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“You good?” Jax asks, voice casual. “Or should I call the medic now and save us the drama?”

I swipe sweat off my forehead and grab my towel.

“I’m fine.”

Aiden crosses his arms. “So it’s true, then?”

I stiffen. “What?”

“The PR stunt.” He looks amused, like this is just some juicy locker room gossip. “Fake girlfriend. Cute nutritionist. Whole town buzzing. You playing the long game or just trying to get laid with a press pass?”

My jaw tightens. “I’m not playing anything.”

“Sure you’re not, you’ve been skating around like someone pissed in your fuckin’ protein shake since the meeting—word is you volunteered Katarina.”

I snap my towel at the bench, voice sharp. “Didn’t exactly get a menu of options. They offered up some puck bunny intern from marketing—I picked someone I won’t want to strangle in public.”

Aiden whistles. “Griffin’s gonnafucking flip.”

I wipe my face again, trying not to show how much that exact thought has been shredding me inside since yesterday.

“Let him.”

Jax drops onto the bench across from me. “So, let me get this straight. You’re now fake-dating Katarina, Griffin Novak’s baby sister, fucking golden. I mean, she’s hot as hell. I had a shot once, didn’t take it. But if I ever got the chance again? No hesitation.”

My eyes snap to him. Sharp. Cold.

“Yeah?” I say, voice low. “Too bad you won’t.”

His smile falters—just a flicker—but it’s enough.

Aiden barks a laugh, trying to cut the tension. “Pretty sure she almost ripped your side mirror off last week, Liam... she’s morelikely to run you over than ride you.” I cut a look that could tear his head off.

“Fuck off,” I mutter, grabbing my towel and scrubbing the sweat from my face.

Because the idea of Jax eventhinkingabout touching her now?

Makes my jaw clench hard enough to crack a tooth

She’s not mine.

But that doesn’t mean anyone else gets a turn.

They both laugh. I don’t.

Because it’s not funny.

Because I don’t know how to feel when I’m around her. Like I’m stuck in a loop ofI want herandI want out. Like the part of me that knows she’s dangerous is losing to the part that remembers the way she moaned in my dreams.

And now I’ve got to pose for pictures like we’re in love and Smile like I’m not drowning in the fallout?

“I didn’t ask for this,” I mutter.

“No one’s saying you did,” Aiden replies. “But you’re in it now. So own it.”

“Just make sure you don’t actually catch feelings,” Jax adds. “Shit gets messy when fake starts feeling real.”

I shove my towel into my bag. “Wasn’t planning on it.”