Landen

by Holly C. Webb

  “Oh, I didn’t,” Dylan replied with a grin. “That would be Liam who did that. Someone called him from the station, telling him you were on your way here. He got here before you even arrived. He was talking about how he knew this would happen; that he had warned you. Care to tell me what the hell he’s talking about?”

  “Liam just thinks he knows everything,” Landen sighed, knowing that Liam was going to be a nightmare now.

  “Well, he is pissed off about something,” Dylan sighed as he gave him a smile. “But right now, I need to go and let everyone know you’re okay.”

  “Okay,” Landen nodded, then sighed once more, as his head ached. “And thanks, Dylan.”

  “Just doing my job,” Dylan replied with a smile before he turned, heading out the door. Landen lay his head back, closing his eyes for a moment. His head hurt, and he really just wanted to sleep. But first, he needed to talk to Amelia. He needed to assure her that what happened was not her fault because he knew her enough to know that she would think the worse.

  The door opened once more. Before Landen had time to think his bed was surrounded by half his family and Nikki. He quickly searched the room, and finally, he spotted Amelia standing next to the door. She looked like she wanted to cry, but she was doing her best to keep it together.

  “How are you feeling?” Sean asked his son, as he gave him a worried look.

  “Like I’ve been run over by a steamroller,” Landen replied honestly.

  “You look like it,” Sean said as he slipped his arm around Nell’s shoulder before he looked at Dylan. “He’s going to be okay, right?”

  “He is,” Dylan assured his father. “As long as he takes it easy.”

  “You gave us all such a scare,” Nell said as she reached for Landen’s hand. “Do you know what happened?”

  “I was walking to my car, something hit me from behind,” Landen explained, as once more his eyes searched out Amelia. She was still standing next to the door, her face was now completely unreadable, but Landen could feel a knot of fear grow deep down inside him. “I have no idea who or what it was about.”

  “I think I could venture a guess,” Liam said, and Landen knew exactly what he was getting at. “This is about that friend; the one you’re helping. This was a warning to back the hell off.”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Landen hissed. The last thing he needed right now, was Amelia to think this was her fault, but he also didn’t want Nikki to know that her father was behind this either.

  “Yes, I do, Landen,” Liam replied angrily. “One of the rich assholes you’re representing has some psycho after them, and you are getting in the way. I told you this was going to happen.”

  “This has nothing to do with that,” Landen replied, as he glanced toward Amelia once more. The look on her face almost broke him, but he couldn’t react if he were to keep her secret.

  “Liam now is not the time,” Nell said, and Landen could see the surprise on Liam’s face.

  “Mom!” Liam exclaimed angrily. “Now is a perfect time! Landen could have been killed, but he is too stupid and too arrogant to see it.”

  “But he wasn’t,” Nell tried to reassure her son, before she glanced at Amelia, giving her a smile, then turned back to Landen. “Right now, we need just to be grateful that he is okay. Tomorrow we can figure out the rest.”

  “And what about next time?” Liam demanded. “What happens when whoever this asshole was decides that Landen needs more than a warning? What if next time he puts a bullet into his head to get him out of the way for good?”

  “THERE WON’T BE A NEXT TIME!” Landen shouted, then cried out in pain. His head felt like it was about to explode, he could hardly catch his breath. Landen held his chest, gasping for air as Dylan hurried to Landen’s side, pulling the oxygen mask from behind the bed, then slipped it over Landen’s mouth.

  “You need to keep calm, Landen,” Dylan said, his voice even and calm. “I need you to take, slow, steady breaths. You’re going to be okay, but you need to try to stay calm and breathe.”

  Landen did as Dylan said, as slowly his breathing began to return to normal. He hated that he looked so weak and pathetic in front of his whole family. When he could breathe easier, he lifted his head, looking over towards the door, to where Amelia had been standing, but she was no longer there.

  “Where’s Amelia?” He asked, no longer caring about the pretense that she was Nikki’s cousin. “Where did she go?”

