Page 170 of Monstrous Serpent

Chuckling, I settle back against my pillow, careful not to shift the mattress, and watch my boyfriend sleep. After Doyle and Henneman left last night, Cody asked me to stay. Like I was going to say no. Plus, Hunter’s out of town, and I hate staying in the dorm alone.

A low groan rumbles through the room. I'm off the bed, bare feet hitting the floor.

“Oh my god, relax.” Cody's eyes are still closed. “It's just Hunter.”

“It's—what?”

Sure enough, my best friend is passed out on the floor next to the bed in his boxers, like a six-foot-ten guard dog. My gaze drops to his side. The bruising has finally started fading, yellow replacing the ugly purple, and Doc’s supposed to take out the stitches in a few days.

“He texted around one in the morning.” Cody finally opens his eyes. “You weren't at the dorm. He got worried.”

I rub the back of my neck. “Thought he wasn’t coming back until later today.”

Cody winces when he shifts to sit up, and my chest tightens. Hate that he’s in constant pain, that every movement makes it worse. At least he let me help with the shower last night. Drew the line at the bathroom though. He came out sweating, pale, and about to pass out.

“You up for the morning, or are you going to try to go back to sleep?”

He glares. “What do you think?”

“Yeah, yeah.” After grabbing the TLSO brace from the chair in the corner, I walk back over to the bed, then carefully help Cody put it on. “Need anything? Pain meds?”

He shakes his head, adjusting to sit upright before looking down at Hunter. “We’re so dead when he wakes up.”

“You started it.”

He tries to stop himself from laughing but fails, grimacing until the pain passes. “It was funny.”

“You two talk too loud,” Hunter says, his voice gravelly and not at all amused.

I nudge his hip with my foot. “Boo-fucking-hoo.”

Hunter turns onto his stomach and—fucking hell. The way his boxer briefs ride low, the dimples above his ass are on perfect display, taunting me, like they're not ruining my entire morning.

I glance at Cody, ignoring that “don't you dare” look, then bend over and slap Hunter's ass.

“Atlas.”

“Yes, Sleeping Beauty.” I do it again, harder this time. “Damn, you got rocks hidden in there. My palm hurts.”

Hunter grabs my ankle, yanks me down, then puts me in a headlock before I know what’s happening. “Knock it off.”

“You say knock it off, but your dick is literally pressing into my back right now. Mixed signals, Hunt.”

Cody chuckles, then groans. “Keep it down before you wake my parents.”

Hunter growls, tightening his hold when I pull his leg hair. “You going to tell me who was in that video?”

“Nope.” I reach up and tug the lobe of his ear. “Did you enjoy the show, or no? Bet you did. Must’ve been real uncomfortable driving.”

Cody huffs. “This is so unfair. I’m hard and can’t do anything about it. And it was Henneman. He came over to visit.”

Hunter growls again.

I chuckle. “Aww, you jealous? How about you teach me a lesson and make our boyfriend watch since it seems he needs to learn his own. After all, I was busy dancing. He’s the one who recorded everything and decided to send it to you.”

“Are you serious right now? I can't even roll over without my back trying to kill me, and you two are going to fuck in front of me? That's not a punishment. That's a war crime,” Cody says.

Hunter grunts and lets me go.