue gently brushed against her bottom lip.

Nearly groaning when her tongue met his, Spike’s hands abandoned the wall of the pool, wrapping around her to pull her closer, feeling her hand against the back of his neck, holding him in place. Breaking away to breathe after a moment, their foreheads pressed together.

“Maybe we should get out,” Buffy said with a slight smile, waiting for Spike to nod before she left the comfortable water, shivering when the chilly air swept over her skin.

Crossing her arms over her chest, she heard the water rushing downward as Spike hoisted himself onto the side of the pool, turning to face him when he quickly jumped up and grabbed two towels.

Wrapping one around Buffy, he ran his hands up and down her arms, creating enough friction to warm her before wrapping the other around his waist.

Smiling when he immediately turned back to her, Buffy shivered once again, this time as a result of Spike’s caring attentiveness. Trembling when he pulled her into his arms, she rested her head against his chest, closing her eyes, trying not to focus on her tumultuous thoughts.

Who was the real Spike?

* * * * *

Dressed in jeans and a black t-shirt, Spike leaned against the doorframe, watching Buffy’s car drive away. Waiting until it was out of sight, he slowly turned away from the front door, kicking it shut as he walked away.

Climbing the stairs to the third floor, he walked to the back of the house, his good mood immediately fading, his face turning into a cold mask as he opened a door at the end of the hall.

“Well?” he asked, walking into the small room, his body language and demeanor immediately changing from the carefree man he’d been for the earlier part of the afternoon.

“Beautiful girl,” Ethan said, turning to face his employer as he looked away from the monitor. “Of course I told you that when I met her.”

“I’m not asking for your opinions on her looks… What do we know?” Spike asked, his voice cold and hard as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“Not much,” he replied, sitting back in his chair, tossing the surveillance photos on the table in front of Spike.

Seeing the pictures of Buffy spread out on the chaise lounge that was next to the pool as Spike continued to pleasure her, he raised an eyebrow. “Don’t rightly recall telling you that I needed any surveillance today.”

“A woman like that,” he said with a smile. “You know I can’t resist.”

Clenching his jaw, Spike stared at the man in front of him until his smile faded. “You’re going to resist,” he said in a low voice. “Touch her, and-”

“Relax,” Ethan said. “No plans for your precious girl.”

“Good to know. Cause I’d hate to have to hurt you.”

Noticeably swallowing, Ethan turned back to the computer screen. “Well, we don’t know much about this girl. Her story seems to check out…”

“But,” Spike prompted.

“But…that’s all it does- it checks out. There are no details after her college graduation. Basically, she’s an art dealer with a small list of clients; her mother died of complications with a brain tumor a year ago; father is nowhere to be found. She lives alone in a comfortable manner and doesn’t have any serious relationships.”

“Never?”

“A few boyfriends in high school,” he said with a slight shrug. “Nobody serious. There was one guy in college who she dated for several months, but he graduated and moved away. She didn’t want to move and stayed here.”

“So there are details up until she went to university?” Spike asked in confusion.

“That’s right.”

“Then…what does she do in her spare time?” he asked, talking to himself. “She’s an independent dealer with no office. She must have a lot of free time.”

“Look around her house,” Ethan said with a shrug. “Keep her occupied for a few hours, and I can make the rounds.”

“Like I want you going through her things,” Spike said, nearly rolling his eyes. “Keep an eye out for anything else,” he said after a moment. “I’ll look for the rest.”

Turning to walk out of the room, he stopped when he heard Ethan’s voice.

“There is one thing that I found particularly interesting,” he said, waiting until Spike turned to face him once again.

“What’s that?”

“The fact that she spent a good five minutes searching the pool house while you were outside waiting for her earlier today.”

“She what?” he asked softly.

“Went through all of the drawers, the closets, under the bed,” Ethan said, leaning back in his chair. “Now… I know women are curious by nature, but she looked like she was searching for something.”

“And your theory?” Spike asked, raising his eyebrow.

Ethan laughed, gesturing around the room. “Look around, Spike. Every piece of equipment in this room was purchased with stolen money. There is hardly a person you’ve met that you haven’t pissed off in one way or another and… I think you should be careful with this one.”

Spike watched as Ethan slid a thin folder across the table, toward him.

“There’s all the information I could get on her. I’ll keep looking.”

Picking up the file, he gave a slight nod before leaving the room. Walking through the empty house and into his office, he ran his hand over his face as he sat down at the mahogany desk, tossing the file onto the flat surface and staring at it for a long moment.

Finally opening the folder, he looked at the black and white photo that stared back at him. Seeing the small note on the bottom, ‘University of California, Sunnydale – Senior Year’, he stared at the smiling woman in the picture, trying to control his chaotic thoughts. Flipping through the stack of pictures and information, he soon turned to the pictures that had been taken that day.

Staring at the images of her face as her orgasm washed over her, he slowly continued through the stack of pictures, stopping at one of the two of them in the pool. The photo was a close-up, and Spike took a moment to admire the two of them together. Her body was practically crushed to his, her hands in his hair, pulling him closer while his hands were splayed across her back, holding her close.

He didn’t need to be a body language expert to see that she wasn’t faking her reaction to him. She was practically offering herself to him, daring him to take it and yet… there was something just a little bit off.

All of their interactions, all of their conversations, and he felt like she was holding back. Like she didn’t want to reveal too much. Like she couldn’t be herself.

Sitting back in his chair, Spike laid out her college picture next to the photo of them kissing, staring at the younger Buffy and the woman she was now, his eyebrows furrowing as he tried to work through his thoughts.

“Who are you?”
 

Chapter 12 – Mixed Signals


Buffy walked from shop to shop a week later, trying to work off her nervous tension. She hadn’t heard from Spike since she left his house the day they spent in the pool, and she was beginning to wonder if he lost interest in her.

Giles had called once, wanting a progress report that Buffy couldn’t give him. She knew he was getting frustrated, but he wasn’t nearly as frustrated as she was.

Hoping to curb her aggravation of not being able to do anything productive, she was spending her day at the mall.

Handing over her credit card at yet another clothing store, she finally felt like the edge was being taken off. Accepting the bag with her new dress, she slowly left the store, taking her time walking to the food court.

Paying for a salad and a bottle of water, she frowned when she heard her name.

“Buffy!”

Nearly turning in a full circle, her eyes widened when she saw the man running toward her.

“Buffy, hey!” he said brightly with a huge smile on his face.

“Riley…what are you doing here?” she asked, nearly rolling her eyes at her own stupid question.

“Nothing much,” he replied, taking some of her bags from her, causing Buffy to smile.

“Ever the gentleman,” she said softly, thanking him when he pulled out a chair for her at a nearby table. “So…how’ve you been?” she asked, watching as he sat across from her, still reeling from the fact that her college boyfriend was in front of her.

“I’m good,” Riley said, nodding in affirmation. “I’m moving back here, and I’m trying to get some things together for the house.”

“That’s nice,” Buffy said with a slight smile.

“So, what happened to you after graduation?” he asked.

“Um…not much,” she said, shrugging her shoulders. “I’m an… art dealer,” she said, using the cover story after a moment. “It’s nice.”

“That’s great,” Riley said.

The two made small talk as Buffy ate her salad, catching up on each other’s lives and exchanging flirty smiles for the next hour.

“Are you seeing anyone?” Riley finally asked, seeing Buffy’s eyes raise to his.

“Um… not… not really,” she said, biting her lip as she looked at the table.

“Would you… maybe like to go out sometime?” he asked, giving her the same boyish grin that won her over in college.

“Uh… yeah… I guess that would be okay,” she said with a slight shrug.

“Great!” Riley replied enthusiastically, checking his watch a moment later. “I better run- I need to get to the bank before they close- but what about Friday at eight?”

