Page 27 of The Bodyguard

“And we’ll accomplish your goal,” her mother added. “We’ll have rescued someone else who might still be in the same predicament you lived through, Angela.” She faced Jared. “I think we can all agree that’s a win-win.”

Jared’s frown lines deepened. “This isn’t one of your political negotiations.”

“Pham needs to go to prison,” Angela spat out. “Don’t you get that?” But even as she said that, waves of shame at her hypocrisy rolled through her chest. If only Ibrahim would give her a magic cure to wash away her lingering empathy for her abductor.

“Angela, dear…”

“Stop that.” She hated the patronizing way her mother could say her name. “Heneeds togo to prison. If not for me, for all the people and families he hurt.” Her lips pursed, and she smirked. “That would make one hell of a press release and photo op for you to capitalize on.”

“Watch yourself, young lady.”

Angela jutted her chin out. “If not for me, then to send a message to other terrorists. Mess with you, get prison time. Rich and Rob could make posters and T-shirts.”

The gold bracelets clinked again. Her mother wanted the debate. Angela could see it in her eyes, along with the deepening frown that she held back. “What you’re asking for only makes sense in an ideal world, and we don’t live in one of those.” Her frown deepened further. “Believe it or not, I’m looking out for your best interest.”

“You’re so invested in yourself that you can’t see where our interests intersect and diverge.”

“That’s not fair, Angela.”

“We don’t live in a fair world, Mom.” Angela turned to Parker. “If there’s someone else out there, can we find them without Pham’s assistance?”

Parker’s dark brows furrowed. He took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. After considering, he searched for an answer before saying, “That’s a tough one.”

Jared’s lips pursed, apparently in thought. “We don’t know a who, where, when…” He glanced at Parker. “Do I have that correct?”

“If they exist at all…” Parker suggested.

“But if we did,” Angela pressed, “we could find them and kill the trial negotiations.”

Sawyer looked from her to Parker and Boss Man. “I mean, that’s what Titan does. Find people. Manage situations. More or less.”

Her heart squeezed.Thank you, Sawyer. “We could do so much more if we had more information.” Angela turned pointedly to her mother. “Which we could probably get.”

“That doesn’t keep you safe,” her mother pointed out. “I might have an agenda, but I don’t want Pham to hurt you again.”

“You did blow her cover, Samantha,” Jared growled.

“I had a plan,” her mother snapped.

“Stop.” Angela waved her hand at them. “Can anyone tell me if I’m safehere?”

Sawyer crossed his arms. “I won’t let anyone get that close to you again.”

He couldn’t blame himself. They had no idea she’d been compromised. “I know.”

“We could put her in a safe house somewhere,” Jared mused.

Dread crawled up Angela’s neck. “I don’t want to go to a safe house.”

“Here or at home?” her mother asked as though Angela hadn’t protested.

“I’m not going to a safe house,” Angela reiterated.

“Do you have places in Canada? I’m unaware of Pham’s network up there.”

They weren’t listening to her. “I want to help find this person.”

“Well, Samantha, you put a fuckin’ bull’s-eye on her in Abu Dhabi,” Jared spat. “Though here with us is still safer than Canada or wherever else you have in mind.”

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