“I have a Venti Passion Fruit Tea with two pumps of sweetener.” The barista at Starbucks shouted out from behind the counter as she put down the clear plastic cup. Buffy picked up her order and shoved a straw through the top and took a large sip quickly. “Thanks, Buffy, have a good day.”
“You too Zoé.” Buffy grabbed her sister’s drink which was coming right up, and handed it to Dawn. Both Summers’ girls sipped their drinks as they left their regular Starbucks. Buffy balanced her purse on her shoulder and the catalogues that she had stacked under one arm.
“I don’t know how you can drink that crap.” Dawn said in between sips of her latte. Buffy glared at her sister and pulled her sunglasses down as she pushed through the door. The sun shone bright against their skin, this Saturday afternoon.
It had been two weeks since her parents had come to Spike’s estate for dinner. Since then, there had been multiple meetings that her father and Spike had agreed upon with their employees and some of their now alliance connections. They’d trade off between which estate they’d go to, but the meetings always ran late and Spike would come back tired and worn out.
However, Spike wasn’t the only one carrying a heavy load. Within a week Lorne’s production would have its opening night and the needs on the to-do list to get prepared were getting down to the wire. Fittings, and dress rehearsals were occurring. Stage crew was constantly at the theater setting up, and it had to either be Lorne or Buffy that had to stay at the theater to oversee it. Night rehearsals were now being added on with the usual morning rehearsals leaving to come to bed tired as well.
They slept together every night. She knew it was their incentive to relax within each other’s arms with the stress they both were bearing. It was either his or her room, always switching off. On the nights that Spike had meetings he’d come to Buffy’s room and vice versa for when Buffy came home late. For the past week, even Dawn would stay at the Giles’ estate some occasional nights due to late rehearsals.
Buffy had almost forgotten the hate that she had once housed towards Spike. It was almost as if she couldn’t remember why she ever did. Part of that scared her, because she was forgetting that she was forced into this. The other part, simply didn't care. Spike continued to never push her for more intimacy. Staying strictly on a consenting playful level. One morning almost getting caught by Dawn who had walked in on Spike kissing her older sister while his hands explored Buffy intimately beneath the sheets...sheets that were barely covering them. The younger Summers’ sister had quickly made a roundabout exit, slamming the door shut with a surprised eep. From then on Dawn always made sure to even call up through the house phone line before coming near either rooms.
The smile on Buffy’s face was knocked off when she was brought out of her reverie after she felt herself walk straight into something. The catalogues that had been in her arms fell to spread around haphazardly on the sidewalk around her. Her purse dropped and she struggled to keep a firm hold on her Starbucks drink.
Buffy could have sworn she was going to fall, but a pair of large hands wrapped themselves around her arms and kept her steady. Her sunglasses were knocked off her eyes and her blonde hair was swept across her eyes blocking any view.
“Whoa! I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there.”
Blowing her hair out of her way, Buffy straightened herself up and smoothed her clothing. She sighed before peering out from under her eyelashes to see who had nearly knocked her off her feet. He was a tall man, thick with muscle around the shoulders and upper arms. He reminded Buffy of a football player. The one that tackled people down, hell maybe even the quarterback. His brow hair was cut in that normal American boy fashion, the front of it falling slightly into his eyes. The lack of age on the man's face made Buffy guess his age around her own, but the well tailored blue suit showed older sophistication about him.
He peered down at her and smiled. Buffy stared down at where his hands were still holding her upper arms and she shivered from the unwelcome feeling that washed over her. Out of the corner of her eye she watched Dawn bend down to pick up the catalogues and purse she had dropped before standing up to stare at the man in front of Buffy.
“Its…quite alright.” Buffy said slowly. She wished this stranger would just take his hands off her, she never was one to like being touched, liking her own personal bubble to not being penetrated but the feeling she got from this guy was more than just a case of the wiggins’. She stepped back, pulling herself from his grasp.