“Friday? Tomorrow- Friday?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright,” Buffy said, nodding as she stood up, trying to shake off the uncomfortable feeling as she pulled a business card from her wallet and handed it to him. “There’s my address. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Riley smiled as he accepted the card, leaving a tender kiss on her cheek before waving good-bye.

Watching Riley walk away, Buffy sighed as she sat down at the table, staring at her water bottle for a few moments before preparing to leave.

“Having fun, pet?”

Her shoulders immediately went rigid at the sound of the soft accent behind her.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder to look at Spike as he walked around and sat in the seat that Riley had occupied minutes earlier.

“Fancy seeing you here.”

“I was just going to say the same thing,” she replied, raising an eyebrow. “Only the American version.”

“Would that be ‘What’s up’?” he asked with a slight smile.

Buffy smiled, looking at the table to avoid his piercing eyes. “What are you doing here, Spike?”

“Saw you talking… decided to say hi. Who was he?”

Raising an eyebrow at the abrupt change in his tone, Buffy looked up, leveling him with her own gaze. “Old boyfriend,” she replied, judging his reaction, her jaw tightening when he raised his own eyebrow.

“High school?” he asked, never taking his gaze away from hers.

“College,” she replied, feeling her anger mounting. “He had to move away, and my mom was sick, so I couldn’t… we’d probably still be together today if it wasn’t for that.”

Her eyes widened when Spike immediately laughed. “That pillock wouldn’t be able to hold onto a girl like you,” he said.

“He held onto me for years,” she replied, tightening her jaw, trying to ignore the fact that Spike was obviously having her followed. There was no other explanation for him being in a mall of all places after she had spent the afternoon with her ex-boyfriend. Knowing that he must have been tipped off by whoever was following her, she felt the need to put the blonde in his place. Unfortunately, she wasn’t sure how to do that.

Standing up, she quickly gathered her bags, looking up when she saw Spike stand with her.

“What are you doing here, Spike?” she asked, taking a deep breath to calm herself.

“Shopping,” he stated, gesturing around the mall.

“Shopping?” she repeated, shaking her head as she walked toward the exit. “For what?” she asked, knowing he was following her.

“For… clothes,” he replied, struggling for an answer.

“Clothes?” she replied, turning around with a disbelieving smile. “I don’t think they have Gucci.”

“Do you really think I’m that shallow?” he asked, following her as she continued out the door and through the parking lot.

“I think you’re used to having everything you want, anytime you want.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” he asked with an edge to his voice, watching her load her bags into the black BMW.

“I don’t know,” Buffy said, growing frustrated as she kept her back to him. “I guess it’s just a feeling that I have.”

Gently taking her elbow in his hand, Spike slowly turned her around. “Talk to me.”

“What’s to talk about?” she asked, looking up at him, trying to paste a smile on her face.

“How about the fact that you’re not who you pretend to be?”

Going rigid under his hand, Buffy suddenly felt short of breath, her lips parting as her eyes widened in shock. “W-what do you mean?” she asked, trying to swallow the lump in her throat that was causing the shaky quality of her voice.

“You like to play the role of the sophisticated, worldly woman,” he said, letting go of her arm and walking over to the car. “The one who drives a 325i BMW Sedan. The one who buys elegant dresses and attends art gallery openings. When in fact, you’re nothing more than a little girl playing dress up, who would rather be home with a book than out at a party on any given night.”

Managing to get her breathing under control, she narrowed her eyes on the man in front of her. “Am I supposed to take that as a compliment?”

“You tell me,” he replied.

“Are you mad at me about something?” she asked in exasperation.

Running a hand over his face, Spike shook his head. “I’m sorry… I’ve just… It’s been a bad day.”

Not wanting to think about the underlying truths in that sentence and what could have possibly transpired to make it such a bad day for him, Buffy took a deep breath. “Then what are you doing shopping?” she asked, hoping to catch him in the blatant lie. “Shouldn’t you be at home with a cigarette and a nice glass of scotch?”

Looking around for a moment, Spike shoved his hands in his pockets. “Just wanted to unwind, I guess.”

“Right,” Buffy replied in a disbelieving tone, turning away from him and searching for her keys.

“What the bloody hell is your problem?” he asked, causing Buffy to spin around and face him with sparks flashing in her eyes.

“Oh, I don’t know,” she said sarcastically, looking around the parking lot as if the conversation wasn’t affecting her at all. “Maybe the fact that I thought you were a little different, but you really are like every other man out there.”

“What?” he asked in a soft voice, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

“I just… I thought we had something,” she said, looking down at the ground before slowly raising her eyes to his, trying to smile through whatever it was that she was feeling. “Guess I was wrong, huh?” she asked, casting her eyes downward once again.

“Buffy,” Spike said softly, hooking a finger under her chin and directing her gaze back to his. “What are you talking about, love?”

“A week,” she whispered. “One week, and I haven’t heard from you. And the only thing I can think of is that you got something you wanted out of it and didn’t call, or you didn’t get something you wanted and you didn’t call. Either way…it’s the same result.”

“I…I’ve been busy, pet,” he whispered, seeing her blink back the tears in her eyes.

“Right,” she murmured, angry at herself for not being able to control her emotions. And it scared her because she wasn’t acting. “I better go,” she murmured.

Buffy’s eyes widened when she found herself pinned to the car, Spike’s arms on either side of her. Looking up in confusion, her body tensed when she felt his lips on hers.

Spike didn’t deepen the kiss, merely testing her response to him. He relaxed slightly when she hesitantly returned it before pulling away.

“Goodbye, Spike,” she whispered, lightly pushing against his chest.

Seeing that he’d hurt her with his thoughtlessness, Spike cupped her face in his hands, making her look at him. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “Go out with me tomorrow night.”

“I can’t,” she replied, pushing against him with more force.

“What do you mean, you can’t?” he asked, obviously not used to rejection.

“I have a date,” she said, tightening her jaw as she waited for his response.

“What?”

“A date,” she said, pronouncing more clearly. “This thing that single people do when they don’t use each other for sexual favors.”

Wincing at the description, Spike stared at her for a long moment. “Who?”

“None of your business,” she muttered, finally extracting herself from his hold and turning to the car. Jumping in surprise when she found herself pinned against it once again, she closed her eyes when she felt his breath on her ear.

“It’s your ex boy-toy, isn’t it?” he asked softly, his voice coming out in a menacing whisper that reminded Buffy of who she was dealing with.

“Why do you care?” she asked, gritting her teeth, hating the fact that she was pressed against a car with nowhere to go.

“Maybe because you’re supposed to be with me,” he replied, his tone of voice dropping even lower.

Clenching her jaw, Buffy’s eyes narrowed. Slamming her elbow into his stomach, she spun around, taking him by surprise and shoving him against the SUV behind him. “Is that a fact?” she asked, seeing the shock and appreciation in his eyes.

Studying her for a moment, Spike grabbed her wrists, jerking her forward until he was holding onto her. “Impressive,” he murmured, seconds before crushing his lips to hers.

Battling him for a moment, Buffy soon surrendered to his advances, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him even closer to her.

Breaking away with a gasp after a moment, she looked up at him with wide eyes, taking in deep breaths. “I really need to go now,” she whispered, feeling lightheaded from the kiss.

“Come over tomorrow,” he said softly.

“Spike, I just told you…”

“After,” he clarified. “Come over after.”

“It might be late,” she replied, not sure of what reaction she was trying to get out of him, only knowing that she wanted an indication of what he was feeling. She watched the indecision on his face as he battled with his dominant nature.

“I’ll be up,” he finally said, clenching his jaw to stop any other remarks.

Buffy gave him a soft smile before pulling him closer to her for a brief, gentle kiss. “Then I’ll be there.”



