Page 91 of Deserving Ryleigh
Tiny couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “And he killed them himself?”
“Probably not. I don’t know how long he’s been out of jail, but he wouldn’t get his hands dirty like that. He most likely hired someone from the dark web. Or even someone who was behind bars with him. Maybe got them released early as the form of payment. He doesn’t like loose ends. Like me. But the good thing is, at least we don’t have to worry about those two skulking around The Refuge, planting more bombs.”
Tiny couldn’t keep himself from reaching for Ryleigh. He needed to touch her. Reassure her that he wouldn’t let anyone hurt her. Ever.
Looking around, watching for the slightest threat to the woman he loved, who he’d protect with his own life if necessary, Tiny felt goose bumps pop up on his arms. He suddenly felt very exposed where he and Ryleigh were located at the front desk. The slight smell of explosives was in the air, coming from the shattered window. He could hear the wind in the trees outside, but otherwise everything was deathly silent. The click of her fingers on the keyboard the only other sound.
He didn’t miss how Ryleigh leaned into his touch. Even though she was focused on the screen in front of her,she was still allowing herself to take comfort in his presence.
Several minutes went by as Ryleigh continued to battle her father in the online game of wills. Then she gasped. “Oh no. No, no, no, no!”
“What? What’s wrong?”
Her breathing sped up until she was almost hyperventilating. “He knows! He knows about the bunkers! I swear I removed mention of them everywhere I could find, but I obviously missed something. And now he’s taunting me. Telling me that we did exactly what he wanted. That heknewwe’d send everyone to the bunkers if he told us he’d planted bombs around The Refuge.”
“And? What did he do? Talk to me, Ryleigh.”
“He says the second the doors to the bunkers closed, the bombs he placed on all of them were activated.”
Tiny’s blood ran cold.
“If they open one, they’ll all go off. Every one of them. They’re connected somehow. Remotely. I don’t know how. And he has the detonator.” Ryleigh’s hands were shaking, and Tiny could see she was having a hard time typing.
“Is he bluffing?” Tiny asked, hoping against hope she’d say yes.
“I don’t know! I don’t think so. He’s telling me that if I send him the ten million dollars, he’ll disarm them and let everyone live. But Tiny—he won’t. Why would he? He killed those guys he hired to plant the bombs. He won’t hesitate to kill everyone I love. He’salwayswanted to win. Wants me to know I’m incapable of loving. He’s apsychopath. And he wants me to suffer.”
Her hands suddenly dropped from the keyboard and fell to her sides. Ryleigh slumped forward and put herforehead on the desk in defeat. “What’s the point?” she said brokenly. “He’s going to win. Healwayswins!”
“Fuck that,” Tiny growled. He took her shoulders in his hands and pulled her upright. Then kissed her. A hard, punishing kiss. A kiss to get her attention. “He’s not going to win. No one’s going to die. And you’re going to figure out where he is, andthistime he’ll be put away for good. Got it?” He wasn’t sure what he was saying, or even if he believed it himself. But he couldn’t let Ryleigh give up. Not now. She was literally everyone’s only hope of getting out of this clusterfuck alive.
She blinked. Then nodded and turned back to her laptop.
Tiny let out a small breath of relief. He wasn’t sure which of his words lit a fire under her, but he was glad something had gotten through.
Then she stopped typing again. “Tiny…I’ve locked down The Refuge’s Wi-Fi. Changed the password every week. It’s encrypted to the max, and you know as well as I do that the sixteen-character password is annoying. The guests hate it, and many don’t even bother trying to go online because it’s a pain in the ass. I didn’t change it this week, because we didn’t have any paying guests…” Her voice lowered. “He’shere, Tiny. I know it. He’s using The Refuge’s own Wi-Fi to play this stupid game. To taunt me. He wants to watch me suffer in person. Wants to see my face when he wins. Wants me to know he’s gotten the better of me.”
Tiny’s heart raced. “He’s here? On the property?”
“Yes. I’d stake my life on it.”
This was his chance. His chance to get rid of the threat to The Refuge and his friends. Just as he opened hismouth to tell her that he was going hunting, the front door to the lodge opened.
Tiny spun, making sure his body was between whoever was entering and Ryleigh. He didn’t have a gun, but he’d spent his life training for this moment. He’d do whatever it took to take down Harold Lodge, giving his life in the process if necessary.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Ry thought her heart was going to beat out of her chest. She was terrified. And pissed. It was a weird combination. Never in a million years had she imagined her father doing what he was right now. If she had, she would’ve left The Refuge, no matter what the consequences. But it was too late for that.
She was locked in a battle of wits with a man who’d never loved her. Had never seen her as anything but a means to an end. Even this game was a setup. He didn’t care if Albuquerque lost all its power or not. He just wanted money. As it always did with Harold Lodge, everything came down to money.
He was here. She knew it in her bones. He wanted to see her lose. Wanted to see her cry, beg, promise to do whatever he wanted. He was arrogant enough to want to see her pay for her supposed sins against him in person. That would be his downfall. She hoped.
The door to the lodge opened, and she flinched. But she didn’t miss the way Tiny immediately turned and puthimself between her and whatever new threat had entered the building. She hated and loved that he’d done that at the same time.
But the person who entered wasn’t her father. Or some other corrupt former military commando come to kill them.
It was Tiny’s friend. Wolf.
