made Julian nervous.
Actually, it freaked him out.
Normally, Tori would joke about it, but now she was keeping mum.
Yeah, he was scared shitless.
That’s why he made sure this case was straightforward and without any creepy elements to it. While playing Mystery Inc. was entertaining, they weren’t Fred and Daphne.
This wasn’t make-believe. They were Julian and Tori, and he liked it that way.
As he leaned back in his chair, he couldn’t help but watch her through the glass windows of their office. They shared a space, just like every team did.
Across the hall, Justin sat behind his desk staring off into space-- alone.
He really wished there was something he could do.
Watching his wife walk toward their doors, he prayed that she’d stay out of Justin’s way. While they all knew it wasn’t her fault, his brother was in no mood to be nice.
They were giving him leeway, and Tori seemed to be the catalyst to his anger. As much as Julian wanted to protect Tori, he was caught between them both.
He loved his wife.
He loved his brother.
He only wished he knew how to fix all of this. If he could just turn back time to that day, Julian would.
His eyes never left her as she paused outside their door. Then, doing the opposite of what he wanted, she headed right into the lion’s den.
Well, shit.
The day was about to get worse.
* * * L i t t l e m o o n * * *
Tori was dying inside.
There was no doubt in her mind that Justin hated her. The love he used to feel was gone, and she didn't need to be told why it had happened. She understood.
Fate had turned him against her.
Why?
Because she’d killed his child.
Had Tori ordered delivery of their lunch, or had gone by herself, none of this would have happened.
No, instead, she opted to have a girls’ afternoon with a car full of pregnant women.
She was a fool.
If she could go back, she absolutely would. On that day, not only had Vivian and Justin lost their child, but she lost something too. The second that car had hit them, Tori had lost her brother.
He was ripped from her life, and she didn't think he’d ever be back.
Who could blame him?
Granted, he was only her relative by marriage, but Justin had always been close. They were soldiers, struggling with the same demons, and now he was blocking her out.
She kept trying to reach him because she knew if it was her, he’d be doing the same thing.
Tori refused to quit.
She had to reach him.
There was no doubt in her mind that if she gave up, what they had would never be repaired.
Gathering her courage, she knocked on his door. When he looked over, her heart skipped. There was her husband’s face, eyes, and body behind the desk. While they only had small differences, like how Justin’s hair was just growing out, they were still hard to tell apart. The only thing making him standout today was the pure look of misery on his face.
It was heart wrenching.
For a brief second, she was pretty sure he wasn’t going to invite her in. When he waved, there was that brief feeling of relief. Maybe today would be the turning point.
“What do you want?” he asked when she opened the door. His voice was fraught with anger that all hope was dashed.
Well, so much for relief.
Here came the sick feeling in her gut all over again.
“Can we talk?”
Immediately, his eyes cascaded down her body to the small telltale bump.
That simple act said it all.
The switch was flipped, and instead of the old easiness that had once been there, Tori bore the target for his anger.
“No.”
“Justin.”
He stood, his chair sliding backward and into the wall. “I said NO ! I’m not in the mood, Victoria. Surely, you get that. It can’t be that hard to understand. We have NOTHING to discuss, and we never will.”
She flinched at the use of her full name. Usually, it was Tor, Army, or at least, Tori. Now it was clear that she was not only on
Actually, it freaked him out.
Normally, Tori would joke about it, but now she was keeping mum.
Yeah, he was scared shitless.
That’s why he made sure this case was straightforward and without any creepy elements to it. While playing Mystery Inc. was entertaining, they weren’t Fred and Daphne.
This wasn’t make-believe. They were Julian and Tori, and he liked it that way.
As he leaned back in his chair, he couldn’t help but watch her through the glass windows of their office. They shared a space, just like every team did.
Across the hall, Justin sat behind his desk staring off into space-- alone.
He really wished there was something he could do.
Watching his wife walk toward their doors, he prayed that she’d stay out of Justin’s way. While they all knew it wasn’t her fault, his brother was in no mood to be nice.
They were giving him leeway, and Tori seemed to be the catalyst to his anger. As much as Julian wanted to protect Tori, he was caught between them both.
He loved his wife.
He loved his brother.
He only wished he knew how to fix all of this. If he could just turn back time to that day, Julian would.
His eyes never left her as she paused outside their door. Then, doing the opposite of what he wanted, she headed right into the lion’s den.
Well, shit.
The day was about to get worse.
* * * L i t t l e m o o n * * *
Tori was dying inside.
There was no doubt in her mind that Justin hated her. The love he used to feel was gone, and she didn't need to be told why it had happened. She understood.
Fate had turned him against her.
Why?
Because she’d killed his child.
Had Tori ordered delivery of their lunch, or had gone by herself, none of this would have happened.
No, instead, she opted to have a girls’ afternoon with a car full of pregnant women.
She was a fool.
If she could go back, she absolutely would. On that day, not only had Vivian and Justin lost their child, but she lost something too. The second that car had hit them, Tori had lost her brother.
He was ripped from her life, and she didn't think he’d ever be back.
Who could blame him?
Granted, he was only her relative by marriage, but Justin had always been close. They were soldiers, struggling with the same demons, and now he was blocking her out.
She kept trying to reach him because she knew if it was her, he’d be doing the same thing.
Tori refused to quit.
She had to reach him.
There was no doubt in her mind that if she gave up, what they had would never be repaired.
Gathering her courage, she knocked on his door. When he looked over, her heart skipped. There was her husband’s face, eyes, and body behind the desk. While they only had small differences, like how Justin’s hair was just growing out, they were still hard to tell apart. The only thing making him standout today was the pure look of misery on his face.
It was heart wrenching.
For a brief second, she was pretty sure he wasn’t going to invite her in. When he waved, there was that brief feeling of relief. Maybe today would be the turning point.
“What do you want?” he asked when she opened the door. His voice was fraught with anger that all hope was dashed.
Well, so much for relief.
Here came the sick feeling in her gut all over again.
“Can we talk?”
Immediately, his eyes cascaded down her body to the small telltale bump.
That simple act said it all.
The switch was flipped, and instead of the old easiness that had once been there, Tori bore the target for his anger.
“No.”
“Justin.”
He stood, his chair sliding backward and into the wall. “I said NO ! I’m not in the mood, Victoria. Surely, you get that. It can’t be that hard to understand. We have NOTHING to discuss, and we never will.”
She flinched at the use of her full name. Usually, it was Tor, Army, or at least, Tori. Now it was clear that she was not only on
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