Chapter 42

"You found this?" Landon asked, as if to be sure.

"Yes," Ana nodded. She rubbed her arms and looked around at her apartment. It was almost like she was seeing it in a new light.

"Did you see anyone suspicious as you were coming up?" Landon asked. He was no longer Landon her best friend, he was now Landon the detective.

"No. I just- I didn't even notice anything. Except when I came in, the door was open. And I- and I knew it wasn't you- I knew it wasn't you cause you lost your spare key," Ana managed to get out, all the while stuttering.

Landon turned a sharp look on her. "You got into the apartment when you noticed the door was locked?" he exclaimed, frowning. "What is wrong with you? What if this person was still in here?"

Ana opened her mouth to answer then she burst out crying. Landon immediately felt apologetic. He knew Ana was sensitive. All this had scared her and him yelling was only going to make her feel worse.

Landon walked to her and held her in his arms, and comforted her. "Hey, I'm sorry Princess. I'm sorry I made you cry. But I just couldn't bear the fact that you could've been hurt," he said and Ana nodded. But her sobs didn't subside. She kept on sniffing and Landon was pretty sure there was going to be a wet patch when she lifted her head.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking," she said, looking up at Landon.

"It's alright. No need to apologise," he replied, then placed a kiss on her forehead.

Landon hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Did you tell Jack yet?"

Ana looked at Landon strangely and guiltily. She had not even thought of Jack when that had happened. Her first thought was to call Landon.

"I- no. Not yet. I- uh, you're the only person I've told," she stammered, confused by her own self. She didn't understand. She had this reticence to tell Jack. Not because she didn't think he would reassure her. But simply because she felt like his mother was involved in all this. It would be terribly awkward.

"You should tell him," Landon said. Yes. He was inexplicably happy at the thought that he was the first person Ana had called. But Jack was her boyfriend. In as much as that thought disturbed him, Knight had the right to know.

"I will. I just- I just- I don't know," she said then stopped. She buried her head into Landon's chest and sniffed a little.

"Hey. It's okay. Now, you'll file a report and we'll go to my place okay? I don't think staying her would be a safe option," Landon said and Ana nodded.

To be honest, at that moment, even if Landon had said they were going to some remote village in India, she would have gladly followed him.

"Go pack a bag, call Knight and then we'll leave," Landon said authoritatively and Ana nodded. Both of them walked to her room and she took and overnight bag and stuffed whatever she felt she would need into it.

They walked out and went down to the parking lot. Ana took in a deep breath then stopped. Landon stopped as well and shot her a curious gaze.

"What's wrong?" he asked, with a tilt of his head. He hoped she was okay. He hoped that incident had not affected her more than he had thought.

"I- nothing. I just- I need Jack," she confessed and Landon's face became shuttered. It hurt to hear things like that from her. He knew she harbored deep feelings for Jack, but hearing it from her was something else entirely.

But he swallowed his bitterness and said, "You should call him."

Ana was no fool. She knew him. She heard the bitterness in his tone. She knew him enough to gauge his emotions. But she did not know how to solve it. She couldn't promise him what she couldn't give him in the first place.

"Landon, I- I don't mean to hurt you," she said, feeling like her words were dreadfully inefficient and were not going to anything but hurt Landon even further.

"I know Ana," Landon said softly, the wistful tone in his voice the only sign that he was affected by what she had said. "You should call him," he repeated, having to have lost whatever emotions he was feeling.

Ana pulled out her phone shakily and dialed Jack's number. She didn't know why she had been so scared to call him. But it had hit her. He was one of the only people in whose arms she felt safe. Landon was one of them. But at that moment, she didn't need friendly comfort. She needed much more.

She knew if Landon was given a chance, he would offer her that comfort. But thinking of something like that right now was not helping her distress.

"Baby?" Jack said and it was obvious from his tone that he had been calling her name while she had been so lost in thought.

"I- I need you Jack," she whispered honestly, a bit embarrassed at the depth of feeling those words conveyed.

Landon, who had heard them despite the low tone she had used, clenched his jaw and turned away from her. He wanted nothing more than to hold Ana by the shoulders and shake her till she chose him.

She was leading him on, even without realizing it. She had made him dependent on her. And now she was carrying on with her life.

Landon didn't blame her for it. She never did anything like that on purpose. In her head, she and Landon were best friends and nothing would ever happen between them. Landon knew without a shadow of doubt that if he came on to her, he was going to receive a gentle but hurtful rebuttal.

He stared at Ana as she turned off her phone and took in a deep breath. "I'll wait her for him to arrive," he said, staring intently at her face.

"I- I couldn't ask that of you," she muttered inadequately.

Landon let out a dry unamused laugh. "Ana, we've been friends for years. Do you really think I would leave you here? To wait? After what just happened?"

Ana flushed. She didn't know what to make of the situation anymore. She felt bad seeing Landon hurt but she couldn't do anything about his hurt when she was the one causing it.

"Landon..." she started, staring at his back. The tightening of his muscles was the only indication that he had heard her.

"Landon, please look at me," Ana said, swallowing to wet her dry throat.

It seemed like Landon would not comply until he turned and looked at her. At that moment, his hurt was visible.

Landon was not a vulnerable person. So it hurt Ana so much to see him in such a state. And knowing she was the one who caused it was even more nerve wrenching.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I keep hurting. I'm sorry," she cried, unable to stop the emotion in her voice and the tears that were already falling from her eyes.

Landon sighed. It hurt seeing her like this. But at that point, some part of him didn't care. He knew he should move on from Ana. He knew it. But it was so hard.

"Ana stop crying," he said gruffly, unable to bring himself to hold her. Holding her would mean touching her, touching her would mean doing things he had only ever imagined.

He knew why there was this rush of emotions. Ana had never really been serious with anyone. And Knight.. he saw how much the man consumed her. He was practically all she thought about. And that was actually what hurt. That he could be so easily discarded for Knight.

"I'm sorry I keep fucking your life with my issues. Why can't you just let me go? I am not good for you. I'll never be good for you," she continued, as if she hadn't heard his words.

Landon walked towards Ana and held her by the shoulders. "You are not fucking my life with your issues, as you put it Ana. I love you. And I'll always be there for you. It doesn't matter if-" he broke up suddenly.

"It doesn't matter if?" Ana inquired curiously.

"Dammit, you're making things so fucking hard for me," he muttered and before Ana had time to comment on that cryptic statement, he kissed her.

Ana grew still in his arms. Instinctively, she returned the kiss. Then when she realized what she was doing, she pushed him away.

She turned her back on Landon. She couldn't believe what had just happened. She couldn't believe Landon had kissed her.

"Landon-" she started but he wasn't having any of it

"Go Ana," he said softly, his tone belying the tension in his shoulders.

"I-" Ana tried again.

"Just go!" Landon said with so much force that he frightened Ana.

She took in a deep breath and just as she turned, Jack was running towards her. A one last look at Landon, she turned and walked away with Jack.