 

Chapter 13 – Secrets & Lies

Buffy didn’t go directly to Spike’s after Riley left the next night. She knew that he was having her followed, and she wanted to prove to him that he didn’t own her. That she was the one thing in his life that he couldn’t control.

After dinner, a movie, and coffee at her house, Buffy had said good night to Riley, thanking him for a lovely evening.

Changing into a pair of khaki pants and a silky black shirt, she prepared to leave the house, pausing for a moment before reaching the door. Deciding to do something that she hadn’t done in weeks, Buffy walked to her safe, quickly spinning the combination.

Taking a deep breath, she pulled out the thick folder and stared at it for a moment. Finally opening the file that she hadn’t dared to look at since she started getting to know Spike, she took a deep breath, pulling out the information that she’d read on the day she’d been assigned to William Reed.

Skimming through the rest of the file, she finally closed it, letting her head fall into her hands as the stress of the situation began to catch up with her.

Running her hands down her face until they were folded under her chin, she took a few calming breaths, thinking about the man described in the file and the man she felt like she knew.

“Who are you?” she whispered, closing her eyes for a moment. “Who’s the real guy? Are they both fake?”

Growing frustrated that she didn’t have any answers for her questions, she finally stood up, collecting the file and putting it back in her safe. She was no closer to finding out anything real about this man than she was on the day she met him.

Giles would be calling for an update sometime in the next week- she was sure of that- and if she didn’t have anything resembling evidence, then he was certain to plant a live feed on her. In the beginning, that might have put her at ease, but at this stage of their…whatever it was that they were… Buffy knew that she wouldn’t feel safe or comfortable having a transmitter on her.

Pushing all thoughts out of her mind, she walked out of the front door, slipping on a light jacket as she got into her car.

* * * * *

“Mr. Reed is expecting you,” the employee said as he opened the door, causing Buffy to smile slightly.

“Of course he is,” she said, nearly rolling her eyes at the fact that he was probably getting hourly reports on her life.

Following the larger man through the house and into the spacious living room, she saw Spike standing behind the bar in the corner of the room. Watching the employee walk out of the room, shutting the door behind him, Buffy didn’t say a word as she shrugged out of her jacket, tossing it over one of the black leather couches that stood between the two of them.

Staring at him for a moment as he moved around behind the bar, she raised an eyebrow, determined not to talk first. A silent battle of wills that meant nothing in the grand scheme of things but seemed important at the moment.

“Have fun on your date?” he finally asked after a minute, pouring two drinks.

“As a matter of fact, I did,” she replied, not willing to give an inch while he crossed the room, offering her the crystal glass.

“That right?” he said with a slight smile, looking her up and down, pausing to admire the hint of cleavage that her shirt offered him.

“We’re going out again next week,” she said, lying easily, knowing that he had no way of knowing that she and Riley had decided to be just friends. She was perversely enjoying the fact that his eyes briefly widened, showing her a sliver of his true emotions before the calm mask fell into place.

“Maybe you are,” he said, taking a step forward and tilting his head to get a better look at her. “Or you might use that smart brain of yours and realize that Captain Cardboard isn’t the one for you.”

“And who would that be?” she asked, raising an eyebrow, enjoying the game they were playing a little too much. “You?”

Before Spike could answer, their gazes left each other at the sound of a loud knock on the door. Opening his mouth to reply, his eyes hardened when the door flew open, leaving one of his employees standing in front of him, a shocked expression on his face.

Not saying anything for a long moment, Spike waited until the man noticeably gulped before taking a few steps toward him, setting his glass on the closest available flat surface.

“What?” he asked in a cold voice.

“Ethan asked me to give this to you,” the man said, offering Spike the folder, wincing when the blonde snatched it out of his hand.

“Out.”

Buffy watched as the man practically ran from the room at Spike’s order before turning her gaze to him. Seeing the nervous way he was tapping the file against his palm, she decided to up the stakes. “Ethan?”

Spinning around to face her, Spike’s entire demeanor seemed to change. “What?” he asked in a soft voice, trying to appease whatever she was asking.

“He said ‘Ethan’,” Buffy said with a shrug, setting her drink down on an end table. “Thought you didn’t like Ethan, that’s all.”

“Never said I didn’t like him, lamb,” he said with a smile.

“Do you?”

“Well… no.”

Smiling in response, Buffy took a few steps forward, teasingly reaching for the folder. “It must be awfully important for the great and powerful Spike to be interrupted,” she teased, looking up at him when he held it out of her reach, an indifferent expression on his face. “Come on, Spike, gimme,” she said with a smile that soon faded when she saw his expression turn serious.

“‘Fraid I can’t do that, Goldilocks,” he said, turning away from her and walking over to a locked cabinet.

Seeing him take a key out of his pocket and unlock the door, Buffy walked over, making another attempt to teasingly snatch the folder from him.

“Leave it,” Spike said in a harsh tone, throwing the file in the cabinet and slamming the door shut.

Stunned into silence for a moment, Buffy quickly regained her composure, lifting her head defiantly.

“Wow, if I knew you were going to be such an asshole tonight, I wouldn’t have bothered,” she said, turning around and walking toward the door, grabbing her jacket on the way out.

“Buffy, wait,” he called after her, walking toward her when she turned around.

“For what?” she asked, folding her arms in front of her chest. “I’m sorry if I insulted you, Spike, but I guess I kind of figured that if it was anything serious, you wouldn’t be getting it in front of someone else. After all, what could be so important that you keep it hidden from the person that…whatever the hell it is that we are,” she finished, gesturing between them. “So what’s so important?” she asked, folding her arms around her jacket as she stared at him, hoping for any number of things, but she wasn’t sure if she wanted any response to be the truth.

“I can’t tell you,” he said softly. “It’s… It’s work-related.”

“Okay,” Buffy said with an understanding nod. “I can accept that. See you later, Spike,” she finished, turning toward the door.

“Did I ever tell you what I thought the very first time I saw you?”

Turning around in surprise at the abrupt change of topic and the fact that he was casually leaning against the back of the couch with his arms crossed over his chest, Buffy had to let a slight smile come over her face.

“You’re trying to keep me here,” she stated, her smile widening when he slowly raised an eyebrow.

“Is it working?” he asked with a smirk.

Tossing her jacket over a nearby chair, she crossed her own arms over her chest. “Maybe,” she murmured, tilting her head to study him. “So… what did you first think of me?”

“I thought… how fast can I get her in my bed.”

Buffy’s lips parted in surprise before a disbelieving laugh made its way to Spike’s ears.

“Do I get points for honesty?” he asked with a smile.

“Yeah,” Buffy said with a slight nod, closing the distance between them and letting her hands play along his stomach. “I’ll give you that,” she murmured, looking up until her lips were nearly brushing against his. “But that’s all you get,” she whispered, smiling when his eyes narrowed slightly.

“For now?” he asked in a hopeful tone.

“What did you think of me when you got to know me?” she asked, ignoring his question, smiling when Spike’s head snapped back in surprise before he quickly regained his composure.

“I thought… you’re amazing.”

Giving him a genuine smile, Buffy finally nodded in response to his previous question. “For now.”

Chapter 14 – Gone in the Night

Spike stood in front of Buffy, staring at her for a long moment before a slow smile spread on his lips. “Come on,” he said, grabbing her hand and leading her out of the room.

“Where are we going?” she asked, her brows furrowed as she allowed herself to be pulled through the hallways of the mansion.

“I have a surprise for you,” he said with a wicked grin, slowing down enough to wrap an arm around her waist.

“I don’t like surprises,” Buffy replied, raising an eyebrow.

“That’s a shame… because I love giving them.”

“Of the good kind or the bad kind?” she asked, looking over at him.

“Either,” he said with a shrug.

“An equal opportunity surpriser,” she said, taking a deep breath. “I don’t think I’m going to like this.”

