Chapter 57

Chapter 57
Alicia

I stayed by Damon’s side for hours, barely moving from the chair next to his hospital bed. Every now and then, I’d glance at the monitor beside him, just to make sure the steady beeping was still there. Each beep was a small reassurance, but it didn’t chase away the tight knot of worry in my chest. He had been through so much. The hit during the game, the betrayal from Marcus, Nathan’s constant games and now, waking up, bruised and sore, he still carried that weight like it belonged to him alone. I wanted to tell him he didn’t have to, that he didn’t have to be the hero of everything anymore, but the words got stuck every time I tried to speak.

Damon stirred slightly and opened his eyes. “You’ve been here the whole time?” His voice was hoarse, but there was that familiar edge... the stubbornness I loved and feared all at once.

“Of course,” I said softly. “I couldn’t leave you.”

He tried to smile, but it faltered. “I’m sorry. I know it’s hard.”

“It’s not hard,” I said quickly. “It’s terrifying. But I want to be here. You don’t have to do this alone.”

He exhaled, leaning back against the pillow. “I’m used to carrying it alone. It’s easier that way.”

“It’s not easier,” I said. “Not for you, and definitely not for me. I can’t just stand on the sidelines anymore, Damon. You need to let me in. We’re supposed to face this together.”

His gaze softened, lingering on me. “You’ve always been the stubborn one,” he muttered.

“And you’ve always been too proud,” I shot back, though my voice trembled.

We shared a quiet laugh. For a few seconds, it was just us, not the games, not Nathan, not Marcus’s betrayal. Just Damon and me.

Then the nurse came in with some papers, and the reality returned. Damon’s injuries weren’t life-threatening, but they were serious. He had a mild concussion, a twisted ankle, and a few bruises that would take weeks to heal. They wanted him to stay under observation, but knowing Damon, he would push to get back on the field the second he could.

“I know you want to play,” I said when the nurse left. “But you need rest. You’re not invincible.”

“I’ll be fine,” he said, brushing it off as always.

“Damon,” I said, my voice firm. “I don’t care what you think you can handle. You almost didn’t make it off the field yesterday. I can’t let that happen again. You have to promise me you’ll take it slow.”

He looked at me, and for the first time, I saw hesitation. That flicker told me he knew I was right, even if he couldn’t admit it.

“I promise,” he said quietly, though I could tell it was more for me than for him.

We sat in silence for a while, the hum of the hospital around us. I wanted to talk, to make sense of everything... Marcus’s betrayal, Nathan’s threats, the game but I didn’t know where to start.

Finally, I broke the silence. “Damon, we need a plan. You can’t just go back out there blindly. Nathan’s not going to stop. And Marcus… I don’t know if we can trust him anymore.”

His jaw tightened. “I know. I’ve been thinking about it. I need to get the team together and figure out our next move. But we have to be careful. Nathan’s smart. He’s dangerous.”

“I know,” I said. “And that’s why we can’t do it alone. I have resources. I know people who can help us watch the game, anticipate moves, make sure nothing happens to you on or off the field. We need to use everything we’ve got.”

Damon leaned back, closing his eyes for a moment. “I don’t like depending on anyone. But… maybe I don’t have a choice this time.”

“Good,” I said, squeezing his hand. “Because I’m not letting you do this without me.”

He opened his eyes again, looking at me with something raw and unguarded. “You really don’t know what you’re getting yourself into.”

“I do,” I said. “And I don’t care. I’m not leaving you.”

For a moment, he just stared at me, and I could see the conflict in his eyes... the man who had always carried everything alone versus the man who wanted to trust me. I wanted to reach out, touch his face, tell him he didn’t have to be strong all the time, but before I could, my phone buzzed in my bag.

I reached for it, heart sinking when I saw the message. An unknown number. I hesitated, then opened it.

“He’s awake. Don’t get in his way.”

I looked up at Damon. “It’s Nathan.”

He didn’t flinch. He just narrowed his eyes. “He’s testing us.”

“This is more than testing,” I said. “It’s a warning. He knows you’re vulnerable.”

“I know.” His hand tightened around mine. “And I know what we have to do. We can’t let him get to us. We fight smart, not just fast.”

I nodded. “Then we start by figuring out Marcus. If Nathan threatened him, he could be a liability. Or worse, he could still be playing both sides.”

Damon’s gaze darkened. “I trusted him.”

“I know,” I said softly. “But we can’t let that stop us from moving forward. We’ll handle Marcus if it comes to that.”

He exhaled slowly. “You’re right. You’re always right when I don’t want to admit it.”

I smiled faintly. “That’s my job.”

We sat in the quiet, but the weight of the unknown pressed down on us. Every second, my mind raced with possibilities. What would Nathan do next? How far would he go? Could Damon handle it? Could I?

Then the nurse came back in. “Time for some tests, Mr. Cole,” she said gently. “We need to make sure there’s no internal damage from yesterday.”

Damon groaned but didn’t argue. He stood slowly, and I helped him steady himself. “We’ll get through this,” I whispered.

“I know,” he said, looking down at me. “As long as you’re here.”

I nodded, trying to keep the tremor out of my voice. “Always.”

As he was led out for the tests, I lingered in the room, staring at the monitor, my phone still in my hand. Another message came through.

“You think you can protect him? Think again.”

I dropped the phone, heart racing. My hands shook. Damon was in the hallway, out of reach, and already vulnerable.

I ran to the door, my voice catching. “Damon!”

But he didn’t hear me and in that moment, I realized Nathan’s game wasn’t just about winning on the field anymore. It was about control, about fear, about breaking us from the inside out.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. I had to be strong. I had to be smart. And I had to get to Damon before Nathan made his next move.

Because if I didn’t, the consequences would be more than just a game lost.