Chapter 4
Chloe woke early. Grumbled at finding herself alone.
She'd spent another night in the warm, comfort of Lex's arms, and was not at all pleased that he'd extricated himself from her clutches without her even noticing.
She crawled out of bed, wrapped Lex's robe around her shoulders and went in search of him.
Found him in the library. Having a heated conversation with someone.
She turned to leave, not wanting to interrupt him. Stopped when she heard her name mentioned. Moved closer to the door and peeked into the room. Gasped as she saw that Lex was talking to Lucas.
Or rather, Lucas was talking at Lex.
"You better not hurt her, Lex." Lucas said heatedly. "If you hurt her I'll kick your fucking ass without a second thought."
Chloe started, the words echoing in her head as confusion whirled to life inside her brain. What the fuck was Lucas talking about? Her original theory about his returning to take her back was immediately thrown out the window. Something very strange was going on here, and she was going to get to the bottom of it, one way or another.
"I don't know what you're worried about, Lucas," Lex responded. "This was your idea in the first place. If you thought I was going to hurt her, you never would've told me how she felt about me."
"Yeah well, I'm never entirely certain of your motives, and I still believe her happiness is worth the risk, but that won't stop me from tearing you apart if this falls through and she gets hurt."
"If you want this to work, then why'd you go against the original plan and come back here? I do't think the drunken knight act was the way to push things in the right direction."
"I drank too much and I started to feel guilty about ditching her here with you. I wondered if I'd made a mistake by doing so, if maybe I was wrong about her having feelings for you."
"Why were you second-guessing yourself? Did you decide you wanted to keep her after all?"
"I always wanted her, Lex," Lucas said. "But not if she wants you. Chloe deserves to be happy and if it's your sorry ass that makes her happy, who am I to stand in the way of it? But only if you truly want her for herself and not for some stupid hidden agenda. You do actually want her…right?"
"Of course, I want her. You know damned well that I've always wanted her. That's the only reason you pursued her in the first place."
"That's not true!"
Lex gave him a knowing look. Crossed his arms over his chest and waited.
Lucas rolled his eyes, said, "Fine. At first I went after her just because I saw the way you looked at her when you thought no one was looking, and I always enjoy messing with you. But I continued to pursue her because she got under my skin."
Chloe gasped, was shocked. If she was hearing them correctly, both Luthor men were genuinely interested in gaining her affections. She smirked, felt pride and anger battling for dominance. It was annoying and part of her wanted to jump in and kill both of them, but it was also a nice switch for someone who'd spent most of her life feeling second-rate, at best. She needed to know more.
She frowned, leaned closer and listened intently.
"I'll do a lot for you, Lex, but I'll never forgive you for making me leer at Lana," Lucas said sullenly. "That bitch gives me heartburn. For a while there, I didn't think I could get drunk enough to leer at her convincingly, while still being coherent enough to say the line that would set all this in motion."
Chloe gasped again, this time slapping her hand over her mouth to hush the sound. The no good, arrogant bastards had set her up. And she'd fallen for it – hook, line and sinker.
Lex laughed, "I was beginning to wonder. Luckily, Chloe had become rather pensive, so your shitty acting was totally lost on her. All she saw was you glancing at Lana, and that's all it took."
"It's a good thing you had Lana feign interest, though. I think that's what really set Chloe off." Lucas chuckled. "How much longer will you and Lana have to keep up the bogus relationship?"
"Not much longer. Once Pete's officially in office, they'll elope and be done with it. Not a moment too soon either. She's lucky I had something to gain from all this, otherwise she'd have been put up in an apartment far away from me."
"But think of all the connections you gained. That must've made it a lot easier to deal with."
"Indeed, but it was still painful."
Lucas laughed, "No doubt. I would've strangled the bitch a long time ago, connections be damned." He pause then said, "I was getting worried about Dad, that rotten son of a bitch, I thought for sure he was going to open his suddenly contrite mouth and ruin everything. I had to kick him under the table, just in case he was getting any ideas."
"I wondered that myself. He sure was glad to leave. He barely waited for her to fall asleep before taking off."
The Luthor men chuckled together, both obviously pleased with their actions. And she wanted to bust in their and strangle both of them. Wanted them to be sorry they'd ever messed with Chloe Sullivan. And they would…oh yes, they would.
Lucas gave Lex a serious look then asked, "Is everything going okay? Have you kept things on track, so far?"
Lex nodded, smiled smugly. "No need to worry, Lucas. Everything is A-okay."
"Good. I was a little worried that you wouldn't be able to pull it off. You looked a little sick as we were leaving, and I questioned whether you had the fortitude to not fuck it up."
"What did you expect?" Lex asked. "I was setting myself up for failure. If things had gone badly, I would've not only lost my pride, but perhaps my balls as well. There was a lot at stake here."
"I know that feeling. I was more than happy to leave before she could confront me. I prefer to keep my balls intact, thank you very much." Lucas gave Lex a curious look then asked, "What did she say when you finally told her about our little plan?"
Lex suddenly looked uncomfortable, and his hands twitched some, as if he'd been on the verge of fidgeting. He gave Lucas a pained look, admitted, "I haven't actually told her yet."
"What!? Are you fucking crazy!?" Lucas nearly bellowed. "What the fuck are you waiting for!?"
Lex groaned, "There just hasn't been an opportune moment."
"Did she happen to ask about it?"
"Yes, but –"
"You don't call that an opportune fucking moment?! For Christ's sake, Lex, she's going to castrate you before you can get to the really good parts!"
Lex glared at him, said, "I'm not the only one up for castration, Lucas. I'll just be first on the chopping block."
Lucas grimaced, "I know. I should probably go before she finds out."
"You do know you're going to have to get some treatment for your drinking problem, right?"
Lucas grimaced again, muttered, "Dad already mentioned it. I'll go willingly, so you won't have to actually coerce me into signing the admittance documentation."
Lex smirked, "Who said anything about coercing you?"
"I know you better than that. If I refused, you'd just wait until I went on a bender and then ask me to sign some kind of paperwork that would supposedly make me a very rich man. I may drink too much, but I'm not completely stupid."
"That's up for debate."
Chloe whirled around, the good-natured chuckling setting her blood boiling. She'd heard enough. She didn't need to know anything else, and what she did need to know, she'd learn on her terms.
Very, very soon.
She just had to get a proper method of persuasion. Wanted to make sure they both knew she meant business. She wasn't going to take anymore of their shit.
And she certainly wasn't going to confront them wearing nothing but Lex's bathrobe.
She strode back to her room, fuming and cursing both Luthor men straight to Hell.
Happy fucking birthday to me!
She returned fully dressed.
