Page 17 of Back to You (Legendary Shifters #14)

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RONAN WAS NERVOUS, which seemed to be a recurring theme in his relationship with Vincent. It hadn’t been like that before, and he hoped that once things settled down, it would stop. He and Vincent were solid. It was everything else that needed to go well.

Which was why Vincent was coming to pack territory.

Ronan was waiting for him at the entrance gate, and when he realized he was pacing, he forced himself to stop and breathe.

Everything would be fine. Vincent had a meeting with Cam, and once that was over, he’d be allowed to come and go.

Once he was, he could become a pack member, and, eventually, move in with Ronan.

It might take some time, and Ronan wished it wouldn’t, but at least they were moving forward.

The sound of a car approaching made him tense.

He straightened his back and waited, nodding at the two guards behind the gate when he recognized Vincent’s car.

The gate slowly opened, and Vincent’s car drove through.

He waved at Ronan, who waved back. When he stopped the car, Ronan didn’t hesitate to climb in.

For a moment, he and Vincent stared at each other.

Vincent had a goofy smile on his lips, and Ronan could only smile back.

“Ready?” he asked.

“It’s not the first time I’ve talked to Cam,” Vincent pointed out.

“Maybe not, but this time is different.”

Vincent frowned. “I’m not worried.”

“Good. That makes one of us.”

“Why are you worried? Do you think Cam won’t want me in the pack?”

“It’s not Cam I’m worried about. I’m sure he wants you here, but not everyone will.”

Vincent squared his shoulders. “I have an incentive.”

Ronan wanted to ask what it was, but he was pretty sure that his mate wouldn’t answer. He was curious, though. What did Vincent have up his sleeve? What was he planning? How would it help the pack accept him?

Their reluctance wouldn’t be because of Vincent himself.

It was because of his father, and they both knew it.

A lot of the people who lived with the pack had been rescued from the auctions.

They wouldn’t want Fulton’s son around. It wouldn’t matter to them that Vincent had nothing to do with the auctions.

Ronan couldn’t even blame them. He understood what they’d gone through, and so many of them were still traumatized.

The only reason he was doing so well was that he had his mate back.

If it weren’t for Vincent, he didn’t think he’d be doing as well.

Vincent gave him someone to focus on so he didn’t have to think about the memories.

The same couldn’t be said for most of the survivors, unfortunately.

“Vincent,” Ronan started.

Vincent stopped the car, and when Ronan looked up, it was to see that they were already in front of Cam’s house. “I promise everything will be all right,” Vincent said.

“I don’t think it’s something you can promise. It doesn’t depend on you.”

“Well, I’ll try to make things all right, then.”

“How?”

“I have money. I realize that a lot of people won’t want to touch it because of how my father earned it, but I don’t want it. If Cam doesn’t take it to help the people he rescued, I’ll just give it away to someone else.”

It took Ronan a moment to understand what money Vincent was talking about. When he did, he wasn’t surprised. It wasn’t only that the money came from Vincent’s father. It was how his father had gotten it. “You want to give all of it away?”

“My father hurt you. Yes, he hurt dozens of other people, too, but you’re the one who matters the most to me.

Why would I want to keep any of the money he earned selling you?

Why would I want to keep anything he left me considering what he did and the relationship we shared?

I don’t want that money, and I won’t keep it. “

“I don’t know if it’ll be enough for people to welcome you.

” Ronan hoped so, but their situation wasn’t something money could fix.

People had lost everything, from their family to the life they’d had before.

They’d lost jobs and houses and kids. Money couldn’t do anything to give them all of that back.

“I don’t need people to love me,” Vincent said. “I just need Cam to allow me to live here. You’re the only one who should love me, and as long as you do, I’ll be fine.”

“I do love you,” Ronan said.

Vincent gave him the sweetest smile. “I know. I wouldn’t be doing this if you didn’t.”

“I’m just afraid this is going to be more complicated than you think, no matter how much money you throw at the problem.”

“No matter how complicated it is, it doesn’t change anything. You’re here. This is your home, and you don’t want that to change. That means I don’t want it to change, either. If you don’t want to move away from the pack, that’s fine. I’ll stay, too.”

Ronan couldn’t resist anymore. He reached for Vincent and hooked a hand around his neck. The position was awkward, but they made it work, and when their lips met, Vincent was still smiling.

