Read Online The Seven Devils (YA "New Adult" Romance) by Sara Danvers - Free Book Online Page B

of noise, hoping it wasn’t someone who was simply there to join in. The light flashed on and I saw it was Derrick. My heart leapt inside my chest.
     
    “What in the fuck are you doing?” he yelled at the three guys holding me. He was seething with anger and they each backed away from me. “Get. Out,” he said through clenched teeth.” The guys ran out quickly, nearly knocking each other over in their haste.
     
    Derrick walked up to me slowly. “Ellen? Are you okay?” I burst into tears and he wrapped his arms around me. I leaned against him and was so grateful that he was there that I couldn’t even speak.
     
    A moment later the bathroom door burst open again and Neil charged in, making Derrick and I jump. Neil threw Derrick against the wall, held him by the throat, and roared, “What did you do to her?”
     
    I was so shocked that my mouth opened and closed several times before I finally forced out,
     
    “Neil, he didn’t do anything. These guys forced me in here. Derrick stopped them.”
     
    Neil didn’t seem to hear me and squeezed Derrick’s neck tighter. Derrick’s face was blood red and I was terrified for him. “Neil!” I cried grabbing his arm. “Don’t hurt him!”
     
    Neil grimaced and looked away.
     
    “Please!” I cried.
     
    Neil finally released his grip on Derrick.
     
    “Are you alright?” I asked Derrick, rubbing his shoulder. Derrick nodded and touched his neck gingerly. Neil turned his back to us and walked across the room, his hands clutching his head as if he had a terrible headache.
     
    “I don’t want to leave you alone with him,” Derrick whispered in my ear. “You can see he’s dangerous and can’t be trusted.”
     
    I shook my head and said, “I’ll be fine. You should go. I don’t want any more fighting.”
    Derrick looked over my shoulder to see if Neil was looking and then leaned in closer to me. “If you need me, I’ll be there for you.” He kissed me softly on the cheek and walked out, leaving me alone with Neil.
     
    As soon as Derrick left, Neil turned to me. His face held a mixture of pain and anger. I walked to him and grasped his hand. “He didn’t hurt me, Neil. He saved me.”
     
    Neil shook his head and seemed as though he were deliberately holding something back. Finally he said, “Who was it? Who was in here with you?”
     
    “I… I don’t know,” I answered. “The lights were out when I was pushed inside. When Derrick turned on the lights I was so relieved that I didn’t even really look at them before they ran out. There were three of them. Mostly blonde or brown hair. I don’t know, Neil. I didn’t recognize their voices.”
     
    “Ellen,” Neil said, hugging me closer to him, “I know you think you know what happened here, but you don’t. Derrick didn’t just happen to come in here and save you. Those were his friends. He told them to do this so that he could come out looking like a hero.”
     
    I was stunned and pulled away from him. “Neil! How could you even think such a thing! I know you don’t like Derrick, but how you could think he could do something so evil… I just can’t believe you.”
     
    Neil turned his back to me for a moment, hung his head, and took a long deep breath. He turned back around and said, “Come on… I’ll drive you home.”
     
    I slowly nodded my head and we walked out of the room together.
     
    ***
     
    Neil was silent on the drive home. When we reached my house, I turned to him. “Neil, please don’t be angry with me. I just can’t believe anyone would do such a thing.”
     
    Neil shook his head. “I’m not mad at you El. I’m hurt that you don’t trust me. I know Derrick was behind all of this.”
     
    “But how can you be so sure?” I asked.
     
    Neil looked away. “I… I can’t tell you that. Just please believe me. I know him better than you do. I know exactly what he is capable of.”
     
    “Neil, how can I trust you when you won’t trust me enough to tell me