3/5
How could he do this do this to her? Lois stood in front of the floor length mirror staring at the reflection before her. She was wearing a deep violet dress she had bought a couple of weeks ago. She bought the dress as a present for Clark remembering his expectations of seeing her in deep violet on their first date. Now all she could do is recall his harsh words earlier in the day.
“Lois, he has gotten under your skin, just like Lex did. Did you forget that I was here from the beginning with Lex? I knew he was evil from the moment I met him and yet you kept seeing him. You almost married him even though I warned you about him.”
Lois had let her guard down, her walls had fallen down, and once again she had gotten hurt. He was supposed to be the one person who wouldn’t hurt her. How was the green-eyed monster stronger than Superman?
‘Men’
She finished getting ready and grabbed her purse. There was a knock on her door. She thought for a moment, it could be Clark to apologize. She was disappointed however when she looked through the peephole. It wasn’t Clark. She opened the door to see the dark-haired handsome man standing before her. She was surprised to see him. “Mr. Wayne?”
“I know you said you would meet me at the hotel, but what type of gentlemen would I be, if I didn’t show up at your door,” Bruce announced standing before her in a dark suit. “By the way, you look amazing.”
“Thank you,” Lois blushed smiling at the billionaire. The new dress was worth every penny, and it seemed to have the desired effect…just on the wrong man. ‘I guess he’ll have to do for tonight.’ She thought to herself before pasting a smile on her face and asking, “How did you get my address?”
“Your editor, Mr. White. A great storyteller. A bit much on the Elvis for my taste.”
“Perry sent you? I find that hard to believe.”
“After a little shop talk about my plans to improve Metropolis he thought it best we start the night off on the right foot. So Mr. White was more forthright with your information,” Bruce explained.
“I will have to thank him,” Lois replied smiling at the attention she was getting from the man. It was flattering to have this kind of attention from a man as connected as Bruce Wayne. While being Superman’s girlfriend had its perks the reality was it was very lonely at times
“We should go. The driver is waiting,” Bruce stated holding his arm out for her.
As they exited her apartment building and approached the black stretch limousine waiting for her and Bruce, flashbacks from her time with Lex came to her. The dinners, the parties, operas, and the extravagant life he flaunted in front of her on their dates. Bruce seemed like a nice enough guy and his ideas for helping Metropolis were a breath of fresh air compared to her experience with philanthropists turned criminals. He was handsome and charming but Clark’s warning continued to replay in the back of her mind. He had warned her about Lex for months, but he had reasons to believe Lex was evil; with Bruce it seemed to be nothing but pure jealously. At least, she hoped that’s all it was.
“So will your partner be at the dinner party tonight,” Bruce wondered.
“I don’t think so,” Lois sighed looking out the window as city lights of Metropolis passed by.
***
“Hottest team in town,” Bruce said looking over at the beauty before him. He knew the history of Clark Kent and Lois Lane. He also knew that she almost married Luthor. Yes, he was seeking his revenge. He would go through Lane to get to Luthor and hurt the beacon of hope of Metropolis if needed. Luthor took so much from him, now it was time to get back what was rightfully his.
“What was that?” Lois asked turning to look over at Bruce.
“You and Mr. Kent, the hottest team in town, isn’t that what they call the two of you these days. You have been partners for the past couple of years even working together on bringing down Lex Luthor, correct?”
“Yes, news team.” She wasn’t feeling generous enough toward her partner to elaborate any further on their relationship despite the obvious flirting Bruce Wayne was throwing at her. Any other time she would have shut it down firmly with an ‘I’m taken’ but tonight she was still too angry at Clark to care.
“Anything, more between the two of you?” he wondered as his hand inched closer to hers looking over at her seductively.
Feeling she’d flirted with the fine line of professionalism Bruce Wayne was teetering on she pulled her hand back and looked back at him, “Excuse me?” She wondered, looking at the man who was seen as the most eligible bachelor in Gotham City. “What does my dating life have to do with your involvement in taking over Lex’s business?”
“I just want to know what I am getting myself into. Is your boyfriend going to show up in a jealous rage and pick a fight with me with me in the middle of dinner? That wouldn’t be a very good first impression for either of us,” Bruce explained. In a way, he wanted Kent to show up, he wanted to show the ace reporter who he was dealing with. He had resources and abilities that Luthor didn’t have and prove to them that he was not one to cross.
“Clark’s a good man,” Lois stated matter a fact. He was the best type of man – just a bit jealous at times. “Bruce, I’m not sure what you want me to tell you.”
“I want you… Miss Lane,” Bruce stammered, “to help me bring Metropolis back to what it used to be.”
“Back to what it used to be? It used to be under Lex’s control. He had everyone fooled except Clark.”
“And Superman, right,” Bruce admitted. “Superman was the one that caught him last year.”
“And Superman,” Lois retorted. She had to be careful when talking about Clark and learn to distinguish between the two personalities.
As the evening progressed, Lois was introduced to many of Bruce’s connections in Metropolis. Some of which she’d met before. Lois made her way around the room, making conversation with everyone from the President of Metropolis Bank & Trust to New Troy’s Senator and Congressman. As she found herself deep in conversation with the President of the Metropolis Museum of Art, she didn’t notice the handsome gentleman in a dark charcoal suit make his way through the crowded dining hall and head straight for her direction.
***
He wasn’t invited to this event although he was able to get inside because of his press credentials. He could smell her perfume from across the hall and hear the soft rhythm of her heart beating as her laugh rang in his ears. He had grown accustom to finding her heartbeat across the city so finding her across the room was easy enough.
