#don't want to imply that miles edgeworth is cool here (he is not)

[heliological]

I love how aai establishes that miles edgeworth is spending all his free time like, defeating internationally wanted criminal masterminds in a battle of wits. and then he goes to court and his opponent is phoenix wright who at any given time has a handful of evidence he picked up off the ground and a concussion. and phoenix wins

[ao3-rex1223]

Chapter 14: Needle In The Haystack

Twelfth Floor Intern Masterlist

Pairing: Miles Edgeworth x fem!reader

Summary: Miles and your father speak over the phone about the arrangement between you and your mentor. You manage to keep your relationship secret but your father makes it very clear to Miles that he must keep his hands to himself. As your investigation continues, you search businesses near where your victims were found to try and find more pieces to the puzzle. Problem is, the puzzle seems to get bigger every twist and turn.

Tags: Power Imbalance, Mentor/Intern, Miles wants you so bad but he's ethical AF now, No use of y/n, depictions of violence, Discussion of Rape, description of murder victims, adult murder victims, child murder victims, Eventual Smut, Happy Ending, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Vaginal Sex, Vaginal Fingering, Creampies, Loss of Virginity, Miles is the king of prosecutors but also the king of consent, Fluff and Smut, Romance, Blow Jobs, Nightmare about sexual assault, cross posted on AO3

You swallow hard and let out a nervous laugh. "Oh, geeze Dad, come on. I-is that really necessary?" You hug yourself, desperate to relieve your anxiety.

"He has my daughter! Yes, it's necessary!"

"It's no big deal, Dad and it's just until-"

You hear your father sternly speak your full name to you. "If you're going to stay with someone I don't know, at least let me talk to him, please."

You sigh in defeat. Trembling, you hand your phone to Miles, praying silently. You wince, bracing yourself for the worst. Miles and your father are finally speaking directly to each other. The man you love versus the man who raised you. Sweat starts forming on your brow and your heart is racing frantically.

Miles gives you a reassuring smile. He grabs the phone from you, unbelievably cool and calm as he sits in his office chair. He greets your father by his rank, lieutenant, and your shared surname. "What can I do for you?"

You scurry next to Miles so you can lean in and hear both sides of the conversation. How could you not?

"Well, for starters, I would really like to know what the hell is going on out there," your father barks. His temper is already short and additionally aggravated by his frantic worry.

Miles remains neutral. "Certainly. It seems you're already aware there have been two homicide victims found in the last week. Both victims are female and in their early twenties. Unfortunately, many of their features match your daughter's," he explains. He lets out a sigh. "One additional detail of which the media has not yet been made aware is that at the second crime scene, a newspaper article with a photograph of her was found. This led both the police and, admittedly, myself to believe there was sufficient risk to her safety. In light of all of that, I offered my home to her. I can assure you, no harm will come to her there. I will also provide her with transportation. Clearly, you and I share a disdain for the subway. She has agreed to refrain from utilizing it for the time being."

You cover your mouth with one hand to prevent your panicked breathing from making it through the phone. You lean your head against Miles' to listen.

You hear your father sigh and groan. "I'm placing a lot of trust in you, Mr. Edgeworth, and not exactly willingly, I might add. It's not easy for me to escape from work and were it not for your impeccable reputation, I'd probably be on the next plane to Los Angeles, my job be damned."

"I certainly wouldn't discourage you from joining her here, but I will guarantee you she will be safe under my care," Miles reassures him.

"I take it there is a guest room for her to use?" Your father asks, heavily implying only one answer is acceptable.

"Indeed, there is, Lieutenant," he confirms. Not that you'll actually be using it. Maybe you'll look at it…if you feel like it.

"And I'm sure I don't need to remind you about the strict rules of conduct between mentor and student set forth by her university and I assume your office, as well," your father adds.

Oh, God. This can't end well!

"No, Lieutenant," Miles replies. "Look, I understand this puts you in quite an uncomfortable position, but please understand, I prioritize her safety and comfort above all else. As chief prosecutor, I am driven to ensure the security of all of my colleagues. As my intern, she’s obviously included amongst them."

Your father sighs heavily into the phone again. "Just keep her out of harm's way. And please, don't take advantage of her while she's so vulnerable."

"I would never dream of it," Miles promises with the utmost conviction. He carefully tiptoes around revealing the entirety of your relationship. While deceptive, his statement isn’t false. He has never taken advantage of you, nor would he.

