Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
Tiny stared at Ryleigh as she disappeared into the trees, headed for his cabin. He was confused. The things she’d said…they blew everything he’d thought he knew about the woman out the window.
He’d be the first to admit that he’d been hard on her. He wasn’t sorry. She’d lied to them over and over. Not only that, but it was obvious with her computer skills being what they were, she could easily steal The Refuge blind. The thought of anything happening to this place made Tiny’s blood run cold.
He couldn’t imagine not living here. Not being in the mountains of New Mexico. If this place failed, he had nowhere to go. Had no idea what he’d do. The Refuge had saved him, and he was so grateful to Tex for hooking him up with Brick and the rest of the men, and to all of his friends for deciding to make a go of the unique retreat.
And after years of much-needed healing and calm at the place he’d help to build with his own two hands…the tr uth of the matter was, Ryleigh made him feel things he’d thought were dead and buried.
She infuriated him, frustrated him…and yet a part of him, buried way down deep, worried about her.
He hated himself when he yelled at her. He didn’t miss the way she flinched from him and seemed to withdraw every time. And yet, he hadn’t been able to make himself stop. He was so angry that she’d deceived them all, and he simply didn’t trust her. Sure, he didn’t trust many people in his life, but the one thing he couldn’t tolerate was lies, and Ryleigh had lied her ass off from the second she’d stepped foot on The Refuge.
But it was finally dawning on him that maybe, just maybe , she’d had damn good reasons for those lies.
Just like some of his friends had suggested might be the case. But he’d refused to listen.
She’d said a lot of things tonight, things he needed to think on and share with his friends and Refuge co-owners…but the thing that bothered him the most was the fact that she was scared. No. Terrified . Of what, he didn’t know, but it didn’t sit well with him. Not at all.
Tiny turned and went back into the lodge, realizing quickly that he was in no mood to socialize. He found Tonka, who was standing away from the group, watching his wife with a small smile on his face.
His friend turned to Tiny as he approached.
“You leaving?” Tonka asked without preamble.
“If that’s okay with you,” he said with a shrug.
Tonka’s lips twitched. “I think I, more than anyone, understand when someone needs space.”
Tiny chuckled, then sobered. “The changes in you are, frankly, amazing. The man I knew when we first arrived wouldn’t have been able to cope with being around this many people for as long as you have tonight. Would’ve especially hated being the center of attention like you are.”
Tonka shrugged. “Don’t love it, but I do love Henley. And seeing how happy she is, how she thrives being around her friends…it makes what I want immaterial.”
“Doesn’t it worry you? How much your life has changed because of a woman?” Tiny asked, genuinely curious to hear his friend’s response.
“No. Here’s the thing…I wasn’t actually living at all before I let Henley in. I was stuck in the past and what happened to me. I allowed it to guide my life, instead of dealing with what happened and moving on. Thanks to her, I’ve learned that life doesn’t stop when bad shit happens. We either have to find a way to get past what life throws at us, or we stop living altogether.”
“That sounds like something a shrink would say,” Tiny said cynically.
“Maybe, maybe not. And I don’t even care that you’re talking shit about my wife’s profession. I’ve learned a lot from Henley. It’s not as if her life has been all sunshine and roses. If she can come out the other side of the horrors she’s lived through, why can’t I? I’ll always miss Steel. There will always be a hole in my heart for my dog, but life goes on. And to answer your question…I’ll never enjoy being the center of attention, but for Henley, I’d do anything. Same goes for our unborn child and Jasna. They’re my everything.”
Tiny was happy for Tonka. He really was. Even if he couldn’t understand that kind of devotion. It required trust, and he didn’t have it in him to trust a partner that way. Not again. He’d been burned too badly. “Right. Anyway, I’m headed out.”
“Saw Ry leave a little bit ago. I’m guessing she’s not going to plan The Refuge’s downfall if you take your eyes off her for two minutes,” Tonka said dryly.
“Now that Stone’s back and she doesn’t have anyone else to rescue…I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” he retorted.
“The women like her. They’ll be sad if she leaves,” Tonka said.
Tiny shrugged. “They’ll be all right. They have their husbands. And all the soon-to-be-born babies.”
