Page 52 of Tough Justice

“Okay.” He sobered then stepped out and came around to her side. “But if they ask about my job, I won’t lie.”

The second he opened the door, Tori bolted up the stairs to give her father a tight hug then did the same to her sister.

“Who’s the hunk?” Margo whispered.

“A colleague.” The quasi-lie rattled off her tongue easily enough, but reality was about to smack her in the face. The truth was bound to come out. What had she been thinking, letting him drive her here?

Margo made a snicker that sounded more like she was choking. “Do you kiss all your colleagues?”

Tori pulled from her sister’s embrace. “We weren’t kissing.”

Margo smirked. “Only because we interrupted you.”

To Tori’s horror, her dad was already down the steps. “Nice to meet you, son. I’m Craig Sampson, Tori’s father.”

Deck shook her dad’s hand. “Nice to meet you, too, sir. I’m Adam Decker. Everyone calls me Deck.”

Tori flew down the steps with Margo right behind her. If she didn’t derail this warm and fuzzy party, she knew exactly what her father would do.

“I hope you’re hungry,” her dad said to Deck.

Too late.

Deck cast her a questioning look but didn’t wait for her answer. “Actually, I am.” Thor barked, and Tori could hear his tail thumping against the inside of his kennel. “But I brought my partner, Thor.”

“Your partner?” Her dad peered into the SUV. “Are you a K-9 officer?”

Tori’s stomach lurched. This is not going to be good.

“What department do you work for?” her dad pressed.

Deck caught her eye, sending her a silent message that made her stomach somersault. The jig is up.

“I’m a DEA K-9 agent,” Deck replied.

Tori nearly stopped breathing. She flicked her gaze back and forth from her dad to Deck, not really certain what would happen next.

For one infinitesimal moment, her dad froze like a statue, the already-deep lines in his forehead deepening. Deck narrowed his gaze, a sign that he’d detected the simmering undercurrent.

“You’re dating a DEA agent?” her sister whispered incredulously. “And you brought him here? You must be out of your mind.”

No kidding. “We’re not dating,” she mumbled, reaching out for her sister’s arm to steady herself for the onslaught. “I told you, we’re colleagues. We’re working on an important project together. One that could save lives,” she added, scrambling to justify why she’d even consider sharing the same air with Deck.

At six-foot-one, her dad was a big man, but still shorter than Deck and slimmer in build. Silently, her dad cocked his head. She couldn’t miss the chill in his eyes. “Girls, why don’t you set another plate at the table? And get out bowls for Thor.”

Tori smacked a hand to her forehead and groaned. Can this possibly get any worse? She and her sister were about to become spectators while the world as she knew it imploded around them.

As her father rounded the hood and went to Thor’s window, the thumping inside the kennel intensified.

Deck opened the door and Thor leaped out, sitting in front of her dad. “Thor, this is Mr. Sampson.” Thor raised his paw for her dad to shake.

Tori’s dad grunted. “At least he’s a very well-mannered DEA employee.” Over his shoulder, he sent Tori a look only her and her sister would understand.

“You really stepped in it this time,” Margo said in a hushed tone then held out her hand. “Hi,” she said to Deck. “I’m Margo, the sister Tori so rudely forgot to introduce.”

Yup. She really had stepped in it. It was up to her neck, and she was sinking fast.

“Nice to meet you.” Deck shook hands with her sister then opened the rear door of the SUV, taking out a bag of kibble. “For emergencies,” he said.