Chapter 2

Staring over the back yard Angelus silently cursed his predicament. He had been unsuccessful in convincing his father that this was outrageous. Angelus muttered swears under his breath as he pulled his tux out of the closet. Begrudgingly he dressed then adjusted his tie before making his way down stairs. Suddenly Angelus stopped when he heard Buffy and another girl speaking. "B seriously you don't have to do this," the unidentified voice said. He heard the petite blonde sigh. "Faith it's the only way. Daddy promised he would give you enough money to get everything back on track," Buffy said encouragingly. "I love you B and I don't like you making this sacrifice for me," Faith explained. Furrowing his brow at the conversation he quickly made his way to his father's study.

Ethan was pleased with how well things were going. "Father you wanted to see me," Angelus said as he stepped into the study. Beaming at his son Ethan quickly walked to him pulling something out of his pocket. "Yes son here is the wedding ring I procured for you," Hanks said as he opened the small box. Angelus gave it a quick once over before shoving it in his pocket. Glancing at his watch Hank remarked that the ceremony would start soon. Both men made their way outside. Ethan taking a seat; Angelus taking his place at the end of the isle. Finally the music started and out came a brunette Angelus assumed to be the girl Buffy had been speaking to. She took her place at the end of the isle. The small gathering stood and turned towards the bride as the music started. Hank walked his daughter down the isle handing her over to Angelus. The whole ceremony seemed so surreal. Buffy tried not to think about what she was doing. She tried not to think about what she was giving up.

After the ceremony there was a small reception. In order to keep up appearances to the few guests there Angelus kept Buffy glued to his side. He doted on her and did all the things one would do for his new wife. Even though Buffy knew this was an act she found herself relishing in the affectionate behavior. Finally the reception had ended. Angelus quickly disappeared from her side. Buffy was shown to Angelus' wing of the mansion. Hank, Faith, and the other guests quickly dispersed to their homes. Ethan disappeared to his office. Angelus locked himself in his room. Nervously Buffy stood in the sitting room unsure of what to do. "Mrs. Rayne … um… I'm Tara… the housekeeper… I was told to show you around the wing," Tara nervously stuttered. Grateful for something to do Buffy smiled and followed Tara through the large portion of the mansion.

Buffy had been following Tara around as she showed her all the rooms. She was overwhelmed with how large this place was and this was only one wing. "And this is the kitchen. The main kitchen downstairs has a cook so if you need anything you could always call down there. The dining room is through there," Buffy tried to listen intently but she found herself becoming bored. After several more minutes of Tara taking her through the wing Buffy began stifling yawns. "Mrs. Rayne would you like me to show you to your room?," Tara asked. Shaking her head yes she managed a weak smile. Tentatively Tara knocked on the master suite. Shuffling nervously behind Tara Buffy now wished she had let Tara show her around the entire mansion. Both women gasped as Angelus threw the door open and glared at them. "Sorry to disturb you Mr. Rayne… but the miss … sh… she wishes to rest," Tara explained unsteadily.

Angelus glanced at the small blonde then stepped aside to let her enter. Flashing Tara a reassuring smile he then shut the door once Buffy entered the room. Originally Tara had been working for his father, but Angelus had not liked the way the nervous blonde had been treated so he quickly procured her services for himself. While Angelus appeared to be hard on the surface he really did have a kind soul, however few rarely saw it. Turning to see Buffy standing nervously in the middle of the room he pointed towards the closet, "You're clothes are in there and that there is the bathroom." Buffy managed a half smile as she quickly entered the closet. At first Angelus had been reluctant to take the blonde into his bed, however he had been assured by her father that she would be willing. While Angelus found it a bit disturbing for her father to divulge this information he figured since he married her this was the least he could get out of the deal.

Buffy rummaged through the boxes until she found the lingerie her father had given her the night before. Shuddering upon remembering the awkward conversation she had to endure with her father she clutched the flimsy cloth to her then exited the closet. Buffy stopped momentarily to steal a glance at her husband then rushed off to the bathroom. She took as much time as she could showering and drying her hair. Finally she was finished. She took in several deep breaths then reached for the door knob. You can do this Buffy. It won't be that bad. Just open the door and get it over with. Twisting the knob she sucked in a deep breath and opened the door.

