Amelia

 

Amelia sat on Landen’s sofa wondering why the hell she had just told this total stranger everything. She had no clue who the hell he was, but she also knew, for some unexplainable reason, that she believed him when he said he wanted to help her.

She felt so tired of constantly running; so tired of always being afraid. Since all the trouble started with Pete, she had never been able to relax; she was never able to think about the future. But sitting there, she felt something she hadn’t felt in such a long time. She felt hope.

“Amelia,” Landen said as he stood up then walked to his desk. “I’m going to do whatever it takes to help you; to stop this Pete Reynolds for good. I just need you to believe anything I do is for your own safety.”

He pressed down on his intercom.

“Nikki,” he said without taking his eyes from Amelia. “Can you come in here please?”

“What are you doing?” Amelia said, as she instantly stood up, a wave of panic bubbled deep inside her. “You can’t tell her who I am; you can’t tell anyone. You asked me to trust you, but I hardly know you, and now you want to tell someone else who I am.”

“You can trust Nikki,” Landen assured her. “She is one of the good guys,”

“But how do I know that?” Amelia asked. “I don’t know who she is. I don’t know either of you. Maybe this was a mistake.”

She grabbed her bag from the coffee table and quickly headed for the office door.

“Amelia,” Landen said as he stepped in front of her. “I know you don’t know me, but I am asking you to trust me. I swear, you can trust Nikki too.”

“Why?” Amelia asked, looking up into his eyes. “Why do you think I should trust her?”

“Because if I killed someone,” Landen said with a grin. “Nikki would be the person I would call to help me hide the dead body. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t tell her or trust her with. I promise you that you can trust her, too.”

Amelia looked at him for a moment. Despite everything that was telling her that she needed to protect herself and just go, something inside her told her to trust him. It was the strangest thing she had ever felt. There was something about him that Amelia liked, and she wanted to believe that what he said was true.

Before she could reply, the door to the office opened and the girl who had brought in the coffee a short while earlier, walked back into the room, holding a notepad and pen.

“What do you need?” She asked giving Landen a smile before she turned looking at Amelia. Landen looked at her too. She knew he was waiting for her to give him permission to involve her in whatever he was planning.

She took a deep breath, before she nodded her head, giving him permission to talk in front of his assistant.

“Nikki, this is Amelia,” Landen said as he walked around his desk and took his seat. He pulled out some papers, and a file cover, and began to write something down “She is the newest client of, Cole, Murphy, and Finch, which means whatever is in her file is top secret. Her case is to be treated on a need to know bases; that means, outside of this room…”

“No one needs to know,” Nikki finished his thought and smiled. “Got it, Boss Man.”

“Nik,” Landen said as he looked from Nikki to Amelia. “I need you to find out everything you can about a Peter Reynolds. I want to know where he grew up, where he went to school. I want his doctor's name, a copy of his criminal records, his medical records; hell, I want to know what this asshole eats for breakfast.”

“You got it,” Nikki said as she made a note of what Landen was looking for.

“Nik, I can’t stress this enough,” Landen said giving Nikki a look that clearly meant he was deadly serious. “You cannot let anyone know you are looking into this lowlife. I don’t want anyone coming back to this company asking why we are looking into him, do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal,” Nikki replied with a nod.

“Finally,” Landen added. “This case will be done pro-bono, so there will be no financial details needed.”

“Got it,” Nikki replied before she turned to Amelia smiling. “I promise you; you’re in good hands.”

“I hope so,” Amelia said as she gave Nikki a nervous smile.

“I will need some other details about this asshole,” Nikki said as she looked from Amelia to Landen. “But you can send whatever you have on him to me when you’re ready.”

“Okay,” Landen said as he gave the girl a grateful smile.

“I’ve got this,” Nikki said before she turned and walked out of the office, leaving Amelia alone once more with Landen.

“You look worried,” Landen said as he stood up from his chair behind the desk walking back around to where she was standing.

“That’s because I am scared,” Amelia admitted honestly. “I have spent so long not telling people anything about me, hiding who I was so I couldn’t be found, it’s hard to trust someone new. I guess I’ve been running so long from this creep; it’s hard to believe there will ever be a time when I can stop. I just want it all to be over so that I can live my life.”

“You won’t have to run anymore,” Landen replied. “I give you my word. It’s time for you to be happy again. I’m going to make sure you get to stay that way.”

“Why are you doing this?” She asked as she gave him a curious look. “You don’t even know me. And please don’t tell me it’s because you got me fired from The Voodoo Club. No one could feel that guilty.”