And wielding a gun.
She didn't waste anymore time eavesdropping. She burst right in, held the gun casually at waist level and said, "Well, well, isn't this just the cozy little soiree..."
Lucas' eyes widened almost comically. Lex raised his brows at her with mild indifferently, said, "Now come on, Chloe, we both know that gun's a fake, so there's no point in being melodramatic."
"Um…Lex," Lucas mumbled uncomfortably.
Lex raised his hand dismissively, gave Chloe a tolerant look, said, "Just put the gun away, so we can all sit down and talk like rational adults."
"Lex…"
"Not now, Lucas!"
"But –"
"Lucas, I don't have time for your incessant prattling, so just shut your—"
Chloe rolled her eyes, pointed the gun at the far wall and squeezed the trigger. Grimaced at the shock that went through her hand and arm as the round left the chamber. Had to work at suppressing her grin as Lex just about jumped out of his skin. Said sweetly, "Maybe you should sit down and let me do the talking."
He sat. Quickly. Glared at his brother and muttered, "I can't believe you brought a loaded weapon into my house."
Lucas gave him a sheepish look, "You expected me to go into a dangerous situation with a fake gun?! Are you crazy?!"
Lex shook his head at Lucas then turned his attention back to Chloe. He looked a little ruffled, but still mostly calm. He seemed to be cool and collected – unlike Lucas – who was already fidgeting and sweating.
She moved towards them, stopped in front of them and rested the gun along her side. "I would've hoped it wouldn't have to come to this, but it seems as if you two are incapable of being absolutely honest with anyone – including yourselves."
Lucas started to open his mouth, but Chloe's pointed glare stopped him. So she continued, "I'm going to ask some very important questions, and all I want for a response is a raised hand. If the question pertains to you, just raise your hand. Who understands the instructions?"
Both men raised their hands.
"Whose idea was it to trick me into being here?"
Both men raised their hands.
Chloe scowled, asked, "Whose idea was it originally?"
Both men raised their hands.
Chloe's scowl deepened, "Who decided I was in love with Lex and decided to conspire and scheme as a means to an end?"
Lucas raised his hand.
She stepped forward, poked him in the sternum so hard she thought she may have broken her finger. Lucas yelped and fell backwards on the sofa, his hand resting against the offended spot defensively. "What'd you do that for?!"
"That's for being a sanctimonious asshole and not confronting me with your ridiculous assumptions regarding the state of my emotions."
He scowled, said, "If you want to be that way about it, maybe you should've been honest with me in the first place, instead of constantly leading me on."
"I never, ever led you on and you know it!" Chloe seethed. "You knew where I stood from the very beginning of our relationship, so don't try to play the scorned victim in this!"
Lex interrupted, "Wait, Lucas knew where you stood from the beginning?"
Chloe nodded, "Of course. I'm not into leading people on. I may not have given him all the specific details of my disinterest in a serious, long-term relationship, but I never led him to believe their was any type of real future for us."
"Now that's very interesting."
Lucas suddenly looked even more uncomfortable and then his leg started bouncing nervously, his hands once again fidgeting in his lap. And he wouldn't look at anyone. He inspected the floor, then the wall, then the ceiling. Never once letting his gaze fall on her or Lex.
Chloe turned to Lex, asked, "Interesting how?"
"I think Lucas should explain."
"Explain what, exactly?"
"He should be the one to explain how it is we both ended up being duped by his scheming ass."
Chloe gasped in outrage, took a menacing step towards Lucas, and growled, "Get talking."
Lucas sighed heavily, said to Lex, "It wasn't even my idea. I was just enjoying my time with Chloe when her feelings for you were brought to my attention. After taking some time to consider the possibility of such implications being true, I had to accept that her line about not wanting to consider a future with me was true for reasons I never considered."
"What are you talking about?" Lex asked. "Who brought all of this to your attention?"
"I'd rather not say."
Chloe glared at him, "I have a few rounds right here that say you'd rather talk."
"You wouldn't shoot me."
"Lucas, over the past three days, I've been manipulated, disrespected and generally treated like a fool. Do you really think that's not reason enough for me to give you a minor flesh wound?"
Lucas eyed her warily. He obviously didn't want to give up his source.
"Chloe," a familiar voice said from the doorway. "Please quit harassing my boy and put the gun away."
"Dad," Lex murmured, mostly to himself. "I should've known."
Chloe sighed, rolled her eyes at him and said, "If you know, I'd sure as hell like an update."
"We were duped by everyone."
"Everyone?"
"Yes," Lex explained. "Lucas got the ball rolling, but my father and Lana were both in on it the entire time. I bet Pete had a hand in it too."
"What are you talking about?"
Lex shook his head and laughed, "We were both manipulated by the whole lot of them. I thought I was the one calling the shots, when technically everything was engineered for me, and I just played right into their hands."
"And you find this funny?"
Lex shrugged, "Well, yes, a little."
Chloe glared at him, then glared at Lucas and finally she glared at Lionel. Seethed, "Man, you Luthor's sure know how to make a clusterfuck out of everything."
Lionel gave her an offended look, "Now that's not true, Ms. Sullivan. We were only doing our best to help the two of you figure out what's best for you. Consider it an elaborate push in the right direction."
"By all means, Mr. Luthor," Chloe muttered. "Please explain further."
Lionel moved into the middle of the room, seated himself in the chair beside where she was standing. "I would be happy to. Just as long as you promise to withhold judgment until after I'm finished."
"Fine. Talk."
"I sought Lucas out shortly after you started dating because something about your relationship didn't sit well with me. I didn't want to see him hurt when your feelings for Lex were finally revealed, so I took it upon myself to divulge the information. Of course, being the stubborn, insolent fool that he is, he didn't believe me and basically told me to mind my own fucking business, but I knew that his curiosity would be piqued and in time he'd realize what was right in front of his face. Sure enough, shortly thereafter, he came to see me and told me that he was almost certain my assumption was correct, and he wanted to do something about it."
Chloe rolled her eyes, "How the fuck would he know anything about how I may or may not have felt for Lex. We never spoke of it, and I know he was never around during the few brief, work-related meetings we did have."
Lucas cleared his throat, said, "It was the little things that caught my attention. You always became really interested whenever I mentioned his name, and sometimes you'd respond with a little too much passion. Everything about your reaction seemed off and I just put all the pieces together."
Chloe directed a disgusted look at Lucas, stated, "That only works when you're working with puzzle pieces that all belong to the same puzzle. What you're saying is positively ridiculous."
"Go ahead and deny it, Chloe, but we all know how you really feel. Even Lex knows."
"Don't get me started on Lex."
