Page 44 of Surviving Slater

The quick drive to my apartment was quiet.

On the outside I was calm but on the inside I was still trying to find my footing. What he'd noticed had shaken me to my core and shifted the stable ground I usually stood on.

I felt his gaze on me a couple of times but I refused to look his way. I was relieved when we arrived at my apartment.

"Thanks," I said, giving him a smile that didn't reach my eyes.

He nodded but remained quiet. I got out and closed the door.

I didn't look back as I walked to the front entrance of the building. I let out a shaky breath. Inside the safety of the elevator, I put a hand to my head as I looked back at my reflection in the mirrored wall.

Matthew was already making dinner when I entered the apartment.

"You're just in time," he yelled as I dropped my bag on the table in the hallway. Whatever he was cooking smelled so delicious. My stomach growled when I stepped into the kitchen.

"Did I tell you how much I'm going to miss your cooking when you go?" I teased, and he threw me a glare over his shoulder. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows as he cooked over the stove.

He was going to make one girl very lucky one day, I thought to myself.

"I'm going to miss you," I said, standing beside him, watching him work his magic.

"You'll be too busy with Slater to miss me," he shot back. Saying Slater's name wiped the smile from my face.

I wasn't even convinced that after today there would be any more of Slater and me. He would pull away from me and our arrangement would end.

"What's wrong?" Matthew asked, noticing my somber look.

"Boys," I replied.

"Boys suck," he added, and it put a smile right back on my face.

It reminded me of the first time Slater had hurt me, and Taylor had been consoling me in the kitchen. When Matthew had asked what was wrong she'd told him that exact sentence.

"You remember," I said. He nodded.

I bit my lip. As much as I wanted to confide in him, I couldn't. Telling him what had happened between Slater and me would entail revealing my secret from my childhood, and that wasn't something I was prepared to do.

"What happened?" he asked, giving me a side-glance.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Does it involve Slater?"

"Yup." I leaned against the kitchen counter.

"You know that just because things worked out between Taylor and Sin doesn't mean you and Slater will."

"Yeah, I know that." Slater was far more damaged than Sin.

Matthew finished the cooking and turned the stove off before turning to face me. I was expecting a lecture.

"If you don't walk away, he will break your heart."

Even though it was true, I knew I couldn't bring myself to do that. I had walked away from many guys, never giving them a second thought. But with Slater I already felt too much.

"I need you to tell me everything will be okay," I said softly, feeling emotional. I swallowed hard as I held his softening gaze.

He nodded and hugged me.