Page 78 of The Bodyguard

I nodded. My throat was parched.

“What can we do? What do you need?” Ronnie asked, kneeling down in front of me.

I thought about what Garrett had said. Thought about whatever it was he might want to say to me. He would be feeling guilty now that he knew the truth. That I hadn’t been lying and that the threat from Danny had been real.

He would need all the evidence. I would have to send him the emails and then he would get mad all over again because he would realize that I would never write that kind of filth as part of some dramatic event. He would be mad at me for not showing them to him, but I hadn’t wanted him to read all that stuff about me in that context.

Yes, he would feel guilty, and he would try to apologize, and it would hurt more than anything. Because the one thing he couldn’t apologize for was not loving me.

That was just a fact.

I looked at Madison. “If you were to represent me, could I give you my statement? Then you could give it to Garrett, couldn’t you?”

“It doesn’t really work that way. If it were to go trial you would still have to be a witness…”

“That’s fine. I just…I need to leave. Now. Before he comes back. If I tell you everything, will that be enough to press charges?”

“You don’t have to press charges,” Madison said. “He committed the crime of kidnapping. The county is going to press charges. So, yes, I guess as a witness you could give me your statement and I could present that to the sheriff’s department.”

I nodded and turned to Ronnie. “Then that’s what I want. I want to leave. Now.”

She sighed. “Honey, you’ve been through a terrible ordeal. We can make sure Garrett doesn’t see you tonight...”

“No. Ever. I can’t let him see me ever again. He’ll feel guilty. And I don’t want that and I’m not strong enough… You know that about me. You know I can’t be strong enough to do the right thing when it comes to him. I have to go now!”

“I’ll take her,” Bea said. “Besides it’s not the worst idea in the world. News got out fast when people realized what was happening. That you had been kidnapped. It’s already made the evening news. Which means more reporters are probably on their way now. You spill your beans to Madison. I’ll go pack you a bag. When that’s done, we’ll get in my car and I’ll take you to Dallas. Ronnie and Clayton can deal with Garrett and any reporters who show up.”

“You can stay in our penthouse,” Clayton said as he walked back into the living room carrying a mug of tea. He pushed it into my hands and it was only then that I realized they were shaking.

I nodded and took a sip of tea. Then Madison went in search of a notepad and pencil. When she came back, she sat next to me on the couch and I told her everything.