Page 64 of Deserving Ryleigh
Ry’s heart broke. No wonder her mom had a heart attack. She’d been forced to leave her child behind, knowing if she did anything to try to get her back, her daughter would pay the price.
“You were nothing but fucking trouble. Ihateyou. I’vealwayshated you! You were only good for one thing—making me money. But I own your ass now. Five years is a fucking joke. You owe me double that. Quadruple. You’ll stay with me and make me money until I’m good and goddamn ready to let you go, or everything you love and value will be gone.Poof!Gone! And don’t eventhinkof fucking me over, Ryleigh. You won’t like the consequences.”
He stepped toward her, and Ryleigh instinctively backed away.
Just in time too, because even as he reached for her, two SWAT members who’d been boxing him in were tackling him to the ground. They’d come up behind him and taken him down before he could blink.
The scream that left his mouth was chilling. It wasn’t one of terror—it was frustration. Anger. And it made Ry’s blood run cold.
More officers appeared from the crowd, surrounding her father and keeping dozens of curious onlookers backwhile also making sure Harold couldn’t escape. Then Tiny was there. He and Pipe led her away, telling her what a good job she’d done, how amazing she was.
Ry could still hear her father yelling…threatening her, The Refuge, the officers who were handcuffing him.
She felt dizzy, glad that he was finally in custody, but scared to death that something would happen and he’d be released. Let go because the charges wouldn’t stick or because he made bail.
If he got out, he reallywouldkill her this time. Of that, Ry had no doubt.
“Easy, hon, you’re okay.”
Ry heard Tiny’s voice as if she was in a long dark tunnel. She was moving by rote, not thinking about where she was being taken.
“She’s in shock.”
“I know. Let’s get her back to The Refuge.”
“FBI will want to talk to her.”
“Then they can come find her there,” Tiny growled.
“Got it. Send them to your cabin, I assume?”
“No, she needs her friends. I’m thinking the lodge. Will you call Alaska?”
“On it.”
Ry didn’t want to go to the lodge. She wanted to get in her car and drive. To get far, far away. Away from her father, from his threats. But Tiny ushered her into the back seat of his car and pulled her against him as Pipe drove them back to The Refuge.
When they arrived, Tiny led her through the front doors of the lodge, and she vaguely heard Spike telling the two guests lounging there that everything was fine. Thatshewas fine.
Ry felt anything but fine.
She was urged downward until she was sitting. Forcing herself to focus, she saw Tiny crouched in front of her, looking worried, Pipe on the phone next to him. Then she realized where she was. In the kitchen.
For some reason, that struck her as funny. Tiny hadn’t brought her to one of the conference rooms, or sat her in one of the comfy leather chairs in the lobby. No, he’d brought her to the kitchen, of all places.
“He’s wrong, you know,” Tiny said. It was the first thing he’d said in quite a while. They’d driven in silence, Tiny giving her time to come to terms with what had just happened, and she appreciated it.
Ry looked at him in confusion. She felt as if her head was stuffed with cotton.
“You aren’t weak. Not in the least. You’re one of the strongest women I’ve ever met. And one of the smartest. Even without any formal schooling, you’re better than one of the best computer geniuses we know…and Tex has admitted that without any qualms. Your father tried to hold you down, and yet you were still able to fly. You’re too good for me. For this out-of-the-way corner of the world, but I want you to stay so badly it makes my heart hurt. We need you, Ryleigh. All of us.”
Before she could respond, tell him how much his words meant to her, the room began to fill. Then Tiny was brushed aside and Alaska was there, pulling Ry to her feet and hugging her. She was passed from one woman to the next, each one wrapping their arms around her and telling her how relieved they were that she was all right.
Then the others…Robert, Luna, Brick, Tonka…they all took their turn, as if they couldn’t function without putting their hands on her, seeing for themselves that she was unharmed.
Their actions, more than any words, made Ry finally understand that these people genuinely liked her. Were worried about her. Wanted her around for more than her computer skills.
Her dad was wrong, Tiny was right. She wasn’t weak. She’d not only beaten her father, she’d somehow found a home.
