The Wrong Mr. Darcy - Evelyn Lozada Page 0,90

ball tucked casually under his arm.

His biceps were bulging, Hara noticed gratefully. She could physically take down the assistant herself, but she had no idea what O’Donnell would do to her father if she didn’t comply. She was going to have to do some sweet talking, real fast.

Madeline appraised the player coolly. “Fine.” To Hara, she said, “Come along,” maintaining her grip.

“You can let go of me,” Hara said calmly. “I’m coming.” She wouldn’t do anything to put her father at risk.

Derek followed without saying a word.

If I was a good human, I’d warn him off. She should tell him to run. Hara knew what O’Donnell was capable of and Derek had no idea. The sound of the growing crowd in the stadium above thrummed in the cement walls around them.

As they passed the locker room, the door opened. Charles stepped out. “What are you doing, Madeline?”

“You know what I’m doing, Charles.”

Hara’s eyebrows lifted. How could she have been so wrong about somebody? She would never again trust her instincts.

“Is this really necessary?” Charles asked.

“Is what necessary?” asked Derek, folding his arms.

Madeline ignored both of them. Hara allowed herself to be herded farther down the tunnel, toward the entrance to the private garage, and then through the doors. Her best hope was that O’Donnell would see she was being compliant.

* * *

Derek couldn’t understand why Hara was letting herself get pushed around, especially by that snotty little bitch. This is all too fucking weird. I don’t like it.

Charles stepped into the doorway, not letting Derek pass. “Let’s go out and warm up. You don’t want no part of this.”

“You’re right. From the beginning I’ve wanted no part of this, whatever this is. But you’re my friend and I figured I’d stick by you, no matter what. I’m changing my mind, though.” He stepped up to Charles, got in his face. Charles was taller, but Derek was more solid and ready to fight. “Why’d Madeline take Hara to the garage? I thought O’Donnell wanted to see her. What’s going on?”

“Just stay out of—”

Over the sound of the music and stomping feet just above them, Derek distinctly heard a scream come from the parking garage. He shoved Charles to the side, hard. While his teammate regained his balance, Derek barged through the door.

There was Hara, her baseball hat and glasses knocked to the ground, straining to get away from O’Donnell. The old man was behind her, gripping her arms behind her back.

And, oddly, Madeline stood in front of the girl, holding up a picture. The photo looked to be of a bloody, beaten man, but Derek didn’t take the time to look closely.

He strode over to O’Donnell and picked the old man up by his shirt, breaking his grip on Hara. “I’m going to fuck you up. Believe it, you wormy fucker.”

Just then, something crashed into the side of his temple and his world went gray, then solid black.

CHAPTER 20

I have not been used to submit to any person’s whims … I am not to be intimidated.

—Pride and Prejudice

Hara watched in horror as Derek’s long frame teetered and then crumpled to the ground. Charles towered over his friend, holding a short steel pipe. There was blood on the tip.

“What the hell, boy!” O’Donnell screamed. “He’s supposed to play tonight!”

Madeline was wide-eyed. “This is not supposed to happen.”

“How could you?” Hara said. No one was listening. Derek’s eyes were closed. Just like Naomi’s. “What is wrong with you people?”

Why in the hell am I just standing here? She took a step, ready to break into a sprint, when her arms were pinned behind her back once more. She twisted and jerked, struggling against his grip. When O’Donnell had grabbed her the first time, she’d been surprised and frightened, but her mind still hadn’t believed what was happening, that she was being held against her will. She’d been too meek. Now, here was Derek, lying at her feet.

Her brain screeched into full alert, the fight-or-flight reflex pumping adrenaline into her veins. But, even so, she was unable to break free, the goddamn old man stronger than he looked, probably from hours of golfing and weird sex marathons.

For half a second, she wanted to burst into tears. Where were the garage attendants? Why didn’t Derek wake up? Then, the rage she’d felt sporadically in the past two days returned, took root and bloomed, and gave her clarity.

Madeline still stood in front of Hara, the photo of a bloody Thomas Isari crumpled in her hands. Hara