The look Tonka gave him made Tiny want to squirm, but he held firm. Holding eye contact with his friend for a long moment.
“I think out of all of us, you’re the most…broken,” Tonka finally said.
He wasn’t wrong. “I’m good,” he lied.
“And she needs a friend,” Tonka persisted.
Tiny was done. He didn’t want to hear Tonka defend the woman he didn’t trust as far as he could throw her. He’d seen up close and personal what she could do with that computer of hers. She was ten times as deadly as a terrorist with an RPG. He had no doubt she could take out a country with her fingertips and a keyboard. If everyone wanted to stick their heads in the sand and refuse to see how dangerous Ryleigh could be to The Refuge, that was on them. He wouldn’t be fooled so easily. It was why he’d taken it upon himself to watch her like a hawk.
“Well, it won’t be me,” Tiny said firmly. “Congrats on the baby. Henley’s going to the hospital in a few days to be induced, right?”
“Yeah. Friday.”
Tiny nodded, then clasped his friend on the shoulder and gave him a squeeze of support before turning and heading for the door. Looking at his watch, he saw that Ryleigh had left fifteen minutes ago. His heart rate sped up. She could do a lot of damage in fifteen minutes.
He hated that he felt that way, but he couldn’t help it.
As he walked through the trees toward his cabin, he tamped down the feeling of guilt he felt for thinking the worst of his houseguest. He purposely thought about some of the things she’d lied about since she’d been at The Refuge.
She’d gotten Alexis to quit so she could have a shot at getting her job as housekeeper. She’d lied about her name and her background. Her experience.
Then there were the lies by omission. He was grateful that she’d had the ability to help Jasna and Reese. But he couldn’t help but think if she’d come clean sooner about who she was and what she could do, they might’ve been found even quicker.
She’d only told the truth about who she was—and what she could do—when she’d no longer had a choice. When they were desperately trying to find Owl, Stone, and Lara.
Despite trying to remind himself of all the times Ryleigh had lied to him and his friends, he couldn’t help remembering those two simple words he instinctively knew she hadn’t meant to blurt out less than thirty minutes ago.
“I’m terrified.”
She hadn’t lied about that .
Tiny had seen her face when she’d said it. Could see the fear in her eyes. He didn’t know exactly who or what she was afraid of, only that she claimed she wanted to leave but couldn’t. He didn’t understand what that meant…but the thought of her not being around bothered him in a way he’d never admit to anyone.
She’d also said something about protecting The Refuge, and that she thought her being there put the place in danger. It didn’t make sense. And Tiny didn’t like not knowing what threat might be coming for them—or where it was coming from .
He needed more intel, and the only way he’d get it was by talking to Ryleigh.
Determined to make her tell him outright what was going on—whether she wanted to or not—Tiny hurried the rest of the way to his cabin.
When he entered, the lights were off and Ryleigh was nowhere to be seen.
For a moment, his heart skipped a beat. Had she left after all? She’d only been out of his sight for a short time, but it was possible she’d fled. Moving quickly, he went to the room where she’d been staying and without bothering to knock, pushed the door open.
His muscles relaxed when he saw Ryleigh on the bed. She hadn’t left. Tiny didn’t even want to question why he was so relieved…but then he frowned as he continued to stare at the woman who’d turned his life upside down.
She was on her side, facing the door, knees drawn up and curled into a tiny ball. She looked…vulnerable. He couldn’t see her mahogany-brown eyes, since they were closed tightly, but her straight black hair fell across her cheek, the ends pooling on the pillow under her head .
Running his gaze over her slowly, it registered then that she’d notably lost weight in the last few months. He hadn’t thought much about when or what she ate, but he felt a deep flash of guilt, because he knew when they did share a meal, it was spent in complete silence, usually with Tiny glaring at her, resenting her presence. Ryleigh always left the table quickly.
He’d been a colossal ass. He could admit that. But he wasn’t sure how to be anything other than who he was. Ryleigh made him uneasy and nervous at the same time. The others might not admit it, but this woman was a threat. All he’d done was try to keep an eye on her, to make sure she didn’t do anything that would hurt his home and sanctuary.
