Buffy pulled the car to drive around the large bend of the roundabout driveway that stood as the entrance to the Giles estate. Before she even pulled the keys from the ignition of the car one of the grounds men had opened the door and was extending Buffy his hand to aid her. Buffy smiled at the man kindly before taking his help and straightened her sundress. The man handed her purse and slim workbag that she used to keep important planning information for the dance production stored.
“Will you be needing the car any further Miss Summers?”
“Probably not. If I go anywhere it will be with Spike, so you can go ahead put it in the garage.” The man nodded, smiling before getting behind the drivers seat, he waited for her to pass before he slowly pulled towards the large garage that was disconnected from the main house and stored most of the estate vehicles.
Buffy sighed as she walked up the entryway to the Giles estate, pulling her sunglasses from her head. It was late in the afternoon and she had just arrived back from meeting with Lorne at the theater. They had gone over the sales of the tickets and watched the taped performance, making any notes for rehearsal the coming week in order to prepare for next weekends performance.
”You seem to be glowing La Petite.” Lorne said the second she ascended the steps leading to the stage from the back. He stood at a table he had set up, papers scattered around him, cash, checks, and credit card receipts neatly filed in specific piles all waiting to be counted.
Buffy tried to hide her blush but it did not go unnoticed. Lorne looked at her over his tiny framed reading glasses, curious eyes searching her whole being very thoroughly.
When it had blatantly came to him straightened up and gave her a cheeky smile. “As an old boyfriend would say, I believe you did the nasty?”
Buffy dropped her face in her hands. Though she couldn’t deny the humiliation was not as much present as when Faith had so eloquently set her up into admitting it. She had admitted it to Anya willingly, however she worried there was a big sign hanging over unknown to her if Lorne could take one look at her.
“Why do I look different?” Buffy could only say coming to stand before him at the table.
Lorne made a big show of taking off his glasses and adjusting Buffy just right under the stage lights that he had turned on. A mock look of contemplation spread across his face and hmmm’d and ahh’d as if he were a doctor examining her. “Yes, you have dirty tramp written all over you.” He said in a hoity-toity voice making her laugh.
“I knew it. Mother always said a woman is different when she loses her virginity. Here I thought it was just her way of trying to scare me from doing it before I graduated high school. I actually used to fear that if I did she’d take one look at me and would know, like you so obviously did.”
Lorne laughed with her. “No, no my dear. No tramp cloud has overshadowed you. You just…glow. And had I not known that you had not yet to bed that delicious now-lover of yours I would have just chalked it up to a new exfoliation routine.” Buffy’s laugh grew louder and she held her stomach to uphold herself. “And I’m guessing if you’re glowing like that after a night of a more horizontal dance, I dare say it was good.”
“Oh you have no idea.”
“I can imagine.”
The shrill beeping of her phone chirped from her purse and she reached in to check the text message Willow had sent her.
Before she even reached the door, Tara stood in the doorway waiting for her entrance. She greeted her gently and Buffy could only smile in return as she glided through the doorway.
Everything is set, wedding dress shopping stage 1 on thrsdy around noon. Please tell me ur available, can’t handle my mom w/out u or fred!
Buffy stifled her laugh at Willow’s message and she juggled her bags to be able to respond, walking across the marble floor of the foyer towards the staircase. Just as she was about to hit send, she collided suddenly, the left side of her body catapulting her to the right knocking her purse and workbag from her arms. She stumbled slightly but was able to grab her bearings.
“Oh my goodness Miss, I am so sorry.” Buffy shook the front of her hair from her eyes as she peered to see a young man no more than a couple years older than her begin to bend down and pick up her fallen bags.
“No it’s totally okay, I wasn’t watching where I was walking.” She assured him bending down to help him, only to have her head knock into his. They both let out a groan of pain, their hands going to nurse the pain that had developed from bumping heads with each other. They looked at the other for a second before chuckling at the clumsiness they were both sporting.
He stood a good half a foot taller than Buffy, which was no surprise everyone was taller than her. He was wearing a suit, black with a crisp white shirt underneath. His face adorned light and neatly trimmed facial hair that suited his face shape, his hair a gelled mop on his head. He smiled at her, his eyes full of mirth.
“I’m new here to the estate, Mr. Giles just hired me on today. Jesse McNally.” He stuck out his hand to her, which she shook.
Buffy nodded her head knowing now who he was. “You’re the friend of Xander’s. I had heard someone he knew was looking to be hired in.”
“That would be me.”
“I’m Buffy Summers.”