Looking up Angelus' eyes feasted on the mostly visible flesh of his wife. He hated to admit how attracted he was to her. She was young, supple, and stunning. At least his father hadn't forced him into a marriage with some old prude. Angelus loosened his neck tie then stood. Unable to move from where she stood Buffy clutched onto the door knob. Slowly Angelus stepped towards her. He could tell she was nervous. Hesitantly he placed his hand on hers then leaned in for a kiss. Pulling away he whispered in her ear, "Are you sure you want to do this?" Swallowing the dry lump that had formed in her throat she managed to croak out a yes. Gently he pulled her towards the bed. Buffy sat down on the edge of the bed and watched in trepidation as Angelus began to undress.

Angelus spared a glance her way and noticed the fear radiating from her immediately. However he chose to ignore it. Before pulling off his pants he started a fire in the significant fireplace that nearly took up half the wall. He then quickly shut off the harsh overhead light. He quickly shed his trousers then boxers before climbing on the bed. Buffy lay unmoving in the center of the bed. Her fists tightly clutching the comforter underneath her. Slowly Angelus began to trail kisses up and down her neck. Tracing his fingers up her leg to the hem of her negligee elicited a small moan from her. Gradually he pushed the thin material up to reveal her taut abdomen. Marveling at how perfect she was built he began to kiss her across the perfectly tanned stomach. Deliberately he pushed the thin material up revealing the underside of her breasts. Sparing a glance he noticed her tense face. Her eyes screwed shut. Her rapid shallow breathing. Her tight grip on the comforter.

Groaning he knew he couldn't do this. Even though she never said no she obviously wasn't willing. He would never force any woman to sleep with him. Sitting up on his haunches he grabbed his boxers and pulled them on. Quickly he entered the closet and pulled on a pair of sweats then rummaged through the few boxes Buffy's father had brought over. He found a pair of sweats and t-shirt then tossed them to the bed. "Look you obviously don't want this so why don't you put these on and I'll have Tara ready a room for you," he said exasperated. Buffy clutched the clothes to her body alarm plastered all over her face. "No really I do. I'm just nervous… I've… well… I'm a virgin," she tried to explain. Angelus shook his head, "Elizabeth it's fine really," then with that he left her alone in the large bed.

Tara entered the bedroom several minutes later to find Buffy dressed in the sweats and t-shirt. Tears were streaming down her face. Quickly Tara pulled her into a warm embrace. "Miss it's alright don't cry. I'm sure he'll have you back in his bed," she said misinterpreting the tears. Mutely Buffy shook her head then followed the blonde across the hall to a guest room. Oh God she had messed up bad. Please don't let him divorce me tomorrow. Tara turned down the bed then showed Buffy the adjoining bathroom. "Miss I hear many married couples have separate quarters now a days. I'm sure it will be fine," Tara said trying to comfort the young girl. Buffy managed a weak smile then poured into bed. Pulling the covers over her head Buffy hoped to shut out the world.

Waiting until he was sure Buffy would be in her own room Angelus went back to his room locking the door behind him. He laid down on his bed and immediately his senses were overwhelmed with the smell of the small blonde. He could have fucked her. Hell he should have fucked her. She was his wife now and he should have done it no matter how scared she looked. Angelus knew that no matter how cold hearted he could be that he would never be able to do that. She was just so small and quiet. She looked even smaller there in his bed her face radiating fear. Hell he would just stay married to her for outside appearances and have his women on the side. Besides if he slept with her he may start to like her which meant he could very well fall in love with her. He refused to let that happen. He would never let his father so much as witness him being kind to her.

Awaking early the next morning Buffy stowed to the kitchen. Relieved that no one else seemed to be awake she rummaged through cupboards. Settling on cereal she poured herself a bowl then quickly ate. Silently she crept through the expansive wing. Settling into an expansive comfy chair she turned on the TV and began to flip through the channels. Finding a rerun of The Cosby Show she chuckled as she remembered watching the show with her mother.

