Chapter 8 Finn
EIGHT
FINN
Maybe bringing over coffee and pastries was overkill, but the last time Finn had talked to Luna, he was quite possibly the worst fucking brother in the world.
To be fair, he had been in a shitty headspace.
And to be fair, he still was in one. But she did have him kidnapped and brought back home, so really the entire situation was complicated.
He still needed to use the arena, which was under the Vitali name. Valerio wouldn’t allow it until Luna forgave him, so if coffee and pastries could warm her heart, he would try it.
Getting past the gates was a hassle on its own.
The guards patted him down as if he was smuggling something under his T-shirt, but he knew it was strict orders from Valerio to have him roughed up if he ever showed up again.
They spared no expense checking his ID, looking into his shoes, his pockets, even opening the fucking coffee cup.
At least the money on the security detail was being well spent.
Finn knocked on the front door, waiting a second before it was pulled open. It wasn’t a maid or any of the staff he was expecting to see so he could build up some courage. Instead, it was Valerio.
Of course, he had been alerted about Finn’s presence.
“Could I interest you in some muffins?” Finn asked.
“I have a sniper aimed at your head waiting to unleash on you at my word. Give me one good reason I shouldn’t give him the signal,” Valerio said, his voice menacing.
“I’m here to apologize.” Finn held up the food in his hand. “I have her favorite pastries, and I would hate for her to go hungry all because you won’t let me in.”
“She’s never gone hungry with me, and she never will,” he spat out. “Your apology is long overdue. I wonder what finally brought you to your fucking senses.”
Finn clenched his jaw, resisting the urge to say something that would land him a bullet to the head. “I made a mistake, okay?”
“Mistakes are accidental. What you said to her was geared with every intention to hurt.”
The asshole was right. He did want it to hurt. Finn wasn’t denying that, but he was here to apologize now.
“Val? Where are you?” Luna’s voice called out from somewhere in the house.
Immediately, Valerio tensed. “If one fucking bad thing comes out of your mouth, I’ll kill you,” he hissed, finally letting Finn into the home.
He resisted rolling his eyes and followed Valerio, who led him into the kitchen.
Luna sat on a barstool, looking like she had just rolled out of bed still in her pajamas and her hair messy.
It had to have been nearly eleven in the morning at that point, but then again, she was never a morning person.
Hearing their footsteps, she turned around, but her smile fell immediately. “What is this?” she asked.
Valerio walked up to her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “He came to the door, begging and crying.”
Finn stood there for a minute, not sure if he should move. Even though Valerio was the Don, it was clear who controlled everything. Luna commanded a power he had never seen from her before, especially not after the life they’d lived with their father.
She had always been muted, not literally, but she might as well have been.
The Luna he knew before was never sure of herself, always crippled by her own mind overthinking the worst possibilities.
This Luna was different. He hated to admit it, but it had to do with the death of their father and the addition of Valerio in her life.
Why hadn’t the death of their father impacted him in some grand way that actually helped him?
“I brought those strawberry Danishes you like from that one cafe in the city,” Finn said, holding up the bag. “I also got you an iced coffee, which is now more room temperature because it’s been thawing in my hand all morning.”
Luna looked at him suspiciously. “Why?”
Valerio stood behind her, giving Finn a hard look that reminded him of the threat from earlier. He sighed. “Because I’m sorry. I’m an asshole, though I’m sure you already knew that.”
“I did.” Still, she patted the seat next to her at the counter. “Might as well enjoy what you brought even though your apology doesn’t mean anything.”
He took the seat, handing her the bag and the drink. “I didn’t mean any of it.”
“Which part? That I’m exactly like our father for forcing you home?”
“Yeah, that part.”
The awkward tension covered every inch of the room. Neither Valerio nor Luna did anything to help expel it or to help make him more comfortable, so it was up to him to navigate the entire apology. Something he had absolutely no experience doing.
She opened the bag, pulling out a Danish with aggression. Valerio watched her with a careful eye, as if he was worried that she was going to break.
Maybe it was a bad idea for Finn to come here after all.
“So what? Have you come to tell me you’re leaving? Don’t let the door hit you on the way out,” she said, taking a bite. “As a matter of fact, I’m not sure why you stopped by in the first place. You left the first time without a word. A second time wouldn’t have mattered.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Finn said.
“Oh, what a new development.” Her voice was laced with sarcasm, and it shocked him to hear it. She threw the pastry back in the bag.
“Maybe we should have this conversation a different time,” Valerio suggested.
For once, Finn agreed with him.
