Page 34 of Back to You
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.
“I want you to take all of that money,” Vincent said.“I don’t know how we’ll make it work, but I don’t want one cent of it.You and your pack have been rescuing and taking in the people hurt by my father.You should use that money to sustain that and help them start a new life.My father has ruined enough people already.He’s taken them from their homes and their families, and they’ll have to find new jobs.In the meantime, this money can help.”
“How much are we talking about?”Cam asked.
Vincent glanced sideways.He’d mentioned this to Ronan, but he hadn’t told him how much he’d inherited.Thinking about it made his skin crawl.Earned any other way, he would have gladly taken the money and spoiled the people in his life, but not this money.He couldn’t do it, especially after knowing what his father had done to Ronan.
He turned his attention back to the alpha.“Just under five million.”
Ronan made a strangled sound.Vincent didn’t dare turn to look at him.He kept all his focus on Cam, who didn’t look surprised.
“And you want to give all of it to the pack?”
“I do.I trust you to do the right thing and help the people who were hurt by my father with that money.”
“You don’t want to keep any of it?”
“Not like this.Besides, I’d like to officially request to become one of your pack members.If I’m a member, I can make a donation, right?”
Cam chuckled.“I see you thought of everything.”
“Not really.I just want to be close to Ronan.It’s going to take us a long time to get our relationship back to where it was before my father ruined it, but I already know that Ronan doesn’t want to leave Rosewood.You and your pack have given him a home.He feels safe here, and I can’t take that from him, but I know he’d leave if I didn’t move.”
Cam looked at Ronan.Vincent did the same, even though he was afraid to see the expression on Ronan’s face.
Ronan had never been interested in Vincent for his father’s money, but there was no denying that having five million could mean a lot for both of them.If Ronan wanted to stay here, it could fix the house he was living in the way he wanted to.If he decided he’d be fine with leaving, it could buy them a place somewhere else.
Maybe Vincent should have talked to Ronan about it before offering all of it to Cam, but he believed that Ronan would be on board with it.He wanted to show him what he was willing to sacrifice to be with him.
Not that Vincent thought of it as a big sacrifice.He couldn’t care less about the money.He only cared about Ronan and making him happy.
“This is what you want, too?”Cam asked Ronan.“For Vincent to move here?”
“Of course I want Vincent to move here,” Ronan said as he reached out to take Vincent’s hand.“I trust you to find the best way to use the money.”
“You don’t want anything to do with it, either?”
“Vincent’s right.It should go to the people who were hurt by Fulton.”
“You’re one of those people.”
Ronan grimaced.“I know.I don’t need any of it, though.You gave me a home, and that’s enough for me.Maybe you can use the money to help the people who don’t want to stay with the pack.They need more help than the ones who do stay here.”
“If this is really what you want, Vincent, I want you to be part of the team that will decide where to allocate the money,” Cam said.“And before you argue with me, yes, I mean it.I know that not everyone will be happy with that decision, but I wouldn’t worry too much if I were you.It’ll take people time to accept that you’re not like your father, but they’ll see the truth eventually, especially if you move in with the pack.When are you planning on doing that?”
“Well, you haven’t told me if I could become a pack member yet,” Vincent pointed out.His heart was racing.
He’d survive even if Cam said no.It would be more complicated, but it wouldn’t stop Vincent and Ronan from being together.If Vincent’s father hadn’t managed to keep them apart even after telling Ronan that Vincent was dead, Vincent didn’t think anything could.
“I wouldn’t keep the two of you apart,” Cam said with a smile.“Welcome to the Rosewood pack.”
Vincent beamed.For a long time, he’d felt he couldn’t be happy anymore.He’d lost everything.His mate was gone, and he’d thought it had been because Ronan didn’t want to be with him.Now, he knew the truth.He and Ronan had fixed what Fulton had broken, and that was all Vincent wanted.As long as he didn’t have to leave Ronan, he’d be happy.
“Thank you so much,” he told the alpha.“I promise I’ll do my best to be a good pack member.You might have to give me pointers because I never dreamed Ronan and I could have a pack, but I’m willing to do anything.”
Cam laughed.“There’s nothing for you to do.I don’t take people into my pack because I want something from them.I do it because they need a home and a family, and I think you and Ronan both need that.”