"Good, because if I find out you have, I won't hesitate to inform the university and advise that she be relocated to a different site for the remainder of her internship," he warns. You flinch and take a step backwards, staring at Miles with panic. He gives you a reassuring smile. How can you possibly be honest about your relationship with Miles now? You feel guilty deceiving him but refuse to risk the rest of your internship here.

"You have nothing to worry about, Lieutenant, and I give you my word, if this case in fact does become too dangerous for her, I will see her on a plane back to Colorado myself, of course with my sincerest hope she will return when the case is concluded."

"Alright," your father sighs again. "Perhaps I'll get to sleep eventually tonight,” he comments under his breath. “…thank you, Mr. Edgeworth." He does sound genuinely grateful.

"You're welcome, Lieutenant. It’s no trouble. And please, call me Miles."

"Can I speak to my daughter again, please?"

"Of course," Miles replies and hands your phone back to you.

"Hey, Dad," you greet, standing upright, your back stiff as a board.

"I want you to call me every night and every morning until you catch this bastard!"

You chuckle and sigh with relief. “Okay, Dad. I can do that.”

“Maybe a text message at lunch?”

“Sure,” you agree, just glad your secret wasn’t revealed. You hear your dad's office phone ring in the background.

“I gotta go. Love you, Sweetie!”

“Love you, too, Dad.” You hang up the call and replace the phone in your bag. You sink into the couch and exhale with immense relief, but his threat to expose your relationship to your university still twists your stomach. "How am I supposed to tell him about us if he's going to call the university and get me kicked out of the prosecutor's office?" You lean your head back on the couch. "Maybe even kicked out of my program."

"You won't be removed from your program if we're discovered," Miles reassures you. You return your gaze to him. "As for removal from this office…it is very possible, but given my experience with academia…I suspect the university may be willing to look the other way given the connection they now have to the chief prosecutor; a connection I'm fully willing to let them exploit in order to protect you."

"Are you saying you'd take more interns?" You ask, chuckling.

"For you, yes."

"Wow, you really do love me." You flash him a playful smile and a wink.

"I do."

A blush and a grin creep across your face. You almost forget about what just happened. "I love you, too." It feels so good to say it. You share the weight of your troubles together and they feel a little less insurmountable now. "Well, what about your office? Isn't there someone here who will take action if we're discovered?"

"Yes and no. There's human resources who wouldn't take action against the chief prosecutor without substantial evidence or a complaint directly from you."

"What if my Dad told them?"

"Same scenario. They would ask you if I'm taking advantage of you as your mentor. So far I feel confident saying that's not the case."

You smile and shake your head, confirming his statement.

"They could directly ask you if we are in a sexual relationship which you could choose to confirm or deny. Upon confirmation, they would simply inform the university as you're not technically an employee here."

"I'd be very conflicted." You reply.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't like lying, but what you and I have done together is absolutely no one else's business." You frown, loathing the idea of someone trying to probe into your private affairs.

"I don't either and I agree. It's not unlawful to deny it, technically."

"You also said that most people here probably already suspect us anyway."

"I still believe that. However, anyone who suspects us won't take any action. Not right now, anyway. They don't know if it's true or simply a baseless rumor, despite the best efforts of the tabloid press."

Your stomach turns. "Oh God. The tabloids? Do I want to know?"

Miles chuckles. "You already do, technically. You see, this is the one instance in which they are mostly correct, with only a few inaccuracies. They just don't know that."

"The tabloids are saying that we're together?"

Miles reaches into his desk drawer and pulls out a newspaper and walks it over to you. You hesitantly take it from his hand.

'Chief Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth's Secret Romance With Law Student!' the headline reads.

"I'm sickened and curious at the same time," you admit, staring at the article, both driven and afraid to begin reading it. You take a deep breath. "'Miles Edgeworth, prodigy attorney and chief prosecutor has long been known to avoid interns'," you read aloud. "'So imagine our surprise when anonymous sources'." You narrow your eyes and scowl when you read 'anonymous sources'. Miles leans against his desk, listening to you read. "'Claim that not only has Mr. Edgeworth taken on the role of mentor, he has developed a close, intimate, and even physical relationship with his first ever law student, a young woman from UCLA...' Oh my God, they even know my name," you announce in horror. "'Insiders claim the two have been inseparable since the onset of the summer when her internship began.' Okay, well, that's technically not correct. I didn't start with you until a few weeks into summer.

