Page 133 of The Bodyguard

She couldn’t tell him. “Your parents probably think I’m nuts.”

She didn’t miss his scrutiny, but after a moment, he shook his head with a quiet laugh. “My parents are in the middle of a hot debate about what color to paint the laundry room shelves. They didn’t notice.”

Thatmade her laugh. “Liar.”

He crossed his heart. “Scout’s honor.” Sawyer slid her from his lap and stood, holding out his hand and then pulling her to her feet. “How do you feel? Better?”

“Eh…” Angela made a face. “I’ve started my day with better phone calls.”

His lips quirked. “You probably need food in your stomach.”

“Probably right.”

Sure enough, when they reached the kitchen, Sam and Susan were shuffling paint chips in various shades of white and wheat. Susan barely paused to ask if either Sawyer or Angela needed more pancakes—the two had barely touched their plates.

“Told you.” He smacked a kiss on her cheek. Neither Sam nor Susan noticed that either. Such was the paint debate.

Five minutes and a generous heaping plate of pancakes later, Angela was ready to finish the conversation with Parker. She finished her orange juice and decided that nothing would knock her down like that again. They returned Parker and Jared’s call. The conversation continued without panic attacks or meltdowns.

“The only thing left to decide is where you wait it out,” Jared said. “I’m sure Casa de Cabot is lovely, but a safe house is the way to go.”

Not imposing on the Cabots was understandable, though she hated to leave a house that felt like a home.

“We need to be on high alert,” Sawyer said, agreeing. “This is Pham’s last time to keep Angela from testifying. I’m not heading anywhere that isn’t stocked with enough firepower to protect a battalion.”

That didn’t worry her. Maybe it should have, but the only thing that would tie Angela into knots was facing Pham in court.

Jared let out a long breath. “We’ve been down the safe house road already. It didn’t work as it should have.”

“And we know why,” Angela snapped. “I used to date an idiot who slept with Pham’s—”

“I know, Angela,” Jared said. “But it’s safer if the Federal Marshals can stash you somewhere temporarily—”

“No,” she and Sawyer said simultaneously.

Couldn’t Boss Man see how close Witness Protection felt like Pham’s abduction? Basic needs would be met, but she’d have to walk away from everyone until they let her go.

“I’m sorry to shit on your day, Angela,” Jared said. “But your only option that everyone will agree with is a temporary stint in Witness Protection.”

“Who is everyone?” she demanded.

“You know the laundry list.”

She looked to Sawyer for answers. His hard-set jaw didn’t show he had any. “Jared, I can’t.”

“We don’t have much say—”

“Yes—”

“Angela,” Jared interrupted, “I don’t want to be the asshole. But you know that I’ll be that guy. There are a lot of people trying to do right by you, by this trial—”

“Don’t you get that the idea of someone bringing me to an unknown place where I can’t contact my loved ones is too much to ask of me again? It’s too similar to when Pham imprisoned me.” The choking memories stole her rationality. “Don’t you get that? Jared, please. I can’t.”

“I’m saying you don’t have a choice.”

Tears welled in her eyes. Angela shook her head. She tried to find safe harbor in Sawyer. His tight expression was one she couldn’t read. Her stomach knotted. “Sawyer?”

Tension flexed in his jaw, but he shook his head. “Jared knows the players, the situation… He knows everything and is working from a clear-headed perspective.” Sawyer ground his molars. “We’re not.”

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