Page 14 of Devil in Disguise

Malice shook his head. “My specialty deals with children.”

“And I’m a general psychologist,” Torment stated. “Sypher needs someone trained in dissociative disorders, and that’s Logic.”

“There has to be someone else?”

“There may be someone,” Dr. Robinette said. “There is a woman, a Dr. Haizley Walker. She got her BA and MA at the University of Oklahoma and graduated at the top of her class. Now while she’s a general psychologist like you, Torment, Dr. Walker is also board-certified in dissociative disorders. In fact, she did her dissertation online through Johns Hopkins University during the lockdown, and Dr. Thomas was her advisor. She is PhD-certified in both specialties.”

“And where is she now?” Malice asked.

“No clue,” Dr. Robinette admitted. “She could be anywhere.”

“It doesn’t matter who we bring in,” Torment groaned. “Until we learn what happened to Sypher before the explosion, none of us will be able to help him.”

Dr. Robinette sighed heavily. “I’ll see if I can locate her. I’ll start making some calls and checking databases. Maybe I’ll get lucky.”

As soon as she left, I turned to Malice and Torment.

“What aren’t you telling me?”

“We have a way to find out what happened to Sypher before the building blew, but we’ve run into a slight problem. Sypher was wearing some eye camera before the explosion. It’s how we found him,” Malice informed.

“You’re talking about the ocular camera lens that Ace and Danny designed. Danny was wearing it when the FBI arrested us.”

“Yeah, that thing,” Torment groaned. “Anyway, Ace said there were days of data he downloaded. If anyone knows what happened to Sypher in the building, it’s Ace.”

“And let me guess.” I sighed. “He’s being a dick and is refusing to let anyone see what his brother went through leading up to the explosion.”

“Always knew you were smart, Intern.” Malice grinned.

“Shit,” I cursed, looking down the hallway. “And the only person who can hack into Ace’s computer is currently sleeping in the room behind me.”

“Unless you want to give it a try?” Torment asked.

Shaking my head, I said, “It wouldn’t matter. The second Ace saw someone breach his system, he would erase everything. No, the only one who can get in and out before Ace realizes what’s happening is Danny.”

It was late by the time I made it back to our home across from Central Park. As I stood in the middle of the living room, I couldn’t help but stare at all of Danny’s computer equipment. What should have been our dining room, Danny converted into his office. When I told him to take the actual office, he refused, saying I needed a place to tinker with my shit in privacy.

I didn’t fight him.

I knew the real reason he didn’t want to be closed off in a room. Contrary to popular belief, Danny wasn’t as private as everyone thought him to be. In fact, Danny hated being alone. He hated being confined with walls surrounding him, and the living room afforded him a panoramic view of Central Park and anyone else who came to visit.

I set my bag down gently on the floor, trying not to disturb the quiet hum of the equipment. The labyrinth of meticulously hidden cables and blinking lights was a testament to Danny’s dedication and brilliance. My fingers itched to touch the keys, to dive into the digital world he had crafted and lived within with such precision and care. But I knew better than to meddle with his setup.

As I wandered over to the window, the city lights twinkled like a sea of stars beneath the darkened sky. Central Park lay sprawled before me, an oasis of serenity amidst the chaos. It was a view that never failed to calm my racing thoughts, and tonight was no exception. I needed to think, to strategize, to find a way to get into Ace’s files without raising alarms.

Danny would know what to do, but waking him was out of the question. He needed his rest after everything he had been through. He was still healing, and even I knew, sooner or later, he would leave the safety of the hospital and then his real test would begin.

I leaned my forehead against the cool glass, letting the memories of the day wash over me. I was so tired of everyone thinking they knew what was best for Danny. Didn’t they know he had his own mind and was more than capable of making his own decisions? He’d been doing it since he was sixteen and started working for the club. The fact was, Danny was fucking smart, smarter than all of us, and though he couldn’t remember the last few years of his life, he was still capable of making his own decisions. Ace didn’t understand that. All he saw was his wounded baby brother and his need to protect him. Danny didn’t need to be protected. Everything Danny learned, everything Danny knew was still there, somewhere deep within the recesses of his mind just waiting to come out, and it would, with time.

But that wasn’t good enough. Right now, everyone had their own reasons for protecting Danny, but not a single one of them had a fucking valid reason. Ace fucking hated that Danny worked for the underground and wanted to get his brother away from the club life. Reaper and Montana wanted what was inside his head. Some wanted to ensure their secrets were safe, and the few others, well, they didn’t give a shit and wanted him dead. Not a single one of those people actually gave a damn long enough to ask Danny what he wanted. Instead, they all demanded he capitulate to their demands.

Not on my watch.

There was a reason Danny married me the day I got branded. As much as I wanted to believe he did it solely out of love, I knew Danny had other reasons, like ensuring that if anything happened, I would be the buffer between him and the outside world.

Drawing a deep breath, I turned away from the window, my mind churning with thoughts of the day’s events. The complexity of what lay ahead was daunting, but failure was not an option. With a silent resolve, I moved towards the kitchen, intent on making myself a cup of tea to calm my nerves. The soothing aroma of chamomile soon filled the air, a small comfort in the midst of turmoil.

As I waited for the water to boil, I found myself reflecting on the journey that led Danny and me to this moment. The unexpected bond we forged, not just through love but through shared challenges and triumphs, had become our greatest strength. Despite the uncertainty and danger that surrounded us, there was an unspoken understanding that we would face it together.

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