And yet…
He leaned heavily against the doorjamb as it hit him like a ton of bricks that even if she did try to do something to harm The Refuge…he wouldn’t have the first damn clue how to fix it. He didn’t understand computers the way she did. Didn’t have a single idea what he was looking at when she manipulated code as her fingers flew over a keyboard.
He’d watched as she used her knowledge and contacts on the dark web to try to find Stone. And what she did…it was genius. The woman was smarter than anyone he’d ever met. So far out of his league, it wasn’t even funny.
Her confession tonight also made it clear he’d been kidding himself—he wasn’t forcing her to stay so he could keep an eye on her. She was here by choice . She’d chosen to remain at The Refuge. Moreover, she’d chosen to stay in his cabin, even though he treated her like total shit.
Like some kind of self-imposed penance.
Tiny noted the way she flinched every time he spoke to her harshly. How she stayed in her room as often as possible to avoid any kind of conflict. And yet it hadn’t made him curb his behavior toward her…and hadn’t made Ryleigh accept the offers from any of her friends to stay in their cabins.
For the first time since she’d admitted she wasn’t who they’d all thought she was, Tiny felt a bit of remorse for the way he’d treated her. That didn’t mean he suddenly trusted her. Just that he could acknowledge he’d been a jerk.
Seeing her now, vulnerable and obviously stressed, if her body language while she slept was any indication, Tiny sighed. He’d done that. Made her feel unwelcome, on edge, and probably unsafe, if the way she’d thrown herself to the ground tonight was any indication.
And yet…she still hadn’t left.
If he was in her shoes, he would’ve been gone the moment Stone was securely back at The Refuge. But here she was.
Remembering more of her words from earlier, how she’d said it was too late to leave, Tiny’s lips compressed in a hard line. He wanted to wake her up, insist she tell him what was going on, what she wasn’t telling him or the others.
She was still keeping too many secrets, but reluctant as he was to admit it, Tiny wasn’t as angry about it as he’d been even two hours ago. She was trying to protect them, that much seemed clear. From what or who, he had no idea—but he’d find out.
Standing upright, he eased the door to Ryleigh’s room closed, leaving it open a crack so he could hear if she needed him—which was ridiculous, because it wasn’t as if she’d ever cried out for him in all the time she’d been here, but still—and went into the living area. He poured himself a large glass of water and went to the sofa and sat, staring into space as he tried to work through his next steps in his mind.
Ryleigh was scared of something, didn’t feel as if she could leave, even though it was obvious she wanted to, and whatever was frightening her involved The Refuge.
Shivers of dread shot down Tiny’s spine. Something was coming. Something big, if it terrified a computer genius like Ryleigh. He didn’t know what, or who, or when, but it seemed clear the key to The Refuge coming out unscathed on the other side was the woman sleeping in the next room.
Tiny had joined the Navy to protect and serve. Had loved being a SEAL. He hadn’t done much protecting or serving Ryleigh…but starting tomorrow, that would change. He might not trust her, but he could admit that nothing she’d done had actually hurt him or his friends. On the contrary, she’d done everything in her power to help.
He’d ease up on her, do his best to get her to confide in him. Once he knew what the threat was, he could mitigate it. Then Ryleigh could leave. Get on with her life. And he could do the same.
Now that Tiny had seen the fear in her eyes, he had a hard time maintaining the animosity he’d felt toward his houseguest for so long. She wasn’t faking that emotion. He’d bet his Budweiser pin on that. What was the saying? Honey drew more flies than vinegar. Starting tomorrow, he’d do what he could to help shoulder whatever burden Ryleigh was bearing .
Feeling better than he had in months, though not fully understanding why—beyond reluctantly admitting it had been slowly becoming harder and harder to be curt to his houseguest anyway, even without tonight’s revelations—Tiny chugged the rest of his water and stood. He took the empty glass to the kitchen sink and headed toward his bedroom.
Tomorrow. A new day, a new plan.
And Tiny wouldn’t fail. It wasn’t an option. Not when the hair on the back of his neck was standing up. He never ignored that feeling when he was on missions as a SEAL, and he wouldn’t ignore it now. If Ryleigh was the key to keeping The Refuge safe, he’d do whatever it took to get her to confide in him.