"'Our anonymous sources say the young law student is following in the footsteps of her esteemed mentor, having secured two guilty verdicts alongside him.' My first guilty verdict was with Mr. Payne, actually, so…" you let out a huff. "'The couple has yet to officially confirm their relationship or be captured on camera during an outing or date, but insiders close to the pair say they've been painting the town red after dark when the office closes almost every night.' Well, we do go out occasionally, but mostly we just," you begin with a blush, "enjoy each other's company at your place…whenever we're not working a sixteen hour day."

Miles chuckles as you continue reading the article.

"I swear 'anonymous sources' really means 'we made all this up'." You let out a heavy sigh and almost laugh. "Or I guess in this case, 'we happened to guess mostly right'." You continue reading with a sarcastic smirk. "'Our anonymous sources even say that Miles Edgeworth is…'" you stop, having read the next few words. You look up at him, your smirk dropping rapidly from your face.

"Go ahead, I've already read it," Miles encourages.

Your eyes fall back to the article. You let out an uncomfortable sigh. "'...that Miles Edgeworth is close to proposing to the young intern. Could this girl be the future Mrs. Edgeworth? Only time will tell and our readers can be assured that our reporters will be waiting to spot an engagement ring on her finger and you can bet we'll be the first to snap a picture of the happy couple'." You drop the paper on the table in front of you, still frowning. "I guess it does sell papers."

"I've said before, I've tried to keep the press away from you, but even I couldn't protect you from…this." He gestures to the paper. "And unfortunately, it will only get worse when our relationship becomes public."

You sigh and lean back into the couch. It's not that you didn't know how famous he is, but you never put the two pieces together that being with him will mean a lot of media attention for you, too.

"Will you be okay with that?" Miles asks. His expression has turned worried as if he's afraid you won't want to deal with the press all of the time.

You look up at him and smile, then rise from your seat to cup his face in your hands. "Of course. I love you. I can deal with a few reporters asking nagging questions."

He relaxes and smiles. "Once the novelty fades, the attention should die down somewhat."

"That would be nice." You glance off to the side and then back to him. Your hands slide down to his chest. "You're not…actually about to propose, right?"

He holds his gaze locked on yours and smirks wickedly. "And what if I am?"

Your mouth runs dry and you can't tell if he's serious or not. You swallow hard. Eyes widened, you watch him intently.

His hot stare bores into your soul and it makes you powerless to even move. He grabs your hips and pulls you into him. "What would you do if I dropped to one knee right now and asked you to marry me?"

You can't even speak. You're immobilized by his question, by the swiftness with which you came to your answer.

Miles slowly brings his lips to yours and kisses you deeply, passionately. He pulls back and softly speaks into your ear. "Don't believe everything you read in the papers." He releases you and returns to his desk.

Subtly rubbing your pinky and middle fingers around your ring finger, you imagine a ring there. His ring. Yes…I would have said yes. You smile at him with a sigh and return to your seat on the couch. "Well, let's do our best to avoid our affair making it any farther beyond the tabloids, shall we? I'd hate to see this kind of article in the LA Times."

"Agreed. What do you want to do about telling your father about us?" He clasps his hands together and leans forward on his desk.

You frown, looking away from him. "I don't know. I'm leaning towards waiting until the end of the internship. That way his threat is moot," you answer and lay your head against the back of the couch again, staring at the ceiling. "I just wish I could make him understand…"

"I can't fault you for choosing to wait; it is the logical choice, but I'd be lying if I said it was also my preference."

"Even though he threatened to expose us?"

He nods confidently. "I'm not starting out on my best foot by deceiving him. If I want to have any hope of him accepting my presence in your life, I wish to be forthcoming with him," he admits.

"You care that much about my father's opinion of you?" You ask, incredulously.

"Not exactly. Anyone can tell you're close with him. I only seek to minimize the damage to your relationship with your father by securing his blessing to be with you. I believe that becomes more difficult the longer he's kept in the dark. I just don't want to see you suffer because of his anger at me."

"I think we have enough to worry about right now and I can't bring myself to risk Dad pulling us apart." You hug yourself insecurely.

"It's amusing that you think he could possibly keep me from you," he retorts with a smirk.

You chuckle at him. "Unless you send me away. Did you really mean what you said about shipping me back to Colorado or was that just to placate my dad?"

"Both," Miles admits. "If I truly feel I can't protect you here, yes, I will send you to your family until it's safe. And I hoped it would ease some of your father's worries."

"It seemed to," you comment.

"And if I 'send you away' it would be completely temporary. Once I felt it was safe for you to return, I would bring you right back here."