Allowing him to lead her out of the front door, Buffy had a mild sense of panic at the fact that she was unarmed. It was a thought that hadn’t crossed her mind for over a week, but the feeling of not knowing where she was going was enough to cause the need for familiarity to return.

Seeing Spike’s driver standing next to the limousine, waiting for his employer, was enough to put her a little more at ease.

“Come on,” Spike said, letting go of her waist to grab her hand once again.

Hesitantly getting into the limo, Buffy stayed quiet for a few minutes, watching the scenery glide by as the car pulled away from the house. Turning toward Spike after a few minutes, she blushed when she saw him watching her intently.

Buffy gasped a moment later when his lips began to caress her throat, causing her to close her eyes and tilt her head, wanting to give him better access. Smiling when the sensuality turned to playfulness, she made a halfhearted attempt to move away from him.

“Where are you taking me?” she asked, giggling when Spike pulled her onto his lap so she couldn’t move further away.

“It’s a surprise,” he murmured into her ear, repeating the infuriating phrase.

“Spike, it’s late, I’ve had a long night, and when I agreed to stay a little later, I figured it was for an extra drink- I didn’t think that it would involve you kidnapping me,” she said, pulling back to look at him.

“Trust me, Goldilocks,” he said, leaning back against the leather seat.

Buffy finally sighed, relaxing slightly as she turned to watch the city fly by through the limousine window.

Her anxiety was slowly starting to grow when she saw the airport come into view. Taking a deep breath when they began going through an area labeled ‘Restricted Access’, she turned toward Spike.

“Okay… the kidnapping level is suddenly moving into the extreme. Where are we going?”

“I’m taking you on a little break,” he said, looking at her with a level gaze.

“A ‘little break’?” she repeated, becoming more frustrated as he stared at her with an indifferent expression. “Spike, I can’t just up and leave to go… wherever it is that you’re planning on taking me.”

“I think you can,” he said in a low voice.

Buffy swallowed, taking a deep breath as she looked into his eyes. “Is something wrong?”

“No,” he said, shaking his head, never taking his eyes off of her. “What would be wrong?”

“You just seem a little uneasy,” she said as the car rolled to a stop.

“I’m fine, Buffy,” he replied, letting his head fall back against the seat as he waited for the driver to open the door.

“Oh, please,” she said, rolling her eyes as she grabbed the door handle.

“What…”

“You might be too good to open a car door, but I’m not,” she said, getting out of the car. If she was going to be taken somewhere and didn’t have a choice in the matter, she was going to control whatever little things she could. Even if that was putting him in his place and opening her own car door.

Listening to the click of her heels against the tarmac, she wrapped her arms around herself, wishing that Spike had given her a little more warning to grab her jacket from the house before they’d left.

Studying the private jet that was looming in front of her, she took a deep breath, closing her eyes.

‘This isn’t me,’ she thought, wrapping her arms more securely around herself as she reopened her eyes. ‘Even if you weren’t here for a job, you’d never fit into this lifestyle.’

“Ready?”

Turning toward Spike when she felt his hand on the small of her back, she gave him a slight nod, letting him lead her toward the plane and up the steps.

“You’re mad at me,” he said with an amused smile.

Buffy didn’t say anything- she merely looked at him as she sat down in one of the cream-colored leather seats.

Spike smirked, sitting down across from her.

“Would you like a drink, Mr. Reed?”

Buffy turned at the sound of the voice, nearly rolling her eyes at the sight of the big-breasted, bleached airhead who was flirting with him.

“My usual, love,” he said, biting his bottom lip while he looked her up and down.

This time Buffy did roll her eyes, standing up to walk toward the back of the plane as Spike continued flirting. She could feel his eyes on her when she pulled out her cell phone and dialed the familiar number.

Turning her back on Spike, she listened to the sound of the phone ringing, sighing when the machine picked up and her best friend’s voice traveled toward her. Waiting for the beep, she left a quick message.

“Hi, Will. I’m sorry, I’m going to have to postpone our lunch date tomorrow. It looks like I’m going to be out of town. I’ll call you as soon as I get a chance. I miss you.”

Turning around, Buffy jumped when she saw Spike standing there. Her hand immediately traveled to her chest, trying to regulate her breathing.

“Will?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

“What about it?” she asked, tucking her phone away as she walked back to her seat.

“You’re seeing three men now?”

“You tell me,” she said, tightening her jaw, knowing that she was coming dangerously close to revealing a secret about herself- or the fact that she knew his secret.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Buffy searched his eyes for a moment, her own expression softening as she looked at him. “You’re a powerful man, Mr. Reed,” she said, her voice barely reaching his ears. “You’re used to controlling everything around you. Am I supposed to believe that you’re not trying to control me?”

Staring at her in confusion, Spike straightened slightly. “Are you implying something?”

“What is this?” she asked, gesturing around the area.

“I think you know.”

“What is this?” she repeated more forcefully, taking a step toward him.

“This is me,” he said, a slight note of anger in his voice.

“Exactly,” she replied. “It’s you. The cars, the plane, the money, the women,” she continued, gesturing toward the front of the plane, where the flight attendant presumably was. “You can buy all of it… but not me. You can’t win me, Spike. I’m not a prize. I know you. I know you like to have a semblance of control, but that works both ways.”

“You think this little trip is to control you?”

“No, I normally have to rearrange my schedule because men want to fly me to undisclosed locations,” she said sarcastically, turning to look out of the small window behind her, seeing people moving around outside, preparing them for takeoff. “It’s because of Riley, isn’t it?” she asked, getting control over her emotions while she waited for him to respond.

“Maybe,” he replied.

“Maybe?” she repeated.

“Maybe I just wanted to show you something different. Show you what Captain Cardboard can’t offer you.”

“You didn’t need to do this,” Buffy cried in exasperation, spinning around to face him. “Haven’t you seen the way I live? No, I’m not filthy rich, but I’m happy and I like being happy. I don’t care about houses or yachts or the stupid plane. I don’t need trips to… wherever we’re going for the weekend.”

“You’re ready to go home, then?” he asked in amusement as the plane began to slowly move.

“Spike,” she groaned, running her hands through her hair in frustration before sitting in her seat. “I don’t want you to think I’m not grateful, because I am,” she said softly, taking his hand and guiding him to the seat next to her. Looking into his eyes, she let her hands gently trail along his arm when he sat. “But I just like to have a little more control in my own life. And if this is all just something to impress me… I don’t need it.” Choking back all of the anxiety and regret and pushing away everything that told her she shouldn’t be opening up to him as much, she continued, “I’m here because I want to be with you… I want to get to know you.”

“Is that right?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes,” she whispered, looking up at him, trying to make him understand. “That’s right. It’s who I am… If you think that you need someone who can be the trophy wife or the arm candy or whoever you need her to be… tell me.”

“You looking for a proposal already?” he asked with a smirk.

Buffy raised an eyebrow in irritation. “I hope you know that you’re really asking for a punch in the nose.”

“Come on, love, you know you want me,” he replied, leering at her.

Rolling her eyes, Buffy let her head fall into her hands. “You’re beyond frustrating, do you know that?”

“Can’t say I’ve ever heard it before.”

“Maybe your big ego has affected your hearing.”

Turning toward her with a raised eyebrow, a smile played on Spike’s lips as he looked at her in amusement.

“Or I guess it could be that people are afraid of you,” she said, sitting back in her seat and glancing at him before looking away.

“Sounds about right.”

Buffy looked over at him, hearing the confirmation. Studying him for a long moment, she refused to be intimidated by his strong gaze. “Well, I’m not.”

Chapter 15 – Letting Loose


“Look out the window, love,” Spike said from his seat, his eyes closed as he tried to get some rest before they landed.

