Page 30 of Destiny

“But still…” Fear pulses through me. “Gina and I, we’re your daughters. Your flesh and blood. But Mom…”

“Yes, it’s crossed my mind.”

“But still, you feel she’s safe?”

“I do.”

“Are you sure about that, Ryan?”

I drop my jaw.

The words…

They came from my grandmother’s lips.

Chapter Nine

Brendan

I’m surprised to see my father at the bar when I return.

“Hey, Dad.”

He’s wiping off some glasses. “Laney gave me a call. She had an emergency, so I came in.”

“That’s kind of you. Thank you. Is everything okay with Laney?”

“Yeah. Lulu spiked a fever and wanted her mom.” Dad sets down the glass. “Where’s Ava? I thought you had a big date.”

“She’s spending the night at her parents’ house.”

“Oh?” Dad furrows his brow.

“Everything’s okay. Between Ava and me, I mean. But the Steels…”

“Always drama,” Dad says.

“So it would seem,” I say. “At least the last couple months, anyway. Ruby gave me the name of a different lab to go to tomorrow for the blood work, but I’m thinking we should go to both.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. I mean it doesn’t hurt to get two opinions, right?”

“Opinions have nothing to do with this. Our DNA is fact, Brendan.”

“Right. In a perfect world. But who knows who might tamper with it?”

“Why in the world would anyone care about our DNA?” Dad asks.

“I don’t know, Dad. But if this is our connection to the Steels…” I shake my head. “I love Ava. That’s not going to change. Her family…”

“Maybe they aren’t who they seem to be,” Dad says.

“I never believed it. I neverwantedto believe it. I mean, the Steels do so much for the town. They’re good people.”

“I believe theythinkthey are.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

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