“Is everything alright? I didn’t make you spill your drink did I?”
Looking down her white blouse she sighed in relief when she saw no stains. “Nope. All is well and clean.”
“Well that’s good. I would have had to have bought you a whole new drink and pay for your dry cleaning.” He adjusted his green tie. She quirked her eyebrow at Dawn, having a sense that this man was rather familiar looking.
His focus seemed to be all on Buffy and he gave not a single glance towards Dawn who was standing indirectly between the two, but off to the side. The man smiled at the blonde and took her hand in his.
“My name is Riley Finn.” He shook her hand, her small one tight in his firm grip.
Buffy stood taken aback wishing she could wrench her hand from his but that would seem rude, besides the fact that it was very unwise and who knew if he truly knew who she was. Dawn shot her a wide-eyed stare, and Buffy took in the fact that she now remembered why this man seemed familiar. He was the other head of the family that was looking to take her father and Spike down. Riley Finn was Angelus’ partner.
Time didn't seem to slow down from her fear, but instead she understood and saw things more clearly. In that moment, she saw a glint cross his eyes and Buffy knew that this was no accidental run in. Riley Finn knew exactly who she was and where she came from. He was checking out the trade between his enemies. And sizing her up was he. She watched as he raked his eyes over her body completely.
A sudden dreaded feeling over came Buffy, starting at her spine and reaching up the back of her neck. She mentally cursed for once not having Xander with her. The brunette was occupied with picking up some things that the family were waiting to come in with Andrew. Spike had said one day was sure to be okay without protection for her, which she didn’t argue with, simply going from the morning rehearsal to meeting Willow. Of course she ran into a rival family head that same day. She began cursing the fates.
“I’m Buffy…” she whispered out, hoping he didn’t hear her.
“Well it’s a pleasure to meet you Buffy, as much as you probably wish I didn’t nearly knock you to the ground.”
Buffy nodded her head absently. I mostly wish that, and that you weren't undressing me with your eyes! She could see Dawn fidgeting next to her wishing just as much that they could simply walk away.
“You too Mr. Finn.” She shivered at speaking his name. She looked around him and noticed a tall black man standing off to his right behind him. Right hand man no doubt.
Following her gaze, Riley Finn smiled and introduced his colleague. “This is Forrest, my business partner.”
Buffy gave him a curt nod, and in return he gave her a blank, but a cold stare. Business partner my ass. I know who you are.
She felt puny next to the two. Removing her hand from Riley’s she took her purse from her sister and then the catalogues.
“It was a pleasure to meet you both, but if you’ll excuse us, my sister and I have to be going, we’re meeting a friend.”
Riley eyed the catalogues in her arms and raised an eyebrow. “Planning a wedding?”
Buffy nodded shooting a glance of her own at Bridal Magazine and Vogue: Bridal Edition. “My friend is getting married.”
“Well that’s splendid. I’ll not occupy anymore of your time Buffy.” Buffy couldn't help but notice a midwestern accent when he spoke and kept herself from staring at him curiously. He gave her a pleasant nod and began to walk past her. “Have a good day, Buffy.”
Both Dawn and Buffy turned back to watch Riley and his colleague Forrest walk down the sidewalk. Turning towards her sister, Dawn pinched Buffy out of nowhere.
“Ow! What was that for?” Buffy exclaimed pressing her cold drink to her upper arm where her sister’s offending pinch had gotten her.
“Why’d you tell him your name?”
Buffy rolled her eyes, adjusting her glasses back into place. “Dawn he already knew who I was. No doubt that run in was planned just to see me up close.” She gave an involuntary shudder and looked to her sister.
“Are you going to tell Spike?”
“Yes but not right now, lets just get to Willow’s.”
The two walked off, heading towards the deep red BMW convertible that was parallel parked next to the curb, with the meter just about to run out. Buffy sighed as she looked at her new car.