Leaning over slightly, Buffy looked out to see the bright lights below her. Staring for a few more moments, she turned to Spike, a slight smile on her face. “Vegas? You brought me to Vegas?”

“Viva Las Vegas,” he said, shifting in his seat, never looking at her.

“If you’re so tired, then why are we on a plane right now?” she asked, letting her head roll back against the seat.

Finally opening his eyes, Spike turned to look at her, offering her a smile. “Because it will be fun, Goldilocks.”

* * * * *

“I won!” Buffy squealed, spinning around and feeling herself immediately wrapped in Spike’s strong arms. “Oh my God, that’s like three in a row, and I never win,” she said, pulling back to give him a bright smile.

“Didn’t I tell you that you’d have fun?” he said, tenderly brushing the hair away from her face.

“You were right,” she said, pressing a quick kiss to his lips before turning back to the table.

Picking up the dice, she gave Spike another smile before rolling them.

“Seven!”

Buffy laughed in disbelief, turning toward Spike, who was waiting to give her another hug, obviously enjoying the fact that she was winning just as much as Buffy herself.

Glancing across the room, Spike took a deep breath, seeing the man give him a slight nod. “Be back in a minute, lamb,” he whispered, brushing a kiss to her cheek before walking away, never looking at her.

Buffy watched in confusion as Spike crossed the casino, meeting up with an attractive man and walking toward a door that was heavily guarded.

“Miss?”

Finally hearing the voice, she turned back to the table.

“Would you like to play again?”

“Um…no,” she said, shaking her head. “I think I’ll just cash out.”

Walking through the casino a few minutes later, Buffy was growing restless. Irritably looking at the imposing door every few seconds, her nerves were on edge.

‘What’s he planning?’

“Miss Summers?”

Turning at the sound of her name, she raised an eyebrow when she saw the man Spike had been talking to.

“My name is Charles Gunn. Mr. Reed is currently going to have to stay a little longer in a business meeting, and he asked me to watch after you.”

“Business meeting?” she repeated skeptically. “It’s almost three in the morning.”

“Clocks have no meaning in Vegas,” he said with an easy smile.

“Well, Mr. Gunn-”

“Just Gunn,” he interrupted.

“Well, Gunn...why don’t you go back and tell your employer that I’ll be fine on my own?”

Walking away before he could say another word, Buffy made her way through the casino. Entering the lobby of the Bellagio a few minutes later, she turned around to make sure Gunn wasn’t following her.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she pressed her palms to her forehead. She didn’t know if she was more frustrated with Spike for doing something underhanded while she was with him, or at herself for not being smart enough to figure out what it was.

Trying to clear her head, she walked through the huge lobby and out of the hotel. She had been so amazed by all of the lights when they showed up that she hadn’t paid much attention to the famous Fountains of Bellagio.

Listening to the whimsical music that floated toward her as the choreographed lights and sounds began playing in the distance, Buffy stepped up to the railing, mesmerized by the show in front of her.

Watching for a moment, her eyes widened at the spectacle.

“Oh wow,” Buffy breathed, her eyes wide as she stared at the streams of water. Watching the remainder of the current show, she stayed where she was, amazed when another show started a few minutes later.

She briefly closed her eyes when she felt Spike wrap his arms around her waist, letting his chin rest on her shoulder. “Thought you had abandoned me,” she murmured, not willing to start a fight with such a beautiful sight in front of her.

“As if I could,” he replied, his breath tickling her throat.

“I thought you were going to be a while,” she said, turning to glance at him.

“Gunn told me you seemed upset,” he said, staring at the fountains.

“Not upset,” she replied, leaning against him. “Just don’t really feel like being left alone in a place I’m unfamiliar with, that’s all.”

“Sorry, pet,” he said. “Couldn’t be helped.”

Glancing back at him, she slowly relaxed, forcing herself to forget about what had transpired between Spike and whoever he was meeting. Buffy turned to wrap her arms around his waist, resting her head against his chest. Breathing a sigh when he pulled her closer, she snuggled more securely against him.

Watching the remainder of the show in comfortable silence, Buffy waited until the last of the mist faded away before reluctantly pulling back.

“Thanks for this, William,” she whispered, looking up at him with an unreadable expression, watching a smile spread on his face that she called him by his actual name. “It was a fun night.”

“Not jetlagged, are you?” he asked with a smile, leading her toward the doorway of the Bellagio.

“From a flight that short? No,” she said with a smile that soon faded when she realized they were going back into the famous hotel/casino. “Where are we going?” she asked, turning to look at him.

Pulling her even closer, Spike nuzzled her neck, sending a shiver racing down her spine. “I got us a hotel room,” he said, kissing along her throat. “Stay with me,” he whispered, pulling back to brush his lips against hers in a tender kiss. “Please,” he continued, seeing the indecision on her face.

Biting her lip as she looked at the imposing building, Buffy turned back to him, seeing his expressive eyes pleading with her.

Kissing him softly, she let the tenderness escalate until she pulled away, gasping for air. Pushing everything that should have been important to the back of her mind, she leaned close to whisper, “Take me to bed, Spike.”

* * * * *

The two barely made it into the hotel room before they began tearing each other’s clothes off. Eagerly kissing every inch of exposed skin, Buffy barely had a chance to admire Spike’s muscular chest before she was lifted into his arms. Feeling the cool wall against the bare skin of her back, she arched toward Spike, seeing the satisfied smile on his face at the effect he was having on her.

Divesting each other of the remainder of their clothes, their eyes met in silent understanding. Buffy gently brushed her lips against his, seconds before crying out when he thrust into her.

Seeing Spike pull back to stare at her for a moment, she took a deep breath, hesitantly moving against him.

Spike quickly gained control, pushing her more forcefully against the wall, setting a furious pace that Buffy eagerly matched. Plunging into her, he felt her inner walls clutching at his cock, begging for release. Slipping his hand between them, he gently circled her clit before putting more pressure against it until she was screaming out her climax.

Relaxing against him, Buffy was vaguely aware that Spike was walking through the huge suite, toward the bedroom. Breathing deeply when she felt him gently lower her to the bed, Buffy tightened her hold on him, reluctant to let him go.

Spike moaned when her hips arched toward his, allowing his hand to slip around to the small of her back, holding her close to him. Gently thrusting into her, he nearly lost control when she began to move against him more rapidly. Spike was soon pounding into her, seeking his own release.

Crying out when he grinded his hips against her clit, Buffy found herself falling over the edge for the second time that night, clutching at him as she rode out her orgasm. Breathing heavily when Spike climaxed, she relaxed against the bed, shivering when his lips found the pulse point of her throat, sending chills racing through her body.

“Amazing,” Spike said in a husky voice. “You’re amazing.”

“I was just going to say the same thing,” she replied with a breathless laugh, immediately following him when Spike began to roll away from her. Snuggling into his side, Buffy’s eyes nearly snapped open when she felt his fingers trail along her stomach before traveling lower, stroking her until she was nearly mindless with need once again.

It was going to be a long night.
 

Chapter 16 – Right Place, Wrong Time


Opening her eyes the next morning, Buffy squinted against the light that was filtering into the room through the curtains.

Sitting up in bed, she pulled the sheet with her, clutching at it with one hand while the other worked on smoothing her hair.

Not seeing Spike anywhere, every insecurity and worry that she’d ever felt in her life suddenly seemed to haunt her. Moving to get out of the bed, she stopped when she heard his voice.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Turning toward the door, Buffy finally relaxed, seeing Spike leaning against the frame, unconcerned with his nude body as he pushed away from the casing and walked across the room, giving her an opportunity to rake her eyes over his body in appreciation.

Sitting down next to her, he gently brushed her hair away from her cheek, cupping it in his hand as he leaned forward and tenderly kissed her forehead. “Did you sleep well?” he asked, looking into her eyes.

