A/N: Just in case there's any confusion--this isn't going to have them hurled into actual ancient Greece. This is basically me rewriting the myth in a Smallville setting. Due to the huge amount of introductory information in the first chapter, I've waited until now to say that the story is dedicated to my beautiful betas, scifichick774 and dsaprio. Thanks! Ok, here we go:
Chapter Two: The Offer
Lex stepped back, slightly disoriented. He had the feeling that something important had just happened, but for the life of him he couldn't figure out what. With a bit of effort he shook it off in time to hear Clark suggesting they move to one of the tables and stop blocking the counter. Just then Lana came back with the books and Chloe turned to her.
"Hey, Lana. You have a break coming, right? Come sit with us for a while."
"Ok, Chloe." The poor girl looked just as uncomfortable as before, but apparently couldn't think of a way to refuse without calling attention to her discomfort. As they walked away Chloe turned to Lex.
"Aren't you coming, Lex?"
"In a while. I need to look over these first." As much as he wanted to be near Chloe, her sudden appearance had thrown him. He needed to get himself together first, and looking over the Talon accounts was guaranteed to cool him down. Lex smiled when Chloe seemed vaguely disappointed by his answer.
"Oh. Well, just come on over when you're done."
With that she walked away to join her friends, and Lex settled in to review the dull rows of numbers, checking on profit and expense and trying to banish thoughts of Chloe from his mind. After several pages he could almost let his concentration lapse without seeing her naked and arching beneath him; after several more he could nearly ignore the fantasies of leaning down to taste her mouth, drinking in her moans of delight. By the time he reached the last page he had control again, and was preparing to join the others when someone leaned on the counter next to him.
"Can I get another latte?" Matthew asked the girl who was now manning the station. As she moved off to fill his order, he turned to Lex. For a long moment he stared into his eyes, and Lex had the uncomfortable feeling that he was being measured, assessed. Apparently reaching some kind of a decision, the boy spoke.
"I know what you want."
Lex raised his eyebrows in amusement, a smirk tilting up the corners of his mouth.
"Good for you." He started to move off, but Matthew's voice froze him in his tracks.
"I can help you get her." Lex turned slowly back to the counter and eyed Matthew warily.
"I beg your pardon?" Matthew grinned.
"Chloe," he clarified. Lex's eyes narrowed, and he stepped back to the counter.
"I doubt Chloe would appreciate the thought of being 'gotten' by anyone, but what exactly makes you so certain that I'm interested in her?"
"You mean besides you almost throttling me when you thought I was involved with her?" he asked dryly. Lex merely raised one eyebrow, and Matthew grinned nervously. "I don't think you'd believe me if I told you."
"Try me."
Matthew was a bit taken aback and looked again at Lex, reassessing him. There was a good chance that he really wouldn't take him seriously. On the other hand, he remembered Chloe telling him when she had first met Lex years ago, excited that someone else was finally giving her meteor theories serious consideration. If he had believed that all those years ago, maybe he would believe this now. And if not, Matthew was fairly sure he could convince him—it was all a matter of knowing what buttons to push. Now the question was, how did he phrase this without sounding like an idiot?
"I can . . . see things," he started cautiously. "When I was little, my mom used to say that I was a good luck charm. Whenever I was around, things had a tendency to work out so that people would suddenly get whatever it was they wanted most in the world. Because with a little bit of contact, I can reach into someone and pull out what's in their heart—the one thing they desire most. And sometimes, I can give it to them. I don't always use it, but hey, when I found out who you were, I couldn't resist," he grinned sheepishly. "I mean, who wouldn't want to know what Lex Luthor wants above everything else? So, when I shook your hand, I Looked." He pinned Lex with his gaze again, unflinching. "And I Saw. What you want most . . . is her."
"Well, that's quite a story." Lex's lips twitched in condescending amusement. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to rejoin the real world." As Lex began to turn away, Matthew sighed in resignation. He'd hoped he wouldn't have to do this, but if it was the only way . . .
"You know, most people don't actually think in words—not deep inside." Lex stopped at his statement, rolling his eyes in annoyance that Matthew wasn't dropping the subject. "Usually it's a feeling, or a picture. I have to say, that royal blue negligee you had her in . . ." He whistled. Lex turned slowly to see a huge grin on Matthew's face. "That was a nice touch. It went well with the wedding ring."
Suddenly unsure of his ability to stand, Lex braced a hand against the counter. There was no way Matthew could have known about that image—Lex hadn't even really let it consciously solidify—unless . . . unless he was telling the truth. Unless he truly could see the thing that Lex desired most: Chloe in his life, not just temporarily but forever. And if Matthew was telling the truth about that, then perhaps he was telling the truth about being able to do something about it. As if he were reading Lex's mind, Matthew spoke.
