Page 11 of We Are All Sinners

I look at the new guy’s hand. He drops it when he realizes I’m not going to shake it.

“She’ll be fine.” I lie, not wanting to touch him. For some reason, I know if I do, everything will change.

I’ve never just looked at someone and known that. Even now when I’m trying not to look at any of them, I know that they have the potential to break me. I don’t know how I know; I just do.

I can’t tear my eyes away from Brixon. I try to break his gaze, but this time I’m powerless. As he draws nearer, it’s as if I’m rooted to the spot, immobile, helpless. I can’t look away or move, even when his hand reaches out and clasps mine.

The instant our skin touches, it's like a jolt of electricity surges through me, pulling me into another world. Images of us as children all the way through our teenage years flash in my mind like a slideshow on fast forward. I feel every emotion we’ve ever shared, every experience we’ve had together, each memory striking me with an increasing force.

Then the images slow down, settling into a moment of us as teenagers. We’re lying on the soft earth of the bayou, my secret place… Our sanctuary. Candles flicker around us, castinga gentle glow on the air mattress covered with fluffy blankets and pillows. The warmth of the scene wraps around us like a comforting embrace.

I watch as blue and red butterflies swarm our bodies as we become one, so do they, cocooning us protectively.

We are somewhere else in a flash, and I see his friends running behind me towards him. I feel a panic in my soul like I have never felt before.

My breath is taken away in a moment, stopping me before I can reach him. I feel a sting in my back. I look up into his eyes as his arms wrap around me. I smile as I hear the gunshots coming from Brixon’s gun, knowing he is going to be okay now.

I saved him. I feel pure happiness as I get cold. So fucking cold, before everything goes black.

I jerk away from his grasp with a shriek.

My chin starts to quiver as my teeth chatter. A shiver runs through my body still feeling how cold I was in my vision.

I suck in a deep breath as I clutch my chest with both hands. I will myself to look up at him. I feel everything all at once again, losing touch with reality as what I just saw gnaws at my gut.

Tears fall down my cheeks as I continue to try and catch my breath. I’m fairly sure I just watched myself die!

I drop to my knees as I let the pain I just felt, not just in my back, but in my heart dissipate.

I always feel whatever the emotions are of who I see whether it’s me or other people. I can feel emotions through touch if I want to know if someone is genuine or not.

I don’t always get visions, but for the last couple of weeks visions have been constant, but blurry. Which is why I prefer not to be touched.

Unfortunately, I get them from objects, and people. That’s how I know who needs to pay for their sins.

The ancestors give me visions with emotions, so I know the difference.

“What the fuck was that? Are you okay?” Brixon drops to his knees next to me, cupping my face.

I look up into his beautiful ocean, blue, green eyes, and feel his torment. He felt what I felt. How is that possible? I’ve never projected what I feel from a vision onto anyone else before.

Then it all hits me, and I know exactly who he is. I know all of them.

“Brixon?” I ask not understanding how or why. I move out of his grasp, not wanting to feel anymore. That was too much too fast.

“I’m your Saint, remember?” He says simply with a hopeful smile, touching me again.

Tears continue to fall freely as I remember everything about him. I move away from his touch and get up as I shake my head, trying to make it make sense.

“Look, Evie, I was going to try and take this at a slow pace, but with what I have felt the last couple of weeks, and with what just happened, that’s not going to be possible.” He moves to grab my hand again and I back away.

“One, I didn’t give you permission to touch me. Two, I don’t know how I projected what I was feeling onto you, but I can’t deal with this right now. We will talk about this. Trust me, I have a ton of questions for you Brix, but right now, I need to take care of this bitch,” I wave my hands in Brook’s direction, “and the shop isn’t open yet, I’m fine, and you can leave the same way you came in.” I wave my hands around trying to avoid touching him again, but if I move, he moves, like a fucking magnet.

I need them to leave so I can get everything ready for Jeff and his little side piece.

“What are you going to do with her? We can help if you let us.” The blonde, Liam, with hard as steel grey eyes speaks up as his tree trunk arms fold over his wide chest.

The guys who were at one time my best friends, look like they are abusing roids now. It’s nice to see that Liam grew up to look verymuch like the nickname I gave him as a kid. Just a very clean-cut adult version.

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