Lionel interrupted, "Let's get this explanation out of the way before we start attacking people. You may find there's no need to attack anyone."
"Whatever."
"So anyway, Lucas came to me and told me my suspicions were correct. It was then we decided an intervention was needed. There was no way you two would ever put your pride aside and get together willingly, so we took it upon ourselves to set up an interlude that would throw you together. The trick, though, was to make Lex believed all the conniving and manipulating was of his own doing. And from there we had to make sure he was issuing a series of challenges that would keep you interested, otherwise you'd simply high tail it back to Metropolis and we'd be back at square one."
"And where does Lana fit into all this?" Lex asked.
Lionel smirked, "Lana was more than happy to help. I spoke to her long before you ever did, and she was on board from the very beginning. I told her to make sure you didn't know, so she feigned some hesitancy when you first asked her for help."
"So all of you were laughing it up behind the scenes?"
Lucas rolled his eyes, "Not exactly. We got a few chuckles, but all-in-all it's been a really stressful situation for everyone involved. There were so many factors to keep watch of, and so many things we had to get and keep in order, that it almost ruined the fun."
Chloe glared at Lucas, "Fun? We almost ruined the fun? You've been playing games with our lives and you're worried about keeping it fun?!"
Lionel reached out, touched the back of her hand gently, said, "Now Ms. Sullivan, I know it sounds bad, but we really only had your best interests at heart."
Chloe gave him a skeptical look, "My best interests? Is that like the time you tried to blow me up? Or like all the times you threatened me for getting too close to exposing your maniacal treachery? I get confused, so you'll have to be more specific."
"That was a long time ago, and I'm not that man anymore."
"Obviously, you are."
"How is trying to set you up with Lex the same as threatening you and attempting to kill you?"
She glared at him, "It's not the same, but we both know you're still the same manipulatively calculating, cold-hearted bastard you've always been, so don't try to play nice this late in the game."
"Oh, Ms. Sullivan. How you wound me."
"Bullshit," she scoffed. "You've just grown accustomed to everyone kissing your ass all the time, and you hate it that I never lowered myself to groveling."
"That's not true at all," Lionel stated. "Those are the things I like most about you. And that's why I wanted you with Lex. He needs a woman who's tough enough to stand by him through anything without ever being afraid to tell him to shove up his ass when he gets too bigheaded. Those are traits you certainly possess thus I would do practically anything to make it happen."
"Great," Chloe muttered as she walked to the other side of the sitting area. She sat down in the chair and put the gun on the table. Took a deep breath, and murmured, "So we've all been sitting around trying to out-maneuver the other person. How fucking quaint."
"Indeed," Lionel said almost happily. "That's what makes it all so absolutely perfect."
After much prodding from the eldest Luthor male, Chloe agreed to a private meeting.
She wasn't sure what he hoped to accomplish, but she had to admit that she was slightly curious about his real motives behind the entire fiasco. She didn't believe for one moment that Lionel Luthor didn't have some kind of selfish agenda in mind when he decided to interfere with her life.
He didn't have a selfless bone in his body and there was no way he'd grow one in this lifetime.
He was seated in a chair opposite her, eyeing her calculatingly, one hand holding a glass of scotch, the other stroking his bottom lip thoughtfully.
It was a position she'd seen Lex in too many times to count and the familiarity of it made her uneasy. She always found their similarities to be rather disconcerting and at the moment she found it even more troubling.
She didn't want Lex to be like his father in any way. Ever.
"Ms. Sullivan," Lionel said softly. "Are you in love with my son?"
She eyed him coolly, responded, "Which one?"
Lionel gave her a slightly irritated look, sighed heavily, "I don't think this is the right time to be playing games so just answer the question. Are you or are you not in love with Lex."
"I don't see how it's any of your business."
"It's not. But please humor me anyway."
She didn't really want to talk about her feelings for Lex, and she certainly didn't want to talk to Lionel Luthor at all. But she wanted to get to the bottom of this. Wanted to figure out his game and use it against him. One way or another.
So she frowned and said, "I don't know."
"How can you not know?"
"It's quite easy to confuse lustful feelings for love and I don't want to jump to conclusions prematurely."
"That's very true, but lust is simple and fades over time. What you feel for Lex has been rampant for years, which is why I believe you to be in love with him."
"That's not true at all," Chloe denied.
"Don't try to lie to me, I was there. I witnessed your interactions with Lex from the very beginning, and the only thing that's changed is the intense look in your eyes when you look at him."
"How would you know what transpired between us over the years? You were never around to actually see anything."
Lionel smiled at her, his straight, white teeth seemingly gleaming and feral, "I've always been around. You know very well that I have ears and eyes everywhere, at all times. There's nothing that's ever been kept from me for very long."
Chloe shook her head, "You are a sick son of a bitch…"
"Perhaps, but I learned quickly that once you're in power you have to do everything in your means to remain as such. Because there's always someone standing right behind you wanting to take it all away."
"But he's your son. You constantly spied on your own flesh and blood. Do you have any idea how wrong that is?"
"Not when it's done for his own good," Lionel explained. "Lex was always a rather meek child, and I was afraid he'd end up a meek man as well. I couldn't have a weak, powerless heir. He'd have lost everything almost before he acquired it. I had to protect him."
'You were always more worried about your company than you ever were of Lex."
"That's not true. I didn't want him to lose everything he'd grown up with. How do you think he would've adjusted if he'd suddenly been banished from his typical lavish environment? How do you think he would've reacted to being known as the poor substitute who lost it all? It would've killed him. There's no way I could ever let that happen. So I did what I had to do to prevent it."
"You're making lame excuses for being a shitty father."
"Now, I never said I was a good father. I said I was worried about my son's future and I went to considerable lengths to make sure he would survive in a sea of sharks."
"Didn't you ever just want to be his father?"
Lionel frowned thoughtfully, took a sip of his scotch as he processed the question, then finally said, "Yes, but through his childhood I had to accept that it wasn't possible and try to salvage what I could by turning him into a capable business man. Unfortunately, my change of heart during this point in my life has yet to be warmly received, so the progression of our relationship has been slow at best."
Chloe mulled over his words, was a little surprised to learn that Lionel was genuinely trying to start a relationship with Lex. She didn't really want to believe it, but the look in the older man's eyes was speaking. He was telling the truth. Foolish or not, she had no doubt.
"And that's what you hoped to gain from all this?"
"Yes," Lionel said. "I was hoping that if you and Lex ended up together, there may be some hope left for me."
"And what made you believe that I would encourage Lex to associate with you? Wouldn't it make more sense to try to keep him away from you?"