“I honestly don’t know,” Landen replied, and Amelia was surprised by his honesty. “There was something in your face, something that told me you were lost, and in trouble. That’s why I had to find you.It’s why I will do whatever it takes to fix this for you.”

He smiled before he added.

“And maybe I’m just a sucker for a damsel in distress,” he said with a laugh. Amelia couldn’t help but laugh too. Despite herself, she liked him. She desperately wanted to believe that she could trust him. “How about another coffee?”

“I would love one,” Amelia said as she gave Landen another smile.

“So, this friend of a friend you’re staying with,” Landen asked as he poured them both another coffee. “How well do you know them, and how much about Reynolds do they know.

“I don’t,” Amelia sighed. “He is a friend of a friend. It’s not a permanent solution. Not that I would want it to be. His name is Lucas. He has been a real lifesaver these last couple of weeks. It was him who got me the job at The Voodoo Club. But I haven’t told him anything about Pete. My friend asked for a favour, and he owed her.”

Landen made a face, and Amelia knew he wasn’t happy with her response.

“You don’t think I should stay with him?” Amelia asked suddenly feeling a little more anxious once again.

“I just think, if you’re going to move, then now is as good a time as any,” he replied with a shrug. “And I wouldn’t leave a forwarding address, it’s the safest way to go, for you and him both.”

“Okay,” Amelia said, feeling even more unsure than she was moments earlier.

“I have a great idea!” Landen exclaimed, as he gave Amelia a killer smile. “Okay, this is gonna sound a little nuts, but just hear me out.”

“So, this is your room,” Nikki said as she opened the door to the spare room in her apartment. Amelia stepped through the door looking around the room. It was a beautifully decorated room, in soft shades of green and cream. There was a great view of a park from the window. Amelia loved the stunning walnut wooden flooring. But it was still someone else's home, someone else’s charity, and she really wasn’t sure if this was such a good idea.

“If you don’t like the décor, you can change it to whatever you want it to be,” Nikki continued with a smile as she stood by the door next to Landen watching Amelia as she looked around her new room. “Landen isn’t much good at decorating, but he knows a few good decorators.”

Amelia couldn’t help but smile at her comment, but inside, her mind was working overtime. Was she actually going to move in with this perfect stranger? There was nothing about this whole thing that didn’t seem beyond insane.

Okay, Lucas was a stranger too, but her friend Jenna knew him, so it made it feel less strange somehow. But she didn’t know anything about Landen or Nikki, and as much as they seemed to be genuine, Amelia couldn’t get past the fact that once, Pete seemed genuine too. She hated that because of him, she found it hard to trust anyone, but trusting no one was the only way she knew how to protect herself.

“Look,” Landen said as he stepped a little further into the room. He gave her a smile, and she knew he was trying real hard to make her feel more at ease. “I know this has to be weird for you. You don’t know me, and you don’t know Nikki, but I need for you to look past that. Look past all the crap that is going on in your mind right now. I want you just to think about a future of not having to look over your shoulder anymore. A future where you can get to be you, and not have to keep the real you from the rest of the world.”

“Okay,” she nodded giving him a nervous smile. She knew she was crazy to take a chance, but she needed this to be over.”

“So, you’re going to stay?” Nikki asked with a hopeful look from where she was standing next to the door.

“I guess I am,” Amelia replied, this time her smile was more genuine.

“I think this calls for a drink!” Nikki exclaimed as she turned, walking out of the bedroom. “Who’s with me?”

Landen raised his eyebrows as if to ask her if she was going to join him and Nikki for a drink. Amelia couldn’t help but smile again, as she followed him out of the room, down the hallway to the kitchen, where Nikki was opening a bottle of wine.

“If I’m going to do this,” Amelia said once they all had their wine and were now seated on the large corner sofa in the lounge of this beautiful apartment. “I want to pay my way.”

“There really is no need,” Landen insisted as he took a sip from his wine glass. “I told you, this is pro-bono, so there is really no need.”

“Well at least let me pay rent,” Amelia said as she set her glass down on the glass coffee table. “I need to feel like I am still in control of my life. Even if that means paying a damn bill.”

“But there really is no need,” Nikki replied as she gave her a smile.

Amelia could see why Landen liked this girl so much. She was warm and caring, and Amelia thought that maybe they both could become friends.

