Chapter 16
“I don’t like this, Angel. That wanker is always around. The way he looks at her, something doesn’t feel right.”
“You’re just being paranoid,” Angel explained to his agitated friend. “It doesn’t mean anything.”
Spike shook his head. “I trust Buffy, that’s not what this is about. I don’t trust him. He’s after her, I just know he is.”
Angel nodded. “All right, let’s say you’re not completely wrong, it doesn’t mean he’s actually going to get her. Buffy’s completely devoted to you, anyone can see that.”
“She might not give in, but men tend to be dangerous when they’re denied what they want. After what Warren put her through, I don’t trust another male with her, not unless it was you or Xander. This guy is a little too interested, but I don’t think Buffy can see it. This last week, I can feel her pulling away from me. She’s more distant than usual, and when I ask her what’s wrong, she just gives me some rot about everything being fine, but I know it’s not. I haven’t officially moved in yet, but it seems like she might have changed her mind about that. What if he said something to upset her?”
Angel shrugged. “I really don’t know what to tell you, but if that was the case, don’t you think Buffy would have mentioned it?”
Spike let out a breath. “I don’t know what to think anymore.”
* * * * *
The silent treatment was really starting to get to Spike, needing to say something before he exploded.
“Are you sure everything’s okay?”
Buffy gave him a smile. “Of course, why wouldn’t it be?”
“I don’t know, you tell me. You’ve been quiet, distant, are you changing your mind about us living together?” he wondered.
She avoided his gaze, glancing back up a moment later. “Don’t you think it might be too soon? We’ve only been together a few months.”
“You didn’t think it was too soon a week ago. Are you sure there’s something you’re not telling me?”
Buffy got up, shaking her head. “I’m tired; we can talk about this later. Right now, I just want to get some sleep.”
Spike watched her head up the stairs, having a feeling that she didn’t want him to join her tonight.
* * * * *
“Warren had a visitor recently, the first one since he’s been locked up. He has a brother that went missing right after Warren was sent to prison. We didn’t think much about it before, but I have a feeling that’s who the visitor was. We don’t know of any other living relatives. This could be a problem, if the brother is as sadistic as he is.”
Spike raised his eyebrows. “Do you really think that? Why am I just now hearing about it? Who is this bloke?”
“We don’t know. I didn’t say anything sooner as to not worry you in case it was nothing, but he was caught on the security cameras,” Angel commented. “They’re sending over a fax, so we can keep an eye out for him. He went into hiding after the arrest, there has to be a reason as to why he’s making his presence known now, and I’m determined to find out what that is.”
Spike nodded, really having a bad feeling about this.
* * * * *
“You’re what?” he asked, still in shock by what she just told him.
Buffy packed up her things that she left at his apartment. “I’m breaking up with you. Everything is just too much right now, I can’t do it anymore.”
Spike shook his head. “No, I won’t accept that. You haven’t been yourself lately; something else is going on here. Why don’t you just talk to me about it?”
She turned to look at him, wiping a few tears away. “What difference would that make? I’ve been in way over my head here, Spike. We don’t belong together; I don’t think we ever did. I’m sorry, but my mind is made up. Please, just let me go. It’s the best thing for both of us.”
He grabbed her arm before she could take off. “I lost you once, and I’ll be damned if that happens again. What we have is forever, you know that. Why are you doing this?”
Buffy pulled her arm out of his grasp, taking in a deep breath. “I don’t love you,” she got out, tears streaming down her face. “I never did. It would be best if you didn’t come after me, we’re over. I don’t ever want to see you again.”
Spike let her go then, feeling his entire world collapse.
* * * * *
“And that was it, she just left. What the hell is going on? Things have been going so well for us, and then all of a sudden she’s not happy and wants to break up? I don’t buy that. You didn’t see the look on her face. She was utterly heartbroken, like she couldn’t get the words out.”
Angel gave his friend a concerned expression. “Are you sure everything has been going well? Maybe the idea of moving in together really was too soon, she could have just panicked.”
“I won’t believe that,” Spike replied. “She was happy about it, it’s just this last week that she’s been pulling away. I wish I knew what happened, but I have to get her back. This can’t be the end.”
Angel was about to respond when a fax came through, the one he’d been waiting for. He took it out, looking it over unwaveringly. “I guess this is our guy. I’ve never seen him before.”
Spike ripped the paper out of Angel’s hand, a grim look forming on his face; suddenly everything became clear as he spat one word. “Adam.”
* * * * *
Buffy flinched when he caressed her cheek. She couldn’t believe this was happening to her, and she had to hurt the man she loved because of it.
Adam grinned, pulling her further into the house. “You did very well. My brother taught me everything he knows, and since he can’t be here to get his own revenge, you’ll just have to deal with me. I wish I could have seen that loser’s face when you told him things were over, poor bastard won’t be much of an issue anymore. A girl like you could do so much better; I just may have to see what my brother found so fascinating about you. If you thought his methods were perverse, you haven’t seen anything yet.”
She cried out when he grabbed her and yanked her up the stairs, cuffing her to the bed post once they reached his room.
He graced her with a twisted smirk, trailing a knife down her side. “Now, let’s see if you’re a screamer.”
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