Hello My Angel - Sue Brown Page 0,50

if we have any openings, I’ll be sure to let you know.”

“Over my dead body,” Cal growled under his breath.

Josh felt the same way, but he at least knew better than to say it out loud. Brenner took his own sweet time about leaving and as Josh showed him to the elevators, he said, “Was that little performance all for me?”

Josh didn’t pretend not to know what he was talking about. “You’re lucky you didn’t get your head ripped off. Cal is very possessive.”

“So are you. I saw the look you gave your little nerd when you came back in.”

Brenner was a lot more perceptive than Josh had given him credit for.

“As long as no one comes between me and Cal everyone will keep their body parts intact,” Josh said.

“So no threesomes then?”

“In your dreams, detective.”

Brenner winked at him. “Oh yeah, you play a starring role in my dreams, pretty boy.”

Josh had to laugh at Brenner’s smirk. The man was never gonna give up, but maybe the hostility could die a little. But he had to ask.

“You weren’t this…” he struggled to find the right word, “…flirty with us last time we met. What’s changed?”

Brenner shrugged. “No point flogging a dead horse. Ross all but pissed around you last time we met. I want to keep my pretty face undamaged but I’m not going to stop flirting. Especially as it pisses you off. I’ve got a reputation as a dick to uphold.” He winked at Josh. “But I got a promotion and life is good.”

He was a player, and once upon a time Josh had been the same but now, he was all Cal’s, and if Brenner didn’t try to muscle in, they would be fine. Besides, Josh could use another friendly face on the police force. Now he didn’t work with the agency, his authority had vanished, and he would have to rely on his charm and remarkable good looks to get the information that he wanted. Maybe a little mild flirtation would do no harm, so long as everybody knew the boundaries.

As the elevator doors opened, Brenner put his hand out to stop the doors closing and looked down at Josh with a serious expression. “Be careful, Josh. I don’t know what’s going on, but I saw Mullins and whoever killed him wasn’t playing around.”

He grimaced and touched his cheek. Josh saw a scratch that he hadn’t noticed before.

“I didn’t expect to be shot at.”

“Welcome to my world,” Josh said grimly. “We’re trying to stop her, but she’s got resources beyond our control. We’re floundering.”

If someone had asked him three years ago to which of their contacts he would have admitted they were struggling, Brenner would have been bottom of the list. Things were changing.

“If I find out anything useful I’ll let you know,” Brenner promised. He got in the elevator and turned to face Josh. The doors closed on a wicked smirk and he winked, saying, “Pity about the threesome.”

Josh gave a rueful chuckle. Some things would never change.

Everyone apart from Josh and Gil returned to the penthouse. Josh stayed to deal with the repairs on the windows. Gil stayed to guard Josh on Cal’s orders despite Josh’s protests.

They huddled into the kitchen to get away from the noise and cold, Josh bemoaning the fact he didn’t have his coffee machine. Gil told him to quit whining in such a disgusted tone it was like old times. All they needed was Landry to tell them to shut the fuck up and Dominic to yell at them. Josh’s eyes filled and he turned away, not wanting Gil to see his sudden emotion.

Gil’s hand landed on his shoulder. “Come here, princess.”

Then Josh was enfolded in his arms and one of them was shaking, but he wasn’t sure who.

“I miss him so fucking much,” Josh muttered.

“Me too,” Gil rumbled above him.

Josh tilted his head to look up at Gil. “I’m so sorry.”

Gil’s eyes gleamed with unshed tears. “Me too,” he repeated, “but not for the reason you think. I don’t blame you for what happened.”

“I blame myself,” Josh admitted.

Gil shook him gently. “You’ve got to stop that. I know you blame yourself. Cal told me. But Christ, Josh, Landry tried to kill you. He was my brother and I’ll love him until my dying breath, but he did so much damage. I can’t forgive him for that.”

“Will you stop running away now?”

“Maybe. Maybe not.” Gil gave him a wry smile. “Will you be here when I’m ready?”

“Always,” Josh promised.

He sniffled