Page 63 of Devil Inside: Green

“It is for me. I want everyone to know that I chose you and you chose me, and any family we create is there because we made that choice.”

“I love you, Green.” Once I’m out of this place I plan to show him just how much.

“Love you too, babe.” He bends in to kiss me, and I’m happy to note that Green’s kisses are still…everything. How in the hell did I fall so hard for this guy?

Even when the conversation wanes because I have to rest or wait for the pain meds to properly kick in, he stays by my bedside. I doze off and wake up, and still, there’s Green. I can’t help but think about my mother when I look at him. How would she feel about Green, or more importantly, us as a couple? I wish she’d talked to me, told me about the trauma that kept Carlos out of our lives because I know he’d have been this man for her. The one who doesn’t leave your side.

Miss you, Mom…

Thoughts of Mom get shoved to the side by the frenzy of nurses, doctors, and other medical professionals moving in and out of my room for vital checks, an ultrasound, and updated CT scans and MRIs. I’ve been irradiated enough to glow in the dark.

The good news is, after the plethora of tests and checks from all the various doctors who have been working on me, I finally have a time for my ankle surgery, which they couldn’t do until they got my brain thing under control—and they move me from ICU into a regular room on the surgical floor.

Carlos stops in to tell me he has to get back to work. He kisses Misty on her head. “Don’t be a nuisance. Your sister is recovering.”

“I won’t be a nuisance, Dad. She totally wants me here.”

“Our living conditions might be a little different when you get home. I don’t know how things will play out. But know that I love you…” Then to my surprise, Carlos looks at me. “Both,” he finishes. And then he kisses the top ofmyhead. He turns to my biker. “Green, keep me up to date, yeah?”

Green nods. “Absolutely.” Then he holds his hand out for Carlos to take, which he does, pulling Green in for a half-hug. Whose life is this?

Then Carlos pats my foot—the not-broken one—one more time before leaving with Misty walking him out.

“What the hell was that?” I ask.

“I think you were just adopted, Preppy. And I’m pretty sure Dad approves of me.”

“You know I love you,” I tell him again for the millionth time, and he smiles, pressing his lips to mine. I’m lost in the feeling of the kiss until I hear a voice that makes me almost pee myself.

“Is that allowed?” Jack asks and Green’s body strings tight. I don’t quite remember everything yet, the doctors told me it might take some time for it all to come back, but I know for damn sure Jack was a part of it. I don’t remember seeing his face. But his is the voice I heard. I’m unsure if Green knows, but I have a feeling he does. In that case, by the very fact that Jack is standing here and not already dead on the ground, I have a feeling the brothers have a plan. Clearly, I haven’t talked to the FBI yet, so even if the Horde set them on Jack’s trail, they’d still need time to gather enough evidence against him in order to make an arrest. One thing I know about men like him, they have a way of disappearing. Hecan’tdisappear.

I plaster a fake smile on my face and hope it resonates in my voice. “Hi, Jack,” I say, almost chirpily, and now hope it doesn’t sound forced.

“How are you doing, Danni?”

“I’m feeling much better. They’ve got me on the good meds.” We both laugh, but what I really want to do is vomit. “Thanks for coming to check on me.”

“Couldn’t do it before. There’s been a constant vigil at your bedside.”

“Well, you know, a lot of people love Danni,” Green says.

“Sarge is grabbing Carter from the airport. He said it was time to meet you in person.”

“How sweet,” I reply.

“This is a new face,” the nurse says as she comes to check on me. “They’re coming for you now.” Then she goes over the procedure. “Sorry, partner,” she says to Green. “You have to stay here for this one.” Then she looks at me. “The man hasn’t left your side since they brought you in.”

The surgical staff enters my room. They lock the bars into place so I don’t accidentally fall off the bed when they move me, and they start to roll me out of the room. Green stops them to give me one more kiss. “I’ll be right here when you get out,” he whispers, then he pats the bar to let them know it’s okay to proceed.

I’m moved to the operating table, where the anesthesiologist stands by my head. “I’m Doctor Kevin,” he says, leaning over me. “I’m putting this mask on you. Just breathe normally and count backward from twenty.”

Dr. Kevin places the mask on my face and I remember hitting eighteen before I wake up back in my room with Green sitting next to the bed exactly as he’d promised.

He leans forward which helps me get a better look at him. “How’re you doing?” he asks.

“That was fast,” I say, a little disoriented.

“Not really,” he laughs. “You were in surgery for a while. They had to go in and re-break some of the bones that had started to heal improperly and now you get to set off metal detectors from walking in a room.”

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