Page 9 of Devil in Disguise

Shaking her head, she solemnly said, “It’s risky. With everything Danny’s been through, the best course of action is to give his brain time to heal.”

“And what happens if we wait and he’s still bleeding?”

“Then I will do the surgery.”

“Where are the fucking papers? I want him to have the surgery now.”

The doctor shook her head. “It’s not your choice, Ace.”

“The fuck it isn’t. I’m his brother!”

“And Dante is Danny’s husband.”

And just like that, all eyes turned to me.

The weight of their stares was almost unbearable. I felt my throat tighten as my mind raced through the possible outcomes. The responsibility of making the right decision for Danny lay squarely on my shoulders.

Taking a deep breath, I stood up straighter, trying to gather the courage that Danny always admired in me. “I appreciate everyone’s concern and opinions, but this decision isn’t just about what’s medically best. It’s about what Danny would want. He trusted me to make the call if he couldn’t, and I have to honor that trust.”

When I turned to the doctor, my voice was anything but steady. “If there’s any chance for Danny to recover without the risk of another surgery, we owe it to him to take that path first. Let’s monitor him closely. If the situation worsens, then we’ll act swiftly. Until then, we need to give his body time to heal.”

“This is bullshit!” Ace roared. “You are going to let my brother’s fuck buddy decide! I’m his fucking brother!”

My hands clenched into fists at my sides; the pain of Ace’s words cutting deep. “Fuck you, Ace. I understand you’re upset, and I know how much you love Danny, but this isn’t about titles or who cares more. It’s about doing what Danny wanted. He made me his medical proxy for a reason. I need you to trust that I’m making the best decision for him, with his wishes in mind.”

The tension in the room was palpable. The doctor glanced between Ace and me, her expression a mixture of concern and authority. “We need to focus on Danny’s care without distractions. Our priority is his well-being.”

Ace’s eyes were wild with anger, but beneath it was a layer of desperation. He stormed out of the room, his footsteps echoing in the hallway.

I felt a pang of sorrow for Ace, but there was no turning back now. Danny’s future depended on the choices we made here and now. As the doctor began to outline the next steps for monitoring Danny, I took another deep breath, silently praying for Danny’s strength and resilience to pull him through.

Chapter Four

Dante

The hours stretched into days, each second a relentless reminder of the uncertainty that plagued my mind. The sterile smell of the hospital, the hushed conversations, and the occasional beeping of machines did little to soothe my racing thoughts. I wanted answers, needed them to free myself from this gnawing guilt. Had my actions truly led to this? It was a question without a simple answer and the weight of it seemed unbearable.

“How ya doing, Intern?” Montana said, taking a seat next to me, handing me a cup of coffee. “It tastes like piss water, but it’s hot.”

Taking it, I muttered, “Thank you.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Yeah, I do. We all do. Ace was being a dick. Even he knows it’s not your fault. He’s just scared. We all are.”

“I can’t lose him, Prez.”

“I think for the time being, you should call me Montana. Right now, we are all on the same level.”

I smirked at that. “Not sure about that, but thank you anyway.”

“Fuck,” the larger-than-life man groaned, leaning his head back against the wall. “This is one fucked-up mess, Intern. I don’t envy you one bit, that’s for damn sure. If it were my Tessa in that room, I’d be killing a motherfucker right now. Don’t know how you are staying so calm.”

“I don’t really have a choice.”

Montana nodded thoughtfully, his eyes scanning the room as if searching for answers in the shadows. “You know,” he began, his voice softer, “sometimes, the hardest battles are the ones we fight within ourselves. But you’ve got grit, Intern. And right now, that’s what’s keeping us all together.”

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