Landen lay in his bed, softly running his fingers through Amelia’s hair, as she lay with her head on his chest.

“Why did you want to become a Lawyer?” Amelia asked sleepily, without lifting up her head.

“Actually, I didn’t always want to be a Lawyer,” Landen replied with a sigh. “I actually wanted to be a cop like my dad. But then one day, when I was about twelve, I went to see my mom in court. I sat at the back of the courtroom, they were talking about some legal crap. I was so bored. But then my mom got up to speak. It was the most amazing thing I had ever seen. She was just so awesome. All the men in the courtroom were watching her, not just because she was beautiful, and she really was beautiful. It was more than that. They respected her, some of them even looked like they feared her. I knew then that when I grew up, I wanted to be just like her.”

“I can’t imagine anyone fearing you,” Amelia sighed as she yawned.

“You haven’t seen me in court yet,” Landen laughed. “I have a reputation for being a ruthless asshole.”

“I find that even harder to believe,” she said with a laugh as she lifted her head, looking down at Landen.

“You should ask my brother Liam,” Landen replied with a sad smile, as he recalled the argument he had with him earlier that day. “He loves me, but I am pretty sure he thinks I’m an asshole right at this very moment.”

“Why would he think that?” Amelia asked, giving Landen as questioning look.

“Because I behaved like one today when I saw him,” Landen admitted honestly.

“What happened?” Amelia asked, this time the smile was completely gone from her face.

“I don’t know,” Landen sighed as she lay her head back down. “I was pissed off over what Nikki had said, and I was worried that I had messed things up with you. Then Liam started on about how I was in over my head with…”

Landen stopped, realising just what he was saying and who he was saying it to.

“He thinks you’re in over your head with me!” Amelia said, knowingly as she lifted her head once more and stared at Landen. “You’re fighting with your family because of me?”

“It was just a disagreement,” Landen replied with a laugh, but Amelia didn’t quite see the funny side. “We have them all the time, but it’s no big deal. It’s just Liam thinking he knows everything like he always does.”

“Landen,” Amelia said as she sat up properly and looked at him in disbelief. “He is your family, and he loves you. Take it from someone who has no family; you need to talk to your brother and sort this out.”

“And tell him what, Amelia?” Landen said as he too sat up on the bed. “I promised you that I would protect you, and I would keep your secret. I can’t tell him what he wants to know and keep your secret too.”

“So, it’s my fault you’re arguing with your brother?” Amelia asked, giving him a questioning look.

“No,” Landen insisted, as he blew out a long, frustrated breath. “That’s not what I meant. It’s just complicated.”

“I just don’t want you falling out with your family because of me,” she sighed as she pushed up from the bed, pulling a sheet with her and wrapped it around herself before she walked toward the bathroom.

“What are you doing?” Landen asked as he too climbed from the bed.

“I think it would be best if I just go home,” Amelia said as she stopped and looked at Landen. “I don’t think me staying here is such a great idea.”

“You’re leaving?” Landen said as he followed her across the bedroom to the en-suite. He pushed open the door before she closed it completely and followed her inside. “Why? It’s almost midnight.”

“I’ve already told you,” she sighed as she held on to the sheet tightly, as she picked up her clothes that were on the floor of the bathroom before she turned to look at him. “I’m not going to be the reason you fight with your family; I will not destroy someone else’s life to save mine. Now, can you please get out and let me get dressed.”

Landen looked at her for a moment, then sighed before he turned and walked out of the bathroom, leaving her alone as she had requested.

He walked to the bed and sat down, confused by what the hell had just happened.

This was exactly why Landen didn’t do relationships. He didn’t have time for all this complicated crap. So maybe it was best she left. Maybe Nikki was right after all.

Still, he didn’t want her to leave. Deep down inside he knew that was true, even if he hated to admit it to himself. He sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for her to emerge from the bathroom, having no clue what to say to her to make her see that he needed her to stay.

That’s when it hit him.

I need her to stay! Landen thought to himself, giving a small laugh of disbelief. Since when am I someone who needs someone else in their life?

Finally, the door opened. Amelia appeared in the doorway, and Landen stood up, having no clue what he was going to say. He just knew he needed to say something and fast.

“I don’t want you to leave,” he said stepping towards her, almost forgetting he was completely naked.

“I think it’s better that I do,” she said, her eyes fixed on the ground, as she refused to look at Landen’s face, or his naked body.

“Please,” he whispered as he walked up to her, and stopped in front of her. He was so close that he could smell her perfume, but still, he didn’t touch her. “This is all very new to me. It’s why Nikki told me to stay away from you. She knew that I would mess this up, that I would hurt you.”

He stopped and slowly reached up, taking her by the chin, tilting her face, so she was now looking at him.

