Page 40 of Monstrous Serpent

The crowd pounds on the plexiglass, cheering us on. Or cheering on Jenkins because we are at the Crestwood Ice Complex. They get even louder when he gets back up and lands a punch to my stomach.

Whistles are blaring, refs pulling us apart for the second time today.

I grab my helmet and gloves off the ice, then make my way toward the penalty box. Jenkins goes into his first, and I smile as I skate past. “That was hot.”

The ref shoves me forward. “Keep moving.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

I drop onto the bench and groan, then try to adjust myself. Every time I shift to try to get comfortable, the cup presses back, and the friction makes it worse. “Goddamn boner needs to go away.”

Across the glass, Jenkins glares at me, blood running down the side of his face and dripping off his chin.

Damn, I got him good.

He’s not wiping it. Or focusing on the game. Nope. He’s locked in on me, his chest heaving and nostrils flaring.

I wave.

His baby-blue eyes narrow.

I wink.

Someone taps their stick against the glass.

Hunter.

He looks at Jenkins, who glares right back, then at me before returning to Jenkins. Then he skates away.

“Hey, Jenkins, get used to that shit. He does it all the time. So fucking annoying. Like damn, use your words. Am I right?”

No response. Wasn’t really expecting one. Okay, maybe I thought he’d curse me out. Oh, well.

Damn, there are only two minutes left, which means I’ll be sitting here for the rest of the game. Unlucky for me, nothing changes, and the game ends with us losing to the Titans.

Again.

I leave the penalty box and skate to my team, where they are lining up for the handshake. I get in front of Hunter, but he spins me, grabs my chin, and looks over my face.

“I’m fine. More than fine. But seriously, being stiff while wearing a cup fucking sucks.”

Hunter’s eyes drop, he swallows hard, then returns his gaze to mine. “You told him.”

“Duh, did you not see him go nuts?”

He grunts.

“What?”

“Don’t want him hurting you.”

I roll my eyes. “It’s been our thing for a year now. Not my fault he keeps making it fun. Oh, shit. You think he won’t want to fight anymore? That would suck.”

Hunter spins me back around and nudges me forward. “Too bad.”

Three players down, Jenkins stands in line, his mouth set as if he’d rather chew through glass than shake my hand.

God, he’s fucking beautiful when he’s angry.