Jesse stood taken aback. After his meeting with Spike he had been shown around with Parker by his old friend Xander who had given the both of them the ins and outs of the estate and all that pretty much went on there. Xander had warned them to be mindful of Buffy Summers and it made sense to them of Spike’s comment in being aware of what they said around a ‘delectable blonde girl’.
It wasn’t unknown to anyone now in the world that they worked in what Hank and Spike had traded. Buffy Summers, although commonly unknown, and rarely ever seen in the organized crime world was still known to be daughter of one of the most powerful of men in Los Angeles and now she belonged to the other most powerful man in the city.
Everyone knew this, all the way down to Buffy that she was literally the link between her father and Spike and the severity that came with it, especially with the earlier conversation she had with Giles. Had this been the 17th century, Hanks giving of Buffy to Spike in nuptials would be seen as the biggest power play move known to man. And now in the 21st century it wasn’t that much different. To appear appropriate to the rest of the cities elite they were engaged, but even people who weren’t involved but still knew of the crime world of Los Angeles still understood the meaning behind it.
Xander had stressed to both Parker and Jesse that it would be wise to never be caught seeking the company of Buffy Summers as Spike was very possessive. He knew the intentions of his already live in employees, the one’s he trusted completely, but every time someone of the family who didn’t permanently reside at the estate came around, Spike discouraged their presence to be around her. The last one who had been caught eyeing Spike’s mistress had nearly been pummeled by Spike himself with the threat that he’d tear out his eyes slowly if the man ever leered at what was his again.
But here Jesse stood across from Buffy Summers herself who was completely unaware of the fact that if Spike caught sight he’d likely skin Jesse especially as he obviously didn’t have very much trust in the man in the first place. He gulped nervously which went unnoticed by the blonde.
Jesse wasn’t stupid; he could definitely see the appeal of the Summers girl. She was a beauty and the way she held herself made you feel like being in the presence of loving royalty, and he had only just stumbled upon her two minutes ago. From what he gathered already, the blonde was a warm and gentle girl, in her own gentle world away from darkness that surrounded her. Spike understood why he didn’t want business discussed around her. She radiated innocence, even though she was very much Spike’s bed companion. And her beauty alone was enough to turn any man’s head. Had Buffy been Jesse’s he too would rip the eyes of any man that wickedly looked at her, so he didn’t take Spike’s possession of her completely over the top.
At his now silent behavior and paled face, Buffy realized what was going through the man’s head. Fear danced around in the depths of his eyes as he cautiously regarded her. He stared at her as if she were a snake he should worry of and she almost wanted to roll her eyes at her overbearing lover. She knew what he was doing; creating fear in those below him to establish his dominance and ensure trust. It was a smart move but honestly to make people fear being around her was enough to send her into a tizzy with Spike.
“Jesse, please don’t worry about being around me.” The man was nice, the first of Spike’s employees other than the ones she already lived with that hadn’t given her wiggy vibes the second she came across them.
“Well Miss Summers –“
“Buffy.” She corrected. It was no use playing to Spike’s fear, he would have to get used to being around her anyway. She could tell that Jesse knew his place. Spike would just have to learn to not go ballistic every time his crew talked to her; she was going to be around for a while and certainly wouldn’t take to being treated as if she were in a glass case with high-risk security around her. She didn’t want business discussed around her but she also didn’t want to have every man of Spike’s crew hightailing it the other way the second they come across her. Other wise she’d develop a complex about herself.
“Buffy…” Jesse said slowly as if the name was a complete foreign language to him. “It’s just that, well Mr. Giles –“
“Spike.” Again Buffy corrected and in turn Jesse nodded.
“Spike made it clear that...” He didn’t know how to finish the sentence without offending the woman; instead Buffy finished for him.
“I’m his and not to be touched by anyone else. I’m also sure he warned you not to discuss business around me either…” Jesse nodded his head and she continued, “That rule was mine. I’m not used to hearing about the – darker side that goes on in this world. So yes I don’t care to hear about it. I choose ignorance over hearing the dealings my lover plans to make.” A side of Buffy was smacking her palm against her head at the brash explanations of her and Spike’s relationship. No use in hiding it, the whole household knows we had sex, thanks to Faith. “But please don’t fear me. I’m just a normal girl. Talking to me isn’t going to get you killed by Spike. You’re a nice man, and this encounter is completely innocent on both sides so don’t worry about him.”
She nodded her head in finality. “As long as you respect the no shop talk, I won’t go running to Spike, I promise.”
“Thank you Miss –“ At Buffy’s playful warning look he corrected himself, “Buffy.”
“There you go. Please you’re going to make me feel like I’m a troll nobody wants to be around.”
