“Will it work?” My question was short, because I was still shaking from my

trip down memory lane and the jumble of emotions crashing in its wake.

“Nope.” He slumped down, stretching his legs out in front of him. He folded

his hands on his stomach and frowned, concern clear on his face. “You’re looking a little pale.”

My fingers tightened around the sweating glass. “What do you want, Tag?”

“I know you’re pissed.”

I met his gaze and said nothing.

He sighed, then his chin rose, a clear indication he was about to get stubborn.

“I’m not going away until you talk to me.”

“Why?”

Puzzled, he asked, “Why what?”

“Why now?”

His lips thinned and his gaze hardened. “Harder for you to ignore me when

I’m in your face. Since you refuse to take my calls, you’ve left me no other option. So, we’re going to clear the air once and for all.”

I opened my mouth, but the words died before they could escape. I closed my mouth and then rubbed a hand over my face. He was right, it was time to talk. Even Kelsey had pushed for me to reach out before I left on my last job.

My heart clenched. I breathed through the ache, as I examined the part of me that didn’t want to have this conversation, so much so it was smothering the urge

to rail at him for keeping things from me. That reluctance pulled me up short.

Why couldn’t I get the words out? The questions were simple. What psychic

ability do you have, Tag? Why didn’t you tell me? Why’d you leave me?

They were trapped in silence. What held them back? What could he say that

I hadn’t considered in the last six months? Would finding out his ability change

things for me?

I hadn’t shared my lovely little quirk in all the years we had known each other, so why should I expect him to share? Digging deeper under my superficial

excuses and protective anger, I found an ugly truth.

I was scared and jealous.

Jealous that Tag and Flash were chosen to be part of something without me.

Even though I hid my ability for years in an effort to be ‘normal’, there was no

doubt Tag’s answers now would redefine my idea of normal. But even more

intimidating, I was scared. Scared he would blame me for things I knew were my

fault. Scared he wouldn’t blame me. If we aired everything, would I recognize my oldest friend after everything was said and done? With Kelsey gone, my relationship with Tag was my last, steady anchor. I didn’t want to find out how

much of it was an illusion. If he wasn’t who I thought he was, I was in trouble.

Suck it up, Cyn. Running never did a damn thing for you. My little pep talk couldn’t calm the fissures of insecurity spreading through me like a spider web.

Taking a deep breath, I decided to wade in. “Fine, what is it you can do?”

“I’m a touch empath.”

I blinked a few times, processing. That little spark of electricity when he touched me at the cabin. It was such a typical occurrence around him, I hadn’t

given it a second thought. Now, though… “You’re a human lie detector?” An underlying accusation wove through my question.

His easygoing expression disappeared behind a blank mask and his negligent

slouch straightened. “Yeah.” No excuses.

“Would you have ever told me?”

“Why? So, you could wonder if I read you every time I touched you?”

“Do you?”

“Do I what?” he growled.

“Crawl around my head each time you touch me?” As soon as the question

hit the air, I wanted to call it back. It was a childish taunt, one brought to life by hurt feelings, but like any taunt it found its mark.

He covered his flinch pretty quick before anger had him leaning across the small table and grabbing my chin, holding me captive so I couldn’t look away. “I

don’t crawl around anything, Arden, ever.”

Behind his bitter words was a glimpse of a familiar fear. Instead of jerking away, which is what he probably expected me to do, I curled my fingers around

his wrist to hold him in place. “Fine, then tell me how it works.” My voice was

surprisingly level.

The pressure of his fingers against my chin relaxed, and then disappeared.