"You're not like the rest of us, Ms. Sullivan. You believe in truth and reconciliation and deep down, you want Lex to be happy. If having a healthier relationship with me would make him happy, you'd do absolutely everything in your power to make it happen."
She wanted to tell him she would've said to hell with truth and reconciliation if it would get Lex away from his bastard of a father. But it wasn't true. She would've accepted the old man into her life if it meant peace for Lex.
"But that doesn't guarantee that it would work. Even if we're together, that doesn't mean things would work out between you and Lex. Why go through all this trouble knowing that what you'd been hoping for could easily blow up in your face."
"Because even if I never get the opportunity to be close to Lex, at least he'd know what it was like to truly love and be loved. That's all I really want for him. A chance to start over and be the kind of man his mother wanted him to be. And Lex's happiness came down to not having me in his life, then that would have to be enough for me."
Her jaw dropped. She tried to stop it. Tried to close her mouth and remove the utterly befuddled expression from her face. But she couldn't do it.
After all the years of strife and discontent she was amazed how easily things could shift. Was stunned by the fact that Lionel seemed to truly want his son to be happy; business and money be damned.
Lionel's hand on her arm startled her and she looked up. Met his gaze as he spoke.
"Take it from me, my dear," he said quietly, his eyes staring directly into hers. "Regret won't keep you warm at night and the only thing that will, money can neither buy nor keep. Maybe it's time for you to let go of your bitterness long enough to see what's right in front of your face. Because before you know it, the day will come when you'll look around and realize that it's too late."
They were finally on their way back to Metropolis.
Chloe sat beside Lex in the first car.
Lucas and Lionel followed them in a second car.
She wished she'd been given a car of her own.
Wondered what she'd have to do to get Lex to ride with the rest of his crazy family.
Her conversation with Lionel had been quite informative, and she felt a little better about everything that had happened. She was still in a minor state of shock over some of what Lionel had said, and she still wasn't sure what to think of him, but she didn't want to scratch anyone's eyes out anymore. At least not at the moment.
But she didn't think she was quite ready to battle with Lex yet. She had no idea what she would say or how things could ever work out between, and she certainly didn't feel like upholding her end of a heated debate regarding the state of their future.
So if Lex wanted to talk to her, he'd have to come down off his pedestal and initiate the conversation himself.
"You're mad at me, aren't you?"
She gave him a dirty look, but otherwise ignored him. If he expected her to talk to him he had better start with a question that deserved an answer. And since she hadn't expected him to say anything just yet, she wasn't prepared anyway.
He sighed, looked a little sheepish. Answered his own stupid question and said, "Of course you're mad at me. I made you feel foolish and used. Any sane woman would be mad. I certainly can't blame you for that."
She averted her gaze, stared out the window at the darkening landscape. She wanted to say something, but was afraid she'd make a fool out of herself and reveal too much.
So she kept quiet. Hoped he'd take the hint and shut the fuck up.
Couldn't decide if she was disappointed or relieved when he too became quiet, his attention focused on the floor beneath his feet.
She rubbed her temples, trying to ease the beginnings of a headache. She was too tense. Needed to relax before she made herself sick with it.
"Chloe, I know I've been a…I've been a–"
Chloe cut in crossly, "An ass, Lex. You're a conniving, manipulative, heartless ass."
He looked slightly wounded, said, "I'm not heartless. Not when it comes to you."
"Don't give me that shit. I don't want to hear it."
"Maybe you need to hear it."
"No, I don't," Chloe seethed. "It's too little, too late, and I don't want to fucking hear it."
Lex eyed her, frustration evident on his features and in the tense lines of his body. He turned towards the window again and she thought the conversation was over. Had turned to look out her window when the soft, hesitant sound of his voice permeated the air between them.
"I love you, you know."
It wasn't a question. It wasn't a statement. It was just there. In her face and in her head.
Chloe choked back a gasp, leaned her forehead against the cold glass of the window in front of her and tried to ignore him. Tried to ignore his words and the heated existence of his body beside her. Would've succeeded if he'd just quit talking.
But he continued, never once looking at her, still staring out at the cold expanse of highway as he spoke, "Sometimes I think I've always loved you, but I couldn't work past my own insecurities to admit it to myself. Even when I thought myself to be in love with Lana, you were always there, interfering without ever being present. It was torture, but a torture I felt I had earned for the things I'd done to you. It was like my penance for all the times I'd let you down by proving myself a Luthor."
She squeezed her eyes shut, had to fight not to bring her hands up to cover her ears against his words. She wasn't ready for this. She'd spent years thinking this was exactly what she'd always wanted, but now, as the words left his lips, she wasn't sure she'd ever be able to handle the overwhelming intensity of being loved by someone like Lex.
But he was still talking, still staring out the damned window, his words a painful caress on her psyche, "I know I'm not an easy man. I'm not easy to love, hate or even tolerate. I'm fanatical and distant and sometimes I do things that I would never admit to doing. All of it is a part of me, and there's nothing I can do to change who I am. For years I never thought you'd be able to handle it, that if you ever got a glimpse of the person I was, you'd hate me, and I couldn't bear that from you. I was wrong though, I was wrong to make that kind of decision for you and for that I'm sorry."
She waited, knew he'd continue when he was ready. Almost reached out to stop him.
"I should've believed in you and given you the chance to prove me wrong. I should've acknowledged the fact that you're stronger than I am, that you're the most opinionated, truthful woman I've ever known, and that you don't make such decisions based on mere circumstances. I should've been the man I pretended to be and taken a chance on what we might've had. I never should've lied to you and I should've told you all of this years ago when it was most relevant."
She was getting confused. His words were starting to swim in her head and she took a deep breath, tried to force it all away from her. She'd never heard him speak like this. Had never witnessed such defeat in his demeanor. Had no idea how to deal with it. Felt her heart crack in her chest as he resumed talking.
"I went along with this plan because I thought it was my only chance to get to you. If I didn't take the opportunity, I didn't know when I'd ever get the chance again. I couldn't pass it up. I had to take what was offered to me and hope things worked out because the only alternative would be never having you at all."
Her confusion immediately shifted to anger and she faced him, glared at him as she said coldly, "Then why didn't you tell me what was going on, Lex? You had so many openings to admit to me what you'd planned, but you said nothing. You ignored it all and let me believe whatever I wanted to believe."
He met her gaze, his expression rather ashamed and pinched, then said not-quite calmly, "I wasn't ready for it to end. I was afraid you'd get angry and leave and all of this would've been for nothing. I couldn't bear the thought of losing you so I kept putting it off."
"So you're a coward."
"Yes," he said softly. "When it comes to you I'm the biggest of cowards."
