Page 135 of The Bodyguard

“Great,” he grumbled. “This was easier with Sawyer.”

“What was?”

“I think your loved one is sitting in the other room.”

Her stomach dropped. Her mouth did too.

“And judging by that stunned silence you’re giving me, instead of a world-class Sorenson rebuttal, I’m not off base,” he continued as Angela’s heart seesawed. “Take a vacation. Let it be in Witness Protection. And if you need your loved one with you, bring them with you. No questions asked. Disappear together. When it’s done and time to show up to work again, that’s what you do. Together.”

Heat crawled into her cheeks. Her heartbeat raced. Jared was talking about Sawyer. “I…”

“You don’t have to manage a safe house or your safety. Neither does anyone else you bring along. If that’s what you meant about not wanting to leave your loved ones.”

Angela’s mouth had gone dry. Had Jared told Sawyer she loved him? He couldn’t know that. Still, not knowing something wouldn’t stop Boss Man when his instinct spoke up.

Jared chuckled. “And if I’m wrong a hundred different ways, ignore me.” She could almost see him shrug and crack his knuckles. “But I don’t think I am.”

“I can’t be in love with him,” she whispered.

“Why’s that?”

Angela shook her head. “You know his past better than I do.”

Jared released a soul-reaching sigh. “The shitty thing about this job is all of the ugly that I have seen over the years. Ugly conditions. Ugly humanity. Ugly, ugly grief. The kind when life’s not fair, and it’s hard to keep going. But this is the thing, Angela. Something changed in Sawyer the day he met you. You never saw him before.”

“We’re just friends.”

“Good. You both needed that when you first moved to Abu Dhabi.”

“We’re still friends.”

“Again, good. ’Cause rumor has it that’s the basis for a lot more to build on.”

“Jared—”

“I don’t give two shits if you two are friends or fucking or in it for the long haul. But I do care if you ignore me when I say it’s time for Witness Protection.”

Jared wouldn’t force her, but until this point, he had let her take the lead on where she was. That sank in. So did the points he had made about Sawyer. “Is this the same conversation you had with Sawyer?” she asked.

Jared snort-laughed. “No. Not a chance.”

She had to laugh, relieved and more than a little curious. “Should I even ask?”

“I wouldn’t say anything even if you did.”

“Fair enough.” Angela bit her bottom lip. “What now?”

“Sit pretty and let the Marshals whisk you to the unknown. I’ll be waiting for you at the trial.”

“And Sawyer?”

“Talk to him. He either disappears with you, or he’ll make his way back to headquarters.”

“No matter if he goes with me, can he also be at the courthouse when I testify?”

Jared scoffed. “Don’t waste your time asking questions you already know the answer to.”

That reply made her smile. Of course Sawyer would be wherever she needed him to be. All she had to do was ask.

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