Something Old, Something New
Chapter 10: Playing the Game
Kate was playing the grand piano in the Penthouse when Lex entered the hotel room and dropped his coat unceremoniously to the floor.
"You were eerily convincing this afternoon," he said in greeting. He poured himself a scotch and sat heavily on the nearest sofa.
Kate stopped playing as he entered, and turned on the piano stool to face him. "Hard day?" she asked.
"Just hard to get away from," he replied softly. He glanced out the window to see the first rays of sunlight hit the smaller skyscrapers. "What time is it?"
"Nearly five," Kate answered. "You really shouldn't be here."
Lex looked tiredly up at her. "Are you expecting someone?" he asked with a confident smirk.
She gave him a lecturing look, "If you want your plan to be successful, you should be more careful until it's over. Your father could have someone tailing you, and you're waltzing straight into my hotel room."
Lex sighed, "I wanted to see you."
Kate's expression softened and she moved to sit beside him on the couch. "You can't always have what you want," she said gently, knowing that he hated to hear it. "You're taking a big and unnecessary risk. We're never going to get another shot at this, Lex, and I really think…"
She was cut off abruptly by Lex's mouth covering hers, slowly caressing her lips with his own until she surrendered and kissed him back with equal feeling.
He pulled away after a long moment, and gave her a smirk. "I'm sorry," he apologised in a tone that suggested he was anything but sorry. "You were saying…?"
Kate smiled a little, against her will. "Seriously, Lex. You're not being careful enough with this."
"You worry too much," Lex told her simply, leaning forwards to capture her mouth again. She pulled away quickly, standing up and picking up the phone that sat on the kitchen counter.
"James?" she said after a moment, and Lex recognised the name of the concierge. Her tone grew hard, "I need security to the Penthouse."
Lex stood and watched her with an amused expression, sipping his scotch carefully.
"Lex Luthor is not welcome here, James. I want him out – now!"
"What was that about?" Lex asked softly when she had hung up the phone.
"I've told you, Lex." Kate sighed deeply, placing the cordless phone back onto the counter behind her. "You asked me to be a part of your plan to get back what you've built, and I accepted because it would help you."
"And everything is going smoothly…"
"Security is going to escort you from the building, and I suggest you do your best to make it look as though we've fought."
"You want to put on a show in case my father is having me followed?" Lex was surprised at her commitment to his plan.
"And don't phone me, either," Kate continued. "He's probably tracing your calls."
Lex stepped forward, putting his scotch glass on the counter and pinning Kate easily against it. He spoke softly, punctuating his words with gentle kisses on her neck. "I've been driving for hours to see you," he whispered.
Kate pulled back, smiling genuinely at him. "We'll have plenty of time, Lex."
There was a brusque knock at the door, and a voice called through. "Miss Finn? Is everything alright?"
Kate leaned in and kissed Lex deeply, grabbing his glass from the counter while she had him distracted. She pulled back from the kiss and surprised him by hurling the glass against the door of the hotel room.
"Just get out, Lex!" she screamed.
There was another knock on the door, "Miss Finn, we're coming in."
"Better go, Lex," Kate whispered with a grin. He gave her a look that warned of his imminent revenge, and moved to unpin her body from the bench behind her.
The door burst open, and Kate shot Lex a look of deepest loathing as two security guards tumbled into the room, guns drawn, trampling broken glass into the carpet.
"You'll be sorry for this, Kate," Lex said threateningly, and for a moment Kate wasn't sure if he was playing along, or letting her know that he would not forget being thrown out of her hotel.
"I'm already sorry for getting involved with you in the first place," she shot back. "Get him out of here," she told the security guards. "I don't want him anywhere near my hotel again, understand?"
"You're going to have to come with us, sir," one of the men said firmly. Lex bent to retrieve his coat from the floor, shaking shards of glass and drops of scotch from it and exiting the room of his own accord.
"Guess I'll see you around, Lex," Kate said smugly as he retreated from the room, followed dutifully by the armed guards.
Lex only gave her a cold look, and for a moment she marvelled at his acting prowess. She watched as he was escorted down the hall and into the elevator that already held the concierge. She nodded to James in thanks, and grinned triumphantly at Lex as the doors closed.
Kate closed the hotel room door behind her and sat back down at the piano. She played softly, glancing covertly out the window until she saw him exit the building. Lex wrenched his arm away from the security guard that held it, and she watched as he glared threateningly at the guard for good measure.
He strode angrily across the street, settling behind the wheel of his Porsche and pulling it quickly into traffic.
A moment later, a plain black Sedan pulled out behind him, following covertly.
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A week later Kate entered the main reception area of LuthorCorp, marvelling at its size and extravagance. The contract to sell Lex's companies had finally been agreed upon by both parties, and Kate was ready to sign and be done with Lionel Luthor for good.
The receptionist smiled professionally at her, and Kate walked confidently to the front desk.
"Katherine Finn," Kate said politely. "I have a meeting with Lionel Luthor."
"One moment," the lady said, immediately picking up the phone in front of her and dialling an internal extension number. Kate wandered away from the desk to wait, looking calmly out of the windows at the factory equipment.
"Miss Finn?"
Kate turned at the sound of her name, finding Lionel himself exiting the elevator to meet her.
"Mr. Luthor, what a surprise," Kate said honestly. "I was waiting for one of your security personnel to escort me to your office."
Lionel smiled with cool professionalism, "Far too impersonal for such a valued business associate. Shall we?"
He gestured to the elevator, and she stepped in to join him, smiling at the receptionist as she passed.
"Your empire is amazing," Kate said honestly as the elevator doors closed in front of them.
"My son came to visit your hotel," Lionel said abruptly.
Kate bristled a little, but did her best not to show it. "He knows that I'm buying his companies," she said nonchalantly. "Needless to say, he's less than impressed."
"And he came to confront you?"
"I think he wanted to charm me into changing my mind," Kate scorned. She shook her head in slight disbelief, "His arrogance is astounding."
Lionel chuckled appreciatively, his eyes still on the closed doors of the elevator. "I take it you shot him down?"
"I'm sure your team told you all about it," Kate said calmly. "I saw the black Sedan after Lex left. You think he's trying to scam you."
"The thought had crossed my mind," Lionel admitted casually.
"And now?"
"I don't care," Lionel said softly. He looked at her pointedly, and Kate turned away from the climbing numbers above the door and locked her eyes onto his. She raised an eyebrow purposefully in questioning.
Lionel grinned. "I like you, Miss Finn," he said lightly. "You certainly know how to play the game."
Kate gave a short, surprised laugh.
"In fact," he continued, "You play so well that I don't even care anymore whether you are playing me in order to gain Lex's companies; or Lex in order to gain his affection."
Kate started inwardly at that, slightly insulted by the implication. The numbers stopped lighting up and the doors opened swiftly, allowing some much-needed air into the elevator.
Lionel stepped out first, breaking their intense eye contact and gesturing calmly to the office doors at the end of the hallway. He smiled in a way that suggested that she had been a worthy opponent, but he had won the game. "Shall we sign some papers?"