She rolled her eyes, "I'm many times a fool, Lex, but don't treat me like I'm some naïve child. You knew what you were doing and you knew it was wrong, but you continued to play me like it meant nothing."
"I wasn't playing you. I was trying desperately to win your affection. I was only going to wait until I was certain that you cared for me, and then I was going to confess everything."
"And my father? Was he in on it too?"
"No. Your father had absolutely nothing to do with this. I had already contacted him before Lucas came to me with his so-called plan. I'd planned on arranging a meeting between you two long before any of this even started."
"But why? How?"
"I could see how much you missed him, how it hurt you more and more each day. I hated to see you suffering and I wanted to do what I could to make it stop."
"How could you know all that?"
"I may be a closed-off bastard, Chloe, but I'm not completely blind to human emotion."
"I wasn't insinuating that you were. I just don't understand how you would know I was suffering."
"I mentioned your father every time we saw each other and I saw the look in your eye as you dodged the question. I know that look. I know it all too well."
She sighed, frowned slightly, her gaze once again going to the window. She didn't know what to think. Didn't really have anything to say at this point.
Just wanted to go home and hide from the world.
"You don't have to make any decisions now, Chloe, but I'd still like to give you your birthday present."
She turned towards him again, said, "My birthday present?"
Lex nodded, "Yes, I have a surprise for you, but you'll have to accompany me into the city to find out what it is." He paused then added, "It's a public location so no worries there."
She sighed tiredly then said, "Is this a trick? This had better not be a trick because I've had enough Luthor games to last me a lifetime."
"It's not a trick."
She eyed him warily. She knew he knew she wanted to go but she had to put up some kind of a fuss. She couldn't just go with him willingly, not after everything that had happened.
Finally she nodded, "Fine, but after this you're taking me home and then you're going to leave me alone. Understood?"
"Yes, if that's what you want."
She didn't respond, just turned in her seat and went back to staring out the window.
Because that's exactly what she wanted. She wanted to get as far away from Lex Luthor as possible. Wanted him to leave her alone. Wanted her life back to normal, without Lex.
Wished the ache in her throat would go away.
Wished even more that the ache in her heart would quit calling her a liar.
Chloe was more than baffled when they pulled up outside the cheeriest looking building she'd ever seen. She couldn't recall ever being here before, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she should recognize it. Felt as if she should know exactly where she was.
Wished she'd been paying closer attention to where they were headed instead of focusing on where they had been.
"Where are we?" Chloe asked.
"It's unrecognizable, isn't it?"
She frowned, "Obviously, if I've been here before and I'm asking where the hell you've brought me. I would certainly call that unrecognizable."
"This building is where 33.1 used to be housed," Lex said. "You used to lurk around here at all hours of the night, and I used to get so mad, I wanted to shake you until your teeth rattled. But you were always so stubborn and unrelenting, and there wasn't a way for you to get into any of the real trouble, so I just let you roam about as you pleased, all the while letting you believe you were pulling one over on me."
She glared at him, "You knew I was here?"
"Of course, I knew. I have eyes and ears everywhere, Chloe. You should know that by now."
She snorted, "Fuck, Lex, you really have turned into your father."
She immediately regretted the words, wanted to take them back. Wanted to slap her self as his expression closed up and his lips tightened into a thin line. She knew how much he hated being compared to his father, knew she hadn't meant it for the reasons he thought she'd said it.
"Lex, that's not what I–"
"It doesn't matter," Lex said stiffly then reached for the door. "Let's go."
They walked into the building silently, Lex walking a few feet in front of her. He walked purposefully, his stride long, his back straight, his face set in cool neutrality.
She hated this side of him. Hated even more that she was responsible for it.
She didn't want him neutral or cool or any type of controlled. She wanted him subjective and hot and utterly exposed. In every way possible.
He was leading her down a long colorful hallway, but she couldn't be bothered to take in her surroundings. She wasn't even curious as to where they were going or what awaited them when they got there.
All of her attention was focused on one thing.
The shape of Lex's ass as he walked in front of her.
She'd always admired his form. Knew he really was a beautiful man, all hard lines and lean muscle. But at this very moment, for some strange reason, the way he filled out the back of his pants had really caught her attention.
Had completely taken her mind off her anger and his hurt.
She just wanted to reach out squeeze his ass in her hands.
She was so enthralled with his rear she didn't notice that he stopped moving until she collided with his back. And her hands connected with the part of his body she'd been ogling.
She felt the heat rising in her face, but still couldn't stop the reflexive reaction of her hands on his ass.
She squeezed. Just barely. But it was definitely a squeeze.
Lex stiffened, turned his upper body towards her and raised an eyebrow at her questioningly, said, "Is there something I can help you with, Chloe?"
Her eyes widened, her lips quirked. She wanted to tell him to go to hell, but as the heat in her face increased, she knew that wouldn't do her any good.
So she schooled her features, stepped back, gave him an outrageously innocent look and said, "No, it's been taken care of, thank you."
He didn't reply, but his eyes glinted dangerously. He reached out and hit the call button for the elevator. Stepped back and motioned for her to enter before him.
She didn't mean to walk so close as she walked by him.
And she certainly didn't mean to brush against him as he pressed the button of the necessary floor.
But she found herself standing so close her shoulder was brushing against his back. And her arm was just grazing the firm swell of his ass.
She really didn't know what had come over her. One minute she was disgusted and annoyed and wanted nothing more than to be rid of him forever, and the very next she was a raving fucking lunatic. In more ways than just the obvious.
She shifted, her fingers glancing over the spot where his leg met his rear. Felt a silly little shiver of pleasure run up her spine as his breath caught and his entire body tensed subtly.
She eased away from him, scolding herself for being so reckless. She had no right to be touching him. He's a conniving, manipulative cad, and he didn't deserve her touch anyway.
Of course, technically, she'd acted just as conniving and manipulatively as any one of them had because deep down, she'd always known what it was she really wanted. Maybe she hadn't intentionally used anyone, but the outcome was still the same.
She saw Lex's hand reach out. Felt the elevator jolt to a halt.
She watched dazedly as he turned on her, her heart pounding in her chest as he stepped in front of her, the solidness of his body moving her back until she was pressed against the elevator wall. Her head lolled back against the wall, her eyes closing automatically, wanting to lose herself. Wanting to escape all of her fears and questions and anger in any way possible.
He bent his head and she felt his breath on her neck and against her ear, "Is there something I can help you with, Chloe?" he practically purred.
She gulped, felt the heat of him wash over her. Felt as if he'd engulfed her in flames. Didn't resist as he pushed a solid thigh between her legs, but did her best to resist the urge to rub herself against him. Shamelessly.
"Look at me, Chloe."
