Page 89 of Deserving Ryleigh
As the others began to plan who would go to which bunker, Tiny pulled Ryleigh to the side. “I’m going to go run to our cabin and grab your laptop. Stay here. Donotgo anywhere, do you hear me?”
“Tiny, please! Go to one of the bunkers.”
“Not happening.”
“I won’t be able to live with myself if you’re hurt because of me,” she told him.
“And I won’t be able to live withmyselfif I’m hiding away in a damn bunker while you’re up here battling your dad. I’ve got your back, sweetheart. For better or worse, in sickness and health. I’ll never leave your side.”
She sniffed, but thankfully nodded. “Be sure to get the power cord too, I don’t know how long this will take.”
Tiny kissed her hard and fast, wanting to say so much more, but the clock was ticking. He could feel it in his bones. It was a risk to leave the lodge, her father could’ve planned for this exact thing. He could blow him up the second he stepped inside the cabin.
But he didn’t think he would. No, Harold Lodge wanted this showdown. Was cocky enough to think he could win.
Tiny would put his money on Ryleigh every day of the week. Somehow, someway, she would come out on top. She had to. Because if not, everything he’d ever wanted, everything he and his friends had worked for, would be destroyed in front of their eyes.
Tiny had never run so fast in his life as he did when he left the lodge. He was on high alert, but nothing seemed out of place…except for the slats of wood, bricks, and other debris scattered everywhere from the two destroyed cabins, of course. He grabbed the laptop and power cord from the kitchen table and was back at the lodge in under three minutes.
Ryleigh grabbed her laptop from Tiny and placed it on the reception desk. Her fingers immediately began moving over the keyboard almost frantically as she set up whatever she needed in order to play her father’s “game.”
While he was gone, Brick and the others had obviously explained to everyone what was going on. That they were going to evacuate to the bunkers located around the property. It would be a bit of a hike to get to them, but nothing too strenuous or that anyone couldn’t handle.
Everyone looked a little freaked out, but no one was panicking. They were ready to go, split into groups…
Bunker 109 with Brick, Alaska, their dog Mutt, Brick’s mom, and Robert and Luna. Bunker 110 with Tonka, Henley, Jasna, baby Elizabeth, Cheri Singleton and her daughter. Bunker 111 with Spike, Reese, baby Dylan, Woody and Isabella. And bunker 112 with Pipe, Cora, their four foster kids, and Jess and Carly.
At the one o’clock position to the lodge, bunker 101 would hold Owl, Lara, Sharyn Vogt and her mom, and the property’s landscaper, Hudson. Bunker 102 included Stone, Maisy, Paige, Jason, and Savannah. And the last bunker, the one that Ry had put Jasna in for safekeeping after rescuing her, 103, would be Raiden, Khloe, Tonka’s dogs Beauty and Wally, and Wolf and Caroline.
The animals in the barn would have to stay where they were, and everyone prayed they’d be all right, but with such a short time frame in order to get to safety, there wasn’t a minute to spare to go down and open all the stalls, letting them escape if there was an explosive planted in the building or nearby.
Even as worried and stressed as Tiny was, he still appreciated each and every one of the women telling Ryleigh they loved and believed in her as they hurried toward the doors. He could see her shoulders relax a fraction. Knowing no one blamed her for this fucked-up situation, even if she blamed herself, did wonders for her mental health.
Soon, the lodge was empty except for Ryleigh and himself. It was eerie to look around at the food on plates, discarded on tables around the room. The half-full cups of punch. It was obvious a party had been interrupted, and if he didn’t know what happened, Tiny would wonder what in the world had made everyone disappear as if into thin air.
As it was, knowing his friends would be safe in the bunkers allowed him to turn his complete attention to Ryleigh. She was hunched over her computer at the reception desk, a furrow in her brow.
And she was crying.
Tears fell from her eyes onto the desk, and every few seconds she impatiently wiped them away with her arm.
“Ryleigh?” Tiny asked in concern as he stepped closer.
“I can’t believe you stayed,” she whispered, but her fingers never stopped typing. “You should’ve gone with them.”
“I told you before, I’m not going anywhere.”
“I saw a movie, a long time ago. Toward the end, Sandra Bullock’s in trouble. Handcuffed to a pole on a moving subway car. The hero couldn’t get her out of the cuffs and they were going to crash. But instead of leaving, getting away safely, he stayed with her. Sandra Bullock couldn’t believe he chose to stay with her instead of jumping off the train.” Ryleigh looked up at him then, her fingers going still on the keyboard. “You stayed. No one’s ever chosen me over…anythingbefore.”
Tiny couldn’t stay away from her. Not then. He pressed against her side and lowered his forehead to her temple. “If I had to choose between a life without you and certain death—I’d choose death. Every time.” He picked up his head, stared into her eyes and said sternly, “But this isn’t me choosing death. No way in hell have we gone through what we have and found each other, only to die now. You’re going to beat him, Ryleigh. I have absolutely no doubt about that.”
She sighed. Then took a deep breath before turning her attention back to the screen in front of her. “I can beat him at this stupid game of his. He always wanted to be the bad guy when we played in the past. And I let him win. Every damn time. Because if I didn’t, he was even morehorrible. But it wasn’t hard to figure out what he was going to do before he did it. He’s predictable…or at least, he used to be. Now? I don’t know. I’m positive I can beat him at games on the computer, but it’s whatelsehe has up his sleeve that freaks me out.”
“Like what?” Tiny asked, giving her some space but staying right at her side.
She didn’t look up from the screen. “He didn’t set those bombs, Tiny. He’s simply not that smart. I mean, sure, he could look up how to make them, but physical stuff just isn’t his jam. He doesn’t like getting his hands dirty…literally and figuratively. So whodidset them? Who’d he hire to do that for him and how did they get onto the property without being seen? And are they still out there now?”
Tiny pressed his lips together. She was right.
