The Rules of Enmity: NC17

[FroggyJump]

I enjoyed Lex's last comment to Jake.

The friendship between Charlie and Chloe is so sweet and I'm glad that the situation with Lex is going good.

[SianUrsula]

Oh yay! Only just discovered this and absolutely love it! LOVE IT! Please continue!

[arkakitty]

I loved the update soooo much Seriously. I wanna know, what's more to come, so please bring the next out soon

[starmoon]

please update soon i can't wait for more.

[zelda]

Present:

Lex knocked on Chloe’s door. She answered with a finger to her lips.

"Charlie’s here, he’s knocked out on the couch from the painkillers."

"How did he get out of the hospital?" Lex asked, shutting the door softly.

"He had a little help from his family and then gave them the slip." She grinned. "Doesn’t like being coddled. Just grabbed his painkillers and took off." She walked back to the couch and peeked at her sleeping friend.

"I’ve just been hanging out." She bit her lip but didn’t ask where he’d been. He seemed to read her mind.

"I had to leave early in order to meet with the hotel management and then go to speak to some friends in law enforcement." He took off his jacket and tossed it over a chair. "I would’ve liked to have been there when you woke up?"

"You’d have re-thought it when you’ve seen my hair first thing after a nap."

"I have," he replied, tweaking her chin, "you’re absolutely charming with that ‘hedgehog’ look." He blocked the half-hearted swipe she took at him.

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms. After a brief kiss, he said, "I also went to see Shelley today."

"Did she tell you she came to see me?" Chloe asked. Lex cocked his head to the side.

"No she didn’t mention it, but she and I needed to talk a few things over. She apologized for her role in this mess. I forgave her and she forgave me for being unavailable to her."

"I gave her a brief explanation about the tattoos. I know she was more than a little shocked to know my real name."

"She’s also worried about her job and the bad press that may come out of this."

"I can understand that." Lex grimaced, slightly,

"I’m glad to hear you say that, because she asked that we still attend the charity event together."

"I still have Charlie as my date, presuming he can dance by the end of the week." Chloe smiled. "I hadn’t thought of depriving you of your date, besides, it’d not like we can put any kind of label on our…arrangement."

"Do you want a label?"

"Not yet. I’m just working on accepting the fact that I enjoy your company now."

"Have you called our friend, Sheri?"

"Yeah, She’ll be meeting me for dinner tonight. I hope you don’t mind but I need some girl time." Chloe paused and cocked her head to one side.

"Preferably without come-ons and violence."

"I’ll find some way to amuse myself for a few hours." He ran his hands up and down her arms.

"No offense, but you look really exhausted," Chloe said, placing her palm on his cheek. "How much sleep have you had?"

"A little here and there." He admitted, allowing the weary lines to crease his eyes. "Had a lot on my mind."

"Can I convince you to take a nap?" She wrapped her arms loosely around his waist.

"Does it involve you being naked in bed with me?" he asked.

"If you're getting naked, I could use a napping buddy too." Charlie’s voice came from over the couch.

"I thought you were asleep," Chloe said, moving back over to her friend.
"You looked like you were back in a coma."

"Nah," he replied. "The painkillers make it so I can doze, but being shot makes you twitchy, being twitchy makes it tough on the bullethole."

"Yeah, it does suck," Lex said. "Then it itches once it starts to heal and you have to stop yourself from scratching. I pulled a stitch once in the middle of a meeting and nearly started to cry."

"Been shot?"

"Couple of times," Lex remarked, standing over the tall Englishman. "This your first hit?"

"Nope," Charlie replied. "Once while hunting. But that was just birdshot from a half-blind uncle who couldn’t tell the difference between a three pound pheasant and a Six-foot nephew wearing yellow plaid." He shifted himself on the couch. "Never really cared much for Uncle Robert after that." He gestured to Chloe for help. "Give us a hand, Love, and I’ll leave you to it." She helped him stand.

"How’s it feeling?"

"With all the drugs I’m on, it only hurts when I breathe." He slung an arm over her shoulder and kissed the back of her head where her bump was.

"Feel better soon, huh?"