She didn't want to look at him. Didn't want to face the infinitely distracting emotions that were roiling through her being. She just wanted to forget everything and start over at the beginning. Start again at a time when bad blood was fictional and bridges never burned.
She gasped, not certain if it was a sound of pleasure or pain. Managed to open her eyes and lift her gaze to meet his. Whimpered at the possessive glint in his blue-gray eyes.
"Was there something you wanted to say to me?"
"No. Not a thing."
He gave her a skeptical look, took both her hands in his and brought them down and around his body. Placed her palms against his rear and said, "Is that better?"
She couldn't help it, she giggled. She was in an elevator with Lex Luthor, and she had her hands on his butt. There wasn't anything else for her to do but giggle.
He smiled wolfishly, his teeth gleaming, his nostrils flaring and she thought she might melt into a puddle at his feet. He bent his head again, laved his tongue along her pulse to nibble along her jaw seductively, and she tilted her head, providing him with better access.
His hands moved up to palm her breasts through her blouse and she pressed closer, moaning softly as pleasure shot right to her pussy. She ached with it, desire pulsing through her as quickly as her anger had deserted her. Whether she liked it or not, she'd always want him as intensely as the first time they'd met.
She tightened her hands on his ass, pulled him closer, until she felt the hard ridge of his erection on her hip. She rocked into him, annoyed that her straight skirt interfered with her urge to ride his leg to oblivion.
Lex lifted his head, reached down and removed her hands from his ass. She started to complain but her response caught in her throat as his hands moved to her skirt and she felt his fingers stroking up her legs.
Her eyes widened as she watched him push her skirt up out of his way, and her hands moved to grasp the material, yanking it up to her waist.
She pitched her hips forward, her mouth falling open as she felt his fingers move her panties away from her throbbing sex. He teased her, his fingers moving along her outer lips, until he finally turned his hand, his middle finger separating her wet flesh and delving deep inside her.
She gasped, was a little embarrassed by how wet she was. Knew it wouldn't take long for her to come. Already felt the pleasure burning in her core.
He joined the first finger with another, pumped them skillfully, stroked her just as she needed it. His other hand came up, cupping her head and pulling her in for a wet kiss, his tongue demanding, mirroring the pumping of his fingers inside her.
He adjusted his hand, turning his fingers inside her until his thumb made contact with her clit, and she jumped at the firm pressure, choked as shockwaves of pleasure rolled over her.
She rocked her pelvis, working with him and against him at the same time, her sounds of pleasure muted by his mouth still on hers. They kissed passionately, tongue moving against tongue with languid pleasure, lips pliant and demanding of each other.
He pulled away from her, his eyes going to where his fingers were moving inside her, his thumb rubbing over her clit rhythmically. He looked rumpled and overheated, his eyes feral, his breath coming in short pants as he worked her over. His nostrils flared and his tongue came out, wetting his lips hungrily.
And then she was coming, her wet channel spasming around his fingers, her moan of completion quieted by the fist she'd brought up to her mouth as the pleasure became too deep, too intense.
He waited until she settled down before withdrawing his fingers from her core, keeping an arm around her as she got her bearings and steadied herself.
He brought his fingers to his mouth, his nostrils flaring again as he sucked her essence off the wet digits.
She reached for him, palming the bulge in the front of his pants. She barely managed a few strokes before he pulled her hand off of him.
She looked up at him questioningly, a little worried that maybe she had read him incorrectly.
But he looked hot and bothered and ready to burst at any moment.
"Don't you want help with that?" she asked breathlessly.
"Of course, but that's not why we're here."
"So, we can get back to why we're here when we're done."
He leaned down and kissed her hard on the lips. Pulled back and said, "It's okay, Chloe. I'll be fine until later."
"Are you sure? I could always give you a little quickie to take the edge off."
He scowled faintly, "That won't be necessary."
He moved away from her, got the elevator moving again then quickly adjusted himself in his pants.
She had to put her hand over her mouth to suppress the urge to giggle. She was doing far too much of that lately.
She cleared her throat, moved forward until she was standing beside Lex. Said teasingly, "Don't think for one second this means you're forgiven."
His lips quirked, but he managed to say seriously, "I wouldn't dream of it."
And just like that she felt better. Not just because she'd had an orgasm, but also because everything seemed different. There was no fear or anger, and everything that had happened seemed trivial and irrelevant to the matter at hand.
It all seemed so simple she couldn't remember what had been so difficult and complex in the first place.
Because worrying about the past would never, ever facilitate the future.
They exited the elevator, and Lex pointed her in the direction of the restroom, obviously intent on cleaning himself up before continuing on. She did the same, figuring it would be best to follow his lead. At least for now.
He was waiting for her when she returned, and he turned and started walking down the hallway, clearly expecting her to follow him without question.
So she did.
They stopped at a door at the end of the hall, and Lex raised his hand to knock. He paused, fist in the air, looked at her and asked, "Are you ready?"
She didn't know, so she replied. "Sure?"
He smiled reassuringly. Knocked twice.
Chloe wasn't sure what she expected to see on the other side of the door. She had no idea what Lex would think to get her for her birthday, but if it ended up being an apartment or anything of the sort, she was going to kick him in the balls. She could take arrogant and presumptuous, but that would be going too far.
And that's why she wasn't the least bit prepared for what waited on the other side of the door.
Or better yet – iwho/i waited for her on the other side of the door.
Right as the door opened, Lex stepped in front of her, blocking her view of the doorway. She rolled her eyes at his back, resisted the urge to poke him in the rear again.
She heard a woman say, "Can I help you?"
He said something unintelligible then stepped to the side and what Chloe saw made her feel as if her heart had stopped in her chest. She didn't know what to do. Didn't know how it was possible. Didn't have any idea what was going on.
All she knew at that very moment was that her mother was standing directly in front of her and she was actually looking at her. Not around her or through her but looking right at her. As if she knew she was someone she should know.
And then she smiled faintly and whispered, "Chloe."
It wasn't a question. It wasn't even a statement. It was just there. In her face and in her head.
Chloe couldn't move. She couldn't breathe. She felt as if the entire world had just stopped turning.
Thought that she would never move again until the very moment her mother stepped towards her, eyes shimmering with tears, hands shaking as she reached out towards her.
And still Chloe couldn't move. She sobbed without tears, loudly, painfully. Her hands finally coming up over her mouth, her eyes squeezed shut as she worked to comprehend what was happening.
Sobbed even louder as she felt her mother's hands resting on her shoulders, urging her closer, pulling her in and wrapping around her. Whispering comforts and sweet, sweet words that might've made sense if anything made sense at all.