Spike had given it to her last week even after she had protested that she already had a car at her parent’s house. He simply kissed her on the top of her head and pulled her close, meanwhile handing her a credit card. He had told her never to worry and to spend as much as she pleased. As much as it bothered her that he was giving her expensive gifts when he needn’t to, the California shopping girl inside of Buffy smiled and bounced happily.
Today she to meet Willow and the three of them were going to begin discussing and planning of Willows wedding now that she was engaged and happy to Oz. The red head of course had asked Buffy to be her maid of honor. Buffy accepted tearfully at the time, so happy and honored to be the one at her long-time best friend’s side when she said ‘I do’ to the man she loved.
Dawn hopped into Buffy’s car, not bothering to use the door since the convertible top was down, while the blonde moved around the back to the driver’s side. She couldn’t deny that the car was absolutely perfect for her. Spike found it to be fitting to her California girl persona. It was a stick shift but Spike had taught her well in the first day. After that it came to Buffy as if she had been driving a manual for years.
“Can you talk Spike into buying me a car?” Dawn asked, running her hands down the leather with pure admiration just as Buffy pulled away from the curb and merged into traffic. “He knows how to spoil a woman.”
Buffy giggled and simply shook her head as she turned the dial of the radio up.
“Oooo I need to stop off here. I have to get some ideas for the wedding night, if you know what I mean.” Willow said as she, Buffy, and Dawn stopped in front of the store opening of Victoria’s Secret.
The three girls had submitted to the need of shopping after some well spent hours of wedding details. They had come to the decision as far as the wedding date, which would be soon. Going through some of the magazines and some custom bridal shop catalogues Willow had chosen the style of her wedding dress and the style for her bridesmaid gowns and colors. As far as Buffy was concerned, Willow wasn’t even in the same category as bride-zilla. The red head so far had only fretted over the design of the cake and the place, which left her and Oz to need to scout out some places this coming weekend.
“That’s fine.” Buffy said. She moved one of her heavier shopping bags to her other arm and followed her best friend into the lingerie boutique, Dawn close on her heels.
A woman dressed in a tailored black women’s suit stood at the entrance, her make-up heavy and bottled blonde hair was pulled back in a fashionable pony tail, greeted the three women. Around her neck was a sewers measuring tape. “Welcome to Victoria’s Secret. Is there anything I can help you ladies find today?”
Willow blushed but with a reassuring smile from Buffy she turned to the store’s employee and nodded her head. “Actually I’m going to be getting married.”
The blonde’s expression turned to a coy smile. “I see, and you’re looking to get something for the wedding night?”
Dawn giggled which only pushed Willow’s cheeks to turn as red as her hair. “Well...yeah…”
“Well we just got a new collection in yesterday, playing off of naughty vs. nice.” The saleswoman began walking towards the back of the store where the more intimate lingerie was displayed. The three followed quickly. “Now are you looking to look more innocent or devilish?”
Willow shrugged her shoulders. “I’m thinking more innocent with that hidden naughty side.” She looked to Buffy who gave her best friend an innocent smirk. Dawn became sidetracked as they walked past the body wash and perfume.
“Very nice,” The saleswoman said with intriguing approval. Pulling a piece off of one the wall display racks. It was of elegant silk, top edge had lace stitched where it would cover the breasts. It was a tighter fitting teddy, one that would hug the curve of a woman’s hips and stop at the mid upper thigh, leaving any men to drool for the sight of what it barely covered. The color was of a deep red color, almost blood red. “This is one of our favorite pieces.”
Both Willow and Buffy titled their head as they assessed it. “What do you think Buffy?”
“Well it’s definitely nice, I think it’s kind of a lot of red for with your hair color.” Buffy said while she chewed gently on her lower lip.
“You’re right.” Willow agreed. “Actually it looks like something that Spike would like.” The red head snickered and eyed Buffy, who was now the one blushing.
“She’s right, Buffy.” Dawn said coming back to her sister and Willow, having gotten bored with smelling the yummy fragrances. “That just screams Spike.”
