Page 22

I stared at April, confused for a second. A ton of questions went through my head. Had something happened? Was she hurt? Had Ivan hurt her? "April, what are you doing here?"

She looked a little flushed as she stood there. She looked nice, wearing ripped jeans and a thin black jacket. She rubbed her hands together nervously as she walked toward me. "You have a moment to take a break?"

"For?"

She smirked, and I could see something was churning in her head. I instantly thought of the closet, and I knew better. She didn't come here for sex because her brother was here, and we weren't repeating the other day. But she also wouldn't come here unless it was important. So, something had to have happened.

"Yeah, what's wrong?" I walked towards her. "You know you could have just called me if it was something serious."

She raised her hand, making me pause as she pulled her phone out. She grabbed my hand and started pulling me down the hallway towards our boardroom. We never used it unless Ayden had meetings, but he normally did them in his office. The board room was filled with boxes and a large table that collected dust.

"Cayden, I have an emergency," she said into the phone, and I looked at her, confused.

"What are you doing?" I asked, gesturing my hands out. "What am I chopped meat?"

She hushed me, pulling her attention back to the phone. "No, I'm actually in the meeting room at your work. Ayden said I could wait in here."

I stared at her, utterly confused, when she ended the call and turned to me. She pointed to a chair and said, "Sit."

I sat suddenly turned on by her demands. She crossed her arms, tapping her foot against the ground. It was only a few moments before Cayden hurried in, looking pale. "What's wrong? What happened?? Are you hurt? Did someone hurt you?"

April pointed to another chair that sat across from me. "Sit."

Cayden looked at the chair and then looked at me. He looked just as confused as I was before he turned to April. "You said you had an emergency? What's the emergency?!"

"This," she waved her finger at the two of us, and her eyes narrowed as she continued to point. "This is the emergency. So, sit."

Cayden scuffed. He threw his hands up and ran them through his hair as he turned back to April. "April, you can't come into my work and say that you have an emergency and don't! I'm busy! I have shit I have to get done, and this..."

Her eyes narrowed on her brother as she placed her hands on the table and leaned forward slightly. At that moment, I'd never seen April look so put together, so confident. So terrifying. "Sit in the fucking chair, Cayden. I'm not asking again."

He sat, huffing as he did and crossing his arms. "I'm not talking to him," he said.

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 from you 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.

"The mate part? That took a little longer, but I've always loved her, Cayden. She filled a part you left behind. And it was never anything inappropriate when we were younger. It was comforting to have someone that understood. It just grew from there."

Cayden inhaled slowly and looked back at his sister. "April, I'm just trying to keep you safe. I'm not trying to be the bad guy. I've screwed up enough and lost so much already. I can't imagine losing you again."

"And I love you for that," she said, her eyes softening. "But if you fucking keep another secret from me like this or try and get in the way of my happiness, I will hurt you in return." April leaned forward, her eyes darkening. "And I swear to god, you'll regret it, Cayden. Be a brother. Not my father."

April turned on her heels and marched out. I could hear her echoing out of the kitchen until it fell silent. I was utterly impressed. I felt proud of her for standing up for what she wanted.

"Damn…. she's…a tough girl," I said, holding back a laugh.

Cayden sighed, rubbing his face again. He looked exhausted yet relieved. "She always has been."

I glanced at him, watching different emotions playing over his face. "She wasn't serious about hurting you, was she?"

He nodded, a smile cracked on his face. "Yeah, but not in the way you would think. April is the revenge type."

Cayden turned to me, his face a little calmer now. "You swear you never slept with her back in the old pack?"

I shook my head. "No. Your sister was too young for that. I told you why I came down."

"You didn't say it was because of my sister," he growled. "You said you weren't ready to settle down."

I scuffed. "And you would have murdered me if I told you I got with your sister while you were away. You would have lost your control like you did at the party."

He sighed. "I just want what's best for her, Weslie, and if you plan on being with her, I need to know that you'll keep her safe."

I leaned forward. "Have I not done that the past few months?"

His shoulders dropped, and he nodded. "You have."

"Then trust me that I will continue to because your sister is the most important person to me. I love her, and I will always protect her. I will spend my life doing that."

I sighed and leaned back—an idea formed in my head. I didn't want this relationship. I wanted one better. Something more real, more concrete. "Can you cover for me?"

Cayden raised an eyebrow at me. "For what?"

"I have…an emergency."

Cayden scowled. "I might be okay with you being with my sister, but that doesn't mean I want to think about your dick going into her. If you're asking me to cover your shift so you can find my sister and sleep with her, I'll fucking punch you."

I shook my head and snorted. "I just…need to talk with her. No funny business." Well, if it happens, he doesn’t need to know about it. But I also needed to stop at a few other places while I was out.

Cayden nodded and waved a hand. "Sure."

I swung out of my chair and headed out of the meeting room toward my truck. I pulled my phone up and looked for a decent jewelry store I would stop by. Then, I called my realtor.