Page 77 of Monstrous Serpent

“Obviously.”

“Atlas.”

“Let's just eat.” I take another bite and chew with my mouth open because I'm already annoyed, and my table manners are the first thing to go. “I'm hungry. I'm not letting you ruin pizza for me.”

“Be right back.” He walks into his room and closes the door.

“The fuck!” I toss the half-eaten slice into the box, walk to his door, then shove it open so hard it hits the wall and rebounds back. “This is the shit I’m talking about. You never close doors except the few times you bring someone home to fuck.”

His head whips around to face me, lips pressed into a thin line, then he tucks his phone into his pocket.

I blink.

Then blink again.

My shoulders drop, chest hollowing out. “Oh. Is that what this is? You're talking to someone?”

“No.”

I swallow past the lump in my throat. “Yeah no, it’s okay.”

He grabs my arm, squeezing hard. “There’s no one else. Just Jenkins.”

I flinch.

Not you and Jenkins. Just Jenkins.

“Look at me.” He grips my chin, lifting it. “You are mine.”

“Don’t say shit like that.”

His left eye twitches, and he’s quiet for a moment before stepping back, tucking both hands into his pockets. “If you want to stop things with him then—”

“No.” I blow out a breath, raking a hand through my hair. “I like him.”

Hunter’s dark eyes widen the smallest amount. On anyone else, it would be nothing. On Hunter, it’s a car crash. “Then nothing changes.”

“Yeah no, something has.” My voice is low enough that it doesn't even sound like me.

A bark cuts through the dorm.

Oh, no.

Hunter’s head turns toward the wall, then slowly back to me. “What did you do?”

“Me?” I point at my chest. “Nothing.”

Another bark.

Louder.

“It's a video I was watching. You know how I get when I do homework by myself. I procrastinate. It's a whole thing.”

Hunter steps closer until his chest is almost against mine, eyes narrowed and darker. “Atlas.”

A third bark.

He growls and stalks past me toward my room.