London's eyes slowly fluttered open,his gaze landed on Liz, who in her bed, her eyes fixed intently on him. There was an odd expression on her face, a mix of concern and... something else.
"What?" London asked, his voice low and rough from sleep. Liz's gaze lingered on him for a moment longer before she looked away, a faint blush rising to her cheeks.
"You look cute when you sleep," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. London's eyebrows shot up in surprise, and he felt a flush rise to his own cheeks. He tried to speak, but his voice caught in his throat.
"Cute?" he repeated, his tone incredulous. Liz nodded, a small smile playing on her lips.
"Yeah, you do," she said. "You look really peaceful when you're sleeping. It's like all your worries just melt away."
London's expression softened, and he felt a warmth spread through his chest at her words. "Thanks, I guess," he said, his voice still low. Liz smiled and leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
"I'm just telling the truth," she said. "You're kind of adorable when you're not being all grumpy and stuff." London chuckled, feeling a sense of ease wash over him.
"Grumpy?" he repeated. "I'm not grumpy." Liz raised an eyebrow, a skeptical look on her face.
"Oh, really?" she said. "Then what would you call it when you're giving everyone attitude and everything?"
London shrugged, feeling a bit self-conscious. "Maybe I'm just concentrating really hard," he said.
Liz laughed, a soft, musical sound that made London's heart skip a beat. "Sure you are," she said, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "That's why you're so cute when you sleep – all that concentration just melts away."
Landon's expression turned serious as he looked at Liz, his eyes filled with concern. "Hey, how are you feeling?" he asked, his voice gentle. "Getting stabbed... that's not something to take lightly."
Liz's smile faltered, and she looked away, her eyes welling up with tears. Landon's concern deepened, and he reached out, taking her hand in his. "I'm okay," Liz said, her voice barely above a whisper. "It hurts, but I'm okay." Landon nodded, his thumb gently stroking her hand.
"I'm glad you're okay," he said. "I was really worried about you." Liz smiled weakly, and Landon could see the faintest glimmer of amusement in her eyes.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I just don't like being stuck in bed." Landon chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
"Who does?" he said. "But you need to rest and recover. You've been through a lot, and your body needs time to heal." Liz nodded, her eyes drifting closed.
"I know," she said. "I just feel so helpless lying here." Landon's grip on her hand tightened.
"You're not helpless," he said. "You're strong and capable, and you're going to get through this. I'm here for you, and I'll take care of you." Liz's eyes fluttered open, and she looked at Landon, her heart filled with gratitude.
"Thanks, Landon," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know what I would do without you."
~~
A while later, Landon asked Liz, "So, which hotel did you book?" Liz looked at him curiously, "Why do you need to know?" Landon's expression was matter-of-fact.
"I want to go get your stuff," he said. "And for the next few weeks, you're going to be staying with me."
Liz's eyes widened in surprise. "What? Why?" she asked, her voice filled with confusion.Landon's expression was firm. "Because you need someone to take care of you after getting stabbed," he said. "And I'm not going to let you stay alone in a hotel room. It's not safe, and you need rest and recovery time. My place is closer to the hospital, and I can keep an eye on you."
Liz's face flushed with a mix of emotions, "Landon, I don't know..." she started to say, but Landon cut her off. "It's already decided," he said. "You're coming home with me. I'll go get your stuff, and we'll get you settled in. You can't take care of yourself right now, and I'm happy to help."
Liz looked at Landon, her heart racing with a mix of gratitude and uncertainty. She knew she couldn't take care of herself right now, and the thought of having Landon by her side was tempting. "Okay," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. Landon smiled, relief washing over his face.
"Good," he said. "I'll go get your stuff. You just rest and get better."
Just as Landon was about to leave, two police officers knocked on the hospital room door. "Come in," Landon said, stepping aside to let them enter.
The officers, dressed in crisp uniforms, nodded at Landon and Liz before introducing themselves. "Hello, Ms. Gillies, we're investigating the incident that occurred earlier. Can you tell us what happened?" Officer Johnson asked, his eyes fixed intently on Elizabeth.
Elizabeth took a deep breath, wincing slightly as she shifted in bed. "I went to the mall to surprise Landon with a visit. I have a couple of weeks off from my acting career, and I thought it would be nice to spend some time with him," she explained.
