Claim Me Captain! I'm Addicted to You!-Chapter 439: Finally Friends

Nick’s POV

"Where the heck is Liam?" Oliver muttered, pacing beside his car in the state prison parking lot, like a man on the brink of starvation.

"He’s on his way," Vicky said calmly, leaning against the hood. "He had to drop Ella off at Georgia’s house first. Why are you so cranky?"

"Because," Oliver replied dramatically, pressing a hand to his stomach, "I’m hungry."

Vicky’s eyes softened instantly. "Aw... my baby is hungry?"

I groaned. Loudly. "You two—stop. Please. You’re making my skin crawl."

She shot me a smug look. "Oh? Funny. You and Georgia do that all the time. Now you know how we feel. Hmp!"

I opened my mouth to argue, then decided it wasn’t worth it. Instead, I looked away just as a familiar car pulled into the space beside us.

"Finally," I said in relief. "If you had arrived any later, I would’ve walked out. These two are being unbearably sweet."

Liam stepped out of the car, grinning and immediately slung an arm around my neck. "Let them be. They’re newly married. Honeymoon phase." He laughed. "Honestly, I can’t wait to be like that with Ella."

"Oh, great," I deadpanned. "Another one. My eyes and ears are officially under attack."

Everyone burst out laughing.

"Alright, enough teasing," Oliver said, already reaching for the plastic bags. "I meant it. I’m starving."

Wendy had outdone herself, as usual. The bags were heavy with home-cooked food.

We followed the officer inside, past quiet hallways, until we reached a room that didn’t feel like prison at all—more like a modest condo unit. A dining table. A sofa. Soft lighting.

Vicky and Oliver immediately took charge, setting the table with an ease that spoke of shared routines and a life already being built.

Then the door opened again.

The officer stepped in, keys in hand, and unlocked Reagan’s cuffs.

"Happy birthday!" Vicky blurted out, unable to contain herself.

Reagan blinked at us, clearly confused. "It’s not my birthday yet."

"We know," Vicky started to explain, but Liam moved fast—clapping a hand gently over her mouth before pulling something from his pocket.

He handed Reagan an envelope.

Reagan stared at it, then up at us. Slowly, he opened it.

A smile spread across his face, soft, stunned, real.

And in that moment, standing there with my family... by blood, by choice, by love. I realized something had settled deep in my chest.

We weren’t here to reopen wounds.

We were here to close them.

To forgive.

To move forward.

And to begin again—together.

"Ella and I are getting married on your birthday," Liam said gently. "We believe it’s a lucky day. And in the years to come, we want our anniversary to be something we celebrate with you and with the whole family."

Reagan blinked, then smiled, slow and careful, as if afraid the moment might break. "Wow... congratulations," he said sincerely. "I’m really happy for you." Then his shoulders sank. "I just wish I could be there. But..." He gestured around him, scratching the back of his neck. The shame in his eyes hurt more than the words. "I’m stuck here for a while."

I stepped forward before I could overthink it and placed a hand on his shoulder. He stiffened, clearly not expecting it.

"You will be part of the wedding," I said firmly. "You’re his best man. I’ll stand in for you during the preparations, but on the day itself, you’ll be walking down the aisle before him."

Reagan frowned, completely lost. "How? You know I can’t leave this place."

"Technology," Vicky announced brightly, already holding up her phone. On the screen was a photo of a massive portable smart display. "Twenty-seven inches. Crystal clear. Sarah will be back from her current contract before the wedding to help you get ready and set everything up here."

She grinned wider. "Nick will carry the screen while you’re on it. So technically, both of you will be walking. We’ll even send food here. Oliver already got permission from the warden."

Oliver cleared his throat. "We had to bribe them with food. We told them that we will send a complete catering setup here, with servers and everything. This place would be like an extension of the wedding reception."

"This was my idea," Vicky added smugly. "I’m brilliant, right?"

We laughed, everyone except Reagan.

He turned his face away, sniffling, tilting his head back as if that might stop the tears. "Why are you doing this?" he whispered. "You should just move on. You don’t have to make me feel included."