Jesse laughed at that and Buffy joined him. “It was nice to meet you Buffy, I had better go meet up with Xander he said Wesley would want to discuss about…business.” Buffy beamed at him and bid him goodbye before she turned around and walking up the staircase.
When one of the maids came down the staircase Buffy asked if she could take her bags up to her room and thanked her warmly before she continued her trek up to the third floor, making a beeline for Spike’s office.
“Yes?” She heard him call gruffly at her gentle knock. She peered into the room and noticed no one else was occupying his time, and his focus was on some papers on his desk.
“Am I interrupting?” Spike’s head shot up at her voice and placed his pen down only to sit back languidly with his arms behind his head. His lips took on his signature all knowing smirk as she entered the room. His eyes were no discreet admired perusal of her body.
“Mmm, hello kitten. To what do I owe this pleasure?”
Buffy dropped her arms loosely behind her back, slowly sauntering over to him. Her shoulders shrugged nonchalantly. She too openly stared at him, salivating at the way his tailored suits always had a way of forming just right against his physique. “Just got back from my meeting with Lorne, figured I’d come pay you a visit. Haven’t seen you since you slinked away with your father.” Her lip unknowingly jutted out into a pout but she noticed the way his eyes darkened into a stormy blue, desire clearly etched on his expression. Her stomach began to flutter as the skin of her body warmed.
“Did you miss me?” He asked, Cheshire grin while he perked his scarred eyebrow upwards.
“Maybe…depends.” Buffy came to stand before him as she looked down to his handsome good looks. Without a second wasted he stood up and pressed her against the desk to the point where her butt was perched on the very edge. With lightening speeding Spike had bunched the bell skirt of her dress enough so that he could hike her legs to loosely hang on his hips. “Oh!” She cried out just as his lips swooped down on hers in a hard kiss, his tongue straight across her lips and reveling in her taste. Without a thought, her hands came to grasp at his shoulders, her legs on their own accord tightening to pull him against her more.
He broke the kiss and smirked at her again his fingers running lazy circles against the skin of her forearm. “Okay, maybe I did.” Buffy exasperated with a breathy smile.
“Thought so.”
She wound her hands around his neck as he nuzzled against her cheek, eliciting a soft sigh and finding warmth in his arms as he tightened his own hold against her.
“I believe you’ve put me in a rather compromising position Mr. Giles.” Buffy smirked, her eyebrow rising to match his own curious one. Her hand slid down the front of him, slowly trailing down the path of his tie where it met the edge of his suit trousers, she dipped lower eliciting a moan as her fingers traced the outline of his growing hard-on. “What shall you say to the staff if they were to catch us, me all strewn across your desk.” Her smile was cheeky as she boldly stroked his erection.
“I’ve ruined you.” He growled attacking the skin of her neck with his teeth, eyes rolling up in his head as her hands warmed him into a pile of goo at just one touch.
“Yes, you have. Corrupted little ole’innocent me.” Her cheeks flushed, breathing labored by the ministrations of his mouth against her jugular.
“Baby liked the taste of the dark side, eh?” He pulled back a little to study her, his blue eyes scorching with lust, admiration at her open behavior. He reveled in not just her wiling touch but her confidence that now covered her. He knew there was a side like this in her. A woman of passion and seductive power. No corruption was needed, just uncorking. He had seen it hiding in the depths of her. She was a force to be reckoning with, a powerful walking goddess, her heated arguments with him had proven that.
“Mmm, quite delicious.” She licked her lips and Spike thought he would all but die at the sight. “But first…” Her hand that was at one point stroking him through his trousers came up and gave him a hard smack to his shoulder. Spike coiled back, shocked at the unapproved scowl on her lips and the glare her eyes now held. “That’s for leaving me with your mother when she almost forced me to either lie to her, or tell her about how we got started. That’s twice now, where I’ve been left to quickly find something to explain our situation, the first time was my mother’s visit and now this. You’re lucky your father came up to us and sidetracked your mother.” She looked defiantly at him, but he could feel she wasn’t truly angry with him. Not like she would get with him when they first met. Spike could tell she was more or less telling him this had better not happen again. “Next time it will be you left in the awkward situation and you won’t like it!” She got up with a huff but his lips crashed down onto hers in a hungry kiss.
“I’m sorry, kitten.” He said once he broke the kiss. Buffy’s breathing went from normal to labored and she almost forgot what she had been saying. “Forgive me.” It wasn’t so much a demand but a willing plea. He graced the skin from her jaw to her neck and shoulders with soft kisses. “I promise to not be a rude man and leave you to explain.”
