Page 152 of Monstrous Serpent

“No. It was an accident. And you already said you were sorry.”

“But you’re here because of me.”

“So?” I raise my hand to wipe my nose, but Hunter beats me to it. “Great, there I go again, snotting all over you.”

He huffs. “Told you I don’t care.”

Atlas chuckles and wipes the tears from my cheeks. That’s when I see the bandages on his wrists.

My throat constricts, and more tears fall. “Atlas . . . did you . . . Oh my god, it was an accident. I’m not mad . . . why did you . . .”

He follows my line of sight, then his gaze snaps back to mine. “No, Cody. It’s not like that. Just some zip ties cut a little too deep into my skin.”

My eyes widen. “Excuse me? Zip ties? What the hell?”

Atlas looks from Hunter to me.

I'm missing something, probably because the fucking meds won't let my brain catch up. So, I squeeze Atlas’s hand hard because it's the only thing I can do. “Tell me.”

Hunter clears his throat. “We will. All of it.”

I face his direction again and catch him wincing when he shifts. “You’re hurt too?”

“No.”

Atlas growls. “We talked about lying and hiding shit.”

Hunter glares. “Enough.”

“Nope. He got stabbed, Little J.”

There goes my heart again, beating like it’s trying to break out of my chest. My sobs wrack my whole body. The shaking intensifies the pain tenfold. It’s too much.

Stabbed.

He was fucking stabbed.

“Cody, we’re fine. Honestly.” Atlas’s thumb brushes over the outside of my hand. “We’re okay.”

Hunter places his palm on my chest when I start to hyperventilate. “Slow down, Little Titan.”

When I don’t, he leans forward, resting his forehead against mine, and Atlas kisses each of my knuckles. They’re here. Both of them. They’re okay. And slowly, I start to calm down.

A nurse pokes her head in. “Everything good in here?”

“Yes,” Hunter says, not bothering to look at her.

“What happened?” My voice comes out weak, broken.

“Now’s not the time.” Hunter steps away, moves the chair in the corner closer to the bed, then sits.

I narrow my eyes. “You ran out of here, Hunter. Didn’t explain, just bolted. And now you’re both back, talking about being stabbed and tied up. Tell me.”

“Little J—”

“No!”

Atlas looks at the monitor as the beeps accelerate. “Cody—”