“Yeah,” she murmured. “Someone wore me out.”

“And I’d be happy to do it again,” he said, lifting the sheet to lie down on the bed, spooning his body against hers.

Relaxing when she felt his lips caress her shoulder and along the slope of her neck, her body trembled when she felt him push his erection against her lower back.

Clutching at the sheet, Buffy nearly cried out when he repositioned himself and eased into her body from behind.

Guiding her leg until it was draped over her, Spike began to slowly move inside of her. “Any regrets?” he asked, the smile obvious in his voice.

“What do you think?” she gasped, moving her lower body with his.

Pumping into her slowly, Spike took his time, kissing every inch of skin that he came in contact with.

Growing restless after a few moments, Buffy’s hand began to slide over her stomach, seeking relief from the fire he was building inside of her.

Seeing her intent, Spike quickly intercepted, rubbing harshly against her clit, creating a direct contrast with the slow thrusts that had her clenching around his cock, triggering his own release as they both gasped and cried out, trembling against each other.

Closing her eyes for a moment, Buffy smiled. “That’s a hell of a way to say good morning,” she whispered breathlessly.

“I could do that every morning,” he murmured, wrapping an arm around her waist, pulling her more forcefully toward him.

Staying quiet for a few more minutes, Buffy glanced over her shoulder. “When do we leave?” she asked with a slight pout, not wanting to ever get out of their bed.

She didn’t want to go back and function in a place that was her world. Or, used to be her world.

“Not for a few hours,” he murmured, kissing her throat. “Plenty of time to lay here and relax,” he said with a smile in his voice.

“And how do you propose we relax?” she asked, trailing her hand along his arm that was still tightly clutching his waist.

“This seems good to me,” he said with a smile.

“Tell me something about you,” she said a moment later, reluctantly pulling away, moaning softly when they separated.

“What do you want to know?” he asked, watching as she turned over to face him.

“What about kids?” she asked softly, slowly raising her eyes to his, not wanting to think about the invisible barriers that were being crossed. “Do you want any?”

“Want about a hundred,” he said with a smile, idly tracing the bare skin of her arm.

“Do you have any?” she asked, looking away when his strong gaze met hers, briefly wondering why she had bothered to bring up this subject. She knew she couldn’t have a future with this man.

“No,” he whispered, brushing a kiss over her temple. “Never met the right woman… at the time.”

Feeling her heart flip in her chest, Buffy bit her lip, hiding the smile that wanted to make itself known. “Breakfast?” she asked, not waiting for an answer as she climbed out of bed.

Placing an arm behind his head, he let a slow smile play on his lips, admiring her as she walked out of the room.

Breathing a heavy sigh a moment later, he slowly got out of the bed, walking through the huge penthouse, grabbing his pants on the way to the kitchen. He smiled at the sight of her clothes that were scattered around the entryway.

Walking into the kitchen a moment later, he stopped when he saw Buffy wearing his black silk shirt, the fabric skimming over her thighs.

“Was wondering where my shirt was,” he said, pushing away from the doorframe when she turned to look at him. “But if I’d known it would look that good on you, I would have given you ten more.”

Closing the refrigerator, Buffy turned to face him. “This old thing?” she replied, suppressing the smile as he raised an eyebrow. “There’s nothing here,” she continued, gesturing toward the refrigerator.

“Room service?” he asked, still looking her up and down.

“We could go to one of the cafés downstairs,” she said, hoping to see a little more of the hotel during the day. “But since I was kidnapped for this little excursion, I might need to hit some of the shops.”

“Not a problem,” he said, taking her hand and leading her toward the bathroom. “Quick shower and then we’ll explore a bit.”

Smiling as she watched him turn the water of the shower on, she raised an eyebrow when he turned to face her, loosening the few buttons that were holding the shirt together.

“I thought I would have my own shower,” she said, giggling when he undressed and pushed her lightly underneath the spray.

“And miss the chance to see you all wet?” he murmured, pressing her against the wall and kissing along her collarbone. “I don’t think so.”

“We’re never going to make it out of here,” Buffy whispered, wrapping her legs around his waist, showing him that she would be happy to stay where she was.

“Fifteen minutes,” he murmured, slowly pushing into her, delighting in the way her body arched against his, seeking him out.

* * * * *

Stepping out of the elevator over an hour later, Buffy nearly blushed at the look Spike gave her.

Tightening his hold on her hand, he led her through the huge lobby toward the shops. Extracting his wallet from his back pocket, he slipped a credit card from it and offered it to her.

Seeing the platinum card, Buffy nearly took a step away from him, shaking her head.

“I can get my own clothes,” she said, frowning when she saw his gaze redirected to the shops. Looking around, her eyes widened at what she saw- Chanel, Prada, Gucci, Hermés, and dozens of other stores.

“Take it,” he whispered, dangling the card in front of her. “I don’t do this for just anyone,” he said, raising an eyebrow when she looked at him.

Feeling intimidated for one of the few times in her life, Buffy hesitantly reached out, accepting the card that contained more money than she would make in a year.

“Have fun,” he said, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

“Where will you be?” she asked, not liking the idea of leaving him.

“Around,” he said with a secretive smile, giving her a soft kiss before turning and walking away.

Knowing that she should follow him, Buffy took a deep breath. Relaxing a little when she saw him disappear into the Armani store, she forced her conscience to take a back seat as she walked into one of the nearby stores.

* * * * *

Keeping an eye out for Buffy, he watched as the manager of Tiffany and Co. wrapped the diamond necklace and matching earrings and put them in the signature blue boxes.

Handing the bag to the valued customer, the manager gave him a smile. “Have a wonderful stay at the Bellagio, Mr. Reed.”

“Thank you,” Spike replied, maintaining his usual cool demeanor as he turned around.

“Hi.”

His eyes widened when he saw Buffy behind him, dressed in a pair of gray pants and a silky white shirt with a cowl neck. The outfit looked like it was made for her, accentuating her figure.

“What’d you buy?” she asked, glancing at the bag in his hand.

“Birthday present,” he replied without pause. “For my mum.”

“Tell her happy birthday,” Buffy said with a smile, relaxing when he took her hand in his, leading her out of the shop. “Before I forget,” she said, holding out the credit card, waiting until Spike took it, looking at it in confusion. “As if I would forget,” she added with a laugh.

“It’s not worth using it if you don’t have an armful of bags to show for it.”

“I have a bag,” she said, gesturing downward.

“Not your old clothes,” he said, raising an eyebrow at her.

“Do you know how much this cost?” she asked in disbelief.

“What I make in less than an hour,” he said, looking around the lobby as they walked before leading her toward a nearby café.

“And how do you make that money, Mr. Reed?” she asked, turning to look at him as they entered the restaurant.

“My company, Goldilocks,” he said with a relaxed smile. “Stocks are a beautiful thing in this day and age.”

Opening her mouth to respond, Buffy stopped when she was jostled. Turning toward the person who had bumped into her, her eyes widened in shock.

“I’m sorry… Buffy?”

The one person who could make her miserable and blow her cover at the same time.

“Hi, Dad,” she said, not recognizing her own voice. “I didn’t know you were in Vegas,” she continued, trying to regain some semblance of control as she looked over at the woman on his arm.

“Buffy, meet Candi,” he said, gesturing to the blonde, who was younger than she was.

“With an ‘I’,” the girl filled in, smiling brightly.

“Buffy is my daughter,” Hank said, causing her to nearly roll her eyes when Candi got a look of recognition.

“Oooh.”

“Yeah, maybe you should have figured that out when I called him ‘Dad’,” Buffy filled in, wanting nothing more than to get away from the couple in front of her and distance herself from the entire situation.

“You never know,” the bimbo said. “He likes the Daddy fantasy.”

