Part 2<\/b><\/p>\n
While Cordelia herself was loath to speak of Wolfram and Hart in a positive light, there were some benefits that were hard to dispute. Money was one, but Caritas was another. Without the Fang Gang consistently needing his help, Lorne had a lot more time to devote to business (and a lot more capital to invest).<\/p>\n
There were currently three incarnations of Caritas\u2014the one on Sunset may have been sucked through a portal, but Lorne had hell dimension insurance and his agent assured him the absence was only temporary.<\/p>\n
Nowadays Caritas was packed every night of the week. Anytime after midnight and the place was usually a crowded microcosm of L.A.\u2019s finest\u2026vampires, tourists, drunken college kids, demons, and C-list movie stars. They came for the affordable drinks and the non-violence spell and they stayed for the old-school ambiance and the mediocre karaoke.<\/p>\n
Still, happy hour had never really caught on with the crowd that Caritas catered to, so at 6 p.m. on a Thursday, the bar was relatively deserted. There was an elderly man channeling Dean Martin onstage and two Tevlok demons who appeared to be on an awkward first date. And of course there was Lorne.<\/p>\n
When Connor and Cordelia walked in the Pylean was sitting at the bar, drinking a mojhito and flipping through a magazine. He spotted them when they were halfway across the room, did a double take, grabbed the magazine and whipped it behind his back.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey Brown Eyes,\u201d Lorne drawled. \u201cYou\u2019re looking particularly Cordelicious this evening.\u201d Flattery usually distracted her.<\/p>\n
Cordelia raised her eyebrows. \u201cWatcha reading Lorne?\u201d she asked in a deceptively innocent voice.<\/p>\n
Lorne pretended to not hear the question and stuffed the magazine behind the bar in what he hoped was subtle fashion. \u201cYou know, nobody, but nobody, fills out a pair of Frankie B\u2019s like you do sweetie.\u201d<\/p>\n
She tapped her French-tipped nails on the bar. \u201cWhat were you reading?\u201d she enunciated clearly, as if speaking to a child.<\/p>\n
Bored, Connor leaned against the bar and yawned. He knew where this was going.<\/p>\n
\u201cReading?\u201d Lorne stalled. \u201cI wasn\u2019t reading. You know how I feel about reading. Why read when you can learn everything you need from Access Hollywood and Dr. Phil?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWas it porn?\u201d Cordelia asked, narrowing her eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia was determined to cover all the bases. \u201cWas it weird porn?\u201d<\/p>\n
That got Connor\u2019s attention. \u201cWhat would weird porn be?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, I wasn\u2019t reading porn, weird or otherwise,\u201d Lorne huffed.<\/p>\n
Cordelia nodded, then in one quick move, leaned all the way over the bar and grabbed the magazine before he could stop her. \u201c\u2018US Weekly\u2019? You\u2019re reading this trash?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou used to subscribe!\u201d Lorne said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, but that\u2019s before I found out they\u2019re published by a subsidiary of Wolfram and Hart.\u201d In Cordelia\u2019s mind, it was all incredibly simple. There was a very distinct line between good and evil. Everything on Wolfram and Hart\u2019s side was quite obviously evil.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t get it,\u201d Connor commented. \u201cI thought they were just a law firm.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut they\u2019re a law firm bent on world domination,\u201d Cordy informed him.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey, if they keep putting the Olson twins on the cover dressed like that, they can dominate me any day,\u201d Connor said, signaling for the bartender.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think what Princess meant is that the firm has a variety of business interests outside of law,\u201d Lorne explained.<\/p>\n
There was an almost imperceptible tic in Cordelia\u2019s jaw. \u201cDon\u2019t call me Princess Lorne. You know I hate that.\u201d Even as she said it, part of her recognized the lie. It wasn\u2019t that she hated the nickname. She hated what the nickname reminded her of.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut Angel always\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t call me Princess,\u201d Cordy said in an even voice that booked no argument.<\/p>\n
There was a moment of awkward silence. Connor cleared his throat. This was his cue. Time to change the subject. He\u2019d gotten awfully good at changing the subject in the last few years.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, they really control this magazine?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
