Page 57 of Rejected Pretend Mate

She half laughed as she leaned back and straightened herself up. "You're not talking at all, actually. I am. You're going to sit and listen."

I stared at her, amazed. She used to speak like this when we were younger, and I wondered what had happened to her and where that fire had gone. But it looked like it was back.

"First off, your both assholes."

"What?" I scowled, waving a hand. "What the hell did I do? I'm pretty sure I've been pretty nice."

She glared at me, and her nostrils flared. I snapped my mouth shut. "You both didn't tell me about my apartment and the fire that Ivan started."

Oh shit.

I glanced at Cayden, who glanced at me. We both knew she would find out, but I didn't realize it was now. And then I frowned. Who told her?

"How did you find out?" Cayden asked.

"That isn't important."

"No, it is," Cayden leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table. "Because you were with Riley, and if she ratted me out."

April pinched her eyes. "Ivan called me and told me what he did," she stated, tilting her head. "And you both should have told me. I should not have heard about it from my ex."

"He called you?" I asked, not realizing he was still doing that. "How often is he calling you!?"

"Why didn't you tell me he called you?" Cayden snapped angrily.

April slammed both her hands onto the table, and we both went silent. "He called! And I handled it because I'm not some broken doll that can't handle being told the truth. I shouldn't have heard it from him. I should have heard it fromyou guys! I understand that I've gone through a lot, and you think you're protecting me, but this isn't! Lying and keeping secrets from me isn't helping me!"

"The apartment is under my name, April."

"That doesn't matter," she snapped back at her brother. "You are supposed to tell me these things! What if I just decided to swing by and found it? What then? What if he had been there and you didn't warn me that he had entered the apartment?"

Cayden didn't respond.

She sighed. "And I am tired of you two fighting over what's best for me."

Cayden glared at me now, his jaw clenched together. I swallowed. I'd given him space, hoping it would help, but it seemed he'd only remained angry.

She sighed. "Cayden, I understand that this is a lot. I get that. But you don't get to be angry that I had someone to lean on while you were gone."

Her eyes flicked up to his sister. "How long have you guys been sleeping together? Back then? When you were sixteen? You were underage, April."

She shook her head. "We never slept together then, Cayden. It was comforting. You let soon after we started, and it was…something. I had someone to talk to. I had someone that understood what I was feeling."

I watched Cayden's face relax slightly.

"And he loves me," she quickly added. "And I love him. And you don't get to have a say in that. You fucked my best friend behind my back. So, you fucked up first."

He ran a hand over his face and sighed. "April…"

"He's my mate," she added.

I stared. I knew she was mine, but we'd never discussed it, never admitted to it, and here she was just announcing it to her brother. I suddenly wished I had first.

Cayden looked at me. Confusion and shock both mixed in his eyes. "Is that true?"

I nodded. "Yeah, it's true."

"When did you realize it?" he asked, his fingers tapping on the table. I wasn't sure who he was asking, but I felt I should answer. I leaned forward, placing my hands on the table.

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