Cherry Wine {lex luthor}

chapter forty three

"Just tell us, Ruth." Someone was standing over me, their face blurred and indistinct. I was tied to a table, a bright light shining in my eyes. I couldn't seem to move, or speak.

"He won't love you after this, Ruth." Another voice said. "You think he'll love someone so damaged. You think he already does?"

I wanted to cry, to tell them to stop, but I was frozen. The voices were laughing, now, mocking me. They sounded so familiar, like something out of a hazy daydream, If I could just place them, I was sure I would be okay.

"We're going to make you wish you'd never opened your mouth."

That voice, I recognized. I doubted there would ever be a time when it didn't haunt me. A hand descended around my throat.

I jolted awake, a scream on my lips. My heart was racing, my shirt stuck to my back with sweat. I wiped frantically at my face and neck, trying to get rid of the dream-feel of the phantom hand.

The bed next to me was empty, and sunlight streamed through the half-open blinds. I could hear birds singing in the rose garden, and so I shut my eyes and focussed on that for a moment, trying to slow my ragged breathing. It was a technique one of the nurses taught me in the hospital-find something real, something you can touch, or smell, or hear, and think only of that for a minute. It helped ground me in reality, when the black wave of nightmares threatened to drown me.

When my heart had stopped beating out of my chest, I swung my legs out of bed, searching on the floor for a pair of socks and a sweater. The day was warm, but the sweat cooling on my limbs was making me cold; plus, I felt safer wrapped in one of Lex's sweaters. I didn't linger. There was still a chill of fear in my belly. Every sound made me nervous, and the fact that I was alone put me on edge-even though I knew the house was full of people.

Lex was on the phone when I gently pushed the study door open, both elbows on his desk. He sounded angry, exasperated. "I don't care." he barked. "Get it done. Make it up until you can find evidence." He sighed, and buried his face in his hands so deeply that he didn't see me approach his desk.

"Lex." I said, an embarrassing quaver in my voice.

He startled, and looked at me, doing a double take. "You look terrible. Are you feeling alright?"

"No." I twisted  my hands deeper into my sleeves.

"Nightmare?" He asked. I nodded. Lex opened his arms, and I sank into them gratefully, curling into the desk chair with him, and resting my head on his shoulder. He stroked my hair with one hand setting his phone down on the desk. "You want to talk about it?"

"Not really." I whispered.

His phone rang, making me jump as it buzzed loudly. Lex grabbed it, all but growling at the caller ID before answering it. "Luthor." He snapped.

There was rushed, garbled talking on the other end, and Lex stiffened.

"You're sure?" He asked. "Because if I get down there, and you've gotten it wrong..." He left the threat open ended. His voice was high, commanding, the way it always was when he was conducting business. It frightened me a little, but it also made my pulse a little faster.

"Who was that?" I didn't really expect a response.

"We're going to Metropolis." Lex said, helping me stand.

"Now?"

"Now."

****

Lex seemed on edge for the entire drive, clenching the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white. He drove even more carelessly than usual, weaving in and out of cars on the highway. His sunglasses sat low on his face, obscuring his eyes. I sat with my knees to my chest, chin resting on them. My dress had slid down my legs, puddling on the seat. The sun felt nice on the bare skin of my thighs, and I basked in it like a cat in heart-shaped sunglasses.