Chloe managed to move her arms, gripped her mother around her middle and squeezed for all she was worth. She remembered the way she smelled. Remembered as if she was five years old again. Not like the last time with the reek of sickness permeating from every pore.
She took a deep breath, pulled back slightly and looked at her eyes staring back at her.
She sobbed again, tears now washing down her cheeks as she fully absorbed the sight of her mother standing in her embrace.
Chloe couldn't take her eyes off of her, so she reached a hand behind her blindly, fumbling around until she finally made contact with Lex's chest.
Took a handful of his shirt and held on for dear life.
Shook her head in disbelief as she got a watery glimpse of the future.
She spent over an hour talking with her mother. Some things were still a little mysterious. There were pieces of the puzzle that seemed to be missing, some that just didn't fit and others that seemed too bizarre to be possible.
But none of it really mattered to Chloe.
She got to talk to someone she never hoped to ever have a real conversation with.
She got to hug and be hugged by someone she never thought would know her face.
She could be speaking gibberish and Chloe would've been ecstatic.
And she knew who she had to thank for it.
Through all his conniving and manipulation, Lex still managed to stand out where it counted the most. And she had to hate him a little bit for that.
They were back in the car, now at a stand-still in rush hour traffic.
And Chloe didn't mind. She was smiling so widely, her jaw was starting to hurt. Tears still slid down her cheeks, happy, silly tears that just wouldn't be stopped.
And she couldn't contain herself any longer. So she slid across the seat until she was pressed up against Lex's side. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and squeezed with all her might. Rested her cheek against his arm and managed a muffled yet heartfelt, "Thank you."
She knew he was probably peering at her strangely. Felt a little strange giving Lex Luthor a rather childish hug in the back of his car. Especially after some of the things they'd done recently.
He shifted and she eased her hold on him. Sighed happily as he moved his arm around her and sank lower in the seat. Pulled her closer and more snugly against his side.
"How Lex," she asked. "How is it even possible?"
He shrugged rather uncomfortably then said "I've spent countless years doing all kinds of research that many people scorned me for. There have been sacrifices and disappointments and at times even outright disasters, but in the end all it wasn't for nothing. We managed to make progress and with every failure there was something to learn. And all those years of work have finally served a purpose. Your mother and the others who live in that building are proof of that."
"That entire building houses those you've helped with your research?"
"Not everyone there has been helped, but not everyone needed help. Once we started seeing real progress I had the main floors of the building renovated into apartments, in the hopes that patients would someday be reintroduced into society. There are a lot of rehabilitated patients in that building, but there are also scientists, doctors and nurses who've dedicated their lives to finding a cure for those who have no hope for a future."
"So she's cured?"
"She not entirely cured, Chloe, just a lot better than she used to be. I don't know if she'll ever be cured completely, but she has more good days than bad, and at this point we just have to hope we'll see more progress in the future."
"That's amazing."
"I wouldn't go that far. There have been far more failures than anything else."
"But you're helping people, Lex. There are failures in everything, but at least you've managed to help some along the way."
"It's not fool-proof, Chloe. There's still a chance that everyone will regress over time and end up just as they were."
"Nothing's fool-proof, Lex. There's always a chance that things won't work out. There's a chance any one of us could die tomorrow. At least this way I'll always have at least one great memory of my mother. No one can ever take that away from me, and for that I am eternally grateful."
"I don't want your gratitude."
"I know. But you have it anyway."
He eyed her warily, but he didn't try to move away from her, and they remained quiet for quite a while. Both lost in their own thoughts.
She was grateful, but that's not the reason she was leaning on him so heavily.
She was afraid if she let go for even a moment, she'd wake up and all of it would be gone.
His voice startled her, "So, I guess this means you still hate me…"
She hugged him closer and rubbed her face against his chest. "I do hate you," she sniffled. "I hate, hate, hate you. I hate you so much I don't even know which side I'm on anymore."
Lex's arms tightened around her, and she felt him smiling against her hair as he said, "Thank God for that."
Supposedly everything happens for a reason.
That reason my never be evident but it's always there, lurking in the recesses of your mind, driving you bat-shit fucking crazy, until one day you just can't take it anymore.
Chloe knew that feeling well. And no one ever gave her much credit for denying her curiosity the answer it craved. The cold, hard goddamned truth. She always got her answers, and this time would be no different.
Or at least that's what she'd been telling herself for quite some time now.
A month had passed since her birthday and Chloe was feeling better about her developing relationship with Lex, even if she wasn't entirely secure in the thought that he'd actually changed for the better. People can alter their actions and reactions, but deep down, they never really change. Just the act comes to the forefront and the illusion of change becomes the standing stone that one clings to.
Because deep down everyone wants to believe what they believe is really what should be believed.
Even if you're left the fool for ever believing so.
And that's what she was worried about at this point. He loved her, of that she had no doubt, but she had to question whether or not his love for her would best the agendas he still held close at hand. Whether he'd be able to successfully juggle his business-dealings and his relationship with her without everything becoming a giant clusterfuck of Secrets and Lies.
She liked to think that his love would always be enough. That she'd be able to overlook his shortcomings. That she'd somehow manage to deal with the darker side of his nature without ever holding it against him.
But realistically, she knew she didn't live in that kind of fairytale.
Which was her reason for finally using her trump card. She'd been holding out for ages, in the hopes an opportunity would arise that wouldn't warrant her using it. But she couldn't take it anymore. Trump card be damned, she had to know.
So she rested her hand on his arm and said softly, "You still owe me."
Lex blinked at her, confusion evident on his face as he responded, "Pardon?"
"You owe me anything I want."
"How do you figure that?"
"The bet we made. About whether or not Lucas' gun happened to be real."
He raised a brow at her, said, "What about it?"
"I won the bet and you still owe me anything I want."
He frowned slightly, "And what is it you want?"
She swallowed, her eyes closing as the words suddenly sticking in her throat. She took a breath then met his eyes again. "Why didn't you tell me before?" she finally managed to spit out. "About my mother. Why didn't you tell me what was going on from the start?"
They were seated at a booth in a swanky restaurant, waiting for the arrival of Lucas and his new flavor of the hour, and the sudden vocalization of the question startled her almost as much as it startled Lex. It sounded different out in the open than it did in her head. She didn't really want to know, but in order to move forward as a couple, she had to know what was behind the secrecy.
Lex's face twisted, and he hesitated briefly then said slowly, "I wanted to, Chloe, I wanted to tell you what was happening and what we planned, but there are strict confidentiality rules involved in any form of healthcare, and I have to abide by those rules. I couldn't take the chance of losing what little credibility my research has earned by divulging private information without proper consent. Not even for you."
