Love Hurts

Chapter 14.


"Well, well, well..... Look what I found! "

Penn drew his gun and kept it trained on Spike. He looked closely at him and raised his brows, "Didn't I kill you already? "

Despite the situation, Spike smirked and shook his head. Angels goon was a moron. "If you'd killed me, would I be stood here now? "

Buffy whimpered as Angel pulled her tight against him and forced the gun harder into her temples. Armed security guards were taking up tactical posts close by and had their guns aimed at Penn and Angel. Penn turned his gun on the guards at their backs and put his back against Angels. Trust his boss to act impulsively, especially when it came to Buffy. Now they were in the middle of a situation that was quickly going from bad, to worse.

It was Spike that realized that this was not going to end well. He put his hands up and walked forward. Angel twitched and drew yet another whimper from Buffy. Spike glanced at her, giving her an apologetic look for what he was about to do. Buffy stilled in Angels arms and watched dumbstruck as Spike told the guards to back off and let them go. She shook her head and struggled to get free of Angel, crying out "No! " over and over as she was dragged backwards towards the elevator. Her eyes met with Spikes and filled with tears. He was letting her go again. It had only been last night that he had promised to never let her go again and had asked her to stay. He must know what Angel would do to her once he got her back to the mansion. Didn't he listens to everything she had told him?

"Shut up, bitch! Stop that fucking sniveling! " Angel growled, pulling her from her shocked and grieving state. Buffy wiped the tears from her face and breathed deeply to calm herself. When she had finally calmed enough that her sobs were few and far between, Angel asked if she had her car keys with her. She nodded.

"Well, get them out of your bag then! How can I drive your bloody car without them? "
"Okay! Okay! " she mumbled while diving her hands into her pocket to get them. Once she had them Penn snatched them from her hand and went back to ignoring her. Angel loosened his grip on her, which she was grateful for. Buffy could already feel the bruising starting to come out on her arms where he held her. She wasn't foolish enough to think that she would be able to get away once the elevator opened though. One of them, yes, but not both and not while they were both armed. She wasn't that stupid.

The lift opened and the three of them stepped out into the car park. Penn went first and automatically made his way to her car. As he got close , he pushed the central locking button and held the rear door open for Angel and Buffy.Once she was in, he got in the drivers seat and started the car.With a brief look beck at Angel in the rear view mirror, he pulled out and drove them back to the mansion.


Upstairs, Spike was in his office ,sat at his desk staring at the file and tape.He had let her down and Angel had taken her again. His anger thrummed under his skin making it feel too tight. It was at that moment that Lindsay walked into the office, so fast that a breeze lifted papers on the desk, bringing Spikes attention to the file and tape.In his foolish haste to get Buffy back, Angel had left the evidence behind.Lindsay spoke and Spike looked up at him, all the anger and pain were there in his eyes. It made Lindsay pause for a second before he repeated what he had said.

" The police are on their way. They say that they can treat this as an abduction. "
"Get. Out! "

Lindsay took a step closer to the desk.

"I said. Get. Out! "
"Look, this isn't my fault. I didn't... "

Spike looked up from his desk, rose to place his hands flat on the wood and leaned forward, his jaw ticking as he tried to control the fury that had risen up with his words. "If you finish that sentence with ' know it was him, I swear I'll come over there and rip you a new one! You knew! You saw the photographs in the file. You knew it was him! "

" I.... "

"Anything happens to her I swear to God... Just go Lin, before I do something I regret! "

Lindsay left in the same rush that he had come into the office. Spike watched the door close before he sunk back in his chair. His hands gripped the arms of the leather chair until the studs popped and the leather tore. His knuckles cracked from the pressure being exerted on them and Spike winced. The pain felt good.



Penn got out of the car and opened the back door. Without caring, he pulled Buffy from the rear of the car by her already bruised arm. She looked up to see Faith stood at the top of the steps, smirking. Angel got out of the car and straightened his suit jacket.His air seemed calm , though she knew by experience that he wasn't. He was waiting, biding his time until they were alone.

"Is the other car ready? " He asked Faith. His eyes wandered down the brunettes body and then he looked back down at Buffy.
"Sure is, Boss. So, where will you take her? You know the cops will be here soon? "

Angel held Buffy tight to him and started walking them both towards the house. Penn looked over his shoulder, down towards the gates and then followed Angel into the mansion. Buffy was first through the door, with Angel a close second. Faith followed with Penn.