Angelus awoke alone in his large bed. Chuckling wryly he wondered how many men did not get laid on the night of their wedding. Sitting up he stretched the fatigue out of his arms before standing. Soon he was showered and dressed and making his way into the kitchen. Frowning that there seemed to be no breakfast made he called down to the main kitchen. Soon his breakfast was brought up to him. Angelus knew he would need to set down some ground rules for his new wife. He was married now and could not be expected to procure his own meals for himself.

Briskly walking into the entertainment room Angelus immediately turned the television off. Startled Buffy looked up then nervously sat up. He looked liked he had something to say. Briefly she wondered if he would announce that the marriage was not going to work out. Her fears were quickly alleviated when he spoke, "Why aren't you dressed?" Chewing her bottom lip nervously she gasped at the annoyance laced in his voice. "My clothes… I didn't want to wake you… I'm sorry," she said as she stood and fled from the room.

Furrowing his brow briefly he thought he may have been to cold to her. Shaking his head he patiently waited for her to return. Timidly Buffy reentered the room. Angelus could not help but frown at the clothes she wore. The jeans were old and faded. The t-shirt making her look like a child. Buffy looked up, but quickly her eyes were down cast once she saw the look of disapproval flash across her husband's face. Wordlessly Angelus pulled out his cell phone then walked passed her as he scrolled through the contacts. Not knowing what else to do Buffy sat tentatively on the edge of the couch.

Finally Angelus stepped back into the room. He sat down across from his wife looking her over. Buffy blushed at his speculative gaze. "My cousin's wife will be here in an hour. Her name is Cordelia and she will be taking you shopping. If you are to be my wife you must dress so. I suggest you find something a little more mature to wear before you're outing," he said as he stood and left the room. Stunned by his words Buffy sat motionlessly for several minutes before venturing back to Angelus' room. Scouring through her few boxes she found a simple sundress and a pair of strappy heels. Hoping the outfit would suffice she ventured back out into the living quarters.

Seething Angelus made his way through the mansion towards his father's study. Not bothering to knock on the door he just threw it open and entered the man's domain.

"Angelus what is the meaning of this?," Ethan asked annoyed.

"Why father? Just why did you choose a sniveling 17 year old girl to be my wife?," Angelus angrily asked.

"Angelus she is precisely the type of girl you can mold to be what you desire. Frankly I'm surprised you aren't introducing her this very moment to the pleasures of bed," Ethan rattled off.

"Cordelia's coming over to take her shopping. I will not have any wife of mine dressed like a child," Angelus explained.

"Well I think you should take that time to prepare for your first day of work tomorrow," Ethan suggested.

Tara entered the entertainment room to find Buffy sitting nervously on the edge of the couch. "Miss is everything alright?," Tara asked her voice thick with concern. Numbly Buffy shook her head then managed to plaster a smile across her face. "I'm just waiting for ah… Cordelia… to take me shopping," she informed the kind woman. Smiling Tara stood, "Well that's great. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time.

Buffy had been extremely nervous when she first saw Cordelia. The woman was so put together and obviously knew how to dress to impress. She quickly learned that Cordelia although a bit shallow was really sweet. Overwhelmed from all the shopping the duo finally stopped long enough to eat lunch at a lavish restaurant. "So we've covered evening wear, day wear, and casual wear. We need to get you accessories, make up, and ooh my favorite lingerie," Cordelia said more to herself then the petite blonde. Cordelia was more enamored with the fact that she had a life size Barbie doll to play with. The girl milled about the mall purchasing nearly everything in site.

The day was interrupted by the sound of Cordelia's phone ringing. She quickly dug it out of her purse then frowned at the display. "Everything's going fine Angelus… oh… of course… that's wonderful… yes I will… see you in a few hours," Cordelia said into the phone before snapping it closed and shoving the device into her bag. Grasping Buffy's hand she pulled her through the mall and out to her car. Animatedly Cordelia began to talk as they sped out of the parking lot, " Apparently there is a dinner party at the mansion tonight. Se we need to get our hair and make up done. I'm sure Kiki will be able to fit us in."