Lorne smiled, glad the tension was easing. \u201cWhy do you think they make sure to mention Justin Timberlake in every single issue?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJustin\u2019s a demon?\u201d Connor was slightly excited. Technically, it was his job to kill demons. Well, not his job. Part time job. More like a hobby actually. But still\u2026<\/p>\n
Lorne shook his head. \u201cNo, but all those boybands signed a pact with the senior partners in the late nineties.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat explains so much,\u201d Cordelia said. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Spencer walking in the door, the ubiquitous cell phone in his hand.<\/p>\n
Spencer Kitteridge (\u201cSpence\u201d to his close friends) was a rare find. He\u2019d attended MIT on scholarship before heading back to California, in hopes of finding a stable job in the tech industry. Instead he\u2019d invented a brand new software, made millions, and began a virtual business empire. He was on his way to being the next Bill Gates.<\/p>\n
But the best part was that he didn\u2019t LOOK like Bill Gates. Just over six feet tall, with piercing blue eyes, the man was a full on hunk. His dirty blond hair was cut short enough to be professional but spiky enough to be trendy. And his body? His body was a temple. He lifted and ran six miles every day and supplemented with Spin classes and surfing and whatever the extreme sport of the week was.<\/p>\n
Spencer\u2019s eyes fixed on her and he gave a short wave and a smile. A pleasant warmth filled Cordelia, comfortable and calming. It didn\u2019t light a fire in her belly or send tingles shooting up her spine. But who needed tingles anyway. Tingles were childish\u2014they weren\u2019t real. Spence raised a finger to say he would be over in just a minute and flicked some invisible lint off of his Polo shirt. Spence was real.<\/p>\n
\u201cAhhh, there\u2019s your betrothed. Cell phone still firmly attached to his ear, I see,\u201d Lorne commented under his breath.<\/p>\n
Connor ground his teeth and continued to flip through the discarded magazine.<\/p>\n
\u201cShut up Lorne,\u201d Cordelia said, but her tone was good-natured. \u201cEven you have to admit that he is one gorgeous piece of man. I mean, can Cordy pick them or what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, if you ask me\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPretend I didn\u2019t.\u201d She glared at the green demon, and walked over to join her fianc\u00e9.<\/p>\n
\u201cFianc\u00e9. Wow.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n
Angel shot her an amused glance. \u201cWow what?\u201d He sat down on the king-sized bed. It was gigantic. Roughly the size of her entire bedroom back at her old apartment.<\/em><\/p>\n Cordy bit her lip, slightly embarrassed to admit to being so\u2026emotional. \u201cIt\u2019s just, she\u2014the woman at the front desk, she called me your fianc\u00e9. That\u2019s the first time someone called me that.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWell, I only asked you a few hours ago.\u201d Angel leaned down to tug off his socks and shoes.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI know. And now, here we are, on the top floor of the Bellagio.\u201d Cordy put down her purse and moved to stand in front of the full-length gilded mirror. \u201cIt\u2019s just a little\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cScary?\u201d There was that tiny hint of vulnerability in his voice, the one that always plucked at Cordy\u2019s heart. It spoke of her ability to hurt him, and his to hurt her.<\/em><\/p>\n Running off to Vegas with Angel didn\u2019t scare Cordelia. That power, that potential to inflict and receive pain, that scared the hell out of her.<\/em><\/p>\n But now was not the time to have that talk. She wasn\u2019t sure there would be a time to have that talk. Now was a happy time. And if she didn\u2019t say something soon, Angel wasn\u2019t going to be very happy.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cNo, not scary,\u201d Cordelia said, congratulating herself on the evenness of her voice. She smoothed out some flyaway strands of hair. \u201cI guess when she said it, it just made it, I don\u2019t know, real.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIs that a bad thing?\u201d She couldn\u2019t see Angel in the reflection of the mirror, but she could feel his eyes boring into her. \u201cLook, Cor, if this is moving too fast, if you, if you don\u2019t want to marry me\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n She quickly turned around to face him, this man, this amazing man who, miracle of miracles, wanted to spend the rest of his un-life with her. She needed to reassure him, needed to say something to make Angel understand the depth of her feelings for him. \u201cDon\u2019t be a dumbass.