  “You mean Nikki’s cousin?” Dylan asked as he turned, looking towards the door too, as did everyone else. “I didn’t see.”

  “Yes,” Landen said as he pulled his oxygen mask off before he pushed back his bedclothes, trying to get up from the bed. “I’ve got to go look for her.”

  “You’re not going anywhere,” Dylan said as he pushed Landen back down on the bed.

  “Dylan, get out of my way,” Landen gasped as he reached for the IV that was in his arm, trying to remove it.

  “Landen, you can barely breathe,” Dylan said as he grabbed Landen’s hand, stopping him from pulling it out. “How the hell do you think you can even walk?”

  “But you don’t understand,” Landen insisted as once more his chest tightened, as his breathing became laboured once again. “If she runs, I will never find her again. Please.”

  “I’ll go look for her,” Nikki said before she turned and hurried out the door of the room.

  “She isn’t Nikki’s cousin, is she?” Liam said as it all became clear to him. “She’s the friend.”

  “She is more than just a friend, Liam,” Landen gasped, as Dylan slipped the oxygen mask back on him. Landen crashed back down on the bed.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” Liam asked as he moved closer to his brother. “I could have helped you. I could have helped you both.”

  “I promised her,” Landen replied between deep breaths, as he reached out and grabbed his brother’s arm. “What happened had nothing to do with her. It was Nikki’s dad, we saw him earlier, and he sent one of his friends to give me a message. If she is gone back to the apartment, and Charles Greenway is there…”

  “My dad did this?” Nikki asked suddenly from the doorway.

  “Nik, did you find her?” Landen asked ignoring her question.

  “She’s gone,” Nikki said as she stepped further into the room. “Why didn’t you say it was my dad?”

  “Because I know you, and I don’t want you to blame yourself,” Landen explained. “But right now, I need to find Amelia. I promise, once I know she is okay, I will tell you what you want to know.”

  “I’ll go look for her,” Liam said as he gave Landen a smile. “I promise I will find her, and I will bring her back to you.”

  “Please, Liam,” Landen said as he gave him a pleading look. “I can’t lose her. Not like this.”

  “I promise,” Liam said as he patted Landen’s shoulder before he headed to the door.

  “Liam!” Nikki called out, and Liam stopped and turned back to her. She handed him the key to her apartment, telling him the code. “You will need these to get up to the apartment.”

  “Thanks, Nik,” Liam replied, giving her a grateful smile before he turned and hurried out of the room.

  “Now, I know you’re all worried about him,” Dylan said looking at his parents. “But I think Landen really needs to rest. If he wants to get out of here in the next day or so, he needs to try to get some sleep.”

  “Finn and Callum are on their way in,” Sean said as he pulled his phone from his pocket. “I will call them and tell them to go straight to the house.”

  Sean walked out of the room, leaving Landen alone with his mom, Nikki and Dylan.

  “Landen, I’m so sorry that this happened to you,” Nikki said as she took hold of Landen’s hand.

  “You don’t have to be sorry, Nik,” Landen reassured her. “We are going to sort this, okay?”

  “Okay,” Nikki nodded as tears trickled down her face.

  �
�Why don’t I take you back to my house, Nikki,” Nell said as she wrapped her arm around Nikki’s shoulder. “I think tonight is a night to be with family.”

  “Thank you,” Nikki replied, smiling through her tears.

  “Promise me that you will do what Dylan tells you,” Nell said as she turned her attention back to Landen. “I know you’re worried about Amelia, but you are no good to her unless you allow yourself to heal.”

  “I promise, Mom,” Landen assured her before she leaned down and kissed his forehead. Then she turned to Dylan, kissing him on the cheek. “Take care of him for me, don’t let him talk you into letting him leave here, no matter what.”

  “I won’t,” Dylan assured his mother as he leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. “I promise you he is going nowhere.”

  “Thank you,” Nell said as she looked at Landen once more, and he hated that once more his mother was worried about him. “I will be back in the morning.”

