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I wasn’t in love, was I? I couldn’t be.

Duke held my gaze for three heartbeats, then nodded slowly. But the calculation didn't leave his expression. He'd filed this moment away, another data point in whatever pattern he was building.

"So we were thinking, river cruise," Thor announced, oblivious to the undercurrents or maybe just choosing to ignore them. He pulled up his phone, scrolling through what looked like event planning sites. "Private charter, just the clubs. Music, drinks, dancing under the stars. Romantic as fuck."

"On water," I pointed out, grateful for the redirect. "Drunk bikers on water. What could possibly go wrong?"

"It's perfect," Duke agreed, his own phone already out, typing with the efficiency of a man who ran a criminal organizationthrough encrypted messages. "Contained environment, no civilians to scandalize, and if anyone gets too stupid we just throw them overboard. Kind of liken natural selection in action."

"Mia's already got the women excited," Thor continued, face lighting up with the dopey expression he got whenever he mentioned his soon-to-be wife. "She’s gonna get Lena to plan some kind of game that involves Thor trivia and shots."

I winced, the image searing into my brain—drunk Lena asking increasingly inappropriate questions while I tried to blend into the background. Drunk Lena who had no filter.

"I honestly think that maybe we should keep it separate—" I started, already knowing it was futile.

"You got a problem with Lena?" Duke's question landed like a flashbang, too casual to be anything but loaded.

"Course not." I forced my shoulders to relax, channeling the same energy I used to project during briefings when everything was going to shit. "Just thinking logistics. Crowd control, escape routes if things get heated. You know how the Serpents have been sniffing around."

"Since when do you care about party logistics?" Thor laughed, the sound booming through the garage. "Usually you're first one starting trouble. Remember last year when you convinced that prospect to—"

"Maybe I'm getting responsible in my old age," I cut him off before he could recount whatever blackmail material he was about to share.

"Bullshit," both men said simultaneously, and despite everything, I cracked a smile.

"Fine." I conceded defeat with as much grace as I could muster. "Joint party, river cruise. But I'm putting Tank on drunk patrol. Someone needs to stay sober enough to fish idiots out of the water."

"Deal." Thor agreed immediately, already back to scrolling his phone. "Now, about entertainment. I'm thinking karaoke—"

"No," Duke and I said in unison.

"Live band?"

"Better."

They spent another hour hashing out details while my mind ran tactical scenarios. Every single one ended with drunk Lena climbing me like a tree while Duke watched with those knowing eyes.

"Here, look at this beauty." Thor thrust his phone at me, grease-stained finger pointing at a sleek river cruise vessel that looked more like a floating nightclub than anything that should carry drunk bikers. "The Moonlight Serenade. Three decks, full bar on each level, dance floor on the main deck. Holds up to two hundred."

I studied the images, each one adding another layer to my growing dread. Glass panels everywhere—perfect for watching Lena move to music, terrible for maintaining distance. Multiple levels meant multiple dark corners, multiple opportunities for her to corner me with that mischievous glint in her eyes. The dance floor alone was a disaster waiting to happen.

"The captain's worked with MCs before," Duke added, still watching me with those too-knowing eyes. "No questions about colors, no issues with noise. We basically own the river for four hours."

Four hours. Trapped on a boat with Lena in whatever outfit Mia convinced her to wear, surrounded by drunk brothers who'd notice if I spent the whole time hiding in the bathroom. My cock, which had finally started to calm down, stirred again at the thought of her in party clothes, dancing, laughing, being her chaotic self while I white-knuckled a beer and pretended not to notice.

"You alright there, Tyson?" Duke's voice cut through my spiral. "You look like someone's walking on your grave."

"Just thinking about damage control," I managed, setting the beer down before I shattered it. "Drunk people, water, competition. It's a recipe for someone doing something stupid."

"Always the voice of reason," Thor laughed, but Duke's expression sharpened.

I forced a grin. "Can't turn it off, brother. Occupational hazard."

"The boat has a VIP section," Duke mentioned casually, eyes still on me. "Upper deck, more private. Thought we'd reserve it for the wedding party."

"Good idea," I agreed too quickly. "Keep the important people contained. Easier to manage security that way."

"Security?" Duke's repetition made it sound like a foreign word. "On a private boat? With just our people?"