“Mr. Kent, I assume,” a tall man in a dark suit approached him, blocking him from making his way toward Lois.
“Yes, Clark Kent,” Clark said, extending his hand to shake his, eyes narrowing in recognition.
“Bruce Wayne,” he smiled, “but I’m sure you already knew that…being the well-educated journalist you are. They don’t give those Kerths out to just anyone.”
Clark was a bit taken aback by the half-compliment and half-challenge Bruce had laid out in his sentence. He wasn’t sure how to respond exactly.“I see you’ve done your homework.”
“Comes in handy when planning a takeover.” Bruce shrugged.
Clark wasn’t sure if Bruce was referring to LexCorp or Lois when he caught the man’s gaze shift across the room to where Lois was still in deep conversation with the Metropolis Museum of Art’s President. “You do a good job at making a name for yourself, Mr. Wayne. Orphaned as a child, and sole heir to the Wayne Enterprises fortune after the tragic murder of your parents Thomas and Martha Wayne. Your butler, Alfred Pennyworth raised you in seclusion where you remained hidden from the world until your twenty-first birthday when you took ownership of Wayne Enterprises. You spend your time walking the fine line of Gotham City’s’ Most Eligible Bachelor and Gotham City’s Most Famous Womanizer.” The last sentence was said with more bite in his tone than he intended.
“Womanizer, really?” Bruce looked at him in mock-surprise. “That’s quite an introduction, Mr. Kent.”
“If you don’t want that kind of reputation you may want to keep your personal life out of the tabloids.” Clark added with the cock of his head as he took a step forward, forcing Bruce to take a step back.
“Lois said you wouldn’t be able to make it tonight.” Bruce offered broad smile. “I’m so glad she was wrong. I wanted to pick your brain about some things.”
Clark took another step forward, “I’m not interested in having my brain picked tonight, Mr. Wayne, but I do have some concerns about you.”
“Concerns?” Bruce asked.
“What I want to know is why Metropolis? Why Lex Corp? There are so many other cities you could go to. I hear Star City is nice. How about Central City? National City could use another billionaire,” Clark listed off as he continued to size his competition up.
“Those cities are great, I’ve done business in all of them. Yet they do not have the one thing I’m looking for…” Bruce expressed turning around looking over at the woman who was walking towards them.
“What exactly are you looking for?” Clark wondered watching as the stunning beauty walked towards him.
“Revenge. Plain and simple,” Bruce muttered to Clark before Lois reached the two men. “Lois, your partner showed up tonight after all. Isn’t that super?”
“Great,” Lois managed through a forced smile before giving him a look he recognized from early in their partnership. The look that told him, ‘What do you think you’re doing?’ “Clark, I’m surprised to see you. I thought you would have other business to attend too.”
“It’s been a quiet night,” Clark replied coolly, meeting her gaze for a brief moment before she turned her head away from him.
“Well I should talk to my guests. It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Kent. We should have lunch sometime. Schedule that ‘brain-picking’ so to speak.” Bruce excused himself.
Lois watched Bruce walk away then she looked over at Clark tilting her head at him. “Lunch? Aren’t you afraid the evil billionaire is going to attack? Might want to bring a change of costume.” She added the last phrase in a sarcastic whisper.
“I never said he was evil. I said I didn’t trust him.” Clark corrected.
“Hmm, where have I heard that phrase before?” Lois rolled her eyes at him before stepping toward him and hissing, “What are you doing here?”
“I came to apologize.” He noticed her face soften and reached out to cup her face. “After our fight this morning, then saving your life when your brakes went out, my emotions were still on overload. I don’t know what I would do if I lost you.” His hand traced the outline of her face and his fingers teased the soft strands of her dark locks. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have bought up your past with Lex. I know you can take care of yourself, I’m just not used to this thing between us,” Clark illuminated putting his hands on her shoulders. “I love you, Lois. I don’t want to lose you.”
“Then stop acting like the green-eyed monster. I’m a reporter. I interview successful people all the time. I've been doing it on a regular basis for quite some time.”
“I’m well aware.” He managed with a smile. “I’m sorry. I promise no more ‘green-eyed monster.’” The words seemed to soften her resolve to stay mad at him. He could see the inner struggle in her eyes and he took another step toward her, placing his other hand on the other side of her cheek, “Truce?”
“Maybe. I’m still mulling your apology over.” She gave him a half-smile. His heart warmed as he thought about what he wanted to do with her right now.
“I can wait,” he replied before leaning over to kiss her, “You look amazing tonight.”
His lips brushed against hers cautiously and he could feel her respond instantaneously. He pulled her closer into his arms as he tasted the wine she had earlier. Their problems and the people around them disappeared and the only thing that mattered was the feel of the woman he loved in his arms.
***
On the other side of the room Lois and Clark were unaware they had an audience. Bruce stood beside a woman with blonde hair pinned up in a twist. She had been in a black low cut evening gown and mingled through the crowd through the evening. Lois had never noticed the woman through the evening even though the woman was very beautiful. The woman’s job was to be overlooked until the moment was right.
“What do you want to do now,” the woman asked Bruce.
“You need to do what you do best,” Bruce told the woman. “Use your assets and keep those two apart.”
Bruce would get his revenge. He would use every trick in the book to get his revenge on Luthor even if it meant breaking up a set of reporters. Bruce Wayne was very fond of the brunette reporter and he might even have a job for her in another city if things went his way.
**Note** I really have to thank folc4evernday for beta-reading this for me. She has really helped me become a better writer even when I send her the copy three to four times because I keep messing it up. Thank you.
