Page 35 of Rejected Plus-Size Mate

"He isn't worth it," I tell her, imagining she was sitting on her bed, planning to torture him. It was her style. When we were younger, and someone angered her, she had a notebook whereshe mapped out her revenge. I wouldn't be surprised if she still had it.

"He deserves the pain being returned," April said. "He choked you, Riley. And then he left you tied up to die in a fire. The man is going to pay for what he did to you."

I thought of last night and the time I spent with the girls. They all seemed so put together, so confident in who they were, and I was a little jealous. They all seemed so perfect while I was a fucking disaster that couldn't figure her life out.

But the girls were nothing but helpful. They gave me advice on how to handle the situation, and they even shared their own stories on how they got where they were. I never would have expected it, but they were right. I couldn't live my life in fear anymore. I had given Brad enough of my time already.

"You don't get to be someone better without a little pain," Wendy said, looking over at her daughter Poppy, who was watching a cartoon on the TV.

"You want me to track him down and make him pay?" Ashley asked, leaning onto the island with a smirk. "Gina and I can make it happen."

I looked at them, and Gina smirked and shrugged. "I know a little martial arts and may or may not have taught the girls a little of it in turn. It's good for you to know how to defend yourself."

I snorted, feeling myself relax with them. Cayden had told me they were good people and that they would make me feel more at home, and he hadn't been wrong. Talking with them felt like I'd known them my entire life rather than a few weeks.

I chewed on my lip. "I'm aware what he did was wrong, April. But I don't want to live in fear anymore. I've done that for so long already."

Wendy had been right. I couldn't be someone different if I kept looking over my shoulder, waiting for him to return. I had to do something. And if Cayden promised me nothing would happen, I trusted it.

"Wow, that was grown up of you to say," April said, sounding shocked. "You think you're spending a little too much time up there with my brother?"

I laughed, looking outside the door toward the hallway. I knew that Cayden was probably just getting up now. It was the weekend, and he liked to sleep in a little.

"About that," I said, chewing on my lower lip. "I've been thinking about my future and…I don't know if I'm coming back."

April went silent on the other end, and I didn't know if it was shock or anger.

I had been thinking about it since I left the hospital. I never felt at home there. I loved my parents, but I only saw them when I needed to because they could be so overbearing sometimes. And I had April. But that wasn't enough of a reason to go back.

I had no connections, job, or home to return to, and even if I wanted to, I had no right to. It was Brad's place, not mine. Everything I had worked hard to keep was gone.

And…it felt right here. This place was welcoming and comfortable. It felt like home. I knew I still had a lot to figure out, from a place to live and a job, but I wanted to do that. I had Cayden and all the girls who I could consider friends. I wanted a life here.

"April, if you're mad, please say something."

"I'm not mad," she said, her voice soft. "Ok, I’m a little uncertain if you’ve thought this all through, but I'm a little jealous."

"I don't see why you would be. I have to start all over."

"I can hear the happiness in your voice," she said. "And if that makes you happy, you should do it. But I want you to think about it. Make sure it’s really what you want."

I chewed on my lip, missing her. "You promise you'll be down here after New Year? You're not going to reschedule on me again?"

"Yeah, I promise. I didn't get a fucking vacation, and I'm going to need one after all this."

"How is all of that going?"

"It's a mess," she sighed.

I wanted to ask what her plan was, but I could feel in her tone that she wasn't ready to talk about it. I wasn't entirely sure what was all going on up there, but it was something.

"Well, I need to go. I'm glad you're feeling better." The line ended before I could respond, and I sighed.

Since I was deciding to stay, I decided to at least look at what jobs were available. I knew there likely weren't many with the holidays, but I was going to look.

I flipped through a few job openings on my phone. Cashier for the grocery store. Teacher. I was unqualified. Bank manager. I didn't have the degree.

I groaned, feeling stuck, when there was a soft knock at my door. I glanced up, finding Cayden standing in the doorway.He was rubbing his eyes, clearly from just getting up. He had a bedhead and yawned as he spoke. "Morning."

---