" I know! " He snapped back at Faith. "I know they will, which is why I want a car ready. "

Penn answered. "Look I know this situation is bad, but Faith didn't cause it. " Penn's eyes fell on Buffy. "Take your anger out on the person to blame for it, not the innocent bystanders. "

Buffy cringed as Angel squeezed her arm tighter and pulled her into the kitchen. As he walked he shouted back at Penn, " I intend to. " A feeling of dread fell heavy in her stomach and she felt panic rise. If the police came after they had left the mansion then she doubted they would find her.

Angel opened a drawer that was in the unit to his right and pulled out a pair of cuffs. Her hand was pulled sharply behind her back, she felt the cold metal against her wrist a moment before Angel closed the cuff tight. He pulled at her other wrist and for a moment Buffy resisted until she looked into his eyes, she knew that he would hurt her if she didn't allow him to finish restraining her. Buffy gave in and winced again as the other cuff was closed securely. Once Angel had cuffed Buffy, he took a set of car keys from Penn and picked up a brief case and leather laptop bag.

Penn took her arm and pulled her towards the patio doors that lead out onto the decking beside the pool. He walked her towards a large garage and once they reached it, opened a door in the wall and pushed her forwards. Angel followed and hit the central locking button, opening the doors so that Penn could put her in the car.

"I want you to let me know the moment the police arrive. I'll know how long I have before they scramble the helicopters and cars. "
"What about the lawyers? Want me to take care of them? " Penn asked
"No. I got what I wanted. If you do a hit on them then it will just draw more attention on us and they'll know who did it. I need you too much to risk you getting jailed for their murder. They can't touch me. The only thing the police have me for is kidnapping. I'm an upstanding member of the community, most I'll get is a slapped wrist. A lot of influential people use my... services. They'll see that all this is cleared for me. But you murder the lawyers and that will draw more attention and I won't, can't make that go away. "

Penn nodded and Angel got into the drivers side. He put Buffy's seatbelt on for her and then fixed his own. Once they, he, was settled , he started the engine. The garage door automatically opened and he drove out at speed, dust rose and billowed up behind the car as he drove down a track at the back of the estate.

Buffy turned in the seat and felt something hard dig into her thigh. Her cellphone. Her heart raced and hoped that Angel didn't check her when they got to their destination. At that point, it was the only thing that kept her from breaking down. She hoped the battery had charge left in it. Angel pulled left and followed another dirt road. With no idea where he was taking her and nothing around to clue her into their direction, she knew it was going to be hard for the police to find her.


Spike surveyed his ruined office and then grabbed his jacket and the evidence. He threw the door open and left his wrecked office.Lindsay was stood talking to two police officers and what looked to Spike like detectives. He gazed at the men with Lindsay briefly before pulling Lindsay away sharply.

"What are you playing at? "

Lindsay looked back at the group of men apologetically and turned towards Spike. "Doing you a favor and talking to the police. What did you think I was doing? "

"Did I ask you to talk for me? No... so keep out of it! "

Lindsay stood and watched as Spike greeted the police and then held his arm out to guide them into an empty office. Spike took one last angered look at Lindsay before he closed the door.

"Gentlemen. " Spike suggested with his hand that they all take a seat at the conference table and sat himself at the head. They sat. " This man, " he threw a couple of photocopies of Angels photo, " has abducted my girlfriend, but the list of felonies this man has committed is long and quite a read. The whole situation started over five years ago when he first abducted my girlfriend and attempted to kill me. All the evidence for that is here, in this file. I'll have my secretary run you copies, and also on this tape. I have made a copy for myself. "

Spike passed the file over to the detective closest and sat back in his chair as they read through it. After a few minutes the detective passed it to his associate and leaned against the table, his elbows rested on the table and his hands were clasped together under his chin.

"So if this is all fact, Mr? "
" William Pratt. " He answered, his face blank. He really wanted to get through this as fast as possible.He wanted, no, needed, to be out there looking for Buffy. If anything happened to her then he'd never forgive himself. Or Lindsay for that matter.