“I’d hope not! Especially when I don’t…” Buffy lost track of her thoughts for a second when a nip to her shoulder was placed on her. “…know what I can talk about.” She whimpered and she couldn’t stop her fingers from bunching up in his jacket to pull him closer needing more of his delicious kisses.
“I can’t tell which I like better, ‘spit-fire you’ or ‘sexually crazed you’-“
“I am not sexually crazed!” She all but yelled, her hand coming up to give him another whack to his shoulder but he caught her wrist in his grasp.
“You said so yourself, kitten. You got a taste of the darkness, and you most certainly are craving another dose.” With expert finesse he twirled her around to face the desk with her back to his front his hands sliding down her sides and back to the edges of her dress, his unable to ignore erection grinding into her backside. Buffy gasped, her eyes now rolling up in the back of her head while she grappled at the sides of his desk. Spike’s leg came to press her thighs apart a little and she bent forward over the workspace slightly.
Her stomach tightened as she felt her panties soak through the second his fingers ghosted over the side of her leg, creeping dangerously slow to the apex of her thighs. Her arms buckled and threatened to give out, protesting to holding her body up. She cried out as Spike’s fingers rubbed her folds through her panties just as hers had with his erection.
“Spike…” He would never tire of her breathy moan of his name, as he would work her up. His fingers began to delve over the edge of her panties.
“Tell me you want it again, kitten. You want me to fuck you right here on my desk don’t you.” His statement was confident and she wouldn’t deny it no matter how brash his words were. Images of her laying across his desk while he stood before her, pounding her into oblivion was enough to almost send her over the edge itself.
“We can’t, we can’t.” Buffy gasped pushing at his hands and moving to stand up straight.
“What, why not?” Spike pouted as fantasies he had just gotten in the mood for were shattered before they could even start. She turned around to kiss him lightly on the lips.
“Because dinner will be ready soon and you know someone will just come barging in those doors.” Buffy argued, her hand cupping his cheek gently. “And then they’ll get a sight of me in my birthday suit glory.”
At the mention of anyone’s eyes on hers brought a growl forth and she giggled adding another kiss to his lips again.
Suddenly Xander opened the door and walked in, taking notice of Buffy’s presence and their close proximity he swallowed uncomfortably.
The blonde girl looked from Xander back to Spike a knowing smile on her face. “Point proven.” Spike said as he moved Buffy to stand better in front of him, allowing her to shield his raging hard-on from his employee. “What is it whelp?”
“Oh Tara said dinner should be ready in ten.”
Xander could cut the sexual energy with a knife and from the heated glare Spike was giving him, he wished he hadn’t been the one to come and interrupt what he was sure to start.
“Okay, message bloody delivered. Out.”
The man didn’t have to be told twice before he was out the door and shutting it firmly behind him.
“You’re welcome.” Buffy sang as she sashayed around the desk. “We’ll play later.”
“Promise?” Spike pouted and she giggled again, reveling the sexual power she had tapped into.
“Pinky promise. I’m going to go freshen up for dinner, and try and not look ‘sexually crazed.”
“Minx.”
“Jack-ass.” She called light heartedly back as she left the room.
Parker wasn’t sure what to make of the new people he was surrounded with. They all seemed to take on a close family-like bond, something he was completely not used to. Ultimately Parker Abrams was a loner, rarely ever came across a large group of people, and worked utterly alone. This was new territory for him. Not only that, but the method of working was new. He wasn’t new to working for any of the mafia kings but rarely did he ever know which one he was working for. Parker worked his business all through close-to anonymous arrangements. He was sure he had done work with Spike Giles before, off’d a couple of people the man needed taking care of, but he couldn’t tell you which ones.
Clients called him through an un-traceable number and information was mostly exchanged through that. When the job was done his payment was received electronically and right into the bank accounts set up.
Now here he was being contracted out long term and directly with the boss. But he was here to do a job and he had to worry less about being in new territory. A job was a job no worrying over what it was over.
Most of the staff he had met, all except the now blonde nerdy one that had taken a spot next to him and the blonde woman across from him. Parker couldn’t help but admire her, she was certainly a looker, along with the brunette that had been introduced as Faith that sat next to her. However Faith was too brash for his tastes, maybe a good roll in the hay, it was obvious Faith gave it easily, no judgments on her part by him but Parker liked the chase. Parker was going to ignore the wedding ring on the blonde’s finger, women in these circles weren’t likely monogamous and more often than not were shared among the men. By the looks of it, the women in the household were quite lookers, maybe he could get used to this situation.
Parker smirked to himself as he took a sip from the water glass at his place setting. Slowly more of the employees that he had met earlier in the day filtered in, taking in their obvious spots.