“No. If Finn wants to come here to apologize for comparing me to our abuser, then he can listen to what I have to say.” Her hands shook as she talked and the emotion was thick in her throat, but she continued.
“You know what I’ve been through—what he put me through—because you saw it all.
The fact that you could even go there, after everything, is disturbing.
No, it’s worse than that, I just don’t have the words to express it. ”
He swallowed harshly. There was an ache in his chest that got worse with every word she said. “I said it in the heat of the moment. There wasn’t any truth to it.”
“There’s always a little bit of truth.”
Valerio gripped the counter until his knuckles turned white as if it pained him to see Luna in that much anguish.
Was that what love was? Willing to do anything to take her pain away?
The thought was just another painful reminder that Finn might not have ever truly loved anyone in his life.
Not really. He didn’t know if he ever truly could.
He shook his head. “I didn’t want to be found, Luna. You have to understand that. After what we saw, after everything—I needed to get lost. I couldn’t be here.”
“I needed my brother.”
And there was her own selfish reason for bringing him home.
The only family she had—well, blood family—skipped town the moment he could.
He hadn’t thought twice about it because he was in a state of fight or flight.
He ran while she held on with all her strength.
That was the type of people they were. She couldn’t fault him for that, just like he couldn’t fault her for wanting him home.
“I’m sorry for not being here when you needed me,” he told her. This time, he actually meant it.
“I’m sorry for bringing you home when you weren’t ready,” she told him. “I seriously won’t blame you if you want to leave.”
“I’m not planning on going anywhere for a while,” he said. The words came out of his mouth without him even registering them. It seemed like his mind was made up then. He was hunkering down here for a little bit longer than he’d intended.
“Oh, great,” Valerio said, his sarcastic tone cutting through the room.
It brought a smile to Luna’s face, which seemed to have been the intended effect. It was interesting to see how they interacted with each other. Maybe that was why Finn hadn’t hesitated to leave; he knew Valerio would always take care of her no matter what. Not that he would ever tell them.
“Sorry to burst that cold heart of yours.”
“He’ll live,” Luna told him, leaning into Valerio. She reached for the bag again, sliding them over to Finn. “By the way, these are the wrong Danishes.”
Finn shrugged, grabbing the bag and taking one out for himself. “I tried.”
Valerio shook his head, moving to the fridge. “Useless.”
“How has your stay been over at the house?” Luna asked him.
“It’s been fine. I mostly keep to myself, which seems to be working out.”
“Gianna came here not that long ago complaining about you,” Valerio said.
Finn swore his heart stopped at the mention of her name. For a short period of time, he had been able to forget about her, but just like that, he was thrown back into her orbit.
“What was she saying?” he asked, trying to sound unaffected.
“Said you were an asshole,” Luna said. “I hope you guys are being friendly now.”
Finn shook his head. “No, I’m still an asshole.”
“Be nice to her. She’s still my best friend.”
Exactly what he had to remember. She was Luna’s best friend. Someone to be friendly with. That was all. He needed to be done with Fight Night as soon as possible so he could put all this bullshit to rest.
“I need access to the arena, and I heard it’s in your name now,” Finn said, this time looking at Valerio’s back as he cooked something on the stove.
“Yeah, remember you were gone? Someone had to do something with the properties.”
“Why do you need it?” Luna asked.
“I want to host another Fight Night.”
“What a productive use of time,” Valerio said, turning around.
“Sign it back over in my name,” Finn said.
“On one condition,” Luna said.
“What?”
“That we can come.”
“You want to come to Fight Night?” Finn asked, snorting at the thought. She hated fights and hesitated to come in the past. Why the hell did she want to come now?
“Sure. Let’s see if you’re still worth betting on.” She grinned.
“I want to fight,” Valerio said, immediately speaking up. “I don’t care who it’s against.”
“You want to fight?” Luna asked him, her brows raised.
“What? You care to make a bet again?” He had a smirk on his lips.
Finn watched the interaction in complete disgust. He for sure did not want to know what happened at the last Fight Night.
“Come if you want, fight if you want, I don’t care. Is the arena mine again?” Finn asked.
“Sure,” Valerio said, not bothering to look over at him.
The two still looked at each other with sick grins on their faces, a conversation happening between them without words. Finn stood, taking the pastry bag with him.
“I’ll text you the details.”
Neither one replied, so he let himself out of the house. Sure, it was an emotional morning, but he felt lighter than he had in so long. Dare he say he felt optimistic.
He walked back home, heading straight to the gym to train.