The Rules of Enmity: NC17

[LarkLuthor]

More! This is such an intense fic... I need more!

Lark

[lexchloe]

Great update. It's a little scary that Lex can't be as controled or know where to draw the line when it comes to Chloe. I'm not sure if that's a good thing but I'm interested to see how this progresses. More soon please.

[star del mar]

Ok so it was a little short but it was a great update!! I'm glad that Lex went to go see Chloe first to apologize, instead of dragging things out and maybe making it worse. Of course saying sorry about something like that isn't enough but he's making the effort even if he still has such a deep animosity for her. I can't wait to see what Chloe is thinking about this apology, update again soon!

Steph*

[autumngold]

I'm so glad that Chloe and Lex are at least talking!! Thank goodness they both realize that they're in the wrong!! How will they be able to make it up to each other? Thanks for the great update!! I can't wait for your next chapter!!

[BellaMR]

You are such a tease. Ignoring the shortness, though, it was a great chapter. Of course, it just left me salivating for more, so please update.

[FroggyJump]

Top Writing. The opening sentence seems to fit the story so far, so perfectly. The power that I read into the reinitiating of the game was exciting. Zelda, you described the picture well and I was drawn into a slow motion image of Lex’s reveal.
Sheri is a nice support system. Seems like the type of friend you would want.
First flashback scene

“I want you to remember me and pain you caused me at least twice a day. I want you to have to explain what you did to the women you take to bed.” She shrugged. “Or, you can lie about it and know that I’m making you do it.”

I think that is an amazing statement, the amount of pain, which could cause this reaction from someone to want to mark someone for life. I think you opened this story perfectly.

The positioning of their tattoos is interesting; both, in places that are intimate. Their choice of penance to me is a better form then some. It is not repetitive, so the meaning will not become just something else you have to do. The majority of the time a person will reflect on what a tattoo means each time; perhaps, thinking of something new.

What a lesson to learn for Chloe. The flashbacks are great. The way that Lex was aggressive and emotional was good to read. After reading her reaction to Lex’s venting was annoying. She had such an impulsive reaction that it was hard to find sympathy for her rant. So that was a good piece of writing.

It was nice to see that even in all the seriousness that they were able to find some way to be light about their game.

When I read the description of Chloe’s disguise I saw the drag king from , and she was sexy. I love that Lex was so intrigued by how Chloe could hide breast. This power pull was good to see. I was happy to see that Chloe was able to get the courage to say no.

This was a good chapter. Rules are rules, and Chloe did start up the game. Your writing in this would have to be my favorite so far. This gave an insight into how each character struggles with the twisted power they have with each other. I think Chloe’s thoughts at the end were right.

Even though he said it wasn't an apology he beared a few things that made it all so sweet.

I love this story because the characters are who they are and you don't have them get to down on themselves. Zelda, you know how to leave it and not fluff which is great to read. Hope you are able to post more soon.

[starmoon]

i love this story and i am glad that lex said he was sorry but he is also right that it is not enough.

[zelda]

"Lex, I’m beyond confused about why you’re here." She nervously slid her own hands into her trouser pockets. "You hate me, so why apologize at all?"

"Because I’m not that kind of man." He walked around the desk and took her gently by the arms. "I don’t pull knives on women, I don’t shove them around and cut off their clothes." He felt her stiffen under his touch and released her. "I don’t threaten with physical violence and throw them around their apartments. I can’t really tell you why I did any of that."

Chloe stepped back, uncomfortable at his closeness. She didn’t know how to take his admission.

"Be honest, Lex," she said. "What were you going to do to me?" He looked really uncomfortable, she was oddly relieved at his embarrassment. "Last night, while we were alone in the alley."

"I was-I was going to touch the tattoo."

"You said you weren’t going to use your hands, and you unzipped your pants." She backed up a step. "Were you just going to touch me with…it?"

"Yeah." His answer was quick. Short.

"Was that all you were planning to do?"

"I didn’t plan anything, Chloe," Lex said. "It’s kind of a blur from the moment you said no, when you walked away from the table."

"Is that what set you off?"

"I don’t know. I think so." He turned around and started to walk away, then he moved back. "I didn’t want to do anything to hurt you. I just remember wanting to make some stupid, macho gesture to gain some kind of control." He was upset, Chloe could see the pulse in his neck jumping. He reached for her with his hands but clenched them into fists and drew them back. "I have no idea why I did it."

"I don’t believe you." There was an edge to Chloe’s voice. "Lex, even though I was scared the day you came to my apartment, I could at least understand that grief and anger were making you act differently. I know I did when my father died." She took a bold step forward. "I write off nearly everything that happened in Smallville with friends because it was pretty common for people to act oddly. So, you got a Mulligan for trying to kill Clark and me in your lab, and you got one for Lucas because I attacked you under the same circumstances. But I want answers, Lex. Because if I can’t get them, I need to think about pressing charges."

"You’d never win," Lex said, automatically. Then his face fell. "There I go again," he threw his hands up in exasperation. "Why can’t I act normal around you?"

"You hate me."

"Well, Yeah. But it’s not like you’re in an exclusive club. I’ve hated people over the years without losing my mind like this."

"Okay," she said, with exaggerated helpfulness. "You really hate me."

"No kidding; we’ve been used to this for years, it’s become comfortable, familiar even. But it doesn’t explain or excuse what happened."

"Hazard a guess."

