Chapter 6: Coffee and followers
Cars sped past her, people passed by without a care in the world, all dealing with their own lives. Buffy adjusted her sunglasses on her face as she walked down the sidewalk towards the Starbucks a block away. She had parked her car in a small parking garage two blocks away and was currently on the verge of running in hopes of getting to the coffee shop quicker. She was ten minutes later than the time she and Willow had agreed upon meeting. She would have been well on time if her father hadn’t stopped her on the way out of the door, questioning her to make sure she was okay and still apologizing for the position he put her in. Buffy simply turned away, not caring and telling Hank something along the lines of ‘go to hell’ as she had walked out the door after his long speech.
During the drive she had put the top down on her convertible, blasted the music and allowed the wind to flow through her hair as she drove. She had thought about what her father had said, making her roll her eyes. He wasn’t apologizing because he was truly sorry, he was only doing so in hopes of making his own self feel a little better. Therefore, he could sleep a little easier rather than obsessing over the fact he just gave his daughter away. Buffy was not sure who she was mad at more. Spike for making her feel like property or Hank for allowing it.
Buffy put her hair up in a clip with bangs coming down the sides of her face. She wore casual tight jeans, a black top, a light jean jacket over it, and one of her many pairs of black stiletto boots. Crossing the street quickly without getting hit by cars, Buffy half ran the rest of the way up to the door of Starbucks. She walked in, putting her shades on the top of her head and began to search for her best friend. Spotting her in the corner sitting on one of the big comfy chairs, waving at her frantically, Buffy smiled, signaled she’d be with Willow in a minute and went to the front counter to get her drink. While Buffy waited for her Iced Mocha Frappacino, Willow came up to her and smiled.
“Hey Wills.” Buffy leaned forward and gave Willow a friendly hug.
“Hey. What’s up? You seemed somewhat tense on the phone.”
Buffy sighed but didn’t say anything, instead she grabbed her drink when the coffee attendant called her name. The blonde and the red head made their way back to the corner of where Willow was sitting.
“Buffy, is everything okay?” Willow asked.
“Yeah, why do you ask?”
Willow gave her a look saying she definitely did not believe her. Always Willow. Even if Buffy could give her a 100-watt smile that no one would be able to guess was fake, Willow would always be able to see right through it. Together the two best friends had a stare off, Willow trying to break through her best friend’s emotional barrier to tell her.
Buffy found it was no use in not telling her. She would find out anyway somehow, probably through her father, or in due time it would come about. She’d probably notice once Buffy moved out of her house also. Besides, Buffy was currently staring at her best friend’s resolve face. No one was able to resist her dangerous-looking resolve face.
She took a sip before she answered. “I’m being put in a situation where I’m goingtobewilliamgile’smistress.” She said it all in one breath. Surprisingly Willow understood her. The red head’s eyes bugged out of her head to stare at Buffy in complete shock. Buffy waited for the blow up.
Buffy wasn’t left disappointed. “WHAT?!?!” Willow practically screamed, causing a few heads to turn towards them from other Starbucks customers. Buffy looked down at her hands in her lap, cheeks flaming.
“You heard me. Don’t make me repeat it.” She couldn’t bring herself to look Willow in the eyes.
“What do you mean his mistress? What the hell happened?” Willow leaned forward, whispering urgently.
“Dad needs ‘alliance’ with someone. Spike wanted something for insurance…”
Willow gave her an incredulous look, not wanting to believe what her best friend was telling her. However, she knew it had to be real. They were dealing with dangerous men who committed illegal acts. This right here was considered barely anything to them. “When?”
Buffy shrugged. “I move into his estate in two days.”
“Buffy…oh God…” Willow came to sit on the arm of Buffy’s chair and brought her into a hug. Willow always was the nurturing, motherly type.
“It’s okay. This past 24 hours I’ve come to deal with it. I found out after I came home yesterday. He was at home this morning when I got back from practice. You know he goes by the name Spike. I mean really, what kind of name is that?”
“What happened?”
Buffy shrugged with a sad look in her eyes. “Dad left us alone in his office. He kissed me.”
Willow’s eyes widened even more. “I know this is probably the worst thing that I could ask, but was it any good?” Again, Buffy looked down at her lap shamefully. It was good, that was the problem. She hated the fact that it was good like that.
“I see,” Willow nodded, comprehending.
“But I hate him, Willow. I didn’t think I would hate him, until he made me lie to my mother and then treated me like I was property. God, Willow how will I be able to live with this man if I feel like I am going to end up killing him. He pisses me off so much and he keeps insisting that I’m his,” Buffy said with frustration. “We have to tell my mom we’re engaged. Only you, Dawn, and Lorne know.”
Willow didn’t know what to say. What could she say? It’s not like she couldn’t do anything to really help Buffy besides being there for her. If Spike was exactly the way people described him as, then he probably wouldn’t let go of her easily. Her father had once told Willow that William Giles was a man that kept not only his promises but his threats as well.
Gently, Willow rubbed her back in a comforting manner. “I’m so scared, Willow. What if he makes me do things? Things that...you only hear about in perverse movies like on Lifetime where a girl is raped. Willow, what if he’s not gentle. He said he won’t pass me around to his men but...” Frightened tears began to fall down Buffy’s cheek and all Willow could do was hug her friend close and whispered comforting words. “My dad acts as if it’s just some business deal. And, really the sad thing is, it is a business deal.”
Willow wanted to kill Hank more than Spike but she still wanted to kill Spike after she was done. “Buffy, are you going to be okay?”