“This can’t get more disturbing,” Buffy muttered, feeling sick to her stomach as she looked at Hank. “Mail-order bride?” she asked dryly.

“Hey!” Candi cried indignantly.

“Butt out, Barbie.”

“You’re one to talk about names,” she replied in a ditzy voice.

“I wasn’t saying you’re an airhead because of your name,” Buffy said. “So think about that for a while.”

“Buffy-”

“Oh, don’t Buffy me, Dad,” she said in irritation. “I don’t hear from you in years, and then… You know what? Never mind. I’ve been better off without you.”

“And you’ve obviously lost your manners,” Hank said, not bothered at all by his daughter’s outburst as he turned toward Spike. “I’m Hank Summers.”

“William Reed,” he replied, shaking the man’s hand and nearly crushing it with his own grip.

“Aah, yes,” Hank said, wincing slightly as he pulled his hand away. “I’ve read about you in nearly every business section there is. Nice to see you moving up in the world, Buffy,” he said, turning toward his daughter.

Spike frowned until he heard Buffy’s voice.

“Wish I could say the same for you,” she replied, turning toward Spike. “I’m not really hungry anymore. Can we leave a little early?”

“Sure thing, love,” Spike said, wrapping an arm around her waist.

“Nice seeing you, Dad,” she said, turning away from a man who had ceased being a father years earlier, finally feeling like she had a little bit of closure on that chapter of her life.

“You alright?” Spike asked, pulling her a little closer in a comforting gesture.

“Yeah,” she said, clearing her throat. “It was a fun trip… in spite of certain current events.”

“I’m glad you had a good time,” he said, kissing her temple. “Was it worth it to have me kidnap you?” he asked after a moment.

“Absolutely,” Buffy said, giving him a genuine smile. “Take me hostage anytime.”

Spike smirked at her. “Could there be bondage involved?”



 

Chapter 17 – Shadowed Whispers


“Giles, I promise, I am not flaking out on this assignment,” Buffy said, getting out of her car a week later.

“What? No, I’m not… I’m not falling for him,” she said unconvincingly as she searched for her keys and quickly opened the door.

“Don’t worry about me, I know what I’m doing… I’ll get it,” she said in exasperation, walking through the door. Her entire body went rigid when she saw Spike standing in the middle of her living room. “I’ve gotta go,” she said, snapping her phone shut, never taking her eyes off of Spike.

“You left the door unlocked.”

“Silly me,” she whispered, disconcerted with the fact that he was in her home and there was no way she would have left the door unlocked.

“Is there a problem?” he asked, glancing at the phone that was still in her hand. The phone that clearly wasn’t her usual cell phone.

“What? Oh… no… just business,” she said, shrugging out of her coat and putting everything away in the nearby closet.

“Anything I can do?” he asked.

“No, I don’t think so,” she said, shaking her head as she turned to face him with a fake smile. “Just some clients of mine. They, uh… they want a painting that’s a little hard to get.”

“Which one?”

“What are you doing here?” she asked, hoping to change the subject.

“Wanted to surprise you.”

“And if the door hadn’t been unlocked…”

“Might have found a way,” Spike said with a smirk.

“You’re really infuriating, you know that?” she teased, trying not to show how shaken up she was that he could have found something that she might have carelessly left out. Reassuring herself that everything was safely locked away in her hidden safe, she tried to relax and not think about the fact that Spike Reed was a thief and could easily get around any obstacles in his path.

“Come here,” he said, holding out his hand to her.

“Where are we going?” she asked, letting him take her hand in his to lead her up the stairs.

“It’s a surprise.”

“You know how I feel about sur…”

Trailing off when she looked around her room, she turned to Spike with wide eyes.

“I thought you might like this one,” he said as Buffy walked into the room, taking in the candles that lit every surface and the rose petals on the floor, leading to the bed.

“Why did you do this?” she whispered, turning to look at him.

“Felt right,” he replied, leading her toward the bed.

Seeing blood red rose petals scattered along the bedspread, her eyes widened when she saw the blue Tiffany boxes that were nestled in the petals.

“What…?”

“For you,” he said, taking her hand in his once again and leading her toward the bed.

Picking up one of the boxes with shaking hands, Buffy opened it, revealing the beautiful diamond necklace inside. She gasped, her hand coming up to her mouth as she stared at it. “Spike, I… I can’t accept this,” she said, turning toward him, her eyes widening when she saw him open the other box, revealing the matching earrings.

“You can,” he said, taking the box from her and setting them on the nightstand. “It’s easy.”

“It’s too much…”

“Not for me,” he whispered, brushing his lips against hers.

Getting lost in the kiss, Buffy soon forgot her argument as her hands slowly worked each button of his shirt until she listened to the fabric fall to the floor. Raising her arms when he lifted her shirt, she shivered when he removed it, trailing kisses along her chest.

Slowly removing each other’s clothes, they made their way over to the bed to lie down. Languidly kissing and stroking each other, Buffy felt a chill race over her body when Spike sat up.

“Where’re you going?” she asked with a pout that soon faded away when he turned toward her, holding several silk scarves in his hand. “W-what’re those for?” she asked, knowing exactly what they was for.

“I think you know,” he murmured, moving back to give her a soft kiss before pulling away with a hopeful expression. “May I?”

The uneasy feeling seemed to increase when she nodded, holding her breath while Spike secured the scarves around her wrists and the headboard, tying them snugly.

‘Can I trust him?’ she asked herself, nearly panicking when one scarf was wrapped around her eyes, extinguishing her sight. ‘I guess that’s your answer,’ she told herself, trying to control the fear that was welling up inside of her.

“You alright?” he asked, his breath tickling her throat.

“Yeah,” she whispered, closing her eyes beneath the blindfold, letting her senses heighten slightly as his hands lightly ran over her damp skin.

A slight gasp tore from her throat when she felt the soft edge of a rose petal caress her skin. She relaxed when she felt it along her throat, slowly trailing along her body as if it was floating. The velvety touch of the petal was replaced by the roughened feel of Spike’s fingertips on her calf tracing the length of her leg, pausing at her thigh.

Breathing heavily, Buffy nearly jumped off the bed when she felt his tongue on her clit. Arching toward him, she whimpered when he pulled away just as quickly.

“Tell me what you want,” he said, his husky voice carrying through the room.

“You,” she said breathlessly. “All of you.”

Trembling when she felt him settle between her thighs, she tugged restlessly at the scarves that were binding her wrists.

“Spike, please,” she whispered, shivering when he slowly thrust into her.

Smiling when a tiny noise escaped her throat, it soon escalated into a strangled cry when he pulled out of her.

“Spike.”

Hearing the desperation in her voice, Spike plunged into her, crushing his lips to hers in a vicious kiss.

Eagerly moving her hips with his, Buffy jerked at the scarves, growing frustrated with them.

Never stopping his movements, Spike unknotted the fabric at her wrists, smiling when she immediately clutched at him, her arms and legs wrapping around him, afraid to let go.

Moving in and out of her hot depths, he brushed his lips against hers. Speeding up his thrusts, he continued to pump into her, feeling her body tighten in response, seeking her release.

“Come for me, baby,” he said in a rough voice, speeding up his thrusts.

Feeling her body spiral out of control, Buffy screamed out her release, hearing Spike groan as he spilled himself inside of her. Gasping for breath when he collapsed on top of her, Buffy lazily reached up, pushing the blindfold off of her eyes and tossing it on the floor, blinking for a moment to let her eyes readjust to the candlelit room.

Raising up to look at her, Spike studied her face for a long moment, until Buffy was fidgeting beneath him, growing uncomfortable with the intensity of the moment.

“Spike?”

“I love you,” he whispered, her shocked expression matching his own as he tried to get control over his emotions. “I love you, Buffy.”