"Assuming my dad lets me," you joke.

"As you are twenty four years old, your father has no authority to hold you anywhere you don't wish to be. You would simply need the desire to return here. I would handle the rest," he promises with a smirk. He checks his watch. "We should return to the task at hand. What's next for our investigation?" He quizzes.

"Let's check a map so we can look at where our bodies were found and nearby bars. Then we need to start asking around," you answer confidently.

Miles nods with a proud smile.

He pulls up a map on his computer and you both look around the areas where the bodies were found and write down nearby bars. Unfortunately, there's a lot. There's more near the construction site where Erica was found but there's still plenty near the park where Suzanne was.

"I think we should start with the bars near the park. Bradley said they liked to go to drinking together. We might have better luck at places near where she lived," you declare.

"Very sound logic. I agree."

"It reminds me of my first case with Mr. Payne; canvassing jewelry stores." You smile. "When I met you."

"How could I forget?" Miles replies softly with a smile. He kisses your cheek and rises from his desk chair. "Let's be off. We certainly won't get through all of these locations today. We had best get started."

You nod and follow him out.

Where you were previously afraid you'd find too little information, you instead find too much.

"Do you know either of these women?" You ask every bartender, waitress, and patron you see at each of the bars near the park. Almost everyone recognized Suzanne.

"Of course!" A bartender says.

"Yes, I know her!" A waitress confirms.

"She's here all the time!" One patron answers.

"Oh yeah, I see her a lot. I think she comes here with her boyfriend…" another patron replies.

"Sure, I remember her. She's really cute! I keep wanting to ask her out, but I think she's with that guy she always comes in with." Another patron comments.

"She's such a nice girl! Where has she been?" The owner of one of the bars says.

"Was she here last Tuesday?" You ask the bar owner.

"Mmm," he thinks. "She might have been. She's here a lot so I honestly don't remember. I think I could confidently say she was here last week, though. Did something happen to her?"

"She was found dead last Wednesday," you reveal. Miles stands next to you, listening to the conversation in addition to scanning the bar routinely and whenever the door opens.

"Oh God! That's horrible!" The owner replies. "What happened?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out." You pull out Bradley Hogger's photo. "Was this the man she was with?"

"Oh yeah, that's Bradley. He's here all the time. Although, I guess it's been about a week since I've seen him. Must be really torn up over Suzy's death."

"What was their relationship like when they were here?" You ask.

"They seemed pretty close. Bradley got pretty protective of her whenever she got too much attention from the other guys here. It's odd though, I thought she was dating someone else." The bar owner quirks a brow, trying to remember. "Bradley sure acted like her boyfriend, throwing his arm around her all the time, always touching her one way or another. She didn't seem to mind much, but I think he did try to kiss her recently."

"What?" You ask, your attention now very piqued.

"Yeah, Bobby Jo told me about it. She's one of my bartenders. She said Suzy looked real uncomfortable. Bobby was about to have the bouncer kick him out, but then they both left."

"Can we talk Bobby?" You ask, desperate.

"She's not on tonight, but I can see if I can get her to come in and talk to you."

"That would be wonderful! Thank you!" You say happily. This might be the break you need!

You have to wait about an hour but Bobby Jo makes it into the bar to be interviewed. You, her, and Miles all sit at a table in the bar.

"Bobby Jo Decker?" You ask to confirm?

"Yup!" She answers cheerfully. She's a lovely young lady, perhaps around your age. She has long, very curly red hair and her face is generously dusted with freckles, along with every other inch of exposed skin.

You and Miles both introduce yourselves. "You know Suzanne Ozcar, correct?" You ask.

"...yeah. Dustin said she's dead when he called me. She was so nice," Bobby says, frowning. She stares at the empty table.

"Can you tell us about the last time you saw her here?"

"She came here a lot with that Bradley guy. I thought that was her boyfriend, at first, but then she told me she was with some other guy who doesn't drink and that she and Bradley were just friends. Last time I remember seeing her was last week. Maybe Tuesday or Wednesday…well maybe it was Monday. I'm sorry, I don't remember. Anyway, she was here with Bradley and I guess he made a move on her and she pushed him away. I was about to get our bouncer to toss him, but they both left together."

"Did they have a lot to drink?" You ask.

Her eyes widen and she nods. "Oh yeah, that I remember really well! She doesn't usually drink that much, but woah man! She was knockin' 'em back! Bradley wasn't helping. He kept buying her shots. She was pretty stumbly when they left."