As she continued, her voice steady despite the pain etched on her face, "When I arrived at the mall, I saw Noah and Landon arguing. I separated them, pulling Landon away, but that's when I saw Noah charge at him with a knife." Elizabeth's eyes locked onto Landon's, her expression filled with concern.
"I reacted instinctively," Elizabeth said. "I feared Noah was going to stab Landon in the back, and if the knife hit his spine, it could have caused serious damage. So, I pushed Landon out of the way to save him, but unfortunately, Noah stabbed me instead."
The officers listened attentively, taking notes. Officer Thompson asked, "Can you describe your relationship with Noah, Ms. Gillies? Did you notice anything unusual about his behavior before the incident?"
Elizabeth hesitated, collecting her thoughts before responding. "I dont know him, this was hinestly our first time meeting."
Landon stood by, offering silent support as the officers continued their questioning. After finishing their notes, they turned to Landon. "And you, sir? Can you tell us just what caused the argument between you and noah?" Officer Thompson asked.
Landon's expression turned serious as he began to explain the events leading up to the argument. "It was all about envy and jealousy," he said, his voice firm. "I was out celebrating a milestone with Emma and some of my fellow record label members. My new song just hit 1 billion streams on Spotify, and it did so faster than any other song before it. I was feeling pretty proud of myself, and we were all having a great time."
He paused, collecting his thoughts before continuing. "That's when Noah showed up, out of nowhere. He's a former bandmate of mine, and it's no secret that he's been struggling to find success. I think he was bitter about my achievement and felt like it was somehow a reflection of his own failures."
Landon's eyes narrowed slightly as he recalled the encounter. "He started making snide comments and trying to ruin the celebration. I tried to brush him off, but he just wouldn't back down. He kept pushing and cursing, and eventually, I had enough. That's when the squabble started."
The officers listened attentively, taking notes as Landon spoke. Officer Johnson asked, "And you say this is about envy and jealousy? Can you elaborate on that?"
Landon nodded. "Yeah, Noah's always been the more talented one in the band and they dropped me cause they thought I was dead weight. But them dropping me was a blessing for me, it awoken a fire in me and, well. I guess you know the rest if you follow the music word. So somewhere down the line he grew resentful of my success." A paused a little before continuing "I mean, honestly. I'd be resentful too in his position. Imagine the person you kicked out suddenly does better than the band. When you're struggling to keep the hype alive, his breaking records. While they struggled to find their footing in the music industry with a big label backing them, I've surpassed them as a solo act under a new label. It's not just about the music, though – it's about the attention and the fame that comes with it. He's always been a bit of a hothead, and I think this whole thing was just a manifestation of his own frustrations."
The officers nodded, making a note of Landon's statement. "We'll definitely look into Noah's background and see if there's any history of violence or aggression," Officer Thompson said. "In the meantime, we'll do our best to track him down and bring him in for questioning." As the officers closed their notebooks and put away their pens, signaling the end of their formal questioning. As they did so, they simultaneously pulled out their phones, their expressions transforming from professional to enthusiastic.
"Now that we're done with the official part, can we get some pictures with you, Landon?" Officer Johnson asked, his eyes shining with excitement.
Officer Thompson chimed in, "My daughters and wife are huge fans of yours! They can't get enough of your music. I'd love to get a selfie with you to show them."
Landon's expression shifted from serious to amused, and he smiled warmly. "Of course, I'd be happy to take some pictures with you guys."
As the officers posed for photos with Landon, Liz couldn't help but laugh at the sudden change in their demeanor. She watched with a smile as they oohed and ahhed over Landon's music and asked for autographs.
Officer Johnson raved about Landon's concert, "I was at your show man and your energy on stage is infectious! The quality of your music is top-notch. You're truly a talented artist."
Liz's laughter grew louder as she watched the scene unfold. She couldn't believe the transformation from tough police officers to starstruck fans. The officers took several photos, making silly faces and poses with Landon. As they finished up, they thanked him profusely and promised to share the photos with their families. With one last smile, the officers left the hospital room, leaving Landon and Liz in a warm and lighthearted atmosphere. Landon turned to Liz, chuckling. "I guess that's a perk of being a celebrity," he said, grinning.
Liz smiled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "You're definitely somwthing, Landon."