Staring at him for a long moment, Buffy opened her mouth to respond, shaking her head a little to clear it. “I… I love you, too,” she murmured, blinking back the tears in her eyes.

Threading a hand through her hair, Spike eagerly kissed her, smiling against her lips as he pressed his hips more firmly against hers, feeling himself growing hard inside of her.

Moaning into his mouth, Buffy rolled her hips with his, gasping when he pulled away to press his forehead against hers.

His movements never stopping, Spike looked into her eyes. “I love you so much.”

 

Chapter 18 – Noble Intentions


“Is everything alright?” Spike asked, his hold tightening on Buffy’s hand as they walked the grounds around his mansion a week later.

“Fine,” she said in a chipper voice, turning to offer him a smile.

“You’re sure?” he asked, obviously concerned.

“I’m sure,” she repeated with a nod, looking around the expansive lawn that looked down at the house. Moving to sit down, Buffy tugged on Spike’s hand until he was sitting next to her.

Taking silent comfort from him, Buffy rested her head against his shoulder, smiling when he wrapped an arm around her and lay down on the grass, pulling her with him.

Each lay in comfortable silence for several minutes until she felt the tension in Spike’s body steadily growing.

“Okay,” she said, looking up at him. “Your turn… what’s wrong?”

“Just a little…restless…I guess.”

“Some place you need to be?” she asked.

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “So, Miss Summers,” he said with a forced smile, obviously wanting to change the subject. “What do you want out of life?”

“You’re serious?” she asked, looking at him with a raised eyebrow as he studied their linked hands while he waited for her answer.

“Can you blame me for wanting to get to know you?” he said, tilting his head to look at her.

“You do know me,” she replied, looking at him in confusion.

“Humor me, Buffy.”

Considering the question for a long moment, she responded, “My mom always told me that happiness was the key to life. That always sounded good to me,” she said softly, waiting a moment before turning toward him. “Same question, back at you,” she whispered, propping her head up on her hand to look at him.

“I think I’ve got everything I’ve ever wanted out of life,” he said quietly, obviously lost in thought.

“But are you happy?” she asked, seeing the indecision in his eyes as the moonlight washed over his face.

“I am now,” he whispered, pulling her down to him for a soft kiss.

Gently letting her lips play over his, she slowly pressed her forehead against his, pulling away from the kiss. “Are you happy with me, or are you just happy that you have someone with you? That you’re not lonely?”

“How can you ask me that?” he whispered.

“Because I don’t know you, Spike,” she murmured, avoiding his eyes. “You won’t let me in.”

Considering what she was saying for a moment, Spike slowly turned toward her. “Buffy, there’s something I need to tell you,” he whispered, sitting up, waiting until she mimicked his movements before continuing. “I haven’t been entirely honest with you.”

“About what?” she asked, swallowing hard as she waited for him to continue.

“About money.”

“Money?” Buffy repeated, her eyebrows knitting together. “You said the money was from your family?”

“A lot of it was from them, yeah,” he said with a slight nod, licking his suddenly dry lips. “But I did a lot of things that weren’t exactly…legal, by any standards.”

Looking at her to judge her reaction, he saw the gentle expression on her face. “And now?”

“There’ve been times,” he said softly. “I liked the rush…I liked the crunch…never stopped to see what I was actually doing. What I’m still doing.”

“What are you doing, Spike?” she whispered in a choked voice, fighting the tears in her eyes.

“I’ve taken a lot of things that I don’t deserve,” he muttered, avoiding her eyes. “Hurt people who thought I was their friend.”

“Have you killed anyone?” she asked, looking at him with wide eyes, seeing his gaze flash to her before looking away.

“I have,” he said softly. “I’m not happy about it… not proud of it… but I have.”

Buffy’s throat closed in dread. She’d known it was true from the moment she knew who Spike was, but it had never been confirmed from him.

“Have you stopped…everything?” she asked, nearly closing her eyes as she waited for his response.

“No,” he replied solemnly.

“I have to go,” Buffy whispered, fighting the tears in her eyes as she attempted to get to her feet, stopping when she felt Spike’s arms band around her waist, refusing to let her leave.

“No,” he said, shaking his head. Seeing the fear in her eyes when she turned toward him, he felt a wave of nausea wash over him that he had caused that. “I can’t let you leave, Buffy.”

“Spike,” she whimpered, feeling like she was being pulled in three different directions.

“I needed you to know,” he whispered. “I had to be honest with you.”

“Let me go,” she said, struggling against him.

“I can’t,” he said, his desperation growing as he held onto her. “Buffy, please listen to me. I need you to understand.”

“Understand what?” she asked, pushing away from him until she was able to stand up, watching Spike quickly get to his feet. “Understand that you’re a liar and a murderer? That you killed someone’s father or son?”

“It’s not like that,” he said, grabbing her hand when she tried to walk away. “It was kill or be killed, and I took my pick. I had to do it, Buffy.”

“You had to do it,” she repeated, closing her eyes and bringing her hands up to them, trying to erase the stress of the situation before slowly turning to look at him again, letting her hands fall away from her face.

“Yes,” he said, nodding to try and get her to understand.

“Then stop.”

“What?”

“Stop. Stop everything. Don’t get mixed up with anything bad. Please, Spike.”

“I…I can’t, love,” he whispered, shaking his head.

Opening her mouth to respond, Buffy’s eyes widened when she heard the sound of blades slicing through the air. Looking up, she took a few steps back when she saw the helicopter above them, preparing to land.

“What’s this for?” she asked, feeling her stomach clench when he cupped her face in his hands.

“Something I have to do.”

“Where?”

“Philadelphia,” he said, giving her a rushed kiss. “I’ll be back in a few days.”

“What? A few days? Where’s this coming from?” she asked, yelling over the sound of the helicopter engine.

“It’s kind of last minute. I’m sorry, love- I’ll explain more when I come home.”

“Spike, you…”

Trailing off when he jumped into the helicopter, turning around to look at her, she saw the unspoken apology in his eyes. Feeling her heart clench as she watched him mouth ‘I love you’, Buffy turned away with tears in her eyes, battling every instinct she had to stop him.

Letting the tears spill free as the chopper lifted off the ground, Buffy’s hands covered her face, knowing what she had to do.

* * * * *

Walking into FBI headquarters, Buffy took a deep breath, closing her eyes, knowing that she had to do this. She had to be strong and do what was right, no matter what her conflicting emotions told her.

Giles looked up from the electronic grid he was studying, offering Buffy a bright smile when he saw her.

“I trust that since you’re here, it’s time.”

“Spike was picked up tonight,” she said, barely managing to keep the emotions out of her voice. “The helicopter…he said that it was important and he’d see me in a few days.”

“And there’s proof that he’s done something we can catch him with?”

Throwing the file onto the table, Buffy stared at it unseeingly. “That’s all the information I’ve collected on him since I started. Angelus is going after a Renoir in Philadelphia…Spike wants to beat him to it.”

Looking down at the floor, she tried to stop her quivering chin or the nagging voice in the back of her head that said they should be going after Angelus.

Giles studied the young woman for a long moment before turning back to the grid. Entering in some numbers, he spoke as he punched in the buttons, “The helicopter, you say?”

“Yeah,” she murmured, watching as the tiny blip appeared on the screen, indicating where Spike was. Or where the helicopter was.

Feeling the beginnings of a migraine, Buffy pressed the palm of her hand against her forehead, trying to ease the tension.

“Are you alright?” Giles asked, laying a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Buffy fought back every emotion she was feeling, meeting Giles’ gaze with a soft smile. “Just a little stressed out…good night’s sleep and I’ll be good as new.”

“You’re sure?” he asked, obviously concerned.

Staring at the grid that indicated Spike was now at the airport, she forced herself to come to terms with what she’d just done. “I’ll be fine.”



 

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