Page 88 of Heir of Fire
He pursed his lips. She wasn’t wrong. Him running would have made it difficult for him to take on any news like that. But he had been home for weeks, they could have told him at any point. He deserved the truth regardless of what he was going through.
It didn’t matter now though. He knew it now and it still didn’t change anything.
“Well, I want it now. What steps do I need to take or whatever?”
“So professional. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. The Vitali empire saved the Kingsley one from collapsing. They’re interwoven just like they should have been at the beginning,” Allister said. His tone was sharp, and Finn ignored the digs to focus on what was actually being said.
“So there’s no way for me to take over the Kingsley side?” he asked. Immediately, the same fury was returning. At every turn, it felt like he was being betrayed, just one thing after another.
“That’s not what we’re saying. Instead, there is no Kingsley empire independent of the Vitali one. They rely on each other,” Valerio said.
“You’d be partners, dumbass,” Dante said.
“Partners? Are you fucking kidding me?”
“Finn,” Luna said, shaking her head. “You have to remember that for six months we were trying to stop all these companies and estates from closing. The only way to do that was by merging them together.”
“You’ll still own them, be the head of the Kingsley empire, and be able to navigate that the way you want, but with the existing businesses, we’ll be partners. Anything you open or do outside of them can be independently owned if you open them separately and use your own money, which will take some time,” Valerio said.
Finn clenched his jaw, trying to think everything through. Back then, when they were planning on taking down their fathers, Luna and Valerio had brought up the idea of them being partners and running the empires side by side. He hated the idea and was even revolted by it. Mainly because he never wanted to tarnish the Kingsley name with the Vitali’s.
Things had changed though, hadn’t they? The name didn’t mean much at the moment and his father had nearly burnt it tothe ground along with him. His sister was married to the Vitalis, and they had offered him a home when he had nowhere to go.
Most important of all, he was in love with a Moretti, the cousin of a Vitali. So really, change wasn’t something he could fight much against. Not anymore, it seemed.
“How do I know you mean all of this? How do I know that I’ll still have some say in the Kingsley name and that I’ll get to run it?” Finn asked.
“Are you kidding me?” Allister asked.
“Let’s just say I’ve been burned before by liars promising me titles like this.”
“I’m not looking to take your name,” Valerio said. “I said once before that I wasn’t going to be my father, and I hope you won’t be yours, which is why I have no issue giving it to you.”
Luna grabbed his hand, looking at him with soft eyes. For the first time in so long, Finn felt what they all had been feeling. The sense of belonging and of family amongst each other. The partnership, whether it was temporary or not, was a way for them to connect and create the new life for themselves that they needed. Each and every single one of them.
He couldn’t believe that it was happening. He had always dreamed about a life like this. Where he was the Don and he had a loyal family around him, and he would have the love of his life standing next to him through it all. Now, that life was at his fingertips. Waiting for him to grab it.
Finn nodded his head. “Okay. Let’s sign or do whatever we need to make this happen.”
“Why do you assume there’s something to sign?” Dante asked.
He shrugged. “With you guys, there usually is.”
Allister pulled the papers from his bag. “Well, you’re right. Valerio’s signature is all here. You can read through it before yousign if you want, but I hope you know there’s nothing in here that would harm you.”
Finn snorted. “I find that hard to believe.”
“Well, don’t. You’re dating Gianna now. If that goes any further and you’re supposed to take care of her, you’re going to need the money and success,” he said, handing over the papers. “Besides, she’s my sister. I would never harm her.”
“And harming me harms her?”
“Unfortunately.”
“Well, at least we know you’ll be financially stable,” Luna said, a beaming smile on her face. “The ring Gianna’s had picked out for years costs more than you’d ever imagine.”
“Of course it does,” Finn said, signing the papers.
“Oh, and the wedding, don’t forget about how much that’ll cost,” Valerio said, a grin on his face. “Especially the dress, and with her taste, forget about it.”
