Cherry Wine {lex luthor}

chapter fifty two

Bird calls pulled me from sleep before six in the morning. The window was open, and I could see the flicker of little bodies as they flew by, singing to one another. There was still a chill in the air, and I curled tighter into's Lex's frame. He let out a sigh, looping his arm back over my shoulders, so I was laying on his chest. I could feel the ridges of his scars on my cheek, through the soft cotton of his shirt.

"Morning." He mumbled, kissing the side of my head.

"It's too early." I squeezed my eyes closed.

"You can go back to sleep." He said. "I won't go anywhere."

I yawned, stretching out my legs. "I'm awake now. May as well get up. What are we doing today?"

Lex released his grip on me, letting me roll to the side and sit up, my legs swinging over the side of the bed. A robin perched in the tree next to the window, it's black eyes looking right at me. "City, in a bit." Lex said.

"I'm coming, I assume?" I looked over my shoulder. He propped himself up on one arm, watching me. I narrowed my eyes playfully. "Take a picture. It'll last longer."

He lifted his phone, and I heard the sharp click of the camera app. "As you wish. You're coming, yes. No need to stay here alone."

"You'll miss me too much." I said, rolling back, so we were face to face. Lex tucked my hair behind my ear, and kissed me lightly.

"I always miss you when you're gone." He said. "Go get breakfast."

I ran down the stairs, reveling in the fact that my ribs and leg gave hardly a twinge. Golden light spilled through the foyer, and crystallized in the glass ceiling of the party hall. It was like being inside a giant prism. I turned, watching as the light broke and came back together in rainbows and shimmering ladders. Eventually, though, the smell of fresh coffee enticed me to the kitchen. I made out two travel mugs, one black, one rich and sweet. They were ceramic, emblazoned with the LexCorp logo on one side. We had dozens. As I set them down on the island, a piece of blue plastic caught my eye. I reached over and picked it up. It was the bank card Lex had tried to give me the night before. One of us had left it on the island. Without thinking, I tucked it into the pocket of my shorts.

Lex was in his office, his hair damp and his suit jacket strewn across the back of a couch. I knocked, and handed him the mug. "I'll go get dressed." I said. He nodded distractedly, watching his phone like a hawk.

I was pulling a dress over my head when the bank card winked at me again, the gold chip on its surface gleaming in the sun. I stared at it. I didn't want it, but I didn't want to leave it lying around. It felt like bad luck. I slid it into the left pocket of the dress, running my finger over the rounded edge.

We left the tunnel of trees an hour later, pulling smoothly out onto the freeway. The roads were empty so early, and Lex flew down the road. I shut my eyes, letting the wind from the open sun roof ruffle my air.

"Ruth." Lex said. "Look at me for a second."

I opened my eyes, turning to face him. He looked drawn and serious. My stomach gave a lurch.

"What's up?" I asked.

"We're leaving. Today." Lex said.

"Leaving...?"

"The country, Ruth." Lex tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "I thought I had more time, but if we're going to get out, it has to be today."

I blinked once, twice, registering the news. I had about a million questions, but the look on his face, the set of his shoulders told me almost everything. "Okay." I said, calmly. "Why, exactly? Is it the Alistair thing?"