"Mr Pratt, if this is all fact then why hasn't this, Angel O'Connor been brought to our attention before now? "
"He's clever.Don't under-estimate him. He has plenty of men working for him.Some are bodyguards, others he uses as hitmen. He has several houses that he keeps his 'women' in. He has gambling houses, drug factories.... the list is endless. "

The detectives and policemen raised their brows.This was going to be more than an abduction case. It was possibly the largest case that they would have had. Ever.

" Your associate said that there was a mutual friend, a Miss MacClay here? Wasn't she Miss Summers social worker? "
"Yes, that's right, she was. Buffy, Miss Summers has been in contact with her recently and I believe Tara has also managed to get evidence that Angel had been blackmailing the Manager of the children's home that Miss Summers attended. "

The detectives looked at each other, communicating silently between each other.The one that sat opposite Spike nodded and then the 'talker' returned his attention to Spike. "Could you ask her to come in please. "

Spike nodded too and stood up, moving quickly to the door and poked his head out.He caught the sight of the receptionist and waved her closer. "Can you ask Miss Tara MacClay to come in please. " She rushed off to do as she had been asked. Spike caught a glance across the hall and locked eyes with Lindsay.He had the good grace to act sheepish and continued talking to the officer that was taking his statement. Spike went back in to the board meeting room and took his seat again. The detectives were talking quietly between themselves .The officers sat looking at the view out of the window, Spike looked out as well and tutted. His mind was racing, the main thought repeated over and over. 'Please God... let her be okay. '


Sitting in silence wasn't bothering Buffy, it wasn't the atmosphere either, it was having her arms trapped behind her and the damn handcuffs! No matter how she sat they dug in to her wrists and only stopped digging into her back when she scooted low in her seat. Every time she did that, Angel would pull her back up with one hand and glare at her. After that happening a few times, Buffy gave up and stared out of the window. Not that there was much to see. He had joined a busy freeway and had long since turned off onto yet another dark road and being as it was now night, the only light was from the cars headlights. They didn't exactly clue her in as to where the hell she was.

She felt the car slow and looked out of the front screen and then at Angel. He simply smiled and indicated to go left.Buffy sunk back in her chair and huffed. It was just another road. It occurred to her now that his anger seemed to have dissipated somewhat, even though the atmosphere in the car was heavy. She too, had calmed down and for some weird reason, wasn't scared . Maybe it was stupid and she should be. Her only anxiety was over Spike and how he was feeling right now. He was probably going out of his mind with worry. She had told Angel she needed a restroom, in a bid to get him to pull over at a service station. He had, but had kept her cuffed and had followed her into the toilet and proceeded to watch her. Buffy's plan to call Spike and let him know that she was fine and that they were heading west, had backfired. Now she waited until they got to wherever he was taking her to do it. Hopefully there would be a sign or Angel would tell her where they were before she called in the calvary.

Again the car slowed and this time, it stopped.

"Stay there. " Angel said as he got out and walked to the front of the car and towards a large gate. He took out a bunch of keys and opened the padlock and then swung the wide gate open before returning to the car. Once they were through the gate, he got out and did the reverse actions on the gate, locking it securely behind them.

"We're here. "

Buffy looked out at a large house, old. The sandstone had turned that sickly green/brown through age and the windows were huge. Lights dotted a room here and there to show that someone else was here too. That didn't sit well with Buffy and a new wave of panic filled her and made her breathing speed up.

Angel got out and came to her side of the car.He helped her out of the seat. It hurt and she hissed as he pulled yet again, on her bruised arms. The pain from being sat against them was sharp and intense. Angel walked them to the front door and opened it using the same huge bunch of keys. Once inside, he led her straight upstairs. The house was pretty, obviously Victorian by the look of the decor and rugs that littered the floors. Angel stopped outside a room and opened the door, ushering her in and closing the door again.

"This is our room. I'll take the cuffs off soon after we discuss your actions earlier today. Now sit! "

He pushed her shoulder, making her wince and fall back onto the bed. Using her stomach, she managed to stop herself from falling all the way and sat with her feet over the edge of the bed. It made her feel like a child again.Like she was sat waiting for 'daddy' to chastise her.

Angel paced the length of the bed and glanced at her as she wiggled to get a comfortable position. He mussed his hair and stopped ,making her look up at him. She looked worried, good. She looked lost, even better and , oh god, she was crying.

"Stop that! "
"I... can't! " she choked out.

