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“Find someone outside the gym network,” I say. “I’ll pay for it.”

“I can pay for my own,” she defends.

“Princess.” It comes out before I think. Her eyes lift to mine. “Let me do this.”

She doesn’t fight me, just nods, which is a small miracle.

Cruz reaches under the table.

“Phones,” Dante says. “We need a group chat that isn’t on our main numbers.”

“Look at you,” Cruz says. “Master criminal.”

“Bouncer brain.”

“Sexy,” Cruz fires back.

“Focus,” I say.

“I am focused.” Cruz takes a long pull of his beer. “On logistics. Of our beautiful, federally inadvisable polycule.”

Brady laughs, and it’s his first real laugh of the night.

“There he is,” Dakota murmurs.

Brady looks at her, and I watch something pass between them.

“You good?” I ask him.

He nods. Then shakes his head. Then nods again. “I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“None of us do,” I admit.

“You all seem like you do,” Brady supplies.

“We’re better liars than you,” Dante says, gently. “You’ll catch up.”

“Public stuff,” Cruz says, dragging us back. “The gym’s one thing. We’re a team, nobody questions us training together or grabbing food after. But we need to be smart about the optics outside of that.”

“Smart how?” Dakota asks.

“Romantic shit,” Cruz clarifies. “Holding hands at the movies. Five of us having an intimate dinner at a restaurant where we’re all leaning into each other. Showing up at Eclipse and spending the whole night in each other’s space. That’s when people start putting pieces together.”

“So what? We just pretend we’re not together when we go out?” Brady’s voice is tight.

“We are teammates,” Dante says carefully. “That’s not pretending. When we’re out as a group, we are gym-family. We just... don’t advertise the rest of it.”

“What about Brady’s fight?” Dakota asks. “We’ll all want to be there.”

“We’ll all be there,” I tell her. “That’s the easy part. Corner team, teammates in the front row—completely normal for a gym to show up strong for one of their own.”

Cruz nods. “I’m wrapping your hands and cornering you, obviously. Eli’s head coach, he’ll be in the corner too. Dante and Dakota will probably be cageside or in the front section. That’s how Oath does it. We show up for each other.”

“Victor will probably be there,” Dante adds. “Marco. Half the gym, honestly. Nobody’s going to think twice about the five of us being there together. We’re supporting our teammate.”

“And after?” Dakota’s voice is careful. “If he wins?”

Cruz grins. “After, the whole gym probably hits up Rocco’s or Eclipse. We celebrate with everyone. Then later.” His eyes flick to Brady, then back “We celebrate properly. At home. Where we can be as affectionate or horny as we want to.”