Page 164 of Prey for You

“I’m sure.”

“Okay. Then… I’ll let you think about that for a while. See you soon.” Then he was gone and I was alone in the room.

I sat back in the chair and rubbed my temples because my head ached. I was glad, though. I’d argued with myself about whether to bring the burner phone to this meeting, but I’d wanted to tell Bridget what came of it as soon as I knew. So, hoping that Stephen was true to his word that he didn’t record these meetings without my knowledge, I slipped the phone out of the inside pocket on my jacket and kept it in my lap, under the level of the table while I texted her. And I prayed.

~ BRIDGET ~

I was in a room with Derek and Laurence, spitting mad, because these motions they were preparing could end with Sam charged for breaching the no-contact order.

“We’ve also got grounds for witness tampering, and with State law, we could argue witness intimidation as well,” Derek said flatly. “Whether he gets convicted on the attempted murder or not, we’ve got him.”

I sat with my arms folded, scowling.

“So what is it, Bridget? If we put you on the stand will you perjure yourself to save him? Because I can tell you, all that will achieve is puttingyouin jail too. I’m not letting this fly.”

“Fucker,” I muttered. “You’re both fuckers. You’re both—”

“Skip the histrionics,” Derek snapped. “Grow up, Bridget. It’s a simple question. Answer it.”

Jeremy stood on the other side of the room. He wasn’t watching me, but his face was set. He wouldn’t be swayed from this.

Then the phone in my pocket buzzed and because I knew it would piss them off, I sat up in my chair and pulled it out, keeping it in my lap and tapping through with shaking fingers because I knew this was going to be Sam telling me if his guys could make this work.

I was shitting myself.

SAM NOTPRIEST: I already know the answer, but I have to ask: Are you willing to throw J under the bus in open court? Testify to what happened and leave nothing out? Even if the media will get it?

I blinked. My first instinct was to be offended that he’d ask. But then, as I was about to typeof fucking course, I made myself stop and think.

I spent a lot of timenotthinking.Notanalyzing stuff. And it hadn’t served us well.

If I’d done more thinking early on, Sam wouldn’t be in this shit to begin with, or I might have realized this thing would mess up their case and brought it up sooner. I could have savedall of usthis pain and stress.

So Imademyself think.

If I was called to testify after that shambles of a doctor’s testimony, everyone would think I was even more mental. Derek woulddefinitelywant to make me look like I didn’t know myown mind, because it helped his case. Especially if he could get them believing that I was lying to save my so-called abuser.

But even if that wasn’t it. Even if they believed me, if I had to tell the whole Court, it wouldn’t just be whether or not Jeremy fucked me, who started it, and whether it affected this case.

It would be me and Sam. And Jeremy. And everyone who vouched for any of us.

My mental state.

Sam looking like a fool, even though it was my mistake.

Jeremy looking like a predator, even though I was the one who crossed the line first.

I’d watched enough clusterfucks online to know thehellfirethat social media would rain on this. They were already having a field day with my mental state, commentary on the unhealthy romanticism of Stockholm Syndrome, as well as toxic masculinity.

And every time they talked about it, it was Sam’s picture they used.

This was already a shitshow.

And ifthisgot out publicly, it wouldn’t die. Ever. It might fade with time. But our faces and names wouldforeverbe tied to any discussion in this state on domestic violence, the exploitation of women, law enforcement, and the legal system.

Could I handle people thinking I was crazy? Yeah. Mostly. But if I was trying to live a normal life after this, it wasn’t just going to be people in shadows or in courtrooms that looked at me sideways. It would bestrangers I’d never spoken toin the grocery store.

Even if Sam was free, the church would turn their back on him because no one would listen.Even though he was amazing.

---