“Give me a chance to get this right,” Landen pleaded softly. “Please don’t go. Don’t walk away the first time it gets complicated.”

“I don’t want you to fall out with your family because of me,” Amelia replied as she let her eyes hold his. “No matter what you have to do. I need you to promise me.”

“I give you my word,” Landen assured her, as he softly brushed her face with the back of his fingers. “Just, please stay.”

“I’ll stay,” she whispered, and Landen rewarded her with a smile before he swept her up into his arms, carrying her back to his bed, then he claimed her mouth with his once more.

Landen was sitting in his office the next morning when Nikki walked in. Landen could feel her nervous energy without even having to look up at her.

“Good morning,” she said as she watched him closely. They still hadn’t talked since their argument in her apartment the morning before. She wasn’t at her desk when Landen arrived at his office ten minutes earlier, so this was the first time they had spoken since he had walked out of her apartment.

“Good morning, Nikki,” Landen said without looking up from the paperwork he was working on. He wasn’t mad at her; he just wanted her to sweat it a little, so he acted as cool as he could. “I have the Tully deposition this afternoon. Have all the paperwork ready and on my desk by lunchtime.”

“Certainly,” Nikki said, and Landen could feel her eyes burning into him, but he didn’t look up. Instead, he remained focused on the work in front of him.

“That will be all,” he said, knowing she was waiting for him to make the first move. It took everything he had not to look up at her at that moment, and just give her a smile.

“Okay,” she said, as Landen could hear the uncertainty in her voice, as she slowly turned and made her way back towards the door. Just as she reached it, Landen looked up.

“Thank you, by the way,” he said smiling, as she instantly stopped and turned back to look at him.

“What for?” She asked, and Landen could see the relief on her face.

“For telling Amelia about our conversation,” Landen explained. “And for sending her to see me.”

“That was her idea really,” Nikki replied with a shrug, and Landen’s smile widened.

“Well, either way,” Landen continued. “I’m grateful for your help.”

“And everything is okay with you two?” Nikki asked giving him a worried look.

“Yes, Nikki,” Landen replied, Laughing. “Everything is okay between us.”

“Good,” Nikki nodded smiling, before she added. “And she got to work okay?”

“I dropped her off there myself,” Landen assured her. “I brought her back to your place to get changed; then I dropped her right outside the building. She is going to be fine. Callum said he would make sure of it. So, you can relax, Mom.”

Nikki stuck out her tongue then smiled before she turned, walking out the door.

Landen smiled to himself as he tried to return his focus back to what he was doing, but it was no use. He was thinking about Amelia now, and he really needed to know that she was okay.

He reached for his phone on the desk and was just about to tap in a message when Nikki appeared at the door once more.

“What’s wrong?” Landen asked when he looked up saw her standing there with a worried look on her face.

“Security just called up,” Nikki replied, giving Landen a worried look. “Your mother is on her way up.”

Landen knew that his mother would never come to his office during the day unless something were very wrong. The last time she turned up without calling, Landen’s father was sick, she had come straight from the hospital.

“Show her in the moment she gets here,” Landen instructed Nikki.

“There’s no need, Nikki,” Nell said from behind her, before she walked in past her, taking a seat in front of Landen’s desk. “But I would love a coffee if that wouldn’t be too much trouble, Sweetie.”

“Coming right up,” Nikki said as she gave Landen a questioning look before she turned, hurrying out of the office.

“Mom,” Landen said, as he closed the file on his desk. “What brings you here today? Is everything okay with Dad?”

“Your father’s fine,” Nell said as she stared at her son. Landen knew that his mother had come there for a purpose, and if he was honest, he knew in his heart what she was doing there. “I am here to ask what happened between you and Liam.”

“Nothing happened between Liam and me,” Landen insisted, but he knew she already knew the answer to the question. One thing Landen knew about his mother; she never asked a question that she didn’t already know the answer to.

“Then why did you leave so abruptly after breakfast yesterday?” Nell asked, giving him a look that told him she was not there to play games. “And why was Liam in such a bad mood after you left?”

“We had a disagreement,” Landen replied, still not wanting to admit what had really happened until he was certain she already knew what was going on.

He didn’t have long to wait.

 “Then it’s not about this friend of yours that is in trouble,” Nell said, surprising Landen with her question.

He couldn’t believe that Liam had actually told her about Amelia.

He didn’t reply for a moment, because he knew whatever he said, had to be believable.

“I take it from your silence that it is to do with her.” Nell sighed, and Landen knew that there was no point in denying it now.

“Mom,” Landen said as he looked at her. “I know Liam thinks I’m in over my head, but I promise you, I know what I’m doing. He really shouldn’t have told you about it. He should have never involved you in my business.”

“He is worried about you, Landen,” Nell sighed. Landen knew that his mother knew he was angry with his younger brother. “He asked your dad for advice, then your father told me.”