“I’m guessing this Spike would be pertaining to you?” The saleswoman asked Buffy with a smile.
“Yeah. You should get it Buffy. Spike would love it, you can use it to keep him on his toes.” Willow encouraged.
Buffy’s blush deepened even more. How had things turned to her and Spike while buying lingerie for Willow? “We haven’t even had sex yet.” Buffy whispered with a quiet whine feeling completely embarrassed.
“Wait you two haven’t had sex, what the hell did I catch you guys doing then?” Dawn exclaimed loudly looking at her older sister.
The saleswoman looked at Buffy with a mischievous smile on her lips, and a risen eyebrow. Buffy dropped her head in her hands and groaned. “Now I get why my mom mother kept urging me to choose a puppy rather than asking for a sibling.”
Dawn made a scoffing noise and Willow laughed. “Well Miss, I think for the first time, to ensure making him drop to his knees, this is the one to go with.” The saleswoman said with a wink as she handed the teddy to Buffy and continued to show Willow some other pieces.
Buffy looked down at the silk fabric teddy in her hands and felt another blush come on as she imagined the look on Spike’s face. Could she really?
“Well it appears that we're going to have to get a new route for our upcoming shipment of cocaine.” Wesley said as he hung up the phone. He sat in Spike's office on the other side of his desk, with Gunn occupying the seat next to him. Behind them Faith sat on the couch, occupying herself by throwing paper balls at the back of Gunn's head.
Both Gunn and Wesley looked over at Spike who was occupied with looking out the balcony, barely paying attention to the other three in his office.
“Why?” He asked suddenly keeping his back to them.
Heaving a sigh, Wesley adjusted his glasses. “Well apparently the feds got a hold of one of our distributors after the shipment went out and informed them the route. They plan to intercept it while it goes through Texas.”
“And I'm guessing this is what they need to bring us down?” There was another thwack of soaring paper ball hitting the back of Gunn's head. “And if you throw another one of those Faithey, I swear I'll melt the knife that the Mayor gave you to sleep with him!”
Faith grabbed another piece of paper, crumpling it up with her fist and chucking it at Gunn harder than any of the others she had thrown. “I didn't sleep with him because of the knife, that was just a bonus.” She stuck out her tongue and flipped him the bird.
“ENOUGH!” Spike roared. Quickly both Faith and Gunn sat still while Wesley rolled his eyes. “Change the route, take it up north from Florida and smuggle it through Canada then bring it to California through Washington and Oregon.”
“You got it.” Wesley said as he picked the phone back up.
“What's wrong blondie?” Faith asked. She had noticed Spike had been tense for an hour now, silently pacing back and forth and only half paying attention to the meeting the four were in.
Spike looked over at Faith, a reserved stare in his eyes. “Nothing.” Shrugging, Faith picked up her gun which she had thrown onto the coffee table and began walking out of the office.
“I'm going to go see if Anya will spend some of Xander's money with me, later all.” She exited with a loud shutting of the door behind her.
Spike continued to look out the window watching for the soon expected arrival of Buffy's return. She hadn't answered his last call, nor had she returned it, which was well over two hours ago. Horrible scenes were going through his head due to his worry because no protective detail was with her. He'd sent Xander to pick up somethings with Andrew, normally he would have sent Faith but she had an early morning appointment with a guy who had decided to skip out on monthly payment to the Giles' family.
The balcony of Spike's office gave a clear view over the gates of the estate to the street where Spike sought out of the sight of Buffy's car for as far as he could see. He had been staring at the street for nearly twenty minutes now and he was about to snap up the phone again and call Buffy. The bleached blonde knew she was out with the Niblet and her friend Red but she promised to keep her phone near by, especially because Xander wasn't with her.
Finally a glint of red turned onto the street and he growled out a sigh of relief when he recognized it as Buffy's car before it quickly turned in through the gates and parked on the circular driveway next to the black limo.