"Like I said—I can help you."
"You're her friend. Why are you so willing to offer her up to me like this?"
"Let's just say I have my reasons. I want her to be happy, and I think putting her in your hands would make that happen."
"How exactly do you plan to 'put her in my hands,' as you said?" Lex scoffed. "You're planning to use this power that you have to make her think that she loves me?" He shook his head. "I don't want her like that, thanks."
"I would never try to change someone else's will, even if it were possible." To his credit, Matthew seemed genuinely insulted at the thought. "But I can get her to stay with you for a short time." Lex's eyes narrowed imperceptibly.
"A short time isn't exactly what I had in mind."
"Think of it as a temporary deal with the opportunity to extend it," Matthew grinned. "I said I can help you, not do all the work for you. But if you accept my help, you have to be sure you're really ready for her to know how you feel, and you have to be prepared for certain conditions—we're dealing with someone else's free will here, after all. I can get you in close quarters with her, but that's it. The rest you'll have to do yourself, and like I said, there are conditions."
"What kind of conditions?"
"Things that can and can't be done, rules of conduct, stuff like that. I don't want to go through all of it twice, so I'll tell you both once everything's set." He shot Lex a warning glance. "I'm trusting you with her safety if you accept. Keep in mind that she'll still be able to talk to other people, and believe me when I say that her friends wouldn't be too happy with any news that she was being mistreated."
"I don't want to hurt her," Lex responded tersely. Matthew smiled.
"I know you don't. But I had to say it. So what's it going to be—yes or no?"
Lex considered. From what Matthew had said, Lex gathered that Chloe would be enclosed in the mansion with him, and he knew her well enough to know that she would be supremely angry about that when she found out. But on the other hand, if Chloe were confined with him he would be able to show her everything she would have if she accepted him. Everything he had would be hers; he would deny her nothing. Not to mention, just the thought of Chloe in the same house with him was enough to heat his blood again.
He looked at Matthew and nodded. Matthew stuck out his hand once more and Lex grasped it; the air hummed with energy for a moment, then quieted again.
"It's done," Matthew said.
"What do I have to do?"
"Take her to your house. Don't worry about keeping her there, I'll take care of that. You have to be the one to get her there—she can't go on her own, and no one else can take her. But it really shouldn't be a problem to get her to accept a ride, what with the car trouble she's having." A frown passed over Lex's face.
"Chloe's having car trouble?" An answering grin sparkled in Matthew's eyes.
"She is now." He glanced over to where Chloe was talking with Clark and Pete, then back at Lex. "This might be a good time to offer her that interview she mentioned," he suggested. "I have some things I have to do; I'll meet you at your place in about an hour to explain everything else."
In answer, Lex simply smirked and walked to where his friends were sitting, Matthew following behind him. Chloe looked up at their arrival and grinned.
"Wow, I ask for a latte and you bring me a Luthor. That's a hell of a two-for-one special. What do I get with a muffin, a Rockefeller?" she teased. Matthew just laughed and handed her the coffee.
"Sorry, they're fresh out of muffins. I can get you a Kennedy with a biscotti, though." He glanced at his watch. "Actually, I have to get going. I promised Michelle I'd meet her, and I have another errand later," he told her, studiously keeping his gaze away from Lex.
"Ok. Well, I'll see you later." He waved and walked out of the Talon, and Chloe sighed. "I should probably go soon, too. I have to get my stuff home, and I still need to come up with an article to turn in when I get to the Planet."
"Maybe I can help with that part," Lex offered smoothly. When she quirked a brow, he offered her an innocent smile. "If were serious about still wanting that interview, that is." Chloe looked at him, confused.
"Lex, you do understand that this isn't for a high-school newspaper, right? This is for the Daily Planet, and there is a chance that it could get published."
"Yes, I'm quite aware of that, Chloe," he smirked. "If you're not in too much of a hurry to get home, we can head over to the manor and do the interview now."
"Now? Interviews do take prep time, Lex. You know, thinking up questions, little things like that."
"And I'm willing to bet that you already have a list of questions prepared and ready for just such an opportunity," he countered. Chloe fought against the smile tugging at her lips, crossing her arms and sending a condescending glance over his body.
"Have a pretty high opinion of yourself, don't you?"
"No." He braced his hands on the table and leaned closer to her. "But I have a pretty high opinion of you. You've been hounding me and my father for an interview for too long to be caught unprepared."