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n His jaw dropped open in that adorable, awkward way of his. \u201cHuh?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n She smiled as the fear and anxiety swirled away, locked back in the tiny box she tried so hard to keep it in. She pushed the momentary weakness into the past and all that was left was overwhelming love. Dear God how she loved him.<\/em><\/p>\n Cordelia took her time walking over to the bed, knowing Angel was taking in every detail. The steady rise and fall of her chest. The twist of hip, the flash of thigh. She came to stand in between his spread legs.<\/em><\/p>\n She tipped his chin up so he was looking at her face. \u201cOf course I want to marry you.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n And just like that, her vampire was back. The worry clouds cleared, replaced by that clever, sexy smirk of his. \u201cTonight?\u201d Both of his large hands came up to clasp her waist.<\/em><\/p>\n The cool pressure of his fingers was enough to speed her heart rate. Cordelia lightly ran a finger down his cheek. \u201cTonight.\u201d Her voice came out low and husky and she felt it when his jaw twitched.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cRight now?\u201d Angel asked, although she knew that he knew the answer. Cordelia had seen his eyes, knew the very second he had scented her need. During their short courtship, Cordy had learned just how hard it was to keep secrets from vampires.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cNo, not right now.\u201d She stepped further into the cradle of his body and wound her arms around his neck.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWhat would you like to do right now?\u201d Angel\u2019s hands tightened, pulling her closer and closer until Cordelia was forced to slide each leg up on the bed so she was straddling him. Not that she was complaining. \u201cCordy?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cHmmm?\u201d She started brushing soft dry kisses over his face. Over his left eyebrow. High on his right cheekbone. A slow series along his jaw line.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cRight now. What do you wanna do?\u201d Angel\u2019s voice came out growly and rough and it made every part of Cordelia damp and hot.<\/em><\/p>\n She leaned up, away from his face. \u201cYou.\u201d She pushed at his shoulders, sending them both sprawling down onto the bed. Angel rolled them both so that when they came to a stop, Cordelia was firmly trapped between his body and the mattress.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cDid I mention how much I love this bed?\u201d she managed to ask before his lips came down on hers.<\/em><\/p>\n When they finally broke for air, Angel had somehow managed to remove his sweater and Cordelia\u2019s skirt was twisted around her waist. \u201cWhat did you expect, this is the honeymoon suite.\u201d He scooted down to lave his tongue over her exposed d\u00e9colletage. Cordy\u2019s legs settled around his waist, bringing her flush with his burgeoning erection. \u201cYou don\u2019t even want to know how much this room costs a night.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cOh God.\u201d Her thighs clenched involuntarily around him. He always knew just what to say to make her hot. \u201cYes I do.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Angel looked up from her cleavage. \u201cYou just want me for my money,\u201d he teased. Cordy ran one hand through his hair, so it stood up in messy spikes. Her other hand had another destination in mind.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s not true honey. I want you for your money AND your body,\u201d she informed him. His laugh turned into a groan when she curled her fingers around his hardened penis.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cCordelia!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cCordelia. Cordelia?\u201d Spence was standing in front of her, looking puzzled and slightly annoyed. \u201cWhere did you go just then?\u201d he asked, when he finally saw her vision focus on him.<\/p>\n She swallowed rapidly in an effort to soothe her suddenly dry throat. Spence, good solid Spence, her good solid fianc\u00e9 stood in front of her, smiling innocuously, while she fantasized about her ex-husband.<\/p>\n And what the hell was that about, she wondered. Angel had been gone for years. The last time they\u2019d seen each other she\u2019d ended up in the rose bushes. He was just another piece of Cordelia\u2019s past that she didn\u2019t like to think about.<\/p>\n But for the last two weeks, that was seemingly all she had done. Think about Angel. Remember Angel.