She squinted at him, unsure of how to respond because she was torn between letting it go and digging for more. Finally said, "But still, couldn't you have alluded to something without actually telling me."
He gave her a wry look, "That would be fine if you'd have been content with my simply alluding to something. You never would've let me get away with that. Either I had to tell you everything or nothing at all."
He was right about that. If she'd had even an inkling that he'd been up to something, she would've gotten it out of him one way or another. She wasn't the top in her field for nothing. She'd earned every word of her reputation through blood, sweat and tears and no length was too far for her to find answers. Even if she'd had to go under, around, over or through him, one way or another, she would've found out the truth.
She frowned, "Does my dad know about it?"
"Yes, he's the one who gave me permission. We were looking for otherwise healthy candidates for the program and I approached Gabe about it. He petitioned the courts to become your mother's legal guardian and my facility took her in."
"Why'd he have to petition the courts? Aren't they still married?"
"She became a ward of the state at some point. Your father's financial situation was never solid enough to take on that kind of expense so that was the only way to get her medical care paid. Once she entered our program I took care of all her medical and living expenses and he visited as often as he could and knew she was always well taken care of."
Chloe frowned, "Then why didn't he just tell me himself?"
"I don't know for certain, and I can't speak for Gabe, but I think it had something to do with your already tenuous relationship. You barely spoke to him at all, and when you did it was never in a friendly manner."
"He didn't think this information would've made me feel better?"
"He probably did, Chloe, but to what end? If he told you and things didn't work out, how would that make you feel? Believe me, failure is never a good feeling, especially when it pertains to someone close to you, and having your hope crushed is one of the worst feelings in the world."
She thought she understood where Lex was coming from, and she wanted to be understanding of her father's reasons for not keeping her in the loop regarding her mother, but she was still rather angry and hurt that no one had bothered to inform her that her mother was being used as a guinea pig. And by the fact that she never would've been told anything if things had gone awry.
That's what made her angry. She didn't want Lex thinking that she would always accept secrecy from him. She didn't want to have to worry about the things he wasn't telling about their life.
"You can't keep secrets from me, Lex"
He nodded in agreement, "I'm well aware of that, and I'm going to do my best to be open with you from now on as long as you take into consideration that there will always be things that I can't tell you, and not hold it against me when I don't."
"Agreed," Chloe said. "As long as you take into consideration that there will always be things that I can't tell you, and not hold it against me when I don't."
He opened his mouth to reply, but the arrival of Lucas interrupted him. He bent closer to her and whispered, "We'll discuss this later."
She nodded then turned her attention to Lucas and his date. She was of the normal variety; blonde, tall, thin. Giant tits.
Chloe rolled her eyes, said sweetly, "Hello, Lucas."
"Chloe," he replied. "Always a pleasure."
Introductions were made and Chloe decided that Lucas' date, Emilie, seemed to have a brain in her head, though the jury was still out on whether or not it was true. She tried to never give anyone too much credit. They rarely lived up to expectations anyway.
"Did we interrupt something important?" Lucas asked. "Because we'd be happy to come back later if you need more alone time. I'm sure we could find something to amuse each other…"
He let his words drift into innuendo and winked at Chloe. Emilie gave him an annoyed look, but remained quiet, and Chloe's opinion of the other woman rose significantly. If she'd reached out and slapped him, she would've been perfect.
Chloe laughed, "I see you're still making assumptions based on your own twisted logic, Lucas. I figured you'd have stopped that after the last fiasco."
She didn't have to wait long before Lucas' date took the bait. This was her new favorite hobby. Sabotaging Lucas' love life.
"Fiasco?" Emilie said. "What kind of fiasco?"
Lucas glowered, "I don't think that's really relevant to this conversation."
"Come now, Lucas," Lex interrupted, smiling pleasantly. "Why shouldn't it be relevant if your date is curious about your fiascos?"
"It's not just my fiasco, Lex, so quit trying to pass all the blame onto me."
Lex quit smiling and glared at his brother, "Let's not start that again. You didn't want Chloe as long as she wanted me, so you have no reason to be resentful that she's with me now. It was your bed, now lie in it. Quietly."
"Wait," Emilie said eyeing Chloe and Lucas suspiciously. "You used to date?"
Chloe nodded, "Yes."
The younger woman frowned slightly, "Isn't that a little….awkward?"
"Not in the least." Chloe and Lucas stated at the same time.
Emilie raised her brows and snorted, "So you're all pretty cozy then?"
"I wouldn't go that far," Chloe explained. "I've just made great progress in resisting the urge to cut off his balls."
The younger woman frowned, shifted in her seat uncomfortably. Asked, "Why did you want to cut off his balls?"
"For being an assuming bastard who thought he could make decisions for me."
"How so?"
"Lucas and I dated for a while and things were progressing nicely, but then out of the blue he decided that I was in love with Lex and ruined everything by sabotaging our relationship."
Emilie looked even more perplexed as she asked, "Were you in love with Lex?"
"Not really," Chloe explained. "It was more sick infatuation than love. But rather than ask me about it, Lucas took it upon himself, with his father's help, to hatch a plan that would get us together."
"But obviously it worked..."
"For the most part, but it was really touch-and-go for a while."
Emilie frowned thoughtfully, "How did he sabotage your relationship?"
"Oh, the usual," Chloe replied. "He got drunk and acted like the biggest jackass you're likely to ever meet. He had jealous fits over everyone I came in contact with. Sometimes he'd go out and just never return. It was all really quite juvenile."
"That's terrible." Emilie gasped.
"Yes, but he'd better now. The rehab really helped him get his shit together."
Emilie looked between the three of them doubtfully then stood up, "Please, excuse me for a moment."
Chloe nodded, "Sure."
As the young woman walked away Lucas glared at her, "Thanks a lot, Chloe. She's probably headed for the nearest exit."
"Then she's smarter than I originally thought."
Lex chuckled, "I hate to break it to you Lucas, but I think this will be the main conversation for many years to come. You might want to start showing up alone."
Lucas glared at her some more, said sullenly, "Why should I have to pay until the end of time? How come you don't get to suffer right along with me?"
Chloe smiled sweetly, her hand squeezing Lex's thigh as she said, "Oh, but he does suffer, Lucas. He suffers on a daily basis. You just don't get to be privy to it."
Lex shifted closer to her and nodded, "That's true. Not a day goes by that I'm not reminded of what an insufferable, arrogant bastard I am. I'm quite afraid that retribution will be long and painful. She'll probably never finish with me."
Lucas eyed them distrustfully, said, "That would be much more believable if you'd say it sans her hand on your person."
Lex shrugged slightly, said "What's a man to do?"