Buffy wiped at the tears and now smeared mascara. “Yeah Willow, I’ll be fine. Totally fine. Look I really need to let off some steam so I am going to head off to the theatre. I’m sorry for cutting this short.”
“It’s fine, Buffy, I totally understand. Hey are you doing anything tonight?” Buffy shook her head no. “Well I’ll round up the others and we could go to Chaos?”
“I’ll think about it,” Buffy said softly.
“Well, we’ll probably be there around eight. Either just show up or call if you decide to come.”
Buffy nodded her head and began to gather her bag and drink. She said farewell to Willow and walked out of Starbucks, intent on blowing off steam just as she had told Willow.
“Hey boss, I got those pictures you wanted.” Spike looked up to see one of his men Xander Harris coming in with a big manila envelope. He handed it to Spike over his desk. Spike took it, undoing the clasp of the envelope.
Spike was currently sitting in his office in his estate house trying to go over some paperwork of one of the businesses he was in charge of. The day before, he had ordered one of his best men, Xander Harris to tail Buffy after his meeting with Hank yesterday. He wanted to know about this girl. If she was seeing anyone, her friends, things she did on a normal day.
After he had gotten back from the meeting with Hank, Spike had received a call from Xander saying he had already tracked the girl down at the mall, shopping. Spike ordered to have shots taken and to keep an eye on her.
Spike shuffled through the countless shots Xander had captured. There was some of her while she walked through the mall with another girl carrying different bags from different stores. There was another one where she was with the same girl but sitting outside of a restaurant enjoying a meal, laughing . Spike smiled, thinking how beautiful her smile was to him. Just as great as the spark in her green eyes.
More pictures were of this morning where she was walking in and out of her car and into a theater with a girl whom Spike remembered to be her sister...Dawn, wasn’t it? Looking through all the pictures Spike figured that Buffy hadn’t had the slightest clue that she was being followed.
Xander sat patiently waiting for his boss to finish going through the pictures. When he finally tossed them back on his desk and reclined in his seat, Xander finally asked his question. “So what does this chick do?” Xander questioned, thinking his boss was only having him tail the woman if he wanted to put a hit on her soon.
“Nothing at all, whelp. She’s going to be a new addition to our family. And I expect you to keep your bloody hands off her. She’s mine,” Spike said firmly, putting his hands behind his head. Xander nodded, knowing what his boss meant.
“Hope you don’t mind me asking, but who is she?”
“Buffy Summers,” Spike said simply. He smirked when Xander began choking as if he was caught with a surprise while drinking.
“Related at all to Hank Summers?”
“Eldest daughter.”
Xander just nodded his head. “Well you want me to do anything else for you? Follow her more or anything?”
“Yeah just follow her but make sure you’re not seen.”
“Yes boss.” Xander left, closing the door to Spike’s study. He picked up the pictures from his desk and looked through them again.
He stopped on one picture and it was a sight. She was walking out of a theater, which Spike guessed to be The Great Los Angeles Theater of Performing Arts. She wore the same outfit he had seen her in earlier, her hair up perfectly even though she had probably gone through a rigorous practice.
God she is beautiful. The whole night yesterday he couldn’t get her out of his mind as he had lain in bed alone. He had refused his normal prostitute Eve and he couldn’t understand why. Instead, he had chosen to stay in bed alone, aggravated by the flashes of Buffy he had gotten in his head. Her smile she had given Jeffrey when they had walked into the library. The look of annoyance she had given Spike himself.
He had to admit he admired the woman for her courage. Most women who knew how powerful he was wouldn’t dare to even glare at him. It was all sweet smiles and nods of yes sir, but not Buffy. Spike knew it was going to be hard to finally bend her to his liking but he wasn’t going to give up. The man was just as stubborn as Buffy he guessed.
Spike thought ahead into the future. He knew she would keep his bed warm. All the other women he had bedded; prostitutes, models, normal girls whom he had came across, were all very pleasing but when it came to keep his skin warm as he slept, it had never occurred. Buffy was like sunlight, Spike figured out.
She’d be a fighter, that’s for sure. Hank had warned him before he left at the end of their meeting that Buffy absolutely hated Hank’s business dealings and she particularly hated being controlled. Now after their morning together today he was looking forward to their future struggles.
There was a knock on the door, bringing Spike out of his thoughts of the blonde woman. He yelled out his invitation, annoyed. Gunn walked in casually, sitting on the edge of Spike’s desk. The man didn’t say anything, just sat there before catching a glimpse of the black and white photos.
“Did you tell Wesley that I wanted Faith to take care of getting Ms. Summer’s room together?” Spike asked Gunn. The tall African American man just nodded his head.
“Yeah he said Faith blew a gasket but she said she’d do it as long as she would have another girl in this place for sure.”
“Good. What about setting up that other room I ordered for when I got back?”
“All taken care of, boss. I contacted the designer and he said he could have the designs done by tonight and if you like them we can start tomorrow. Said it might take a few days though.”
“As long as it gets done. Now what else do you need to tell me?”
Gunn pulled out his gun that was currently digging uncomfortably into his back from the back holster and placed it on the desk. “Driver won’t pay up. We sent collectors down to the club this morning to try and scare him but his manager had said they had just missed him.”
Spike thought silently to figure out what he should do about one of the club owners he ruled over. “Okay we’ll just have to pay Driver a visit huh?” Gunn smiled.
For the rest of the day he and Spike worked out the other problems that seemed to be arising everywhere in their businesses.
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