“Now let’s go in,” he murmured against Ronan’s lips. “I don’t want to make my new alpha wait.”

“Cam doesn’t care about that,” Ronan murmured back.

“Maybe not, but I do. I already have a lot of things stacked against me. I want to make a good impression.” He wrinkled his nose. “And yes, I know I’ve already met Cam. I know he’s already had an impression of me since he asked someone to look into me. I still don’t want to make him wait.”

“Let’s go, then.”

Ronan exited the car. He was still nervous, but Vincent wasn’t wrong. Ronan was the only one who needed to be happy that Vincent was moving into pack territory. Everyone else was secondary, and even though Ronan suspected that eventually, that would change, for now, it wasn’t a problem.

He knew his mate. Vincent wouldn’t want to stay with people who hated him forever.

It didn’t have to be forever just yet, though.

It could be just the beginning. Ronan needed the pack right now, the safety it represented, and the future it might hold for them.

If things didn’t go well, though, they could move.

Ronan wouldn’t hesitate to do so if it was for Vincent.

Ronan didn’t want to move. He didn’t want to lose the pack. He loved feeling like he belonged somewhere and like he wouldn’t be alone no matter what happened. But he could have that with Vincent, too. He already did.

They climbed the porch steps together, their hands linked and Ronan’s heart beating fast. The door opened a few moments after he knocked, and Toby smiled at both of them. He didn’t look anxious or angry to have Vincent there. He looked steady and calm, the way an alpha mate should be.

“He’s waiting for you in his office,” he said with a smile. “It’s good to see you again, Vincent.”

“Thank you for having me in your home.”

“You’re always welcome here.”

Ronan prayed that was the truth.

As promised, Cam was waiting for them. He was behind his desk, talking on the phone, and he raised a finger to tell them he would be just a moment. Ronan had to work hard not to start freaking out. Luckily, Vincent was still holding his hand, anchoring him in the moment.

“Sorry to make you wait,” Cam said as he hung up. “Vincent, it’s good to see you again.”

“Thank you for inviting me,” Vincent said. “I know it can’t be easy for some of your pack members to have me around. I don’t want to make things harder on them, but I also don’t want to give up my mate, and I certainly don’t want Ronan to have to give up the family he found.”

“I don’t think that will be necessary. I can’t promise that everyone will be happy to have you here, but they’ll get used to your presence. You’re not your father, and it wouldn’t be fair to hold what he did against you.”

“I take it your man didn’t find anything in my past?”

“He didn’t, no. Not that we expected him to find anything, but at least now, I have something to show people when they come and complain about you.”

Ronan frowned. “People have complained about him?”

“People always complain about something. I wouldn’t worry too much if I were you.”

Ronan wasn’t sure how he was supposed to do that, but freaking out wouldn’t help. Instead, he sucked in a breath and nodded. “I’ll try.”

“That’s all we can ask for. Now, Vincent. You said you wanted to talk to me.”

* * * *

THIS WAS IT. VINCENT didn’t know what Cam would say about his offer, but the alpha was a practical man. He’d realize how much good he could do with all of the money, and he wouldn’t be able to say no.

It felt like a bribe, but it wasn’t. Vincent wasn’t bribing Cam to allow him to live with the pack.

He’d give the alpha all of the money even if Cam were to say there was no place for him here.

He really hoped he’d be allowed to move here, though.

This was Ronan’s home. He shouldn’t have to leave just because of who Vincent’s father was.

He leaned closer to the desk. “As I’m sure your man will have found, most of my father’s accounts have been frozen by the FBI. I don’t know how much money was in them, and I don’t care.”

“Even though that money is supposed to go to you?”

“I’m not happy about the FBI keeping it, but only because I think that something good should be done with it. We both know how many people my father hurt to earn it. I feel it should go back to those people. “

“It would be one way to deal with it,” Cam agreed.

Vincent swallowed. “Well, the FBI didn’t get all of my father’s money. He was smart, and he had more than a few accounts. I don’t know why he left all of that to me, but he did, which is how I found out about his death. One of his lawyers called me to tell me.”

Cam frowned, but he didn’t ask questions. He allowed Vincent to continue explaining himself. Vincent was surprised. Anyone else would’ve been outraged by the fact that Fulton had managed to win in some way.