Page 107 of Tough Justice

“There she is.” Brett set the vase on the rolling cart. “You scared the sh— Er, I mean, you scared us all to death. Especially, Deck,” he added with a grin.

Evan put the plant on the window ledge. “Glad to see you’re back in the land of the living, Doc Tori.”

“Thanks. And how did you know I like bromeliads?” she asked, thinking it was a strange gift but loving it just the same.

Evan shrugged. “Deck said you’d like it.”

“Deck said that?” Most men couldn’t remember the color of a woman’s eyes, let alone something as obscure to the male species as a woman’s preference for air plants.

Her sister pursed her lips, shooting Tori yet another duh look. “Are you going to introduce us?”

“Oh, right. Sorry.” She made quick introductions, then Brett and Evan exchanged looks, saying nothing but looking as if they wanted to.

Her father stood, yawning. “It’s been a long night. Would everyone like some coffee? I’m buying.”

“Sure, that’d be great.” Evan nodded emphatically.

“C’mon, Margo.” Her dad motioned for her sister to go with him, a sign that he knew Brett and Evan wanted to discuss something privately with Tori.

“Are you here to arrest me?” she asked as soon as her family had left.

“About that,” Brett said. “We never really thought you were the rat.”

“Neither did Deck,” Evan added, sitting in one of the chairs.

“How is he?” She hoped she didn’t sound as desperate for information about him as she felt. “I mean, how is his shoulder and his ribs?”

“Better.” Brett nodded. “Although he took a beating down in the tunnels.”

“A beating?” She didn’t remember that.

“Before he took out Barnett,” Evan said, leaving her wondering what exactly “took out” meant, “the two of them had a real wrestling match. At one point, his shoulder got wrenched and went totally numb. He saved your life, by the way.”

Tori sat up straighter, instantly regretting it as her head spun. “Is he okay? His dislocation was bad to begin with. Any additional stress on the joint could have lasting implications.”

“He’s fine,” Brett reassured her. “But you can ask him yourself. He’s on his way over.”

“He is?” Again, she sat up, this time ignoring her spinning senses as hope flared in her chest then slowly began to die. “Aside from the investigation, I’m not really sure he wants to talk to me about anything.”

“I don’t think you have to worry about that,” Brett said. “If he didn’t have an interview this morning, he’d be here right now.”

“Interview?”

“Deck’s boss, ASAC Rivera,” Brett continued, “is retiring. Deck applied for the ASAC position. It’ll take him out of the field and put him behind a desk. It’s a safe job.”

Tori’s eyes widened at the implication. A safe job.

“He’s doing this for you.” Evan sat in the other chair. “When a man switches jobs for a woman…well, you do the math.”

“Oh, my.” Her dad’s words came roaring back to her. Compromise. Acceptance. Loving and respecting Deck also meant she had to compromise and accept him for who and what he was. He didn’t want a desk job. She knew that. He really was doing this for her.

“Seriously.” Brett shook his head. “Never thought I’d see the day.”

Her chest tightened with a mixture of joy and misery. “I can’t let him do this. It’s not what he wants.”

“I think you’re what he wants,” Evan said quietly.

Wanting him, being with him would mean accepting everything about him. Including the risk that came with his job.