Unaware that Spike was watching her, Buffy stepped out of the car and walked to the trunk where she began to organize a bunch of bags. She had obviously been to the mall, and from what he could see, completely unscathed. Spike let out another obvious sigh of relief, glaring at Gunn's entertained chuckle.
“His girl is back.”
“Sod off Charles.” Spike barked. He went through the french doors and leaned against the railing as he looked down at his traded mistress. Anya and Faith came out to meet her and from his spot on the second floor he couldn't quite catch their conversation. “You know pet, the whole point of your cellphone is to answer it.” He yelled out, giving her a hard smirk when she looked up at him, surprised to see him there. Faith had rolled her eyes finally figuring out what had her boss on edge. Buffy pulled out her cellphone which was buried in her purse and looked at it.
“Well the mall was loud, besides you said you were going to be in meetings all day so I didn't expect you to call.” Buffy shouted back up at him with an innocent, but very cheeky smile. Spike was shouting with glee on the inside at that spark that came into her eyes from her 'back at you' response. She was playing with him she was. She turned back to Faith and Anya, completely ignoring Spike's obvious staring. She said farewell to other two females and headed into the mansion, deciding to take all four floors by stairs and completely bypassing any way of going to Spike's office, instead heading up to her bedroom. Before she even set foot on the flight of stairs that would take her up to the third floor, she saw the bleached blonde barreling towards her. She squealed when he rushed against her, picking her up in his arms and causing her to drop all her bags to the floor.
The hallway around her blurred as Spike spun her and she fought out a protest between her fit of giggles. “Spike put me down this instant!” He threw her over his shoulder with a smirk and laughed as she attempted to beat her small fists into his back.
This is what their days consisted of for the past two weeks, a playful banter and flirtation that brought more attention to their growing sexual tension. Last saturday, Spike had held a brunch that he put on every month for most of his employees which had turned into a pool party. Buffy had teased Spike about who knew what now and lead him to grabbing her and falling in the pool together. All of Spike's men had watched with pride that the alliance was working well as they watched both blondes splash each other and laughs thrown up in the air.
“Not bloody likely kitten.” Spike snickered as his hand slowly slid up her skirt. She yelped and sent her foot to kick right into his stomach. Quickly his hold on her relaxed allowing her to slide down his body so that her feet were firmly planted back on the ground. She looked at Spike as he was kneeled over, with her hands on her hips triumphantly. “Fiesty, little bint.” he coughed out before standing up straighter to look her down dead in the eyes.
“You brought it on yourself mister.” She informed him as he took a step closer to her, trying to steady his breath, before swooping down and pressing his lips to hers in a searing kiss. All thoughts went out her head as his tongue swept lightly over her bottom lip.
At the feeling of her knees going weak, Spike could only smirk and wrap his arms around her waist pulling her flush against his own body. He reveled in the taste of her lips, the whisper scent of her perfume, and the soft feeling of her hips in his hands. There was on obviously painful ache that was waking up again inside his pants but he didn't push for more, except to walk her until her back was pressed up against the wall of the hallway. She pulled him closer by the collar of his suit jacket her mouth opening and beckoning his tongue in to play with hers.
Buffy choked a gasp as his lips moved to her jaw, slowly descending upon her neck. Her head firmly against the wall and her hold on Spike tight, her eyes shot open as his hand brought one of her legs to bend and wrap around his hips. Pressing his already apparent erection into her center, she responded back like a bitch in heat with a soft moan as his fingers slid further up her skirt and his digits pressed gently against her mound.
“Spike...” she mewled, unsure if her declaration of his name was a small plea to not go further or a beg for more. She wasn't going to doubt it was the latter, which is why her lip jutted out into a pout when his hands quickly released her and no more kisses were given to her by his lips. Buffy looked at Spike confused and surprised that he could stop so quickly.
