Page 99 of Surviving Slater

He smiled and picked up the glass.

"We have what we need to get a DNA test done."

My jaw dropped open slightly as I realized what he had done without anyone, including me, knowing it.

He gave me a confident smile.

"So that was your intention the whole time?" I asked. He nodded.

"The fact that she hasn't been in contact with Slater told me there was a good chance she would deny it. I had to have a way to prove she is Slater's sister. DNA doesn't lie."

He was a sneaky genius, and I smiled.

"So all we need is some DNA from Slater and I get it done in a week."

It wouldn't be hard. I felt a pang of guilt for going behind Slater's back but I reasoned with myself: Wasn't it better to be absolutely sure than risk telling him and then finding out she wasn't his sister?

The DNA test would give us the conclusive evidence to be able to confront her if it came back that she was who we suspected she was.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Iwrestledwith the guilt of my deception. I got back and Slater had no idea I had been to New York. He hadn't been suspicious at all, he had trusted me and that made me feel even worse for lying to him. He believed I had been to visit my mother.

It took me a week to get some strands of his hair, and I mailed it off to Connor. I didn't need a DNA match to know that Riley Evans was Slater's dead sister, but I kept telling myself I needed the confirmation before I could tell him. But the truth was I was using every excuse possible to delay the inevitable. I would tell Slater about his sister and I would have to admit I had dug into his past behind his back.

No matter how I looked at it or how much I reasoned, I knew once he found out he would walk away. Our fledgling relationship wouldn't withstand the knock, and it would be over.

Every day that I walked around knowing Slater's nightmares were for nothing and that with one sentence I could fix it made it harder to function. My guilt grew and the inevitable heartache killed a little bit inside of me every day.

I thought I was keeping up the facade but Slater wasn't fooled.

"What's wrong?" he asked, tucking a piece of my hair behind my ear. My heart inflated with hope at the affectionate action. It was on the tip of my tongue but I couldn't bring myself to say it. We were watching movies at my place for a change because Levi was away for the weekend.

I shrugged instead. "It's been a busy week at school."

"I'm worried about you. Since you got back from visiting your mother you haven't been the same. Did something happen?" he asked, angling toward me on the sofa.

He had noticed right away, which meant my acting skills were rubbish.

"No," I said, feeling the nervousness tug inside my stomach. What if he didn't believe me?

His eyes narrowed as he continued to study me. "I feel like I'm losing you."

"No," I assured him, taking his face into my hands. "I don't want to be anywhere but right here with you."

I pressed a kiss to his lips before dropping my hands. I stood up and began to pace, feeling like the walls were closing in on me.

"Then what is it?" he asked, watching me, not entirely convinced.

Even though I knew the end was on the horizon, I wanted to reveal how much I felt about him. Seeing his vulnerability pushed me forward.

"I have never felt about anyone the way I feel about you," I told him as I stopped pacing. I was taking the step to tell him how deep my feelings went for him and I risked that it could backfire. It could be too much too soon for him but I was running out of time anyway.

I put my hand to my temple as I took in an emotional breath before exhaling. Slater stood up, looking more concerned. The end of our relationship was in sight, and I needed him to know how much he meant to me, while I could still tell him. I had to let him know before he found out about Shannon.

It was selfish, I knew, but I couldn't help myself.

"Just tell me," he said softly. His eyes implored me.