Angel growled and turned from her. "You have two minutes to stop or else. "

"Okay.. okay... " she panted as she tried to get her tears to stop and calm herself down. After a few deep breaths Buffy managed to stop the tears and had control of herself. Angel turned back to her now and let out a sigh of his own.He pulled the antique parlour chair over to sit in front of her and put his feet up beside her on the bed. His arms folded across his chest and he narrowed his eyes as he began to speak.

"What you did was not only stupid, but has probably got me into a situation that is awkward. Now I will have to call in favours with the Judge and members of the judicial system that I would rather not bother. No doubt the little lawyers called the police which means I have very little choice. "

That made Buffy look up at him again. Did that mean that no matter how much evidence she had against him, he could buy or blackmail his way out of it all? Shit! This was something Lindsay and Spike needed to know. Now! If only she had known before. She could have found out which members of the police and judicial system were in Angels pockets.

" Penn is busy sorting out this fiasco you caused and will let me know when it is safe to return home. Until then, we stay here at my mothers. "

At least she knew where she was now. It wouldn't be hard for the police and Spike to find her now. If only he would shut up talking and fall asleep so that she could ring Spike.

"So, what do I do with you ? Hmmm? Tell me why you had to do what you did? Was it so bad? "

Buffy rolled her shoulders to remove some of the discomfort and looked at him again. " You think that it's easy? It's not! You killed my parents! You kidnapped me and beat me until I did exactly what you wanted. You keep me as your whore and sell my body like it's... it's your possession! I hate you! I hate what you make me do and I hate that you touch me! Was it bad? No... it wasn't bad. It was worse. So much so, that all I could think about was getting away from you, it didn't matter how. "

Angel smirked. "Didn't do you any good, did it. "
Buffy shrugged. "I don't know. Ask me, why I was at my fathers law firm. Aren't you even curious? " His eyes widened.Buffy gritted her teeth as she spoke, "Yeah. You think I was just there to hide? That I was just telling them that some bad man kidnapped me all those years ago? "

Angel removed his feet from the bed and sat forward. The vein at his temple began to tick and his jaw tensed. She knew he was about to strike her, but her temper raged and she couldn't hold back. The years of torment, hurt and pain that he had inflicted, were venting.

"For months I have been collecting evidence against you.Evidence of all the drug running and dealing.Of the murders you and your men have committed. Names of all the girls you brought from children's homes , illegal I might add, and put to work as your whores. Everything you have done, I have evidence of.I even have you confessing to the murder of my parents on tape. All of it is now in the hands of lawyers and by now, the police. Still think your untouchable? "

She smiled, almost laughed at the look upon his face. The untouchable Angel O'Connor was scared. Panic played across his face and he sat down heavily in the chair.He looked at her and his anger started to bleed through the panic. He stood and rushed her, knocking her onto her back. His breath was hot and heavy on her face as he pinned her down by her shoulders. His hands wrapped around her throat and Angel squeezed. Buffy thrashed as his hands tightened around her throat and began kicking out, knocking the chair over, but missing her intended target. No matter how she tried, she couldn't shake him off or bring her knees up enough to connect with Angel.

He was getting off on this! He was hard against her while he choked the life from her body. Buffy's eyes rolled in her head. Her head felt huge and it felt as if every vein and pulse was about to burst from the pressure. This was it, this was how he would finally beat her. This was how she would die.

Her lungs burned as they tried desperately to draw air from her narrowing airway. Her mind was numbing, her vision impaired and it felt like her heart was trying to beat itself out of her chest.She expected this to be it as her sight faded to black and her eyes closed.

Her eyes snapped open and tried to focus but he was too close. Sensations finally broke through the haze. He was kissing her. And she was apparently kissing him back. He broke to let her breathe and laid his forehead against hers. He looked down at her and she laid beneath him, stunned. He had tears in his eyes. It was too much .

"Get off of me! "

He frowned and hesitated before he rolled off her. "What? Whats wrong? "
"This... " she croaked and cleared her throat . "This is wrong, so wrong! You think you can try and kill me and then act as if it was foreplay and have that.. that look on your face. You can't attempt to kill me and then... "

"I love you. " He said. His face had softened and his hand reached out to touch her.
Buffy pulled back from his out stretched hand. "My God! " she whispered, "You do. "