  Nikki stared at Landen for a moment longer before she allowed Nell to lead her out of the room.

  “So,” Dylan said once he and Landen were alone once more. “You want to fill me in on what’s going on? Who’s this Amelia girl?”

  “It’s a long story, Dylan,” Landen sighed as he sank back on his pillow. “I promise I will tell you everything, but once this headache is gone.”

  “Then maybe you should get some rest,” Dylan said, giving his brother a knowing smile.

  “I can’t,” Landen replied, honestly. “Not until I know that she’s okay.”

  “I thought you might say that,” Dylan said with a chuckle as he turned and walked over to a cabinet on the back wall. Picking up a syringe, he turned and walked towards Landen.

  He reached up, inserting the syringe into the access port on the IV that was connected to Landen’s arm.

  “What are you doing?” Landen asked as he gave his brother a questioning look.

  “I need you to sleep,” Dylan explained as he pressed down on the syringe. “So, I am giving you something to relax you.”

  “Dylan, no,” Landen argued, but it was too late. The sedative was already in the drip and working its way into his system. “What if Amelia comes back.”

  “Then I will make sure she doesn’t leave again,” Dylan replied with a smile, as he threw the syringe into the dangerous waste disposal next to the door. “Liam is going to find her Landen. He will take care of her, but I need to take care of you.”

  “I…I don’t want to go to sleep,” Landen insisted, but he could already feel the effects of the drugs that were now in his system. “Dylan….”

  Suddenly his eyes grew heavy, and as much as Landen tried, he could fight the sleep no longer. He lay his head back down on the pillow and closed his eyes.

  Chapter 12

  Amelia

  By the time Amelia got back to Nikki’s apartment, she could barely breathe through the tears that were now streaming down her face. Walking away from Landen had been the hardest thing she ever had to do, but seeing Landen hurt, made her realise exactly what she was asking of him, and she just couldn’t do it. He had a life, and a family that loved him dearly, how could she ask him to risk it all, just to protect her.

  She could hear the anger in Landen’s brother’s voice when he said that it was her fault that he had been hurt. Even though Landen had insisted that wasn’t the case, she knew that even if it wasn’t because of her this time, it was only a matter of time until it was her fault, and Amelia couldn’t let that happen.

  She also realised that seeing him lying there, bruised and battered that she had feelings for him. Deep, powerful feelings, so she needed to go before it was too late and she lost her heart to him completely. Falling in love just wasn’t an option. Not while Pete Reynolds was still a threat.

  What scared Amelia the most was, she had only known Landen for such a short time, yet she felt closer to him than she had ever felt to another person since she lost her father. She needed to stop this before it became too much.

  When she had text Landen earlier, she had been thrilled when he told her that he wanted to come over, because she wanted to see him too. She had smiled to herself as she typed in the text that told him to hurry up, and when he didn’t reply, Amelia knew he was wasting no time getting there. But then he never arrived,

  When Nikki knocked on her door, to tell her that Landen had been taken to the emergency room, Amelia felt a pang of guilt instantly consume her. Her first thought she had when she heard that Landen had been hurt was, Pete Reynolds had found her, and he had hurt Landen.

  When Mike came to collect them both, to take them to the hospital, all Amelia could think was what if Landen died because of her. The fear inside her was almost consuming, and by the time she reached the hospital, she could barely breathe.

  Then they reached the hospital waiting room, they found some of Landen’s family already there. Amelia froze the moment she saw them, but Nikki didn’t miss a beat, she quickly introduced Amelia as her cousin. However, when Nell shook her hand, the look in her eyes, Amelia could help but worry she blamed her too. She knew that Nell Murphy knew exactly who she was because Landen had admitted that he had told his mother about her, and while it hadn’t bothered her at the time; now she wished he hadn’t told her anything.

  Amelia sat there watching as Landen’s brother paced up and down the waiting room floor, while he ranted about how stupid Landen had been, getting involved with something that he knew was dangerous. He said how he had warned him that this was going to happen, but that Landen, in typical Landen style, insisted he knew what he was doing.