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry honey, I guess I was day-dreaming,\u201d she told Spencer and leaned up to kiss him. Spence had wonderful lips. Full and soft. So what if she knew he kept Clinique\u2019s All About Lips in his glove compartment and the girlishness of the habit never failed to irk her. She shouldn\u2019t complain. She was, after all, reaping the rewards.<\/p>\n \u201cWhoa there.\u201d Spencer\u2019s hands grabbed her shoulders, stopping her mid-lunge. \u201cYour lipstick,\u201d he reminded her.<\/p>\n Cordelia smiled mischievously. She\u2019d had the same problem with Angel. He was always whining about her lipstick rubbing off on him. Of course, she\u2019d always respond by literally smothering his entire face in lipsticky kisses. It might be fun to see Spence\u2019s reaction\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want you to smudge your lipstick,\u201d he clarified. \u201cThat color looks wonderful on you by the way. New?\u201d<\/p>\n Cor nodded, slightly shocky. A body of an Adonis, an investment portfolio, and he noticed her lipstick? She had found the perfect man. She had grown up dreaming of a man like this. This was it. All of those years, all the mistakes\u2026the past no longer counted. All that mattered was her future. With Spence. It would be perfect.<\/p>\n He gave her a light hug and brushed a cool dry kiss on the side of her cheek. \u201cBesides, I know you feel the same as I do about public displays of affection.\u201d<\/p>\n Cordelia felt her cheeks color slightly. She did?<\/p>\n \u201cShe does?\u201d Lorne asked, strolling over and catching the last bit of conversation. Connor followed at his usual slackerly pace.<\/p>\n \u201cLorne.\u201d Cordelia\u2019s voice held more than a little warning.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t know you were so anti-PDA,\u201d he told her with a wide grin. \u201cI guess I must have imagined that night you almost got arrested at the beach.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cProbably,\u201d she said in a flat voice.<\/p>\n Lorne\u2019s eyes sparkled in that way of his, that way that made Cordy want to kill him slowly. \u201cJust like I imagined when you got kicked out of a movie theater at the Beverly Center.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou were clearly hallucinating.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been known to happen.\u201d Lorne shrugged. \u201cI guess I was also hallucinating when I innocently walked into the Hyperion and found you on top\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYup,\u201d Cordelia cut him off before he could do anymore damage. \u201cYou should see someone about that. It was one big hallucination.\u201d<\/p>\n Lorne looked doubtful. \u201cIt was?\u201d<\/p>\n She wondered how many threats it was possible to communicate by arching one\u2019s eyebrow. \u201cIt was.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo it wasn\u2019t,\u201d Connor felt obliged to point out. \u201cI was with him!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell then you should see someone too because it appears the hallucinations are contagious.\u201d Cordelia\u2019s mind was made up. That boy needed a good slap upside the head. With a hammer.<\/p>\n Suddenly Spencer let out a hearty laugh. \u201cI get it.\u201d They all stared at him. \u201cYou almost had me for a moment there. You three are hilarious.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe are?\u201d Cordelia asked.<\/p>\n \u201cSure. Always joking around.\u201d Spencer clucked her on the chin. \u201cThat one was really good. It was a lot more believable than that bit about you being a demon incubator.\u201d<\/p>\n Lorne snorted in his effort to control his laughter. Connor wasn\u2019t quite as amused. \u201cYou thought that was a\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy future wife has one hell of an imagination, doesn\u2019t she?\u201d Spence interrupted.<\/p>\n \u201cActually,\u201d Connor began. This time Cordelia did hit him on the head.<\/p>\n \u201cSo Spencer,\u201d she said, taking his hand and pulling him towards the bar, \u201chow was your day?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPerfect now that I\u2019m with you.\u201d<\/p>\n Cordelia couldn\u2019t help herself from giving him a huge grin. \u201cYou always say the perfect thing. I think I\u2019m going to like being married to you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going to spend the rest of my life making sure of that.\u201d The vow was so sincere, so adoring, that it made her smile falter. Cordy wasn\u2019t entirely sure why. She signaled for the bartender, and ordered the usual\u2014a vodka tonic for her, bourbon on the rocks for him.<\/p>\n \u201cCordelia.\u201d Spencer tapped her on the shoulder.<\/p>\n \u201cHmmm?