Chloe narrowed her eyes at him speculatively. Lex had been notoriously closed-mouthed to the press in the past few years, even more so than when she had first met him. One-on-one time with a Luthor was one of the holy grails of journalism—often sought, but never attained. If she could show the new editor an interview with Lex Luthor, she was guaranteed to get her article published. All things considered, the offer was far too tempting to turn down.
"All right, Lex. Let me just get this coffee to go, and I'll be right with you." She rose and strode to the counter. Lex turned to Lana and held up the folders with the Talon accounting information.
"Lana, I'd like to go over a couple of things here before I leave."
"Sure, Lex."
As Lex and Lana moved to a separate table to discuss business, Pete and Clark turned to each other.
"Well," began Clark, "that was . . ."
"Weird," Pete finished.
"I was searching for a euphemism, but yeah. Did you get the impression that something's going on between the two of them?" Pete choked on the drink he had just taken.
"Chloe and Luthor? No way, man. There's just no way." But Pete didn't sound completely sure.
"You saw her when she told us she had dinner with Lex in Metropolis," Clark argued. "Chloe never could lie very well, and she had her 'I'm not telling you the whole story' look on her face." He glanced over at where Chloe stood waiting for her coffee. "Maybe I should talk to her. If she's involved with Lex, she could get hurt. You know how he is with women."
"Who'd have thought that I'd ever be defending Lex Luthor to you?" Pete chuckled, then looked at Clark seriously. "It's just an interview, Clark, and Chloe's a big girl—she can take care of herself. I know it's hard, but try to resist that big brother complex you've got when it comes to her."
"Yeah, I know. I'm sure everything will be fine." But even so, he couldn't help but watch Lex suspiciously as he walked Chloe out.
"Ok, Lex," Chloe told him when they were outside, "I'll meet you there."
Lex nodded and walked slowly to his car as Chloe sprinted across the street to hers. He watched her get in and try the starter several times, producing a wheezing cough out of the machine, before he walked over and tapped on her window. She started, surprised at the noise, but rolled the window down when she saw him.
"Car trouble?"
"I don't understand. It was working perfectly the whole way here," she said, scowling in frustration. "And now all of a sudden, nothing." She shot him a puzzled look when he opened her door with one hand and drew his cell phone from his jacket with the other. He offered her the hand that wasn't holding the phone, and she automatically accepted his help out of the car, grabbing her laptop bag as she did.
"Hans," he spoke suddenly into the phone, "there's a red and white Ford Falcon that's having engine trouble out in front of the Talon. I need you to come out here and tow it back to the manor, fix whatever's wrong."
Chloe concluded from Lex's sharp nod that he had received an answer in the affirmative before he flipped the phone shut and returned it to his jacket in one smooth movement. She cocked her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to explain himself. Lex grinned and started speaking as he walked towards his car, leaving her with no choice but to follow.
"You can ride with me to the manor. Hans will take your car back there, and with any luck he'll have it fixed by the time we finish up our interview."
Lex swept the passenger door open, and Chloe weighed her options. Option number one: stay where she is and call a tow truck on her own, wait Lord knows how long while the greasy mechanic stares at her chest and makes up a list of unnecessary repairs to charge her for, and wind up tired, broke and irritated. Option number two: hitch a ride in Lex's mouth-watering black Ferrari Spyder, interview him and secure a byline article in the Daily Planet while Lex's mechanic fixes her car for free, and get to enjoy Lex as eye-candy the whole time. With barely a hint of hesitation, she slipped into the comfortable leather seat and settled in as Lex closed the door and strode around to the other side. Within seconds they were zipping along the roads on the way to the mansion, and Chloe turned to grin at Lex.
"I have to say, this is a much better arrangement than waiting for the garage in town to fix my car. Thank goodness you were there," she told him playfully.
'I'll always be there,' he thought, but managed not to speak it out loud. The rest of the drive was quiet, a comfortable silence that helped to soothe Lex's jangling nerves. They drove through the gates and Lex calmed a bit. The butler had seen their arrival and already had the door open for them. As they got out of the car and walked up the steps, Lex placed a hand at the small of Chloe's back, fighting against the insane fear that she would suddenly turn and bolt. It wasn't until he had led her into a small reading room that he let himself fully relax.
As Chloe's gaze took in the room, he let his own eyes drink her in. Her legs were bare beneath a mid-length brown suede skirt, and a patterned shirt in shades of reds and oranges clung to her upper body, scooping low at the neckline. Lex imagined peeling the clothes off of her a piece at a time, imagined her shudders as he tasted each new bit of skin that was exposed to him. A hum of satisfaction swept through his blood. She was almost his.
All he had to do now was wait.
TBC . . .
***********************************