"It was the ‘no’ that set me off." He said. "When you said it so casually, like it didn’t matter, I felt really angry. You’d just challenged me by saying I wasn’t man enough to demand to see it while you were dressed like a guy. Then it was like you were refusing my attempts at reclaiming it."

"Why would that make you nuts."

"Because you weren’t following the rules." He looked really frustrated and started pacing. "I was thinking that you’d ambushed me in the elevator, starting this whole thing and getting me all worked up for another match, then you just yanked it away again, like you could just drop the game."

"What do you mean by ‘worked up’?"

"Just that…the game. It…you know."

"No," she said, crossing her arms over her breasts. "I don’t."

"It’s a challenge, like any other game. And I guess I wanted to play it some more."

"And I took it away so you decided to try your hand at a little deviant behavior." She was angry. "You’re not the first guy I’ve dated who tried to use sex as some kind of weapon." She covered her mouth with her hand when she realized what she’d said.

"Did someone hurt…" he trailed off. "Did you say ‘Dated’?"

"I didn’t mean it like that," Chloe backpedaled. "I probably meant the same thing you did by ‘Worked up’."

They stared at each other in silence. A knock on the door interrupted them. Relieved at the distraction, Chloe called out. "Come in." Lex backed away from her quickly and faced the door. Sheri stepped in holding a paper sack with one hand.

"Hi, I know I’m a little early, but I had to get out of the office." She looked at Lex. "I can come back if it’s a bad time."

"No," Chloe said, quickly. "We were just finishing up here." She turned to Lex. "Call my bosses if you want to set up something official, but I can take the case if you want." She hadn’t decided until the moment the words came out of her mouth that she was going to help him. She just knew that they needed things resolved.

Lex looked like he wanted to protest but pressed his lips together in a tight line and just nodded. He left without another word and Sheri waited until he’d closed the door behind him before speaking.

"What was that all about?"

"I don’t know what you’re talking about." Chloe promptly ducked as a bag of corn chips came sailing at her.

"You’d better do some talking, cupcake, cause I got an apple, some blueberry pie, and both are going to start flyin’ if you don’t start talkin’." She waited. Chloe looked trapped, but stayed quiet. "The tension in this room was so tight, I almost ran smack into it." She put her free hand on a lean hip. "Can you imagine the guilt if I got a black eye from it?"

Chloe finally laughed at the mental picture of someone being injured by tension in the air. She picked up the bag of chips from the floor and gestured to the chair across from her. Sheri sat down and started pulling out sandwiches. Chloe went to the break room for a couple of soft drinks from the machine.

"Well, we had an…argument the other night," she began. "Lex came by and was trying to apologize. He’s just not very good at it."

"So you’re working for him now?"

"I don’t know, he might not ask the big wigs about me taking the case. That’s really up to him."

*

Lex requested a meeting with the McEvoys but when he found out that they’d both left the building for a meeting, he impatiently requested a meeting with whoever was in charge. He was led to an office and introduced to Amelia Farrel, the vice-president. He explained what he wanted and she recommended the same man Chloe had. He requested Chloe specifically and gave no explanation. He did, however, say that Chloe had met with him as a personal courtesy but had insisted that she speak to her bosses. Amelia agreed and they agreed on the fees and policies.

Lex was not to come to the building again if he didn’t want anyone to know that he’d hired them. He was not to acknowledge Chloe in public, nor was he to contact her unless it was an emergency. She would contact him through a wireless phone he carried that had a digital scrambler. He left without talking to Chloe again, and managed not to look towards her door when he left. He wondered if she was talking about him to her friend.

Lex went to his lawyer’s office next and they conferred on their ongoing case. Lex’s company was in the middle of a legal battle over a patent for some satellite tracking software that had been invented by one of the company’s engineers. The man had signed a contract that insisted Luthorcorp owned anything he developed while working for them. He’d quit his job and come up with the product only a few short weeks later. The contract specified that the company owned even products developed in the man’s spare time.

The engineer, Dr. Robert Tanner, had tried to hide his identity when he’d applied for the patent, but Lex’s people had been watching the man and he’d been caught. They needed solid evidence of his research that could be dated for the eight months he’d worked for Lex. It wasn’t easy, but the technology was worth Billions in future contracts and other inventions used in conjunction.

Tanner was a greedy snake, but then, so was Lex and he’d been in the business longer than the young engineer had.

Lex wondered if he wasn’t just pulling in another distraction that he didn’t need. Chloe was an odd complication in his life. She was a goofy little wrench in his proverbial gears and he could never label her correctly, friend, enemy, partner. A few things she’d said in the office had given him food for thought. First, was her automatic acceptance of is hatred. He didn’t like giving up control over his emotions to anyone by hating them. It was like they took something from him. And to have her address them so casually troubled him. Next was her mention of other men using sex as a weapon. He wondered what she’d meant by it; but her categorizing him with ‘boyfriends’ was what disturbed him most. He’d never really thought about the intimacy of their relationship. But when he thought about it, he was closer to her than he’d been to any of his wives or girlfriends. She knew him far better.

[lexchloe]

Great update. Interesting that Lex couldn't really explain why he did what he did and that Chloe let out that Freudian slip about dating with regards to him. I know they keep saying they hate eachother but I'm thinking it goes beyond that. Can't wait for more.

[hfce]

Interesting development between those two. After last night season finale. I saw a visual of Lex out of control with Chloe. You story came at a perfect time.


Hope