  The worst part was, Amelia knew that Liam was right. She knew what Pete Reynolds was really like, but she let Landen put himself in danger anyway. Now he was hurt, but she had no idea how badly.

  When they were finally allowed in to see Landen, Amelia just wanted to cry the moment she saw his bloody, beaten face. The strong, virile man that had made love to her the night before, looked broken, vulnerable and it made Amelia feel sick.

  Even when Landen had insisted that it was nothing to do with the “friend” he was helping, it did little to offer her comfort. It didn’t help to see him get so upset because he wanted to protect her, even from his brother, and that just made him sicker. This whole thing had turned into a complete nightmare. Amelia looked at the panicked faces of Landen’s family, as they all stood there, watching him struggle to breathe, she knew what she needed to do.

  It was the one thing that she knew to do well. She ran.

  Now that she was back in the apartment, Amelia just wanted to disappear as quickly as she could, even though the thought of leaving Landen, or even leaving Nikki, was breaking her heart.

  As she rushed into her bedroom, she considered what she needed to do, first. Should she pack her things, or should she write Nikki a letter? Then she thought of Landen once more, wondering if she should write him one too. She knew she owed him that much; she just didn’t know what to say. There were no words to explain how she was feeling right at that moment, the thought of saying goodbye to him hurt far more than she had ever believed it would.

  Amelia went to find some paper, then brought it back to her room. She quickly wrote a letter for Nikki, setting it on her pillow. But in the end, she couldn’t face writing one to Landen.

  Once she was done, Amelia rushed to the door of her wardrobe, pulled it open, and then hurried inside. She quickly reached up, taking the large bag she had from the top shelf, pulling it down. It was the one thing she had learned over the last three years; always travel light. She had one or two things of sentimental value to her that belonged to her parents. A locket that belonged to her mother, and a pocket watch that belonged to her dad.

  Other than a handful of photos from her childhood, Amelia had very few possessions that she truly cared about. She quickly stuffed her belongings into her bag, before she returned to her bedroom and gathered what pieces there was left. When she was finished, she stood for a moment, looking around her ro
om and quickly swallowed the fresh lump of grief that was almost choking her, before she headed out into the hallway.

  Amelia was halfway down the hall when the sound of keys in the front door stopped her dead in her tracks. She held her breath and waited for Nikki to come barging into the apartment, but instead, she was surprised to see Liam standing in the doorway.

  “Amelia!” He exclaimed, sounding almost relieved that she was there. “Good! I didn’t miss you.”

  “If you’ve come here to tell me that it’s my fault Landen was hurt, you can save your breath,” she said as she continued down the hallway, towards the front door, determined that nothing was going to stop her. “I already know you blame me. I know you don’t want me here, so I’m leaving. I just want Landen and Nikki to be safe. I don’t want anyone else hurt because of me.”

  “So that’s it?” Liam asked as he stepped in her way just before she reached the door. “You’re just going to leave, without even saying goodbye?”

  “It’s for the best,” Amelia said, surprised by Liam’s reaction. “I thought you would have been happy I was going. At least now Landen will be safe.”

  “Of course I’m not happy,” Liam replied, and Amelia could tell that he meant what he said. “And neither will Landen be happy. If you go, it will destroy him.”

  “Destroy him?” Amelia replied, surprised by his words.

  “Amelia, you don’t know him that well yet,” Liam continued as he tried to reason with her. This just surprised Amelia more. Of all the people in Landen’s life, Amelia was sure that Liam would be the one that would be happy to see the back of her. Especially after the way, he talked about Landen, and the asshole he was helping back in the hospital. “But I do. For him to admit he cares for you; that’s huge.”

  “I care for him too,” Amelia sighed, wishing more than anything else she could make him believe that. “But I can’t be the reason he gets hurt. I knew from the start that letting him close was a mistake, and I was right.”