You and Miles exchange glances. "Has Bradley been here since then?" You ask.

"Um…no I don't think I've seen him. I haven't been here every day, though. He's probably pretty upset about losing his friend."

"In your opinion, would you say Bradley had romantic feelings for Suzanne?" You ask.

"Oh yeah. No doubt in my mind. He was really handsy with her a lot. Normally, it didn't look like it bugged her, but when he tried to kiss her the other night, she smacked him," Bobby reveals. "Pretty impressive hand-eye coordination given how sloshed she was."

"And you said they left the bar together?"

"Yup. He was holding onto her, too. She would've fallen over if he wasn't, though."

"Is there anything else you can tell us about that night?"

"Nothing comes to mind."

"Should this case end up in a trial, will you be a witness for us?" You ask.

"Uh, I guess so, sure," Bobby Jo agrees, indifferently.

"If that is the case, I will need to step in and discuss a few things with you, Ms. Decker," Miles chimes in.

A thought pops into your head. "Will you both excuse me for a second?" You ask.

"Sure," Bobby replies.

Miles doesn't respond. He frowns, brow furrowed as he looks at you with concern, disquieted by your move to leave his side.

"I'll be right back. I just need to ask the owner something," you reassure him with a smile. Miles' expression softens. He trusts your judgment and decides to accept the temporary discomfort he feels while you continue your investigation. He gives a hesitant nod with his reluctant approval, but you can almost hear him begging you to return to him the very second you're able.

You walk up to the bar where the owner is busy helping the others get ready for the afternoon rush that's sure to come in a few hours. "Dustin?" You call.

He turns and walks to you. "Yes, miss?"

"Does your men's room have a condom dispenser?"

He gives you a puzzled look, but eventually answers, "yes, it does."

"Are they pre-lubricated?"

"Uh…I'm not sure."

You drop a dollar in quarters on the bar. "Can you grab one for me?" You ask with a polite smile.

His confused expression intensifies and he flashes a look at Miles, then back to you.

You sigh. "It's potential evidence, sir. It's not for me."

"Oh," he replies awkwardly. "Yeah, no problem." He grabs the quarters, steps out from behind the bar, and heads to the men's room.

You sit on a bar stool waiting for the owner to return. You can hear Miles reviewing the trial process with Bobby Jo. He's explaining that she will be interviewed by the defense team at some point, too, but he promises that you and he will prepare her for that.

The manager returns with one of the condoms from the men's room and drops it on the bar in front of you. You grab it and read the label carefully and it very clearly says 'lubricated'. "Thank you, sir!" You exclaim happily. Excited by the prospect of finding a match, you stow the package in your purse and return to Miles.

"No problem," the owner says, still somewhat puzzled by the strange errand you asked him to complete.

Miles does his best to hide his intense relief at your return to his side, but you notice the slight changes in his demeanor where others might overlook it. He concludes his conversation with Bobby and you both head for the door.

"Excellent work. You've gathered a great deal of new information and secured a witness."

"Thank you!" You reply, exceedingly proud of yourself.

"What was it you asked the owner?" He asks. You both sit inside his car.

"I asked him to get this from the men's room," you answer and pull the condom out of your purse.

Miles tilts his head, slightly confused, but in no way uneasy. "Hm…I thought you were on-"

You cut him off quickly to reassure him. "I am. This isn't for us," you begin, blushing intensely, grateful you're in his car and not outside. "I want the lab to check and see if the lubricant matches what was found on our victims' bodies."

"Ah. Brilliant," Miles praises again and starts the car. "We'll stop by the morgue next."

You think for a moment about how unfazed he seemed to be by the brief notion that you might have not been on anything; that you could possibly end up…You shake your head, reasoning that you must be reading too much into it. "I realize it wouldn't exactly confirm that's where the condom came from, but I figure it will help augment more solid evidence and guide our investigation as well."

"Absolutely. You're doing very well, despite the constant threat looming over you, you continue to amaze me with your growth."

"Do you know why I'm able to stay so focused?"

"Hm?"

"Because I have you," you reveal.

He smiles. "I'm glad to know I have your trust."

"I trust you with my life, Miles."

"Then, if I do have to tell you to get on a plane back home to your mother and father, you'll listen?"

"I'll be unhappy about it, but yes, I will."

"I hope it won't come to that."

"Me, too." You sit back in your seat as Miles drives you to the morgue.

