Page 12 of Deserving Ryleigh
“And you went home,” Henley said flatly.
“Yeah.”
“By yourself.”
“Uh…yeah?”
“Oh, Ry,” Henley said, once more in a heartbroken tone.
Tiny felt the same way. He’d known what Ryleigh had done for a while now, but hearing it from her own lips put everything in a new light. She hadn’t sought out approval for her actions. Hadn’t wanted any kind of thanks or kudos. She’d saved Jasna’s life, stolen her right out from under a killer’s nose, then went back to her apartment, alone, and kept quiet about the whole thing.
“And Reese?”
“What about her?” Ryleigh asked.
“You tracked her and told the guys where she was, then went on with your days as if nothing happened?”
“It wasn’t a big deal.”
“Not a big deal? Ry, it’s ahugedeal. You saved her life too! Who else have you saved over the years and refused to take credit for? How many other people have you been a guardian angel for, and they don’t even know?”
Tiny understood Henley’s bewilderment. He felt the same way. He’d thought the worst of Ryleigh, and he was just now beginning to grasp how solitary her life had been.
“Not enough,” was her response. “I’ve done bad things. Used my skills to destroy people’s lives.”
Tiny’s brow furrowed. The Ryleigh he knew wasn’t a bad person. But then again, it was becoming more and more obvious that he didn’t really know Ryleigh at all.
“Bullshit!” Henley exclaimed heatedly.
“I have,” she insisted.
“Well, if that’s true, then you didn’twantto. Someone made you.”
And just like that, clarity hit.
Her talk of being scared, of needing to protect The Refuge and everyone who lived there, of “fixing” things, her claim that she’d done things to help The Refuge prosper,and “people” who would like to see the place crash and burn because it meant something to her…it all made a little more sense now.
There was someone out there who hated Ryleigh. Enough to want to hurt her…maybe even anyone and anything she showed an interest in.
He’d suspected for a while she’d been hiding. Running. Though for how long was anyone’s guess. And given the things she’d let slip in the last few days…it sounded like whatever or whoever she was hiding from had most likely found her.
She’d protected Jasna, and Reese, and exhausted herself trying to find Stone. There had to have been an immense amount of pressure on Ryleigh’s slender shoulders—and what had Tiny done? Made it worse. Given her the cold shoulder, treated her as if she was a pariah.
And yet she’d stayed. Because she was continuing to protect them. All of them.
He felt like shit.
Having some insight into her actions didn’t make his distrust of her disappear, but it put a large dent in the shield he’d wrapped around his heart for sure.
“W-What? Why would you say that?” Ryleigh asked.
“I’ve spent my life studying the human psyche,” Henley told her. “The hows and whys behind people’s actions. You’re a good person, Ry. Down to your little toes. If you did bad things in the past, it wasn’t because that’s who you are—it was because you had no choice. I wish I’d known it was you who’d helped Jas back when it happened. I wouldn’t have let you sit in your apartment by yourself after that ordeal. I’m kind of mad at you for doing that. But…I understand. You were doing what you thought was right. Well, I hope you understand that you’re a part of us now. The Refuge. You’re our friend. And I have never felt more sure in the decision to name my daughter after you than I am now.”
“Henley,” Ryleigh protested in a watery tone.
Tiny took a deep breath and pushed off the wall he’d been leaning against. He quietly walked away from the hospital room, needing some air. He didn’t feel bad about eavesdropping. Ryleigh had shields thicker than his had ever been. The thought ofwhyshe had them made Tiny want to rage. But he couldn’t do anything to help her until she opened up about her past.
Someone was out there, threatening her. He had no doubt about that. And not only threateningher, but The Refuge too.
