Chasing Shadows part2 ~ No Honorable Intentions

(two years later)

Chloe sat in the semi dark at the Torch trying meet the deadline as usual. She tapped her pen on the desktop, staring blankly at the monitor wondering what she could possibly come up with as a filler at nine-thirty at night. The fact was she could come up with several things but, no one wanted to read it. No one cared about her columns, or the wall of weird. That was hers, and hers alone.

Alone. Yea, that's exactly what she was. During the past year things changed dramatically between herself and her friends. Well, once friends that is. Chloe had made a big mistake. She thought she was being smart when she accepted Lionel Luthor's offer to spy on Clark.

She accepted so she could find out why the senior Luthor was so interested in him, plus, Clark had chosen Lana over her. She was hurt, she was rash, and she was stupid. She had lost all her friends, and most of her credibility because of Lionel Luthor.

"Fuck it," she stated and tossed the pen, watching it bounce off the desk to roll on the floor. She typed a short letter saying good bye to Smallville High, to those she knew, and those she didn't, and to the Torch, which had been her home away from home for four years.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she turned off the lights, and closed the door. The last edition of the Torch was ready for print. At least it was the last for Chloe. Next year someone else will run the Torch. Chloe started to outwardly cry, her sobs echoed in the empty dark halls of Smallville High.

XxXxX

"Lex!" Gabe Sullivan exclaimed with surprise at seeing his boss at the front door, close to eleven at night.

"We need to step up the productivity, Gabe," he stated, getting right to his point.

"We can't Lex, we've been over this before," Gabe replied tiredly. "We're already past the limit for what that factory can handle."

Lex grabbed the larger man up by his shirt, pushing him back against the opened door. "I don't want to hear it, Gabe! I want more productivity no matter what the cost!"

Headlights shined on them, temporarily blinding both men when they looked into them. The car finished its turn into the driveway, and shut down. Lex released Gabe, smoothed the man's shirt, and stepped back. Gabe wasn't sure if Chloe's timing was good or bad at that point.

"Have a bad day at the office?" Chloe asked snidely in general, stopping before her father and Lex in the doorway.

"Chloe go upstairs," Gabe said tiredly.

"I was just leaving, we'll finish this discussion tomorrow," Lex stated curtly.

"Is this about the productivity again?" Chloe demanded, grabbing Lex by the sleeve of his shirt to prevent him from leaving.

"Chloe!" Gabe exclaimed flabbergasted. He wasn't sure which act he was more appalled by, Chloe grabbing hold of Lex, or her letting him know that she knew confidential plant information.

"Don't 'Chloe' me dad!" she yelled heatedly. "Every night you come home all stressed out because of 'his' damn plant!" Tugging on Lex's sleeve for emphasis. "And you!" Turning her ire to Lex. "If you want more productivity then build another one or something. You're burning the plant out with your demands!"

"Chloe," Gabe could hardly breath her name through his mortification, his fear of what Lex's reaction might be.

"I suggest, Miss Sullivan, that you remove your hand, and keep your mouth shut," Lex half threatened.

"Or what Lex? You'll offer me money? Turn my friends against me? Ruin my credibility with every paper worth working for? Too late! Your father beat you to it!" She shoved his arm before letting go, then headed back to her car.

"Chloe Marie Sullivan!" her father bellowed. "Get back in this house at once!" Then in a low subdued voice. "Lex, I apologize for my daughter's behavior." Gabe stepped around Lex in an attempt to stop Chloe.

"Don't try the full name bullshit, either!" she yelled at her father. "I'm sick of listening to you bitch and moan about how he's running the plant to the ground. Why don't you use the balls you've got and 'make' him listen? That's what he pays you for, isn't it?!"

She stepped around her car, and opened the door. "If you want to blow up Smallville, go right ahead. But, I won't be here to die in it!"

