Page 11 of Back to You
He couldn’t.This wasn’t the right moment to ask Vincent, and it definitely wasn’t the right moment to tell Cam about the past they shared.Ronan needed a moment, but it looked like he wouldn’t get it.Cam had invited Vincent in, and Ronan would have to deal with that.
He wasn’t sure he could.
He watched from afar as Vincent looked at him one last time before climbing into his car.Bryson and Cam turned back to the gate as it creaked open.They were talking, and Ronan yearned to know what they were saying.He hadn’t been close enough to hear everything Vincent had said, and he needed more.
He needed to know everything that had happened to his mate.Vincent was here because of his father, but what did that mean?Did he know his father was killed here?That Preston had been the person to kill him?Was he here for revenge, or was there something else?Cam wouldn’t let him in if Vincent was here to demand Preston pay, but Vincent was smart.If thatwaswhy he was here, he’d make sure that no one found out until he got what he wanted.
That wasn’t the kind of person Vincent had been.He’d hated his father, and every time Fulton tried to get back in contact with him, Vincent had pushed him away.Ronan remembered long evenings of Vincent ranting about the latest thing Fulton had done.He despised his father, and Ronan couldn’t imagine that had changed even after Fulton had stuck Ronan in a cage.
But Fulton had been smart, too.Maybe he’d found a way back into Vincent’s life.Ronan still didn’t know what Vincent thought had happened to him.He’d been told that Vincent was dead, but had Vincent been told the same about him?He’d been clearly shocked when he’d seen Ronan standing there, but it didn’t tell Ronan what he’d been through all these years.
“Okay, I know we’re not friends, but it’s clear something’s up with you,” Preston said.“You don’t have to talk to me, but I’m here if you need to.”
“I’m fine.”Ronan was definitely not fine, but what was he supposed to say?The mate I thought was dead is suddenly standing in front of me, and I don’t know what to do about it?
Ronan didn’t know how Preston and the others would react if he told them that Vincent was his mate.Would they stop trusting him?Considering what had happened with Fulton, they might, even though Ronan had been one of Fulton’s victims.Would they understand that Vincent had nothing to do with what his father did?Or was that a lie?Had Vincent been lying to Ronan the entire time they were together?
Ronan would never have believed something like that before, but now, he wasn’t sure.He’d thought Vincent was dead for years.He wished he could be happy about his mate standing in front of him, but instead, he was worried and anxious.
“Ronan?”Cam said when he and Bryson reached Ronan and Preston.
Bryson’s attention went straight to his mate, which unfortunately meant that Ronan was left with Cam while Preston fussed over Bryson.
“I’m surprised to see you here,” Cam said as they started walking.
Ronan had no idea how to deal with any of this, but maybe he could get some answers.“I apologize for following you if it wasn’t what you wanted, but the guard told me a man who said he was Fulton’s son was at the gate, and I couldn’t stay behind.”
Cam nodded.“That’s what Vincent is saying, yes.I don’t think he’s lying about his relationship with Fulton.”
“He’s Fulton’s son.”Ronan had always known that.It wasn’t what he was worried about.
“I don’t see why he should lie, so I’m inclined to think that he is.I don’t know about everything else, though.”
“What does he want?”
“To make amends, apparently.He apologized for what his father did.”
“Why would he do that?”If Vincent had nothing to do with the auctions, he didn’t have a reason to apologize.
“Some people feel responsible for what the people close to them do.Even if Vincent didn’t have a relationship with Fulton, I wouldn’t be surprised if he felt the need to fix what his father broke.”
Cam looked in the distance, where they could see that Vincent had parked his car.He was still inside, and Ronan had to resist the urge to run to him and pull him out.“So you don’t think he had anything to do with the auctions?”he asked, hoping to get confirmation.
“I could be wrong, but we looked into Fulton and his operation.We know the names of the people who worked for him, and Vincent’s wasn’t anywhere we could find.Hell, we didn’t even know Fulton had a son.It was a well-guarded secret, and it would’ve been easy for Vincent to stay away.There’s no reason for him to come here and apologize, but it’s something a good person would do.He seems to be horrified by what his father did.”
“So you believe him.”
“I do, but don’t worry.I won’t put you or the pack at risk.I want to hear what Vincent has to say, but it doesn’t mean I won’t be careful.”
Cam was thinking about Ronan.Of course he was.He was a good alpha, even to Ronan, who hadn’t been with the pack for long.It looked like he was worried that Ronan thought he was in danger, and he was trying to reassure him.It made Ronan feel guilty because he should tell Cam about the past he shared with Vincent.Cam needed all the information Ronan had about Vincent.
But not now.Ronan didn’t think he could say anything about Vincent to anyone.He wasn’t even sure he could talk to Vincent.He felt like he might start crying or screaming if he found himself alone with Vincent.
He’d dreamed about this moment for years.He’d thought it would only be a dream because Vincent was dead, but he’d spent hours thinking about the life they could’ve had while he’d been in a cage or chained to a wall.He’d thought those were only dreams, yet here Vincent was, standing in front of him.
He’d exited his car and was leaning against it, watching as Ronan and the other three men were coming toward him.It was tempting for Ronan to turn the other way and leave, but he couldn’t, even though he knew that Cam wouldn’t try to stop him.Whatever was about to happen, Ronan needed to be part of it.
“This way,” Cam said when they reached Vincent.