You drop off the 'evidence' you've collected and then you and Miles return to canvassing bars in the area. Unfortunately, while several people from many of the bars recognize Suzanne, no one recognizes Erica. You hope when you check the bars near where she was found, you'll have better luck. The problem is, there seems to be no overlap between both victims, no common factor to tie them together. That's one tic for the serial killer theory.

You reviewed the interview between detectives and Erica's mother and didn't find anything noteworthy. As Dr. Ross had noted, she was a waitress at a cafe. She wasn't involved with drugs or anything that wasn't on the level. Her mother said she did go out to the bars on occasion. She also mentioned Erica had struggled with depression since high school and had engaged in self injurious behavior her senior year but was doing very well on the medication she had been prescribed. She claims Erica had showed no signs of suicidal thoughts for years. Erica was also not currently in a relationship.

As the sun begins to set, you complete your search of the bars near where Suzanne's body was found. No new pertinent information surfaces.

"I think we should conclude our bar hoping for the night," Miles remarks.

"It's still early," you reply. "We could start on the list of places near the construction site."

"I don't want you out here now that it's getting dark," Miles admits.

You sigh and smile at him. "Alright. Take me to my sorority house then. I still need fresh clothes."

Miles nods and navigates the car in the direction of campus.

Nora sees you right as you walk into the house and bolts to you, pulling you into a hug. "I'm so glad you're okay!" She exclaims happily. She breaks away. "What are you doing back here, though?"

"Just need clean clothes," you reply.

"Oh, of course." Nora smiles sheepishly.

Mrs. Brekkie thankfully takes very little convincing to let you stay with Miles until you finish this case. She seems almost as worried as Miles does. He waits in the foyer with the fretting house mother while you visit your room to pack. Nora follows you and helps you switch out your old clothes for clean ones.

"I think this is the first time I've actually seen Miles Edgeworth in person. He's…taller than I imagined," she admits, but sounds as though she's holding back.

You chuckle and continue folding clothes to pack into a duffle bag.

She breaks. "Also, fuck you! You're so lucky! God dammit! He's beautiful!"

You laugh and smile. She's not wrong.

"You should see if he has any friends for me."

"I haven't really ever heard him talk about his friends…"

Nora squints at you. "Do you guys even talk much?"

"Oh shut up. Of course, we do!" You blush and try to focus on your packing.

"Dirty talk doesn't count."

You throw a pillow at her.

"Well, whatever, I guess I'll still give him the 'best friend seal of approval'."

You raise an eyebrow and flash a confused glance at her. "the what?"

"All boyfriends have to be approved of by a girl's best friend."

"I'm pretty sure you just made that up."

"No! It's a real rule! And it's the same for guys!"

You pause to think of who in Miles' life he would trust to 'approve' of you being with him. Then again, he strikes you as the type of person who would find such a 'rule' to be just as ridiculous as you do.

"I'm calling lies on that one," you retort.

"No, seriously! Megan and her boyfriend broke up last summer because her best friend, Ciena, didn't sign off on him!"

"Megan and Dave broke up because Dave slept with Kelsey."

Nora thinks quickly. "Which Ciena totally saw coming…and that's why she didn't approve of Dave."

You scoff and roll your eyes, continuing to pack.

"Don't you need any pajamas?" Nora asks.

"I have some there already."

"Do you actually wear them?" Nora asks with a mocking, sensual tone.

You look mischievously at her. "Rarely." A thought crosses your mind, however, and you decide to pack a few of your more risque nightgowns.

"That-a-girl! You'll definitely make a good impression. Edgeworth gets to kill two birds with one stone with this little arrangement, huh?"

"Uh, beg your pardon?" You turn to look at her. You think you'd be used to all the weird things she says and yet you never are.

"I mean, sure, he is keeping you safe and everything, but this is his free trial for living with you."

You scowl at the wall pondering the ridiculousness of what Nora just said.

A confident smirk creeps across her face. "Five bucks says he asks you to move in with him when this is all over," Nora replies matter of factly.

"I doubt that," you reply, shaking your head.

"You're on."

You roll your eyes again and close the now fully packed duffle bag. You sling the strap over your shoulder and turn to head back downstairs to Miles. Nora follows but stops dead in her tracks when she sees a police officer standing and talking to Miles. Her jaw drops open.

The officer is a tank of a man. His height barely surpasses Miles, but the cop's bulk nearly dwarfs the prestigious attorney. His blonde hair is cut very short and his beard, although thick, is neatly trimmed and frames his mouth. He listens obediently to whatever Miles is telling him. You stop and wave your hand in front of Nora's face as you both still stand at the top of the staircase.