The tall black man, Gunn entered with Wesley into the dining room that they were all occupying. He looked around the room and whistled. “Wow looks like they expanded the table.” Gunn had been explained to be the other muscle other than Faith. Parker had been surprised by the fact that the other was a woman but as he talked with Faith it was obvious the fact that she wielded a vagina didn’t limit her in wielding weapons and strength. They were the two that he’d be working with the most, Spike’s strongest and best in his business.
Both men took the two first seats on the right next to one of the head of the tables, sitting side by side.
“Yes, well we have more additions to the table.” Wesley said looking down to Parker and then to Jesse who sat on the other side of Parker.
“God I’m starving, when’s the rest of ‘em getting here?” Faith announced fidgeting in her chair.
When Jesse and Parker had met up with Xander to be shown around the estate, Xander had explained that ultimately dinner was a big thing in the estate. If you lived in the place you weren’t exiled to finding your own way of food. The group was a big family like thing and most meals were all eaten together. Apparently tonight’s dinner was special. The head of the family Rupert Giles, Spike’s father, had arrived in town along with his wife.
Rupert Giles was well known even in the states. Much like his son, he was ruthless, very sharp in his business dealings and held no pity for those that betrayed him. To everyone that dealt with Rupert Giles they all agreed with his dubbed moniker ‘Ripper’, his reputation rang loud everywhere.
Not even a couple minutes later in walked Rupert Giles with a slender petite woman who was very obviously his wife by the way her arm was wrapped around his. Spike followed his parents sauntering with Xander speaking to him at his side. Everyone at the table stood acknowledging the two-power heads new presence. Spike without a word nodded, coming to stand before the chair at the head of the table that Gunn and Wesley sat closest to, while Rupert Giles and his wife closer to Parker’s end of the table taking the other end of the table.
Spike without a word looked around the table, Xander taking his spot across from Jesse next to the blonde that Parker had been admiring. He took her gently as everyone began to sit, all except Spike. He regarded the only empty chair next to Faith, looking at everyone that had been at the table before he had arrived. The boss’s stare grew pensive.
“Where is she?”
Parker looked confused, inspecting everyone and wondering who else could be joining them, he knew the one next to him was Andrew the only other employee of Spike’s he hadn’t met.
Suddenly a petite blonde flew into the dining room.
“Sorry! I’m right here. My mother called and apparently had so much to tell me that couldn’t wait.” She came to stand next to Spike, at the empty chair on other side of his.
Parker’s jaw almost dropped at the sight of her. If the blonde across from him was gorgeous the new one that had just entered was down right stunning. A simple sundress clung to her body, which could only help but accentuate her very womanly curves. The blonde locks of her flowed down her shoulders.
He could feel himself growing hard, his tongue slipping out to lick his lips. This was more like it, Parker thought in his head.
“I hope I didn’t keep you all waiting too long.” She said nervously looking around the table. But no one said otherwise.
“No worries B! Just in time.”
Obviously having seen his leering, Jesse elbowed Parker in the arm getting the other man’s attention.
Jesse quickly shook his head and Parker could only raise his eyebrow in question as to what he was referring to. The other man leaned in close dropping to a whisper.
“She’s the boss’s.”
Parker turned his head back to new woman just in time to see her lean up and kiss Spike softly on the lips before they both took their seats, Spike’s hand interlocking on hers and resting atop the table.
Looking back to Jesse, Parker gave the man a look. “So?” he whispered.
“She’s the one he warned us about. We don’t get to touch her. You remember what Xander said.”
Parker couldn’t deny it. Spike had made it clear there was a woman that neither was to mess with. And then upon looking around the estate, Xander had explained the woman that was Spike’s mistress. She was from another family her body for an alliance, but apparently she was beyond just a bed warmer to Spike. Her protection was to be at highest regards along with respect towards her.
His jaw tightened into frustration. She was a looker, and Parker would do nothing more to have a go at her, but it was obvious Spike wasn’t willing to share her. Though that wouldn’t stop Parker from staring.
“Well as we know there’s two new additions to this household, and I’m not just talking about the old bats at the other end of the table.” Spike announced.
“William Giles!” Spike’s mother admonished but everyone else could just chuckle.
“We have two new folks joining us, and most of you have met them already. Parker Abrams and Jesse McNally. I expect you all to help them out, if they need it.” Spike raised his glass that had been filled with whiskey and in turn everyone else raised theirs.
“To new arrivals.”
Everyone at the table echoed his toast and drank looking towards the leader of the family. Parker however couldn’t take his eyes off the woman that sat next to Spike.