Page 113 of The Chemist

Lying with his hand on Zero’s bare chest, Diesel ran his fingers gently across his skin.

“Mmm, you can’t do that,” Zero groaned.

Diesel’s eyebrows turned inward.

“Why? Too sleepy?” Since when was Zero not up for a little heavy petting?

“The kids are sleeping.”

“What—” Diesel began before he felt something shift toward his foot.

His eyes darted downward to where a sleeping Levi was curled up like a poodle at the foot of their bed.

“What’s he—” Another noise cut him off. This one was to the right side of his bed.

Lying in a semi-prone position, with his feet sprawled out over the edge, was Jared, curled up around Isaac, fast asleep. Jared’s hand rested gently on the bed next to Diesel with his fingers gently resting on Diesel’s side.

Raising his head slightly, Diesel was able to see over Zero’s body, where Chase lay on his stomach, with the twins on either side of him, sprawled out on the floor.

“What the heck?” Diesel whispered, staring up into Zero’s hypnotic eyes.

“They all wanted to sleep in here with you tonight. They tried to all crawl into bed, but I booted them out when one of them accidentally touched your injured leg. Levi threatened to cut off my balls if I tried to kick him out of bed. I think the guy is a little attached to you.”

Diesel smiled. He and Levi had grown close over the years. They weren’t best friends like Diesel and Jared or Levi and Isaac, but they had developed a sort of big brother protectiveness about each other.

Taking in all the sprawled-out bodies lying around the room, Diesel couldn’t help but feel loved. These guys had risked their own lives to come and rescue him from the mad doctor and were now all camped out in his bedroom while he tried to recover from his near-death battle with a bear trap.

And if anyone asks, yes, having a set of razor-sharp metal teeth closing in around your leg isverypainful.

Closing his eyes, Diesel rested his head against Zero’s side once again.

“Argh, dude, your feet smell.” José huffed from somewhere to their left. Even though José was one of Daddy M’s newest strays, the Brazilian hunk was quick to join the family ranks.

“You wouldn’t be able to smell them if you weren’t sticking your nose up my ass,” Isaac retorted.

Diesel and Zero began to chuckle, followed by a few others who were apparently awake as well.

The door to Diesel’s bedroom creaked open slowly. “I’m telling you, I heard something. I’m just going to check on Diesel and make sure that he doesn’t need anything.”

“If he needs anything, it’s a bit of personal space from you and the rest of your boys with separation issues,” Ares growled, following at the heels of his husband.

Diesel let out a groan and tried to burrow his face further into Zero’s side.

Zero chuckled. “Hey, that tickles.”

“God, they’re so embarrassing,” Diesel mumbled someplace under Zero’s chest muscle. Secretly, he loved knowing that everyone cared.

“See, I told you. Awake, just like I said,” Matteo whispered once again as he stepped over arms and legs, making his way over to the bed.

“You guys seriously need to cut the apron strings,” Jared mumbled, flipping over and giving the guys a face full of man-cheek.

“This coming from the guy who’s practically holding his best friend’s hand as he sleeps,” Matteo commented, stopping next to Diesel’s bed.

“He’s got a point,” Chase added.

“Worst sleepover ever,” the twins groaned in unison.

“Shut your whining, or I’m sending you both back to your rooms,” Matteo threatened.

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