"Nora," you call out softly. She snaps out of her trace and looks at you. She grabs your hand.

"Who…is…that?" She asks in a near whisper.

"I don't know. Let's go talk to him."

Nora sighs longingly. "Can we?"

"Yes. I'm sure Miles called him. Come on." You hold her hand and lead her downstairs, her gaze still ogling the dreamy officer.

You reach Miles and the new man quickly and greet them both with a pleasant smile. Nora manages to twitch her lips.

Miles introduces you first. You shake the officer's hand. "This is Officer Kent," Miles announces. "Officer Kent, this is Nora Rhys. She is one of the house's other tenants." He smirks as he gestures to the starry eyed law student staring mesmerized at the beefy policeman.

The officer shakes Nora's hand and looks warmly at her. "I'm Max," he greets.

"Yeah you are," Nora answers without thinking, joyously holding onto the kind man's hand while they acquaint themselves. "What?" She says impulsively, awkwardly trying to cover up her first comment.

Miles turns to you. "Officer Kent will be patrolling the area periodically throughout the night to watch for prowlers. We're casting a bit of a wide net to find our murderer and I'd like to secure your fellow law students."

You nod, happily watching Nora fawn over Officer Kent. "Why don't we go?" You whisper to Miles.

He smirks and nods.

"Bye, Nora," you say as you and Miles head for the door.

"Okay," Nora replies, her eyes still firmly locked on Max. "Would you…like a cup of coffee or something before you hit the road, Max?" You hear Nora say as you leave. She says his name with a breathy want.

You chuckle as you head for the car. You sit in the passenger's seat and comment "I think Officer Kent will be spending a little extra time at the sorority house." You both buckle your seat belts.

Miles chuckles as well. "Probably. I told him to use his best judgment as to how he secures the premises, but to also respect the wishes of your house mother, in the absence of safety concerns, of course." He starts the car and heads off campus towards your temporary home.

"I think Brekkie will be more lenient with him since he is law enforcement."

"Much to Nora's satisfaction, I imagine."

"Oh, she was smitten for sure. Is Max single?"

"I'm not sure. I saw no wedding band and the look in his eyes would suggest he's available and very much interested."

"Well, you're better at picking those up than I am."

"I assume you could see a similar look in Nora's expression."

"Very much so, but hers was rather overt, even for me."

"A blind man would notice her reaction." Miles shoots you a quick glance with a smirk.

"Nora has never been a subtle girl," you reply. You laugh again. "She's probably got his phone number already. Who's his superior? Are they going to have a problem with…something happening between them?"

"No, in fact, I have no problem with it," Miles answers.

You chuckle. "Of course," you say under your breath.

You reach Miles' home again and are sure to call your father.

"Is the house locked completely?" Your dad asks. You can hear his blood pressure rising through the phone.

"Miles is checking all of the locks right now. He might be more paranoid than you, Dad." You watch as Miles carefully inspects every point of entry to his house.

"He and I both work with criminals every day, Sweetie. When you do that, it's not paranoia. It's called awareness. You'll understand after you've done it a while, Sweetie."

"Oh, my apologies, Dad," you reply sarcastically.

"Have a nice room to stay in?" Your dad asks.

You blush. "Yup, it's a very nice room." You realized growing up that you'll never be able to outright lie to your dad. Carefully concealed truth is best.

"Make sure he keeps his hands to himself! Call me if he doesn't!"

"Okay, Dad. Good night. I love you," you say, rolling your eyes. He never told you to keep your hands to yourself.

"Good night, Sweetie. I love you, too."

Once he's satisfied with the status of the house, Miles returns to you and grabs your hand, pulling you close. He slides his free hand around your waist and kisses your temple. "Are you ready to retire, my dear?"

With a smile and a blush, you tingle and shiver at the term of endearment. A delighted sigh escapes your lips. "Mhmm," you hum in confirmation. You walk hand in hand together upstairs to Miles' bedroom.

You pull one of the nightgowns you packed out of your bag to don for the night. That is, as long as Miles leaves it on you. You smirk looking at the slinky, navy colored garment. It's lightweight, silky, and speckled with stars, giving it a galaxy-like style. The spaghetti straps will slide off your shoulder with a stern look and the v-neck hides your breasts while displaying your cleavage. The hem barely covers your backside and glides smoothly against your bare legs. Lace trim covers every edge. You sit on your side of the bed, feet dangling off, crossed at the ankles. You slip off your earrings and necklace and set them on the bedside table.