“What do you want?!?!” Spike barked as he moved to straighten Buffy up pulling her away from the wall. Buffy stepped onto her toes easily, peering over Spike's shoulder to see two men she recognized as part of his family organization. The flush of her cheeks quickly changed into a blush of embarrassment. Apparently she hadn't heard the clearing of their throats at their arrival because she was so lost by the arousal Spike had sparked in her. Quickly her hands smoothed the fabric of her skirt and she stood straighter while at the same time shrinking behind Spike.
The two men were not people she could remember by name but she did remember they were some of Spike's runners, the ones who picked the family's cuts of earnings up from the businesses in town that were run by or under the protection of the Giles' family. Both were tall and broad shouldered, the look just from their expressions were menacing enough, which Buffy knew was needed when being a runner. Not only did they do the pick ups but if one chose not to give up Spike's cut of his money earned then the runners were to take it into their hands to make sure they had the money by the time they left. Most of her father's runners were people she would never acknowledge, and because she knew what day was the day they brought back the earnings every week when she was growing up she would always make sure she and Dawn were away in their rooms because a whole bunch of them were always in and out of the house all day.
Buffy eyed the piece that was sticking out one of the guy's pockets. Since the take out of the few of Spike's and her father's runners the few weeks ago, Spike ordered to make sure none of them were to do pickups without at least three of them together and all armed. Most runners weren't normally carrying, choosing to rough up rogue payers with their fists if it came to that, but now almost everyone of Spike's employees was packed with a gun.
“There's something that needs to be brought to your attention.” One of the guys said, Buffy wanted to guess that his name was Mike.
“Well no bloody shit, or else you wouldn't be botherin' me.” Spike said as he turned around to face them. Buffy noticed that when Spike got angry his accent tended to get rougher and cockier. It was obvious his street side came out at times like these, gone was the British gentlemen that he always put on when dealing with her.
Buffy continued to stare at the two men over Spike's shoulder, taking notice to the one that hadn't talked yet and had the gun peaking out of his pocket was continuously staring at Buffy, and not her face. She watched as his eyes roamed up and down her whole body. Assessing and enjoying with what he saw. Her hand instantly wrapped around Spike's arm which made Spike notice the man's annoying staring.
“Get you bloody eyes away from her, wanker, before I show you what I can really do with em' after I rip em' out.” Spike all but growled, he turned to Buffy and stroked her cheek, his demeanor completely changing to a softer and gentler one. “Kitten I'm going to need to deal with this, why don't you go on back to your room, rest up and get all dressed for me, we're all going out for dinner.”
“Okay...” She said slowly keeping an eye on the guy through the corners of her eyes.
Spike watched her turn around and go on her way up towards the stairs, ascending back up on her way. “Now, what the bleedin' fuck do you wankers want?”
“Rack won't pay his cut. Says if we don't lower our price for what he pays us he'll go to O'Connor and Finn.”
Spike cursed under his breath, as he racked his hands through his hair. He feared this would happen once word got out about the alliance. Especially with Rack who was his top dealer for his biggest drug products. The man always made sure the addicted stayed addicted. If anyone was going to take advantage of cutting the price of payment for family protection it was Rack. Something that was conniving was always of Rack's doing; which was why Spike liked working with Rack, it came to his advantage when dealing with other families.
“How much is he looking to want cut?”
His guy, Mike shrugged his shoulders. “Looking at fifteen percent.”
Spike swore again and if he could he'd beat his fist into the wall behind him. The blonde stood there for a second as he racked his brain for the best possible strategy to go with. “Offer him ten percent, and take Faith and Gunn with you, have them go heavy especially dangerous. Force him as much as possible.”
“You go it boss.”
“Lorne are you sure the final costumes weren't supposed to come tomorrow?”
Buffy waited as Lorne practically yelled her ear off with his heavy worry that his phone call entailed. After Buffy had walked up to her room it wasn't even 30 seconds before her cell phone began ringing. Lorne had called her frantically from the theatre wondering why the costume designer had yet to show up with the whole show's costumes from her final alterations. He had wanted to get in more full dress rehearsals starting tomorrow until opening night that way if there were any problems they could be dealt with quickly before hand.