She got in and slammed the door, dropping the car keys in the process. Lex slipped past Gabe as Chloe was bent down groping on the floor. He opened the passenger side door just as her hand closed around the keys and sat up.

"What do you think you're doing?" she blinked at him incredulously.

"Drive." He commanded in a no nonsense tone, slamming the car door next to him.

"Not until you apologize to my dad for ignoring common sense."

"I think you owe him an apology of your own." Giving her a pointed look. She was all fired up about something, and Lex had a suspicion that it had nothing to do with him, her father, or the plant.

"Are you going to get out of my car, or apologize to my dad?"

"I'll follow your lead in either matter."

She narrowed her eyes at him. 'What the hell is he up to now?' she thought. "Roll down the window," she told him. Lex did as she instructed. "Daddy?" she called out in her little girl voice. "I'm going to take Lex to the bluff, and push him off the edge. I promise I won't stay out too late." She turned her eyes to Lex. "Your turn."

Lex absolutely wanted to smile. Only Chloe could say something like that, and make it sound like everything was okay. Lex looked over at Gabe with no trace of humor in his expression. The man looked like he was going to have a cardiac, glancing nervously from Lex to his daughter with indecision. "Cut the power down to regulation level at the plant," he conceded, giving in to Gabe's advisement.

"And?" Chloe prompted.

"And nothing. Now drive." Chloe gave him a pointed look. He turned his gaze back to Gabe. "And I'll make sure your daughter keeps herself out of trouble, for once."

Not exactly satisfied with his apology, Chloe put the car in reverse anyway, and pulled away from the house.

Gabe Sullivan stood outside his front door, and watched them drive off. "They're going to kill each other," He mumbled aloud rhetorically. He wasn't sure which part of him worried the most at that moment. His fatherly side for his daughter, or his employment side for his boss.

He knew Chloe had a strong will, god knows she got it from him, but, he never realized exactly how strong it was until that night when he witnessed how she stood up to Lex Luthor. He didn't even want to think of why Luthor let his daughter dictate to him. Nope, he didn't want to give food to that thought at all. Gabe went in the house to get some anti-acid, and a beer, before calling the plant to give the new orders.

XxXxX

"Aren't you going to ask?" Lex questioned after a few minutes of silence.

"Obviously not if I haven't said anything." She didn't care why he insisted in getting in her car, somehow knowing that that was what his question meant.

"What happened, Chloe? It's not like you to remain so quiet."

"I have nothing to say," she whispered. "And, no one to say it to." Then, after a moments pause, "Tomorrow's the last edition of the Torch."

'Ah, that was it.' Lex thought. 'The last week of senior year, the end of a chapter in her life, and not a very good one at that.' He looked over at her. "I 'am' sitting right here you realize. You 'can' talk to me." She remained silent. "You're heading for Metropolis?" he asked when she turned onto the main highway.

"You should've asked that before you got in my car. You said "drive", I'm driving."

"Turn down here, and head to the mansion," he ordered with ease.

"I don't want to be in Smallville tonight," she countered stubbornly.

Lex leaned over and grabbed the wheel to pull it to the right, making the car skid and slide as Chloe slammed on the brakes.

"What the hell was that all about?" she screamed at him. "In case you haven't noticed, 'I'm' the one driving!"

His face was only inches from hers. He leaned closer and closed his lips over hers. She jolted slightly with surprise then relaxed, responding to him almost instantly. He casually took hold of her hand before she could wrap it around his neck, then, pulled back to straighten himself in his seat.

"I said, head for the mansion. I meant it."

"Okay," she conceded breathlessly, her cheeks flushed, her eyes slightly glazed. With a mind clearing breath she pushed the gas pedal, and headed down the road that would lead to Lex's Estate. Chloe pulled up to the front of the manor, and looked at him undecidedly.

"You can either stay here the night, or keep driving to Metropolis. But, I should warn you, I will 'not' have honorable intentions if you stay with me, Chloe." He got out of the car, leaving her to make her own decision.

