Page 55 of Rip Ryder's Second Chance

“Why did I drug you?” He lifted a shoulder into a casual shrug. “Why not? I was curious to see how it worked and you were my top pick for a science experiment. Too bad fate wasn’t in my favor.”

As they drove deeper toward the mountain, her heart picked up in speed. Anything could happen on Snowbleed. “What do you mean?” When he hesitated as if he debated whether to tell her the truth, she said, “Don’t I have a right to know what happened?”

“I only meant to drug you. I had no intention of doing anything else. I’m not a sick man, just a curious man. Buddy, the idiot, caught me unawares. Fat bastard. I had to chase him down and take the evidence away from him. All he could do was whimper like a tortured pig.” The words were said with such cold detachment.

“I’m confused. Did he send me the photos or did you?” She grabbed onto the handle of the door, debating if she could jump from the moving truck without killing herself.

“I did. Think I would let that imprudent man keep those photos? I did the right thing by trying to get you to leave. I did. You can’t say I didn’t. Now you’re a loose thread that I can’t have unraveling.”

“The fire? You set that? And Gavin? You assaulted him?” She thought she might vomit.

“The fire, yes. Honestly, my intention wasn’t to hurt you or Rip. I thought you’d get scared and run, but like I said, you’re strong. Brave.” He sounded almost proud of himself. “I didn’t lay a finger on your ex though. Too risky. It didn’t take much to convince Buddy that you were in danger when it comes to your ex. Buddy is pathetic. He still is obsessed with you after all these years…but so is Rip.” He clicked his tongue.

“Buddy assaulted Gavin?” She rubbed her temples in sadness. “You might not have hurt Gavin yourself but you are as much to blame, possibly more so, than Buddy.”

“Don’t be so sad for the man. He stalked you like a desperate psycho. He’s not innocent. I mean, I will defend his case in court when he’s accused of killing you, but it’ll be a hard case to win when he set the fire, sent the photos, beat up your ex, and drugged you all those years ago. I’ll do my best but I think he’ll be looking at serving some time.”

“He won’t let you get by with this. He’ll tell everyone that you were the one with me that night. The one who drugged me. You won’t get by with this. Bend Ryder isn’t Jackson Mellough. Bend will see straight through you, and if he doesn’t, I know Rip will find the truth.”

“Good old Mellough. Shot down like the skanky bastard he was. Now that man was clinging to the edge of sanity and thenpoof…he fell over the cliff. You know it was Whiskey who shot him in the head? I’ll say one thing, those Ryders don’t monkey around. I respect that.”

She pressed her body against the door, searching for more space between them as she scanned the truck for anything she could use as a weapon. “Rip knows I’m with you. He’ll find me.”

“Oh…not now. They should be with Buddy interrogating the idiot. Thanks to me. It was almost too easy to plant the photo in the hotel room. He won’t have a defense.”

She couldn’t wrap her head around what he was saying. “Have you even thought about what this will do to Parker? Your children? You have another child who will be born any minute.”

He squinted as if her words did reach a human layer of him. “What should I do then? Let you destroy my life for one little mistake I made when I was eighteen? I was a kid and I didn’t rape you.”

“Parker isn’t in labor, is she?” The realization was like an invisible pipe striking her.

“It took you long enough.”

She cringed. A man like him, one without morals and values, would be so casual over what he’d done. But now wasn’t the time to argue with him. “Right. What you did was a mistake. I understand that you didn’t mean me any harm. Stop this now and I promise to never tell a soul about what you’ve told me.”

His breath came out on an exhale. “You’d do that?”

“I would. If only to protect your family.” In her heart she knew his family needed protected from him. She didn’t believe that she’d been the only one he’d drugged. Her instincts warned her he’d committed multiple acts against women.

“Ahh, wouldn’t that be an easy solution to this itty-bitty problem? Nice try, sweetheart, but the ball is already rolling…over Buddy. You’re just a hurdle that needs disposed of.” More coldness crawled into his voice.

“People will be suspicious. If Buddy is with Rip and Bend then he can’t be used as an alibi. They’ll search and find the truth.”

“True, but after they read the note written by you, the poor Noelle who just can’t get past what happened to her at eighteen.”

“The suicide theory won’t work. Anyone who knows me knows I’d never do such a thing. I love my son too much.” She stared at his profile. Anger building inside of her.

“But if it’s in your handwriting, and people learn of all the stress you’ve been under, they’ll have a sliver of doubt. I know I would. Yet, with Buddy’s DNA found on your body people will believe he did the dirty deed. Plan A and B.”

She pulled the door handle, hoping to escape. It wouldn’t open,

“Child protective locks. When you have wee ones, we have to keep them inside a moving vehicle as you fully know.”

Her mind raced. Ahead she saw the welcome sign into Snowbleed. If he got her on the mountain, he would see that she disappeared. Noelle couldn’t let that happen. Ollie needed her. She wanted to be with Rip to see where their relationship headed. There was too much joy to fight for.

“You drugged me. You took advantage of me,” her words came on a whisper. She wanted him to understand her pain.

“I was curious. I heard about women being drugged and a man could do anything he wanted and she wouldn’t remember a damn thing. I didn’t believe it. Not remember a damn thing? Then curiosity turned into opportunity. The party with all those horny bitches that would have spread their legs at my command. But you see, I needed a challenge. Someone who wouldn’t give me the time of day. Someone who was crazy in love with a Ryder. I was as nervous as a pig headed to slaughter and I didn’t think you’d ever finish that beer. When I least expected it, lo and behold, it worked,” he said pompously. “I led you away from the party like leading a toddler to candy. Wow, that was some power trip. The elusive Noelle Evelyn was laughing at my jokes, responding to my kiss. The Stetson was a good touch, don’t you think? If anyone saw us, they’d assume you were with Rip.”

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