Page 1 of Deserving Ryleigh
CHAPTER ONE
“Isn’t this exciting?” Alaska asked Ry with a huge smile, just before she hurried across the room to talk to Henley.
She managed to smile at her friend and nod, but as soon as her back was turned, Ry’s lips turned down again. She was in no mood to celebrate the imminent birth of Henley and Tonka’s baby.
Everyone was gathered at the lodge at The Refuge, and Robert and Luna had made a huge cake for the impromptu baby shower. The mood was festive, anticipation in the air. This would be the first baby born among the close-knit group of friends, but there would be more to come in the near future. Reese would be next, due in another month or so. Then Lara a few months later, and Maisy had recently learned she was pregnant too. Not to mention Cora and Pipe’s first foster child, who would arrive in the next week.
It was a joyous time at The Refuge…for everyone but Ry.
She shouldn’t be here. Unfortunately it was too late. She should’ve left way before now.
But first Jasna had gone missing…then Reese was taken. And she couldn’t have lived with herself if she hadn’t done what she could to help rescue Lara. But her real downfall was Stone. She’d been determined to do what she could to find him—ultimately using a computer that wasn’t protected.
She’d had the best of intentions but that didn’t matter…not to a man like her father.
She sighed.
“If you’re that unhappy, you can leave, Ryleigh.”
Ry stiffened. She didn’t have to turn her head to see who’d approached. There was only one person who used the name she’d been given at birth. She was “Ryan” until she’d admitted to the owners of The Refuge that she’d lied about who she was, and why she was here. Now she went by Ry, which she actually liked better than Ryan.
But Spencer “Tiny” Denny refused to call her anything but Ryleigh.
Besides the use of her given name, she’d recognize Tiny’s voice anywhere. The low, rumbly sound of it slid down her spine and sent shivers through her body. Once upon a time, she’d dreamed about having a fling with him. But she’d blown any chance of that the moment she admitted she’d been lying to not only Tiny, buteveryoneat The Refuge. She’d done it for very good reasons, but she had no doubt this man would never forgive her.
After all…he’d told her so.
Everyone else seemed to take what she’d done in stride. She hadn’t done anything that would bring harm upon The Refuge or the people living here…yet. She’d done everything she could to help, when and where she could. And yet, Ry had a feeling even if she saved the place from burning to ash around them, Tiny still wouldn’t forgive her.
She didn’t really blame him. The things she’d done here were just the tip of the iceberg. If Tiny or the rest of the men who owned the world-renowned retreat knew who shereallywas, what she was capable of, the things she’d done…she’d be kicked out so fast her head would spin.
And Ry had a feeling Tiny knew she was hiding so much more than she’d admitted. Which was probably part of the reason why he was so curt with her.
“Did you hear me?” he asked.
Ry nodded.
“You either need to stop looking like you’d rather be mucking out Melba’s stall and smile, or leave,” he told her.
She took a deep breath. She might not like being around Tiny all that much now, but he was right. She did her best to relax her muscles and even managed to smile at Alaska, who was staring at her and Tiny from across the room with a worried look on her face.
Ry glanced toward the man and studied him for a long moment. He was taller than her by a few inches, and she wasn’t exactly short. At six feet, he seemed to tower over everyone simply because of his confident presence. It was no secret that the girls and others compared him to the iconic Jake Ryan from the movieSixteen Candles, but Ry didn’t think he looked like the actor. He was way better-looking. The stubble on his jaw and cheeks made her want to run her hand over it to know what it felt like.
He had the most amazing turquoise eyes she’d ever seen, longish hair, and what she thought was a permanent furrow in his brow. One that lately seemed to be getting deeper. Because ofher.
He was muscular and intimidating, and being around him somehow made Ry feel safe. It was a dichotomy that made no sense. He didn’t even like her, and yet she knew if the shit hit the fan, he wouldn’t hesitate to protect her. Simply because the others considered her their friend.
He was loyal, a hard worker, and very observant. From the outside looking in, one might think he was laid-back and a big teddy bear, but Ry knew the truth. She’d lived in his cabin for a few months now, and the second he walked through his door at the end of each day, the polite veneer he wore for the world sloughed off, and he became the man hereallywas.
Tough. Hard. Unforgiving. Suspicious.
And Ry was probably the biggest idiot on the planet—because she liked him even more, now that she’d seen the real man underneath. Yes, he could be mean, and Ry had been on the receiving end of his venom more than once since she’d admitted she’d lied to everyone. But she’d also seen him in action. His background as a Navy SEAL had given him the tools to act under pressure. To know instantly and instinctively what needed to be done, and he never hesitated to throw himself into any situation if it meant keeping his friends safe.
Ry rarely allowed herself to think about her future, because she suspected her time on earth would end sooner rather than later if her dad had his way…but when shedidallow herself to dream, Tiny was at her side. They worked together as a team, taking out bullies and making their corner of the world a little safer, better.
However, that was apipedream. With the way Tiny was shooting daggers at her right now, it was obvious he’d never feel anything but suspicion toward her.
Staying was like having a knife thrust into her side over and over, and coming back for more. But she couldn’t leave. Not now. Not when she was sure her father had found her.
