He could get straight into the middle of the action like he wanted to. Maybe even grab enough information from the senator or Alastair that would make it worthwhile. On top of that he may be able to give Josh some kind of closure for his dad.
Another win-win.
He wasn't even going to begin to consider the attraction he felt for Josh. All dark-haired and soulful-eyed he was so serious and closed off. And hurting. Manny would have to be a fool not to see that. The enormity of what was pressing down on Josh was something Manny could identify with.
"Just do me a favor, Manny. Remember he isn't you. He won't react to situations the same way as you. Not everyone has your strength of character."
"I think he's a lot like me," Manny said calmly. He could see it inside Josh however hard the other man wanted to hide it. "He wants to make things right."
The journey was quiet. Josh was seemingly lost in thought and Manny was happy to leave it that way. He was already considering how to approach the Bullen family, or what was left of it, and Josh talking was just making his stomach flip. He'd not felt attraction to someone quite as markedly before. He'd had his moments, hookups, always outside Sanctuary, even a couple of longer relationships that he ended when they started asking questions. He wasn't a monk but he was a private man who had a lot of secrets.
To sit in the same car as Josh and feel the tension pouring off of him in waves made Manny feel a new protective instinct. And the distinct need to kiss some of the worry away from Josh.
Kissing. For God's sake. He was a Sanctuary operative with an angst-ridden wannabe hero in his car.
Kissing was way down the list of things he should be considering. Locking Josh in a room before he caused any more chaos? That is what he should be doing first.
Hell. There was attraction and Josh had some kind of freaky power that was making Manny concentrate on what the taste of Josh would be like as opposed to concentrating on his own cover story. No one had ever been able to do that to him. Hell, he wouldn't have let them even if they'd tried. Before Sanctuary—before Jake—he had focused, prickly, and uncommunicative down to a fine art. Then, of course, Jake happened. Bit by bit, when Manny looked for a friend, that was who Jake became. And now? Look at him, Manny was a bona fide member of the human race with confusion and worry inside him that was way more normal than he ever thought.
"You okay?" he finally asked Josh. Really just so there was something else in the car than hushed, expectant silence.
Josh looked up at him instantly. He was exhausted.
It didn't take a genius to explain the pale skin and the bags under his eyes. If the automated reports sent to Manny's phone were anything to go by then Josh hadn't slept at all but instead used the remains of the night on the computer puzzle.
"Fine," Josh lied. "Where are we going?"
Hmmm. The leading question that was going to open a whole can of worms. Manny wasn't ready to face the consequences of that chat just yet. He wasn't sure how Josh was going to take his new undercover persona any more than Manny was going to be able to handle it. Instead Manny changed the subject. "Jennifer's pissed you took her car," he said with a smirk.
"Oh," Josh offered with a grimace. "Tell her I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have left her and mom there without a car or something." He sounded way past guilty and he had hunched in on himself. Manny sighed inwardly.
At one moment Josh appeared confident and focused and then at the flick of a switch he became this other thing— introspective and almost shy.
"They were safe and we got her car back to her."
"Uh-huh," Josh replied with a nod. He was still hunched.
"So, on top of being some kind of computer wunderkind you know how to hotwire a car as well?"
"It's not hotwiring anymore," Josh replied earnestly.
"They're all run by computers you know. I just… It was easy."
Manny laughed. Josh glanced over at him and his generous lips sketched a small smile. He evidently liked that Manny found his comment funny. Manny loved that Josh smiled. There was a light in his companion's green eyes, a mischief that Manny would love to see more of.
"So tell me again why you chose criminology over computers at college?" Manny added as he indicated a turn and left the main road. He meant it as a real question. Josh was wasted in criminology if he was this hot with the insides of systems.
Another shrug. Manny didn't push. He knew when
people wanted to be quiet. It didn't stop him from talking or asking questions, but he wasn't entirely worried about the non-answer. He imagined there was a lot to Josh that no one could see. His dad was a murderer, a twenty-year cop that was bad, and he had a mom who, from all reports, appeared fragile and scared. Manny didn't think for one minute that a shrug was anything other than a way of avoiding talking about himself.
They arrived at the underground parking for S11
and pulled into a space. Manny reversed in and ensured the car had a good line of sight for the exit. He was lucky with the space. Jake may well be rich as all get out but even he couldn't own an entire fourteen-story block with views over the city. Sanctuary shared this space with offices and residences.
Manny turned in his seat to face Josh.
"My name is Manny Sullivan," he said simply.
"I know," Josh said immediately.
"Only that isn't my real name. My real name is actually quite a mouthful. Vincenzio Mannet Luis Altosinno. You can still call