She watched him walk to the door. His gait was casual, his shoulders squared. Broad shoulders that were muscled more-so than you could tell at a glance. His lean waist, his ass, his long legs, his ass. 'Damn.' She wet her lips, still tasting him from his kiss. She turned off the ignition, and got out of the car.

XxXxX

Chloe walked into the living room as Lex poured himself a drink. She leaned on the bar, and took the glass from his hand before it reached his lips. She took a generous sip as he looked at her with mild surprise. She made a face when the liquid touched her tongue, and handed his drink back to him. Her sour expression increased when she had to swallow but didn't want to. The scotch burned her throat, she could feel the fire of it all the way down to her stomach.

"Would you prefer coffee?"

"How can you stand it?"

"It's an acquired taste," he answered simply though suspected she wasn't referring to his choice of drink.

"I meant being alone all the time."

"Years of practice. You get used to it."

"No, you got used to it. I can't stand it anymore."

A servant entered the room with a tray bearing a pot of hot coffee, condiments, and one cup. Lex must have given the order when he walked in the door. She poured Chloe's cup for her before leaving the room. Chloe fixed the drink to her liking, and continued speaking after taking at least three sips of it.

"You know what really sucks, Lex? That I can't fully blame your father for any of what happened. I did it all on my own."

"I'm sure he held the strings tighter than you realize. He's good at that. Making it seem as though you're making the decisions when he's the one leading you in the direction he wants you to take."

Chloe looked over the little bar at Lex. "I think you're the only friend I've got left."

"Well, if that's the case then lucky for you I'm used to being treated the way you did to me tonight," he said smoothly walking around to her side. She turned as he came closer. He placed his arms on each side of her, his palms rested on the bar behind her. "However, I suggest you don't do that again. I don't take well to my employees seeing me give in to anyone, particularly an attractive woman."

Chloe snorted humorlessly. "I'm only eighteen, Lex."

"I'm more than well aware of how old you are, Chloe." Leaning closer but not too close as he looked at her.

Chloe realized he wasn't going to kiss her, and felt disappointed with that realization. Her mind processed the last time she felt that disappointment. "Oh my god, it's been two years hasn't it?"

Lex smiled, and tilting his head, pushed himself away from her. "It's nice to know it was so memorable for you," he accused lightly.

"We didn't do anything, Lex," she defended.

"No. But, you wanted to." He turned to face her. "I wanted to." He paused to let his words sink in. "But, I'll assume you found what you were looking for with someone else since you never contacted me."

"I think I should leave." Putting the cup down she started to walk across the room.

"Your car has been moved to the garage with mine." He went to her as she turned around. "I told you, no honorable intentions."

"I can't do this with you, Lex. I'm afraid I might fall in love with you if I did."

He reached out and caressed her bottom lip with his thumb, his palm at the side of her face. She pulled her head back, lowering it so he couldn't see her eyes.

"It would be horrible if that happened, wouldn't it?" he asked in a soft, but, condoning tone. "Falling in love with not only a freak, but a monster as well. What would your father say?"

"He'd say I always had a taste for the unusual," she replied, meeting his gaze.

"Do you really want a taste, Chloe?" he asked, stepping closer to her.

She placed her hands at his face and tip-toed to meet his lips as he bent his head for her. She pressed herself fully against him, his arms going around her back, his hand sliding down to her ass. He moved to kiss at her neck, trailing his tongue down its sensitive skin then back up to nip at her earlobe. Her head was thrown back to give him all the room he wanted. Her hands grabbed at his shoulders even though she knew he wouldn't let her fall.

"What do you want?" he whispered in her ear.

"I want you to show me more," she breathed with her eyes closed. "I want to sleep in your bed tonight, Lex."

He looked down at her and smiled. "Are you sure? I have over seventy rooms for you to choose from."

