The Chance You Take

…Russ stared into his coffee. It'd grown cold long ago. As far as he was concerned, Mack's plan was stupid. But what could he say? The decision wasn't his to make…it was Beth's. He was merely along as a sounding board. As a man, as her friend, and as her lover, his opinion was a definite and firm, "No." As a police officer, he couldn't say that, and so far Beth hadn't asked how he felt. It killed him to wait.

Did Mack offer the job out of duty to the department, hoping she'd say no or Russ would convince her to refuse? Why else would he be sitting here? Even if they hadn't crossed the sex line, Russ couldn't be objective where Beth was concerned. She was his partner, for God's sake. He was supposed to protect her and she, him. This was putting her right in the line of fire. What the hell was Mack thinking? He could have refused out right, yet here they were. Did he have so little regard for her, or were they that desperate? Russ wasn't sure he wanted an answer to that one.

He looked at Beth. She, too, seemed mesmerized by her coffee. He couldn't bear the thought of her living that way. She could be killed--just like Rick was when he tried the same damn thing. It was a risk they took every day in their profession, but for her to deal with Calvins made it seem like death was a certainty. And the things she'd have to do to survive…