“He told Dad too!” Landen exclaimed as he pushed up from his chair, then walked to the window. “Jesus Christ!”

“Landen, why are you pushing your family away when you need them the most?” Nell asked as she watched her son stand at the window, staring down at the street below. “If you’re in some kind of trouble…”

“I’m not,” Landen replied without turning to face her. “And I don’t need to go running home to Mommy and Daddy every time I have a problem,”

“So, there is a problem,” Nell said, and Landen cringed that his words have made the matter worse somehow.

“It’s nothing that I can’t handle,” Landen replied with a sigh, as he turned, walking back to his seat, but as he did, he thought of his conversation with Amelia, about not falling out with his family for her. “I just need a little more time.”

“Time for what?” Nell asked, and Landen could see the worry in his mother’s eyes. He hated he was doing this to her again. His mind instantly when back to the night he got wasted and wrapped his car around a telephone pole. Maybe he wasn’t battered and broken lying in a hospital bed, but he could see the fear in her eyes.

“I met a girl,” he said, knowing he couldn’t lie to her anymore. “I met her a couple of weeks ago.”

“Okay,” Nell said. Landen could see the relief almost change her entire face, and he knew it was because he was talking to her.

Landen told his mother about Amelia and about her situation with Pete Reynolds. He knew he was taking a gamble telling his mother the truth, but he hoped that somehow, Amelia would understand. He told her how they had met, about how he had gotten her sacked.

Landen tried not to notice the tiniest look of disappointment on his mother’s face when he mentioned The Voodoo Club. Then he told her how he had moved her in with Nikki into the apartment Landen had bought for her to live in several years before. He told her everything.

Well, everything except the fact he had slept with her. He didn’t think she needed to hear that part.

“That poor girl,” Nell said when Landen was done telling her everything he knew about Amelia and her situation.

“Mom,” Landen said as he looked at his mother. “I know you’re worried now, but I give you my word, I have everything under control.

“I know that you do,” Nell assured her son. “I know you would never do anything that could get someone hurt…”

“But,” Landen said giving his mother a questioning look.

“There is no but, Landen,” Nell said. “I know you will do the right thing. As you said, right now, that monster is locked up, so for now, Amelia is safe. What we need to do is figure out a way to keep him in there.”

“We?” Landen asked, giving his mother a questioning look.

“I can make some calls,” Nell said as she sat forward in her seat. “I know some people who could help us.”

“So, you’re going to help her too?” Landen asked, surprised by her reaction. “What about Liam?”

“I will tell Liam I talked to you, that there is nothing to worry about,” Nell replied, surprising Landen even further. “I will have to tell your father because you know your dad and I don’t have secrets, but I think you’re right about keeping who she is a secret. The less that know what’s going on, the better.”

“Finn knows,” Landen admitted to his mother, deciding there was no point in lying to her.

“Why doesn’t that surprise me,” Nell said with a smile. “Since you two were little, you have been partners in crime, so I really should have known if you told someone, you told him.”

“Amelia doesn’t know that I told him,” Landen added, now wishing he had just been honest with her too. “Though, maybe I should tell her the truth.”

“You like her!” Nell exclaimed suddenly, surprising Landen.

“Like I said earlier,” Landen sighed. “It’s complicated.”

“Why?” Nell said. “Why does it have to be complicated?”

“Because you know me,” Landen sighed once more as he stood up and walked around his desk, then sat on the edge of it directly in front of his mother. “I was never any good at this stuff.”

“You never gave this stuff a try,” Nell laughed, as she reached out and took hold of her son’s hand. “But you will never know till you try.”

“And what if I mess it up, Mom?” Landen asked, giving his mother a worried look.

Nell smiled as she stood up, then she took Landen’s face in her hands.

“Just be you, Sweetheart,” She said, giving him a smile. “The real you. Not Landen Murphy, the Bulldozer. Be the Landen who took care of his little brother all the way through school. Be the Landen who worried about his brother when he had to go to college without you. Be the Landen who I know that is sweet, and caring. She will love you almost as much as I do.”

Landen smiled at his mother’s comment.

“I love you too, Mom,” Landen smiled as he leaned forward, kissing her on the cheek.

“Not nearly as much as I love you,” Nell replied, as she squeezed his hand. “I should be going.”

“Thank you, Mom,” Landen said, as he gave his mother a grateful smile. Nell picked up her handbag, then turned and walked towards the door.

“You should bring her by for dinner,” Nell suggested as she stopped at the door.

“Why did I know you were going to say that,” Landen laughed as he walked back to his desk, sitting down. “I’ll think about it.”

“Do,” Nell said with another smile before she pulled open the door. “Goodbye, Son.”

“Bye, Mom,” Landen replied and watched as she disappeared down the hallway.