Her eyes flashed open ready for battle when she saw his grin. With a sly grin of her own she grabbed the front of his shirt, and pulled him to her. "I'm sure," she whispered, kissing him hungrily.

XxXxX

Chloe felt almost giddy as Lex led her to his bedroom. One thing was certain, she would've never found it on her own. He kept himself well hidden, well protected, if anything happened within the mansion Lex had many ways to escape unnoticed.

He didn't let her out of arms reach at any given moment. At one point while they walked down a hall he came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist with his lips at her neck. Chloe couldn't stop laughing as they tripped on each other's feet.

She was almost bent in half she was laughing so hard. He picked her up, and spun her around in a full circle before setting her back on her feet. He pressed her back against the wall claiming her mouth with his. She wouldn't stop laughing against his lips, ultimately making him laugh, too.

"They're all stupid as hell," he stated, his grin fading slowly.

"Who?" Looking up at him with flushed cheeks and kiss swollen lips.

"Every boy who let you go," Lex replied with a lightness in his tone. But, his eyes held something deeper. Chloe's expression changed, trying to figure out exactly what he was implying. "Don't even think it, Chloe. My fondness for you isn't that deep."

'Oh, now that hurt.' Her chin went up defiantly. "Exactly how deep is your fondness for me, Lex?" she practically snapped at him.

He pressed her against the wall with his body, noticing how her hands went directly to cup his ass of their own accord. "Deep enough to not hurt you to the best of my ability."

She stared up at him for a few long seconds. "Don't let me leave here tonight, Lex," she pleaded with a seriousness of her own. "Don't let me change my mind about this."

"I already told you. I have no honorable intentions tonight, Chloe. There's no way your leaving until we finish what was started two years ago."

He expected her to revolt. To push him away, and run hell bent for the front door, which he would have let her do despite his words. But, instead she wrapped her arms around his neck, a sly grin formed on her lips, her eyes danced with mischief.

"Are we anywhere near this bedroom of yours, or are you lost and won't admit it?"

"To admit to you, Miss Sullivan, that I was lost in my own home would be on the front page of every newspaper from here to Metropolis," he stated with humor in his eyes, and a smile on his lips. He stepped back taking her hand in his to lead her to the next room down the hall. Chloe followed him inside without a doubt in her mind that this was what she wanted.

XxXxX

Chloe expected to feel awkward once inside his bedroom. She expected the feeling of butterflies in her stomach. She expected to embarrass herself to the core with clumsiness. She briefly worried that he wouldn't like the way she touched him, that she would do something wrong. But, all that went out of her head as soon as his lips were on hers.

He backed her up to the bed to lay above her. His hands touched her all over with slow precision. His mouth never left her skin; kissing, licking, gently sucking as he removed her clothes with skilled patience.

She returned his touches with caresses of her own. She had his shirt unbuttoned, and pulled from his waistband before he was half done with exploring her clothed body. She attempted twice to remove it from his shoulders before he finally gave in, and let her slide it off his arms to end up on the floor.

She let him know she wanted to roll over and be on top by shoving at his shoulders, trying to physically move him. Lex rolled to his back, and let her have her way. Chloe was mostly gentle as her hands explored his chest and stomach. Her mouth and hands on his skin felt electrical. He closed his eyes to enjoy the moment until she bit a nipple just a little too hard.

"I'm sorry!" she yelped when his body jolted in reflex. "Oh my god, Lex, I am so sorry!"

He paused for a short second to wonder at her dramatic reaction. She looked absolutely fearful as she waited for him to move, or say something. "I'm sure I'm more sensitive than the hardened bodies of young jocks you're used to dating, nothing more Chloe. Just take it easy with the teeth. I didn't 'not' enjoy the feeling, it was just unexpected."

She narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously for all of two seconds. "Oh, okay. So you're not mad?"

"Mad?" genuinely surprised at her question. 'The boys in this town are absolute idiots.' he thought before answering her. "Not at all. In fact, I think the other one is jealous."

