Page 134 of The Bodyguard

Maybe Ibrahim could give her some kind of pass. A doctor’s note that would excuse her from Boss Man’s demands. But in her heart, she knew Ibrahim wouldn’t ignore her physical safety—especially when it seemed as if they had exhausted all other options.

A tear escaped. Her arms felt lined with lead. Angela couldn’t manage to wipe the tear away before another fell.

Sawyer noticed. His lips pinched, and his nostrils flared as he pulled in a deep breath. But he didn’t contradict Jared.

Her world spun. The floor had been pulled from beneath her feet. Witness Protection had always been a distant, unexercised option, but she didn’t think it would ever happen. It was happening. Angela’s chin dipped.

“Parker,” Jared said, “give me the line. Alone.” A moment later, he said, “Angela, let me talk to Sawyer. Alone.”

Her eyes flashed to Sawyer’s. Sawyer lifted his chin.

Trepidation sprung in the pit of her stomach. What was there to say to Sawyer that Angela couldn’t hear? Her throat knotted. The two men she trusted above all others wanted her to leave so they could talk about her. Slowly, she stood from the table and found herself in her bedroom.

Knowing that she was the topic of conversation needled under her skin. She shut the door and sank onto the bed. Every second crawled by. She tried to imagine their discussion and didn’t like any of her thoughts.

Finally, Sawyer knocked on the door. She opened it, partly thrilled they were finished discussing her, partly hurt that they didn’t think she could hear or handle what they had said.

“Your turn,” he said. His face was unreadable, and, though he stood inches away from her, Sawyer felt miles away.

Angela rolled her lips together and found where Sawyer had left the phone. She picked it up and pressed it to her ear. She swallowed hard, suddenly unsure of her voice. “Boss Man?”

“Hey.”

Her throat constricted. Jared sounded almost apologetic, almost… She wasn’t sure. His voice wasn’t patronizing or patriarchal. But it was something that made her insides feel like sludge. “What did you say to Sawyer that you can’t say to me?”

Jared let out a long, foreboding breath. “You said you had a problem with Witness Protection.”

Her teeth clenched. “You know I have a problem with it.”

“You said it kept you from your loved ones.”

“Yeah,” she said cautiously.

Silence hung on the call.

“That’s never what you told me before. Years ago, when Witness Protection was on the table. Before I offered you a job with Titan.”

She couldn’t recall that exact conversation. “I don’t remember specifically what I said.”

“You told me that you didn’t want to cede control again. I understood.”

“Then why—”

“The situation has changed, Angela. You know it, and I know it. Look, here’s what you can control. Your beliefs. Your values. Your thoughts and your perspective. But you can’t control your loved ones.”

“If this has to do with what my mother has said, I’m done with her weighing in on my life.”

“I wish it was that easy, Angela.”

“Why isn’t it?”

He remained silent for so long that she checked to see if the call had been dropped.

“Jared?” she asked.

“I don’t have experience on my side, but when I tell you this, you gotta know that I believe it.”

“And you have to know that you’re starting to freak me out.”

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