"You too."
Lex walked Charlie to the door and opened it for the other man. He stepped out into the hallway and walked a few steps towards the elevator.

"If this is going to turn into one of those sappy moments where you try to express to me how grateful you are for me dragging your lady out of the sack before your girlfriend’s jilted, crazed, ex-lover started shooting at us, you can save it."

"I can?" Lex asked noncommittally.

"Yes, and you don’t have to go into detail about how much she means to you because I already know you’re both fucking nuts in general so it’s just as well that you’re bloody retarded for each other as well."

"Good to know." He smiled and slapped Charlie on the back making him grunt with pain and mumble under his breath about Lex’s questionable parentage.

"Don’t get testy with me, Luthor, I’m not looking to claim a piece of prime, Sullivan, real estate so you can quit with that particular speech before it starts too."

"You know me that well?" Lex raised his eyebrows as they reached the doors to the elevator.

"If you were any more possessive you’d be humping her leg like the dirty dog that you are."

"Exactly what kind of medication are you on?"

"Right, cause when you got shot, you took just the crap they give you at the hospital. Being from one of the wealthiest families in Europe has its advantages. But given a choice, I prefer getting shot here, the surgeons are better."

"So I’m not good enough for Chloe?"

"You’ve been torturing her and using her to torture yourself for the better part of a decade. Can’t say that it endears you to me." Charlie rolled his neck and used the cane to push the down button for the elevator.

"This from the man who virtually bought a company to be near her."

"My reasons were different, Luthor."

"I’m supposed to believe that?" Lex’s face was hard. He hadn’t meant to get into this with Charlie. The man had saved Chloe’s life. But he didn’t like being challenged.

"Your beliefs don’t matter to me. She knows the truth; she still finds me…worthy." Lex blinked at his choice of words. Charlie took a step forward and loomed a little over the other man. "I won’t bother with threats about hurting her. It would be redundant and way too late. To be honest, if I didn’t know she was doing as much shit to you as you were doing to her, I’d have…acted on your behavior before now."

"But now?"

"You’ll have to be really good to her. I got between her and a bullet, won’t be easy to top that." He slapped Lex on the back.

"I saved her from an exploding house once," Lex said, defensively.

"No you didn’t, you were busy being poisoned by your father."

"Well, I had people-"

"Its all noise, Luthor." The elevator doors opened. "I love her, it’s something she knows and can relate to. You’ll need to make an extra effort if you want her ever to associate you with that emotion."

"She knows the difference," Lex said, softly. He didn’t usually explain himself, but this man had been the one thing standing between Chloe and probable death.

"Sex between strangers can play tricks when there’s chemistry, but make sure you’re capable of giving her what she needs before she starts to need it from you."

"Get some sleep," Lex said as Charlie stepped into the elevator. "You look like shit."

"You too."

A/N: Okay, I had to put some kind of pissing contest in, cause that's what guys do.

[lj715]

That was a great update but, you stopped too soon!! I wanted more! Love how protective Charlie is of Chloe but he know her too well. He's gonna be there for her if Lex screws up though. I hope you update soon because I want to know what happens next. Do they get to have their naked nap?

[Kit Merlot]

Zelda, excellent update!

I am a loyal Chlexer to the end, but if Chloe can't be with Lex for whatever reason, I wouldn't mind her and Charlie getting together

Loved the Lex/Charlie manly, "I love Chloe more" conversation. Both men love her and want what is best for her. I do love it when Chloe has two great guys fighting over her.

Beautiful chapter

[star del mar]

Boys...I swear that one day they're just going to whip them out and start comparing, lol. They're some tension but obviously because Chloe is a hot commodity but I love my Lex so I'll be rooting for him endlessly, I love Charlie but I just can't picture Chloe with anyone else. Great update!

Steph*

[Blackberry]

That was awesome.

Favourite line:

"If you were any more possessive you’d be humping her leg like the dirty dog that you are."

Had me snickering like a weirdo.

I enjoyed their argument... hehehe...

more soon~

[campbti]

I liked the pissing contest, very macho. I so love this story, loved the resolution of the storyline and Charlie. Can't wait to see how you wrap it all up.