He was rewarded with her bright smile, her eyes shining bright with renewed confidence and mischief. She leaned over him to nip at his neglected nipple. He actually cried out when she bit him more fiercely than the other one.

"You little bitch!" he laughed. "You did that on purpose!" he grabbed her by the shoulders and rolled her onto her back. "Now it's my turn."

Telling Lex to do his worst could be deemed as a mistake by some, but, not to Chloe. She thrived for every ounce of attention he paid to her body. His lips and tongue teased her unmercifully after returning the favor of getting her nipples hard with arousing nips of his own.

His hands roamed her body, caressing in all the right places. She quickly discovered that she liked his fingers 'there', moaning in heated protest when he took them away.

As he positioned himself above her, her hand went firmly to his shoulder, holding him back for just an instant. Her hesitation had been too quick, her fear had been too short lived, her indecision had been quickly decided. She bit her lip, and closed her eyes tight as she grabbed his hips to guide him into her, thrusting her own hips to meet him as he filled her for the first time. Her first time.

She threw her head back with a moan at the feel of him inside her. The heat he stirred in her was like nothing she had ever felt before. She couldn't get enough, she wanted more. She wanted him to move faster, trying to make him by meeting his thrusts with her own, grabbing at him with a fevered rush.

He held her down, keeping to his own rhythm, making her follow his lead, and not the other way around. Only when he was ready did he move more to her liking.

"Lex! Oh my god, Lex!"

He resigned himself to give her what she wanted. Shifting himself he plunged deeper into her then he had before. He brought her to climax with a practiced skill as she screamed his name repeatedly, comparing him to the gods. Lex had never heard Chloe use the word fuck before, and found it interesting at her use of the word now.

For more than two years Lex imagined Chloe being a screamer, but hearing his name breathlessly pouring from her lips, feeling her nails raking his back, having her thighs around him like a vice was more than he had ever imagined. He sunk into her with satisfied exhaustion. His sweat mingled with hers as they lay breathless and weak in each others arms. The scent of sex surrounding them only added to their spent senses.

He rolled to his back, bringing her with him to lay close to his side, letting her know he didn't want to completely break their contact anymore than she did.

"Why'd you wait, Chloe?" he asked quietly. He had realized too late that it was Chloe's first time, and she had refused to let him take it easy with her.

She snuggled closer to him, letting her head grow heavy at his shoulder, her arm limply across his chest, her leg comfortably between his. Ignoring his question she fell asleep with his arms around her.

Lex stared up at the ceiling. He should have let her leave, he realized too late. She was going through hard emotional times, and having sex with him was definitely bad timing for those emotions. But, he counted on having to deal with that. What he hadn't counted on was her still being a virgin.

Chloe had dated actively enough. There were quite a few nights she had stayed out all night with a boy only to sneak home just before dawn. Lex knew this because he had her watched. So, why wouldn't he assume she'd already given it up?

He shifted his shoulders just enough so he could see her face. He noticed the mark on her neck and cringed slightly. He hadn't meant to leave any marks on her. It had been a long time since he was that careless during sex. 'Gabe is definitely going to have a cardiac if he sees that.'

A protectiveness consumed Lex at the thought of Chloe getting in trouble with her father because of him. His thoughts turned to what kind of man he was fast becoming. Not like his father, but something worse. He was driven, and not in a good way. He was more than content to let Smallville blow to the high heavens as long as it increased his accounts before it did.

He bent his head to rest his forehead against her temple. Closing his eyes he lightly kissed the side of her cheek. "Why'd you wait for me, Chloe?" he whispered with torment in his voice, hoping she couldn't hear him. Then, another thought came to him, and he pulled his head back to look fully at her face. "You had no intention of going to Metropolis tonight, did you?"

A sly, satisfied grin formed on Chloe's lips as she snuggled deeper in Lex's arms.