Page 71 of Surviving Slater

He ended the call.

I forgot he did this so often. He'd had Sin checked out and when some unsavory things had come up in the background check he had tried to warn Taylor. It had caused trouble between the two of them.

I'd seen firsthand what happened when you get digging into someone's past when they didn't want you to. But the difference was we weren't a couple. He had been the guy I'd been sleeping with, but all he was now was an acquaintance I would see every now and then.

Finding out why Slater had cut me out of his life so quickly without any explanation or forewarning was more important. Once I could understand it, it would make it easier to put our brief encounter behind me.

It was that simple and I felt a glimmer of hope. There, I had done it.

"Have you got plans for tonight?" Levi asked when he entered the room.

He was adjusting the collar of his leather jacket.

"I have an assignment I need to work on," I said, slumping onto the sofa. "Why?"

"Why don't you come out with me?"

"Where are you going?" I asked. I wasn't sure going out was such a good idea. But at least I wouldn't spend the whole night second-guessing my decision to snoop into Slater's past.

You don't ever have to tell him. He never needs to know you got Connor to do a background check on him.

Levi stood beside the sofa as I wrestled with my decision to stay home and do my work or to go out with Levi.

"Come on," he said, tilting his head to the side.

I wanted to but I had homework to do.

"I think I'm going to stay home and do my assignment."

"You sure?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, and I nodded.

He ruffled my hair. "Don't work too hard." Then he left.

I got up and went to the kitchen feeling a little hungry. I got some chips and water before I headed to my bedroom. I put the food and bottle of water on my beside table as I got my books.

I knew a lot of people who hated math with a passion, but I loved it. There was no gray area or maybes. There were only definitive answers. Being able to concentrate on the numbers gave me a distraction from the turmoil in my life.

I lost track of time as I worked, getting my figures to add up. Glancing at my watch, I realized I had lost a couple of hours.

Finally, when it was complete, I set my pencil down and closed my books. A message appeared on my phone.

Can I come over?

It was from Slater. I frowned as I cradled the phone in my hands, trying to figure out what his intention was. Did he want to pick up where we'd left off?

No.

I typed it out quickly before I got the urge to change my mind. Putting down my phone, I stood up and began to pace. Another message pinged.

I'm outside, it said.

I bit my nail. Why was he here? Even through the medication I could feel my nervousness. I didn't have to open the door and let him in. It was my choice. I had told him no.

For a few minutes I debated with my internal thoughts. I found myself standing by the front door with my hand on the doorknob, trying to resist letting him in.

I opened the door. Slater was leaning against the wall across from me with his arms crossed.

The sight of him made my heart race. The heart didn't care about the mind's logical reasoning that this was a bad idea.