“Well I don't know what to tell you, I swore she told me tomorrow, I don't know why-” Buffy ran her hands through her hair, gripping the roots and wanting to pull them out. “Yeah it didn't make any sense either, well you're the one who chose her...I told you her Russian accent was going to cause a problem....well because we obviously can't understand her and it's causing us a problem.”
She had been on the phone with her anal production partner for nearly half an hour since she had left Spike and his men downstairs trying to work through their own problems. She finally sat down on the bed as Lorne began to talk about another problem that seemed to be worrying him. She kicked off her boots, wiggling her toes, feeling them crack at the freedom.
“I called the newspaper and reminded them to continue to run the ad for the production until two weeks after opening night. There are multiple newspapers coming, I contacted the heads at ABDC and they invited all the big wigs. Do not worry Lorne, this show is going to be huge....yes all the balcony boxes are reserved, I told you I got one for Spike right?”
Her black lab puppy stared up curiously at her, but as if noticing that she wasn't truly talking about him, he put his head back down and tried to fall back asleep. “You know what you need to do? You need to lock up the theater send everyone home get some rest and worry about all this in the morning, everything is fine. You're worrying over nothing, I swear to god you're worse than I used to be the week before opening nights at ABDC.”
After a quick goodbye, Buffy closed her phone and fell back to lay on her bed staring up at the ceiling. She breathed in a heavy breath, clearing her head of the worry that Lorne seemed to bring to her as well. There is nothing to worry about, this show is going to be great.
Besides Lorne, Dawn was worried as well. Buffy and Lorne had promised her to get the biggest recruiters for dance companies to the show and this would be a chance for them to see the little sister of infamous dancer Buffy Summers shine in her own way of working up the dance world ladder. Buffy was sure Dawn was to get offers of recruitment for the next season not because of her connection with Buffy but because Dawn was an exquisite dancer all on her own. However Buffy's reassurance did nothing to soothe Dawn's worries and only added onto the worries that Lorne was giving off onto Buffy.
Lorne wanted this show to be a hit and like Dawn, Lorne was hoping this would be something to show companies at how well he could pull off a production all on his own. He had invited even some international companies, ones bigger than the ABDC that him and Buffy had danced for, hoping he could impress them enough to ask him to be an instructor and possible production manager. For the past few months now he had tried to convince Buffy to go in on him with whatever company offered, a hand at teaching at some of the world's most renowned dance companies. Before she had left ABDC international crews were begging for her to study and work with them, now they would kill to have Buffy Anne Summers teach at their school.
Though however much Buffy might want this, it truly could not happen especially now. With the alliance it brought the responsibility to stand by the two families that shared her during this time of mafia war. She couldn't run off to London, Paris, Moscow, or even New York for months to perform, even if she itched to go back for it. Before it had been her mother's illness that had stopped her and made her leave, now it was her forced commitment to her familial responsibility that would her keep her from going further. Maybe someday, if things went the way her father and Spike hoped it would. Maybe someday she would dance again on the big stage, bigger than the production her and Lorne were putting on now, even if it was for the last time.
Buffy sat up straight when she heard her bedroom door open. The dog instantly hopped down and rushed towards the newcomer barking madly. Buffy giggled as she saw Spike peek his whole body into her bedroom and look down at the dog in disgust. It was obvious he still regretted getting her the yippy one, seeing as the puppy still hadn't taking a liking to him. Little Spike still continued to bark at Spike whenever he came into the room, even growling sometimes if it didn't like Spike going in for so much as hug from Buffy.
“Done already?” Buffy asked as she came to swoop up Little Spike before Spike could kick him across the room. She walked over to the balcony and put the puppy down on the ground before closing the french doors, muting the puppy's protests.