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDarling I don\u2019t drink bourbon.\u201d<\/p>\n Cordy didn\u2019t need a mirror to know she was blushing. \u201cOh my God, I\u2019m so sorry. I don\u2019t know why\u2026I\u2019ll take care of it.\u201d Spence\u2019s cell phone rang, so he merely nodded and walked over to a spot further away from the stage.<\/p>\n She was such a liar. She knew why. She\u2019d ordered bourbon because bourbon WAS the usual. Once. Because once there had been someone who drank bourbon.<\/p>\n \u201cDid I just hear what I thought I heard?\u201d Lorne sidled up to the bar next to her. Cordy shot a quick glance at Spence and double checked that he was still on the phone.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t make this a bigger deal than it is,\u201d she hissed. \u201cIt was an honest mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cActually, that is what we professionals call a Freudian slip,\u201d Connor corrected, coming to stand on Cordelia\u2019s other side.<\/p>\n \u201cYou<\/em> are a professional moron.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey Danny,\u201d Lorne called to the bartender. \u201cYou can skip the bourbon and just get Spencer\u2019s usual Michelob Ultra.\u201d<\/p>\n Connor snorted. \u201cHe drinks low-carb beer?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s nothing wrong with that,\u201d Cordy huffed. \u201cEvery man in L.A. does.\u201d That was basically true. Spencer had always drunk Michelob Ultra. And she\u2019d never forgotten that before. So why, now, two days before her wedding, was she suddenly ordering drinks for her ex-husband?<\/p>\n \u201cSorry about that,\u201d Spencer quickly apologized. He returned to the group just as Danny arrived with their drinks. \u201cWhat are we talking about?\u201d<\/p>\n Cordelia took a long slow sip of her vodka tonic while her mind searched for an appropriate topic. Finally, her eyes settled on one. She slammed the glass down on the bar. \u201cOh my God. Are you wearing jeans?\u201d<\/p>\n Spencer quickly glanced down at his jeans. \u201cWhy yes, I guess I am.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut, but you never wear jeans,\u201d she stuttered. It was true. Spencer wore suits to work, he wore beautifully fitted black pants when they hit the clubs, and he wore khaki to play golf on the weekends. Never jeans. He always worried people wouldn\u2019t take him seriously in jeans. He called it the Ryan Seacrest effect. \u201cI didn\u2019t even know you had jeans,\u201d Cordelia exclaimed.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I didn\u2019t until yesterday. I figured I needed some grubby clothes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDarling, I\u2019ve been doing work for the wedding all day. I\u2019m talking hours of back-breaking labor.\u201d<\/p>\n Connor coughed. \u201cYou did hours of hard labor?\u201d He sounded doubtful.<\/p>\n Spencer had the good graces to look sheepish. \u201cWell, no, I supervised. But supervising can be very messy.\u201d Connor nodded as if he agreed.<\/p>\n \u201cThey look awful,\u201d Cordelia blurted out.<\/p>\n \u201cWho?\u201d Spencer glanced behind him, eager to see the walking fashion faux-pas his fianc\u00e9 was referring to.<\/p>\n \u201cYour jeans. They are wretched.\u201d They were. \u201cThey look too short. And too new. And\u2026and are they ironed?” Something had to be done. Cordy reached for her drink and then, cool as a cucumber, she poured it all over Spencer\u2019s jeans.<\/p>\n \u201cHey!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDanny, we\u2019ll need another vodka tonic,\u201d Lorne hollered.<\/p>\n \u201cCordelia! These are new,\u201d Spence said, dabbing futilely at the spots with a cocktail napkin.<\/p>\n \u201cNo darling, they WERE new,\u201d she told him with a giggle. \u201cAnd they look much better now.\u201d<\/p>\n Spencer sighed dramatically. \u201cHoney, half the reason I worked so hard to make that first million was so I could have clothes that weren\u2019t stained.\u201d Cordelia just shrugged and flashed that small guilty smile of hers, the one they both knew he couldn\u2019t resist. Danny came and brought her second drink, placing it on the bar next to the forgotten copy of \u201cUS Weekly.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSay, is there anything in there about the wedding?\u201d Spencer asked, reaching for the magazine.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat!\u201d Cordelia nearly dumped a second drink on him.<\/p>\n \u201cI just figured there would be more publicity,\u201d he explained. \u201cI mean, they always print pictures of you when you go out, and I\u2019m not exactly unknown myself.\u201d He looked up when Cordelia didn\u2019t answer and noticed she was now standing several feet from him. