Cherry Wine {lex luthor}

chapter forty

I stared up at the daunting staircase, sighing internally. I had just made it down, and that hadn't been a small feat. Lex took one look at me, and picked me up in a smooth motion. I shrieked in surprise.

"Hey!"

"I'm a busy man, and you were looking at the stairs like they'd offended you somehow." He said.

I draped my arms around his neck, my sweater covering my hands. The maids were nowhere to be seen, now, but the hallway still smelled like lemon cleaner. Lex set me down outside the door of the bedroom, my feet hitting the plush carpet.

"Dress warmly. It's supposed to be cold." He instructed me, as his phone vegan to buzz in his pocket. "I have to take this. Luthor." He answered the call, turning the pace down the hall. He was being secretive, more so than usual-but then again, he had been, ever since we'd been home. A byproduct of the attack, no doubt. He'd always been adamant I know nothing so no one could ever hurt me. It would be doubly important now. If word got out that someone had managed to snatch me from the manor, there could be more attempts. Security had been stepped up, and cameras covered every inch of the property. I could see the glint of one from the window, looking down over the garden, like some sort of menacing fly.

It was hard to know what to wear. Warm could mean jeans and a thick sweater, or warm could mean tights and a long sleeved dress. It's all relative.

I decided on the latter, easing a black turtleneck dress over my head and torso, careful not to disrupt the swathes of white dressings. It did look particularly cold, so I put on thick thigh high socks over my tights, just in case. It wasn't likely that we would be hiking, or even walking much. I was getting better. I wasn't healed.

***
Neither of us mentioned Valentine's Day, even as the storefronts downtown boasted red hearts and roses. There were people carrying bundles of flowers, or presents, all wrapped up.

We spent the better part of the day in the city, eating waffles and drinking burnt coffee at the tiniest diner we could find, and watching the buskers in Hero's Park. Couples were skating on the rink, hand in hand, and soft radio music played. Everyone looked happy, and in love. It was something I could finally relate to.  In the past, I had hated Valentine's Day. Almost everyone came to school with exciting plans for the night, or with extravagant presents. I didn't. My parents assured me I was too intimidating for boys to approach me, that I was far out of their league-that I would find a successful man one day and make everyone jealous in turn. They were half right, anyways.

I kept catching Lex staring at me when I wasn't looking. Something was off with him, and it was making me nervous. He was scheming. It was his scheming face.

"What?" I finally asked, as we sped down the freeway. "You're freaking me out."

"Nothing. You just look so happy." He said. "Listen, when we get home, wait outside so I can make sure the realtors have gone, alright?"

A wave of apprehension washed over me, but I agreed, anyways. The lights of the manor spilled over the snow-and there were cameras and the night security guards. I wouldn't be alone. I would be fine.

I leaned against the car, keeping a vigilant eye out, but Lex was back in seconds, taking my hand. Relief hit me when I felt his hand on mine. I was okay. I was here. Home.

All of that, though, flew out of my head when I stepped in the front door.

Candles filled the foyer, flickering low and strong. Rose petals led in a winding path towards the great glass room, where all the parties were held. The room held an amber glow, as hundreds of flames flickered in the winter darkness. Above me, the stars glowed through the glass ceiling, winking down at me.