Before Buffy could turn back around Spike wrapped his arms tightly around her from behind and pulled her flush against his body. His lips attacked her neck, kissing and nipping gently with his teeth, grinding his pelvis into her backside. Buffy could barely hold the moan that was threatening to escape due to the ministrations his lips and the hips of sin were doing to her. “Missed you, kitten.” Spike's hands began to deftly roam around her front, sliding just slightly under her top, to ghost across the bare skin of her stomach. She swallowed and kept herself from leaning for more.
“Spike, wait there's something I need to tell you.” Buffy slipped out before he forced her to look back and his lips pressed against hers.
“Can't it wait Kitten?” He asked when he broke the kiss, leaving Buffy only to pant and cling to him more.
She shook her head firmly trying to hold onto what she was going to tell him. “No...it can't, oh god.” Buffy swore she saw fire behind her eyelids the second his lips began to kiss her neck again and his fingers brushed against the edge of her bra. “I saw Riley Finn.”
If that wasn't a mood killer she didn't know what else could be. The second the words slipped out of her mouth and it registered in his brain, Buffy swore she heard Spike growl. His grip on her tightened even more, if it was at all possible. “Did you hear me?” She asked softly looking up at his rigid expression through her eyelashes. She counted the seconds that his jaw had been set firm and his eyes smoldered with hate, it was obvious he was far from this world. Frightened, her hand reached up to caress his cheek trying to bring him back to her. Shaking his head he looked back down at her, his expression gentler and you could see the regret he held for not sending protection with her.
“Are you alright, Kitten? He didn't hurt you did he?”
Buffy shook her head. She began to explain the whole situation to Spike, pausing when she had to tell him how uncomfortable Riley had made her feel, just like Angelus had when she first met the Irishman. Spike hugged her to him again, kissing the soft top of her head and whispering reassuring words that no harm was going to come to her.
“I think it was just a ploy to just check out the merchandise.” Buffy pouted like a child looking up at Spike. They had moved to lounge across her bed, both shoes having been kicked off. Spike rested against the piled of pillows while Buffy pressed her head against his chest.
“I thought you weren't to be considered as property, luv,” Spike teased, coughing slightly as she thwapped her small fist against his chest. “Well I don't have to worry about you, you seriously can do some damage to anyone trying to mess with you.”
Buffy giggled, running her flat palm against his chest gently, soothing the pain she had just caused him. “You know what I mean...”
“Well I'm not surprised Captain Cardboard made a visit. I'm sure Peaches bragged that he saw you and Finn like he always has been needed to get a look on his own.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Finn deals with a bloody case of little brother syndrome? It comes from always tryin' to up one on his brother Adam?”
Buffy looked completely baffled. “Riley has an older brother?”
Spike shook his head and moved so that he was leaning more against her headboard. “Finn had an older brother...” He heard her say nothing which was his clue that she was waiting for him to elaborate on it more. “Well when I took over after my uncle died, lets just say our family wasn't the top. It went O'Connor, your father's, Finn, and then mine. Well when I came in Adam was running Finn's family and trying to take over, and I out ranked him.”
“Well what happened to Adam, did his family demote him because you passed him up?”
“Do you really want to know kitten?” Spike looked down at her with a very pensive stare.
Buffy swallowed, looking at him with wide eyes completely understanding what had happened to Adam Finn. “You...killed him.” It came out as a soft whisper, quickly she sat up looking at the wall passively. Part of her wasn't completely shocked but it was still uneasy within her. “Thats how you passed him up.” This was who Spike was, to get through her days she'd have to do what her mother did for the past 25 years. She had to look away from it, and let it not affect her.
“Bollocks...” Spike swore and Buffy knew he didn't want to tell her this. He knew she hated to know that he was capable and had killed people or had some killed at his orders. It eased her uncomfortable feeling knowing that he understood this about her.
“No, Spike it's alright. You had to do what needed to be done. It's not like Adam wasn't going to do it to you or even my father, so I guess thank you Spike.”