Disclaimer: Would I leave you with that cliffhanger?
Author's Note: England won against Argentina, I'm so happy. They put in a really good performance, so I thought I'd let you lot share the joy with another chapter.
Chapter 7: Calling Late.
Lex was still in a very bad mood as he went to Pete's place. He stormed across the garden and let himself into the house. He walked up the stairs and was able to hear voices coming from Pete's room.
"Almost seems a shame to interrupt." Lex said to himself, just as he heard a cry of pleasure.
Still, Lex had a reason for being here, and when he did indulge voyeuristic tendencies there were women involved. He burst through the door at exactly midnight. When he entered the room, Pete was lying back in the bed and his companion was huddled under the covers. Lex walked over and pulled the covers off them, revealing Whitney as Pete's bedfellow.
"Well, what do we have here then?" He asked.
Pete shrugged and picked up a book on the side.
"You know, I don't do this regularly, this is my first time." Whitney protested.
"Do you think I care?" Lex asked. "I have a far more pressing matter discuss with you."
"What?"
"You warning Chloe Sullivan off me."
"I didn't." He replied confused.
"No one else knows her."
"Look I wouldn't, she's a big girl, and more than capable of taking care of herself."
"You know man, he's got a point." Pete said. "He's pretty, but there's not too much going on up top." He paused. "What was I thinking?" He asked Lex, with a look that showed he knew exactly what he was doing.
Lex narrowed his eyes and smirked for a second, before regaining his composure and returning his attention to Whitney.
"Okay I believe you."
"So you won't mention this?" He replied eagerly.
"Well that all depends, see I have information that could be very damaging to you, as a business man I feel I should be compensated for keeping it quiet."
"Name it man, I'll do anything." Whitney said.
"Hmm. Now, what can you do for me?" Lex pretended to think for a moment. "I know." He said with a smirk.
The next morning, Whitney sat at breakfast with Pete.
"So, do you think it's too early to call?"
"Depends, is she a morning person?"
Whitney looked practically terrified. "I'll leave it for a bit."
"That bad?" Pete said.
"Before twelve might be pushing it." He said with a smile.
Later that afternoon, he was walking down the street with a very amused Chloe.
"Nooo!" She complained.
"It's true." He said like has had just proved the existence of Atlantis.
"Well, that's just gross."
"A bit like you, c'mon you look like you need coffee." He said heading towards a small café down the street.
"Make a girl feel good about herself why don't you?" She flounced through the door and turned to face him as he followed her in. "For that you're paying," she paused for a moment, "for all my coffee and some form of pastry."
"We won't be staying long." He said.
"Why?" She asked.
"I've only got fifty bucks." He said with a grin.
She poked her tongue out at him and went and found a seat.
"So, he's not really that bad. It's just that when you have that much money, people tend to take against you."
"So, they lie?" Chloe wasn't convinced.
"No, but they exaggerate. Who told you this anyway?"
"They asked me not to say."
"Oh, so they hurl wild accusations about but aren't willing to back them up?"
"Okay, I'll tell you, but you have to keep it quiet." She leant over and whispered in his ear.
"Well that figures." He said taking a bite of his pie.
"Why?"
"She's one of the few women Lex has turned down."
"What?"
"Well, apparently she came onto him at some big bash his parents were having, and he said 'no'. He says she's had it in for him ever since."
"Ugh! That's nasty."
"What, just because he turned her down? Yeah, kind of an overreaction."
"No, I mean I'm no religious zealot or anything, but just offering yourself up for an affair makes a mockery of your vows."
Whitney smiled and shook his head.
"What?" She demanded.
"You never cease to amaze me, last time I spoke to you, you were completely anti-marriage."
"I still am, which is why I'm also anti-adultery. You love someone enough to indulge in that archaic ritual, you love them enough not to sleep with other people." She took a bite of her éclair signalling the conversation was over.