Page 269 of The Spider Queen
“You have a phone call to make,” Barrett said pointedly. “I’ll take Stella to the lobby.”
Flynn strode across the cream carpet, his hand outstretched. At the last moment, he remembered and placed his hand in his pant pocket. “Thank you again for the beautiful creation.”
“Aren’t you glad you trusted me?” I teased.
He grinned. “You knew best.”
“Women always do,” Barrett quipped.
Flynn made a noise in the back of his throat as he took his tumbler and sat down on the couch.
Barrett gestured to the elevator and in a show of friendship, she linked her arm with mine.
Stabbing pain shot through my radius. I repelled away from Barrett and the relief was instant.
“Sorry. I don’t like to be touched,” I said, absently rubbing my arm. “It’s not—it’s just a quirk I have. Please don’t take offense—”
“No explanation needed. Truly.” Her smile was genuine. The elevator doors opened and we stepped in. She pressed the lobby button and down we went, but after a few floors, she pressed another button and the carriage came to an abrupt halt. “What was that back there? Down at the bar?”
I didn’t even pretend I didn’t know what she was talking about. “I get the sense that you’re missing something. Something you want desperately.”
“And how would you know that?” Barrett wasn’t at all defensive. Curious, more than anything.
“I’m…gifted,” I said.
“Ah. Like a medium?”
I shook my head. “Not like that. It’s hard to explain.”
“Try.”
Her tone was no-nonsense, and I knew I wouldn’t be getting out of the elevator until I gave her some sort of explanation.
“You might think I’m crazy,” I warned her.
She smiled. “Try me.”
I sighed. “Okay. Well, here goes… I’m an empath.”
Her brow furrowed. “I don’t understand.”
“I sense emotions,” I evaded.
“I’ve heard of people who can see auras or who talk to spirits. But this isn’t like that, is it?”
I shook my head. I thought it wise not to mention that I went out at night, hunting for the troubled so I might aid them. She also didn’t need to know I required little to no sleep and it pained me to be touched when it wasn’t of my choosing.
“I can’t determine the exact cause of the emotion,” I said, meeting her hazel gaze. “But I know immediately what I sense.”
“Like desperation?” she asked mockingly.
I didn’t smile at her dark jest. “Sometimes. I once met a man who was covered in misery. After just a little prodding, I found out he had excessive gambling debts and had been considering using his daughter’s college tuition money to pay them off.”
She arched a perfectly tweezed auburn eyebrow.
I shrugged. “Believe me, or don’t.” My eyes pinned her. “But you were rattled.”
Her jaw clenched, and she leaned over to push the button that would get the elevator moving again. We arrived to the lobby floor and the sleek doors opened. I stepped out and turned to face her.