“There is for me,” Amelia insisted, as she gave her a pleading look. “I know you don’t understand…”

“Actually,” Nikki replied as she gave Amelia a sad smile. Amelia could see something in her eyes, a look that seemed almost familiar. “I do understand. So, if that’s what you want, then that’s fine with me.”

“Thank you,” Amelia replied, grateful that this girl could understand why she needed to do this.

“What about a job?” Nikki asked as she picked up her wine glass from the coffee table, taking a sip. “I mean, I know you lost your last job. I was just curious.”

“I will find something,” Amelia shrugged as her face flushed with embarrassment. She recalled how upset she had been outside the club the night that guy, Elliot had fired her. She hated that Landen had seen her at her weakest.

She knew it was stupid to be embarrassed, but she hated that Landen saw her as this weak girl, who needed protecting. A damsel in distress as he had called her. She hated that was how he saw her. She hated that that was what Peter Reynolds had done to her.

“What’s wrong”? Landen asked. Amelia hated that he could seem to read her emotions so easily.

“Nothing really,” She sighed. “It’s just; it’s hard to get a job where someone is willing to let you work off the books. Most jobs want your social security number, but I know if I give it to them, Pete will use it to find me again.”

“I’m sorry,” Landen replied as a look of guilt settled on his face once more.

“No, please,” Amelia said as she sat forward in her seat. “I don’t want you to keep blaming yourself for what happened last week. It really wasn’t your fault, and besides; I think you have more than made it up to me already. So no more, I’m sorry. Okay!”

“Okay,” Landen replied with a smile, but then suddenly his smile grew wider. “Actually, I may be able to help you with the job issue.”

“You don’t have to do any more favours for me,” she insisted, feeling a little confused why this man seemed so determined to help her so much.

“It’s no big deal,” Landen said as he stood up and pulled his phone from his pocket. Keying in a number, he brought the phone to his ear.

“Hey, Cal,” he said down the phone in a warm, friendly voice. “I need a favour, Little Brother.”

He walked out of the room, leaving Amelia alone with Nikki.

“He likes you,” Nikki said with a knowing smile as she took another sip from her wine glass.

“He’s a very sweet man,” Amelia replied, as she could feel her face flush a little.

“That he is,” Nikki sighed as her eyes turned to the doorway that Landen had just vanished through.

“How long have you and he been together?” Amelia asked. Nikki turned back to her and laughed.

“We’re not together!” Nikki exclaimed. “God no, Landen is more like my big brother. We have never been together like that. No, Landen is just my friend. Probably my best friend. He saved me once upon a time too. But that’s a story for another day.”

Before Amelia could reply, Landen walked back into the room with a huge grin on his face.

“It’s sorted!” He exclaimed as he sat back down on the sofa, picking up his wine glass.

“Care to share with the rest of us?” Nikki said as she gave Landen a grin.

“Callum is going to give Amelia a job,” he said as he took another sip from his glass of wine.

“Callum?” Amelia asked as a sickening feeling settled in her stomach once more. She had no idea who Callum was, and she couldn’t help but wonder if Landen had told him all about her problem.

“Callum is my brother,” Landen explained. “He runs the family business. I told him I had a friend who needed to work off the books. It’s not something he ever does, but he knows I wouldn’t ask unless it was important.”

“You didn’t tell him about Pete, did you?” Amelia asked, knowing she should just trust Landen, but she just wasn’t quite there yet. It was hard to let go of everything she had been doing until this point to protect herself from Peter Reynolds.

“No,” Landen assured her giving her a reassuring smile. “Though, I would trust any of my brothers with my life; but no, I thought it was best to keep who you were a secret.”

“So, who does he think I am?” Amelia asked, but she couldn’t help but smile. She liked that he had respected her wishes, it gave her a little piece of comfort.

“I told him your name was Amelia Coleman, that you were Nikki’s cousin,” Landen replied smiling at Amelia. “I had a teacher in middle school, and you remind me of her a little, so I used her name.”

“Okay,” Amelia replied with a nod.

“But when I was talking to Cal,” Landen said as his eyes remained fixed on Amelia. “Earlier, when you told me your name, you never actually told me what your second name was.”

“Davenport,” Amelia replied, wondering if she should have lied. But then she realised, when he researched Pete, the police reports she had made in the past, he would have found her real name anyway. “Amelia Davenport.”

“Well,” he said as he stood up and walked across to her, then sat down on the sofa next to her.

“It’s lovely to meet you, Amelia Davenport,” Landen smiled holding out his hand to her.

“It’s lovely to meet you too, Landen,” Amelia replied and was surprised how much she actually meant what she said.