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d he asked, following after her.<\/p>\n \u201cChasing people around with cameras? Obsessing over the tiniest details of their private lives? What could possibly be wrong with that? Besides Spence, you know how I feel about that magazine and you know who owns it.\u201d<\/p>\n Spencer put down the magazine. \u201cYou needn\u2019t be so dramatic about cutting that law firm out of your life. They\u2019re not bad contacts to have. I bet they could do wonders for my business.\u201d Cordy turned to walk away again. He grabbed her arm before she could. \u201cCordelia, you know I haven\u2019t completely ruled out politics.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo?\u201d She didn\u2019t how that related to the current topic of conversation.<\/p>\n He put his hands on her shoulders. \u201cSo, if I\u2019m going to set my beautiful wife up in the governor\u2019s mansion one day, I\u2019ll need some powerful allies. What I\u2019m saying is, I don\u2019t think it\u2019s wise to completely alienate Wolfram and Hart. They\u2019re not that bad.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re evil.\u201d<\/p>\n Spencer smiled knowingly. \u201cThat\u2019s what people say about every successful organization. Wolfram and Hart. Microsoft. The Yankees. They\u2019re all supposedly evil.<\/p>\n Cordelia\u2019s jaw dropped. \u201cThey tried to buy my eyes!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHoney that was just business.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen Connor was a baby, they wanted to dissect him\u201d she pointed out.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Connor said.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure it was just supposed to be a check-up,\u201d Spencer offered.<\/p>\n Cordelia still had plenty of ammunition. \u201cThey\u2019re the ones who canceled \u2018My So-Called Life\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI knew it!\u201d Lorne screamed. Everyone turned to stare at him. \u201cI knew it,\u201d he repeated in a quieter voice.<\/p>\n \u201cMy point is this,\u201d Cordy told Spencer. \u201cI\u2019m done with that law firm and no one remotely connected to them is setting foot in my house.\u201d She raised her glass to take a sip but Spencer grabbed her arm.<\/p>\n \u201cOur house,\u201d he corrected.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, of course,\u201d Cordelia hurriedly brushed over. \u201cThat\u2019s what I meant. OUR house,\u201d she said carefully. \u201cThey\u2019re not getting anywhere near our house.\u201d<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n Meanwhile, across town, on the 23rd floor of a towering silver and black building\u2026<\/p>\n Jennifer Braun was on edge. This was not a typical emotion for her. She\u2019d been at Wolfram and Hart for almost four years now and she\u2019d been Lilah Morgan\u2019s secretary for the past two. She didn\u2019t scare easily. Not only was Jennifer employed by a woman who was technically dead, but in the course of her work, she\u2019d seen all types. Oily Harvard Law grads. Demons every color of the rainbow. One time there was this guy who had antlers that were dripping slime.<\/p>\n None of them set her on edge the way the couple sitting on the couch across from her desk did.<\/p>\n There were no antlers or slime. In fact, they both looked human. Jennifer struggled to rationalize her unease. It\u2019s not that they were scary\u2026it was power. They reeked of it. There was a quiet confidence about them that they shouldn\u2019t have, knowing what Jennifer knew about their current situation. They weren\u2019t exactly here by choice.<\/p>\n Still, there was this aura about them. Like they could snap their fingers and bring the entire building down in seconds. Jennifer had only met one other person who exuded power like they did. That hunky vampire who used to be the CEO.<\/p>\n Miss Morgan would want to know they had arrived. She picked up the phone and buzzed her employer\u2019s office.<\/p>\n \u201cYes Jennifer?\u201d Lilah\u2019s voice was chilly and composed, as always, but there was something else to it, something new. An undercurrent of excitement. Like whatever she had planned for today was going to bring her immense joy.<\/p>\n \u201cThe freelancers you hired to deal with the Cordelia Chase situation are here,\u201d the secretary said quietly.<\/p>\n \u201cPerfect,\u201d Lilah exclaimed. \u201cI\u2019ve got Governor Schwarzenegger on hold, give me five minutes to finish the call and then send them in.\u201d<\/p>\n Jennifer hung up the phone and nervously watched the clock for the requisite five minutes. Then she took a deep breath and walked over to the sitting area.<\/p>\n \u201cExcuse me. Miss Summers, Mr. Harris. Miss Morgan will see you now.\u201d<\/p>\n