I squeezed his shoulder, steady and warm. "We’re doing this because we want you included. You’re our big brother. Prison doesn’t change that. You’re family, Reagan. And family doesn’t get left behind."

He looked at me then... his tears finally fell.

My own chest tightened. Before I knew it, my body moved on instinct. I pulled him into a hug.

It was the first time I’d ever hugged my big brother.

My heart ached, not with anger, not with regret, but with something light, something healing. For the first time in years, there was no weight in my chest. No resentment. Just warmth. Just freedom.

Reagan hugged me back, his shoulders shaking. "God..." he sobbed. "What did I ever do to deserve this? Thank you!"

Then Liam joined us. And then Vicky wrapped her arms around all of us and squeezed us tight.

"My big brothers are finally friends," she said happily, shaking us like we were kids again. "This is the best day ever."

And for once, I knew exactly what she meant.

A single clap cut through the moment.

Oliver.

"Alright," he said briskly, already reaching for the food. "That’s enough emotional damage for one day. I’m starving. Let’s eat."

We laughed, and this time Reagan joined in, scrubbing at his face as he wiped away the last of his tears. The tension in the room softened, replaced by something warm and almost normal.

Plates were passed around, the smell of Wendy’s cooking filling the space, and for a few quiet minutes, the only sounds were chewing and the scrape of utensils. It didn’t feel like a prison anymore. It felt like a family gathering.

After a few bites, Oliver cleared his throat. That alone was enough to make us look up.

"We’re not just here to celebrate your birthday in advance. There’s another reason," he said casually, then slid a file case across the table toward Reagan.

Reagan frowned, glancing between the case and Oliver. "What’s this?"

"Money," Oliver replied, unfazed, chewing as he spoke. "Free money."

Reagan hesitated before opening it. His brows slowly knit together as he scanned the contents, and without another word, he closed the case and pushed it back.

"I don’t want it," he said firmly. "Throw it away. Give it to someone else. Do whatever you want with it."

Liam blinked. "Bro, you’re serious? That’s... a lot of money, we’re talking about millions here."

"Why would you even give it to me?" Reagan asked.

Oliver wiped his mouth and leaned back. "Remember what Dad told you the last time we visited? Since the Gambino brothers had no surviving family members to claim what the government didn’t confiscate, he fought for it. The court confirmed you’re Dante Gambino’s biological son, so they approved the inheritance."

He paused, making sure Reagan was listening. "It’s clean money, man. Earned legally through his companies. Nothing dirty."

Reagan’s jaw tightened. "Then give it to the victims. I don’t want anything connected to him."

"That’s already been done," Oliver said. "Everything that could be traced was confiscated and distributed. If you don’t take this, it goes straight back to the government, not to the victims—"

"If he doesn’t want it, can I have it?"

Every head snapped toward Vicky.

She shrugged, completely unbothered by the sudden attention. "Not for me, exactly. Donate it to my foundation. It’s funding the facility where Oliver’s mom is staying."

Oliver turned slowly. "Wait—what?"

She continued calmly, "Your family didn’t receive anything from the Gambino estate. It all went to your father’s wife, since legally she’s the beneficiary. So if Reagan doesn’t want this money, I can use it to help people who actually need it. People like your mom."

There was a beat of silence.

"Deal," Reagan said immediately. "It’s yours. Where do I sign?"

Vicky’s eyes lit up. She reached into her bag and pulled out a folder and a pen, sliding both across the table. "I hoped you’d say that," she said sweetly. "So I prepared everything already."

My jaw dropped in disbelief.

Liam looked just as stunned.

Oliver froze mid-bite, staring at his wife like he’d married a mastermind and only realized it now.

Reagan laughed as he signed the papers, shaking his head. "You’re unbelievable."

Vicky beamed, victorious.

"When I get out of here," Reagan said, handing the folder back, "I’ll support your foundation too."

"Really?" Vicky gasped, already on her feet.

Before any of us could react, she rushed over and wrapped her arms around Reagan, hugging him tight—just like she used to when we were kids, before life complicated everything.

"Thank you," she said breathlessly. "Thank you!"

I watched them, my chest full.

It felt like we weren’t defined by the past anymore.

We were just moving forward, together as siblings, family brought together by fate.