Buffy was anxious as they pulled up into the driveway of the vast mansion. Her hair and make up were done perfectly, however she had never been to a dinner party. For a fleeting second she though she could divulge this information to Cordy, however she quickly thought better of it. Impatiently honking her horn she called for someone to come out. Quickly two men exited the house. "Get all these bags and take them inside. Buffy I have to go get ready for the party. You should definitely wear the green dress tonight," Cordy said as Buffy exited the car. As soon as the last bag was lifted from the trunk Cordy sped out of the driveway. "Miss where would you like the bags," a tall, slim yet masculine man asked. "Um upstairs… here I'll take those," she said reaching for a few of the bags. "Quite alright Miss just show the way," the man said with a rough English accent.

Busying herself she put her clothes away in the closet and bureau. Staring at herself in the mirror she marveled at how grown up she actually looked. She had never been one to pour the makeup on, however the way it was now looked perfect. She took the green dress out of the closet and laid it on her bed. Buffy had never worn anything as fine as this. The price tag on all the clothes Cordelia had her buy was extremely high. Glancing at the clock she saw this she had three hours until dinner.

Heading towards the kitchen she searched for Tara. "Miss don't you look beautiful," Tara admired as she continued to put away various groceries. Blushing Buffy thanked her then sat at the breakfast bar. Swiftly finishing her task Tara then turned to the young girl.

"Did you need anything Miss?," Tara asked.

"Um… you can call me Buffy," she said nervously.

"Alright Buffy what do you need," Tara asked once again.

"Well um… I'm so embarrassed… you see… I've never been to a dinner party… I mean I really don't know what to do or expect," Buffy divulged.

"I'd be glad to teach you the ropes. We can practice here. The party will be down in the main dining room," Tara explained as she pulled out a service set to practice with.

One hour until the dinner party would start. Buffy made her way from the kitchen back to her room. Startled when she bumped into Angelus she let out an involuntary gasp. Scowling at the girl he roughly grabbed onto her arms in order to push her back from him. Noticing her wince in pain he loosened his grip somewhat. "I'll be at your room in precisely one hour be ready," he growled then released her from his grip. Scurrying away Buffy tried hard to keep her tears back. She could feel them burning the back of her throat, but she couldn't let them free. Partly because she did not want to ruin her make up and partly because she would not let him make her cry.

As promised precisely at six Angelus knocked on her closed door. Hoping not to anger him she quickly opened the door. Angelus breathed a sigh of relief. She cleaned up real nice and actually looked worthy to be hanging off his arm. Angelus looped his arm through hers muttering that she looked nice as they made their way down stairs. Just before they entered the main dining hall he whispered to her, "Just stay next to me and don't speak unless absolutely necessary. The last thing I need is for you to embarrass me." Once again Buffy found herself fighting back tears.

For nearly an hour Angelus paraded her around. Buffy tried to zone out and not really pay attention. She was amazed that no one even spoke to her. All comments and questions had been directed to Angelus. She looked up at his fake doting smile. She listened as he lied about his undying love for her. Buffy's heart sank as she realized she traded her unemotional father for a cold hearted bastard.

Buffy was greatly relieved once they all sat to eat. She was thankful for the several hours Tara had spent teaching her all about fine dining. "Elizabeth darling how did you meet Angelus?," a dark haired woman asked her. Buffy nearly choked on the bite she was currently chewing. She hadn't been prepared to answer personal questions about them. Coming to the rescue Angelus leaned in, "We met through our fathers. What can I say it was love at first sight." The woman seemed satisfied with the answer as she went back to her meal. Buffy flashed Angelus an appreciative smile who in turn frowned back at her.

It was nearly midnight before the last guests finally left. Thankful Buffy wandered upstairs. Angelus brushed passed her to his own room slamming and locking the door. Involuntarily Buffy jumped at the sudden noise. She made her way to her own room quickly divesting herself of the dress and getting into the shower. Briefly she wondered if he would always treat her this way. She hadn't wanted this marriage either and figured they should both make the best of things. The least he could do was be civil.