Arms snake their way around your ribcage from behind you, wandering hands enjoying the smooth, silky, material beneath them. Warm breath tickles your ear, sending shivers through your body. "Seriously?" Miles whispers. He slides his hands further down past the hem of your nightgown and caresses your thighs. As if he could ever ignore what you've chosen to wear tonight. "And here I thought the dress you wore on our first date was an unbearable temptation. Now, you do this to me?" He purrs. His fingertips slowly pull the hem of your nightgown up your legs, leaving tingles on your skin. It's not like you had other plans for this skimpy dress.

"Mm, but we're alone now. You may do whatever you please," you reply. Your head leans back against his shoulder and your lips join together. He grunts and grabs your hips, pulling you snug against his chest. You can feel his length hardening against your back. Your center heats up and coats your folds in wet arousal. Your hand reaches back to tangle your fingers in his hair as you press your tongue into his mouth.

He's slid your nightgown up enough to expose your already damp panties. He rubs your inner thighs with both his hands and you squirm in his arms. Your back arches with a soft moan as he teases you, slowly slipping closer to your boiling core. Why does it feel like it's been forever since he's touched you?

His hand finally finds its way under your panties and with a featherlight touch, grazes over your hot, wet folds. Your moans intensify, vibrating from your chest and into his mouth through your kiss. His middle finger circles your entrance with greater pressure, spurring your breathing to speed up. His free hand slides up underneath your nightgown to caress your breasts. You whimper as your eyes roll back into your head from the stimulation. Heart racing, you grip the sheets with your free hand, and gasp for air as you feel a finger slide inside you. Your toes curl as your orgasm quickly approaches. Miles seems to know your body better than you do; he's certainly had enough time to explore it. He returns a moan into your mouth when your lips and tongues join again. His erection strains against you through his boxers. His fingers curl inside you while his thumb circles the swollen, sensitive nub just in front of them. He quickens his pace until the feeling sends you over the edge and soon you're orbiting the moon, screaming his name as you spiral through your climax.

The next thing you know, his thick arms are around you again, pulling you backwards into bed and on your back. He crawls over you in an instant, sliding his hands underneath your nightgown again, and pushing it all the way up to remove it entirely. He makes quick work of your panties next, planting a kiss on your abdomen as he slides them off and then frees himself of his boxers. He pins you to the bed with the cage of his arms and his weight on your body. He whispers softly in your ear, "it's astonishing how much power you have over me, my love." He lets out a low growl. "I would do anything for you. I love you."

You tingle, hold him tight against you, and wrap your legs around his hips. He presses his length inside you, grunting heavily from the pleasure as he does. You pull his head to yours for another deep kiss, tongues dancing happily together.

He moves slowly, angling himself to stroke your favorite places inside your fluttering walls. His tongue hungrily glides around your entire mouth. You suck on it with just as much greedy desire, moaning and whimpering as you build to your second orgasm. He hits just the perfect spot with his thrusts and your back arches on its own. You're writhing beneath him, drunk on the pleasure he's giving you. Faster and faster he pistons his hard erection, chasing his release. You cry out as your walls contract, gripping him, pulling him deeper inside. His wild, erotic noises grow more frantic and after your core pulsates around him, rhythmically squeezing for long enough, he climaxes himself.

You return to your feverish kisses once you've inhaled just enough oxygen. Eventually, Miles rolls you both over and you now lie on top of him. Pupils still completely blown, you exchange a loving gaze and smile, then lazily kiss each other again.

"I love you," you declare with a soft whisper in his ear as your fatigue overtakes you. It's the most potent word you can use and yet somehow it still doesn't seem like enough. Action, you suppose. How you show him that you love him is what underpins the word. If he asked you to stay with him another night even after all of this was over, you would. If he asked you to move in with him, you would. If he asked you to marry him, be his wife, stand beside him forever, you would. Your mother's words make complete sense now and you almost laugh at yourself for scoffing at her the other day. Four weeks? Five weeks? How long have you known him now? Somehow it doesn't seem to matter in the slightest.

You just know.

Time has blurred and you feel as though even the beginning of the summer was a lifetime ago. Your life changed completely the moment you ran into the chief prosecutor's arms that day.

Even if your father hates you, even if he disowns you, you're never letting go of Miles Edgeworth.