Page 28 of Deserving Ryleigh
“Come sit down,” Brick told her.
But Ry shook her head. She couldn’t sit. She felt as if she was going to explode from the inside out as it was.
“Ry, come sit,” Brick ordered in a low command that it was obvious he expected her to obey.
“She’s fine where she is,” Tiny retorted. “Breathe, Ryleigh. You’re all right. You’re safe. No one’s gonna hurt you.”
“Of course we aren’t going to hurt her, Tiny. What the hell?” Owl asked with a growl.
“And she couldn’t be any safer than here at The Refuge,” Pipe added.
“The Refuge isn’t safer than anywhere else in the world,” Tonka disagreed quietly. “Evil has a way of finding its mark, no matter how safe someone might feel.”
Ry had read the reports on what happened to Tonka and his partner, as well as their K9s. She’d been appalled and horrified, and understood perfectly why Tonka was the way he was. She wasn’t surprised he understood that just because you were a badass special forces soldier, didn’t mean you weren’t vulnerable.
“Everyone chill,” Brick ordered. “Ry, whatever you’re going to say isn’t going to change how we feel about you. But if you know something more about what’s going on around here, we need that intel.”
Ry nodded. Brick was wrong in thinking that what she told them wasn’t going to change things. It would changeeverything. These men thought they knew what she could do, but they knew nothing. They only saw the tip of the iceberg.
She stopped pacing and faced the table. “I picked The Refuge because it was off the beaten path. I researched all of you, and you seemed like decent human beings. When I arrived, I immediately saw that I was right. You welcomed me, made me love it here, even though I’m not a huge fanof the outdoors. Even when I admitted that I’d lied about who I was and how I got this job, you didn’t kick me out…so you’ll never,everknow how sorry I am for bringing evil to your door.”
“What evil?” Stone asked, his voice even.
“My father.”
The two words seemed to echo in the space around them.
“I think you need to back up a bit, love,” Pipe said. “Start from the beginning.”
Taking a deep breath, Ry tried to organize her thoughts. She wouldn’t go back too far, they didn’t need to know about the hell that was her childhood, but she needed to give themsomebackground so they’d understand the threat that hung over The Refuge now. To make sure they knew she wasn’t understating the issue.
“My father is Harold Lodge.”
When no one showed any recognition of the name, Ry mentally sighed. She’d hoped they would know who he was, just to speed this along.
“Is that name supposed to mean something to us?” Stone asked.
“He’s on the FBI’s most wanted list. He’s stolen millions of dollars. And he hates me even more than he loves money. Nothing would please him more than to see me dead.”
Saying the words out loud, for the first time ever, made Ry sway on her feet.
She’d spent much of her childhood trying to please him, trying to get even one speck of his love and affection. But he loved nothing but money. Couldn’t get enough. It was only after she’d escaped from under his thumb thatshe evenrealizedhe hated her. Had tolerated her only because she was useful. But admitting out loud that her own father couldn’t stand her…it hurt. She was thrown back to when she was eight, trying desperately to please him just so he’d smile at her instead of berating her.
“Breathe, honey.”
Ry didn’t even realize she’d slumped against the wall and was practically panting. She let Tiny lead her over to the table and get her seated. Minutes ago, she couldn’t think about sitting, but now she was grateful for the chair. She didn’t think she could stand on her own power.
“So your father is this Harold Lodge guy, and he doesn’t like you. What does that have to do with The Refuge?” Tiny asked. He’d swiveled her chair and crouched at her feet, like he’d done the other day in the cabin.
Looking down into Tiny’s turquoise eyes grounded her. They were something familiar in a world that had suddenly been thrown into chaos. She’d known this was coming, that she’d screwed up and her father had found her, but she hadn’t realized how devious his machinations would be.
“When I left home, we…we weren’t on the best of terms. I hated him for being such a jerk. For taking people’s money. He wasn’t happy that I left. Vowed to make me pay for leaving, actually.”
“How old were you when you left?” Owl asked.
Ry jerked, so focused on Tiny she’d almost forgotten the others were in the room. She glanced toward Owl, but Tiny put his finger on her chin and gently forced her gaze back to his.
“Look at me, hon. Only me. How old were you when you left?” he asked, repeating Owl’s question.
