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My hands clenched involuntarily. Every instinct screamed to step between them, to make it crystal clear she was taken, claimed, mine. Instead, I forced myself to stay still, watching Lena's reflection in the mirror.

She glanced my way, caught my tension, and smiled—that secret smile that made my chest tight. "That's kind, but I'm taken."

"Lucky guy," the suit said, though he didn't retreat immediately. "He must be something special to land someone like you."

"He is," Lena said simply, and even though she was looking at the suit, I felt her words hit me center mass. "Very special."

The suit finally got the message and wandered off, probably to bother some other bridesmaids. Duke made a low sound beside me.

"Very lucky," he murmured, voice pitched for my ears only. "Whoever he is."

I kept my expression neutral through sheer force of will. "Good for her. Nice to see the shop employees finding happiness."

Duke's snort said he wasn't buying it, but Mia called for the next dress before he could probe further. This time Lena emerged in something backless—completely, devastatingly backless—in a deeper purple that made her tattoos pop against her skin.

The reaction was immediate. Two guys who'd been shopping with their girlfriends suddenly needed to be in our corner of the store. One actually whistled, low and appreciative, and I took an involuntary step forward.

"Steady," Duke warned quietly, his hand landing on my shoulder. Not restraining, just reminding. "Can't punch civilians for appreciating art."

"Watch me," I growled, tracking the whistler as he circled for a better view.

"That would be bad for business," Duke continued conversationally. "Thor would be pissed if we got banned from the boutique before his wedding. Mia would be worse."

He was right, but that didn't make watching these assholes eye-fuck my girl any easier. Lena caught my expression in the mirror, read the barely leashed violence there, and winked. Actually winked, the brat.

"This one's perfect!" she announced loudly to Mia. "My boyfriend will love it."

The way she emphasized 'boyfriend' while looking directly at me nearly broke my control. It was a message, clear as day—she knew exactly what she was doing to me, and she was enjoying it. Duke's grip on my shoulder tightened fractionally.

"Interesting," was all he said, but that single word carried weight.

The rest of the shopping expedition was torture. Lena tried on three more dresses, each one designed to kill me slowly. The backless purple won, which meant I'd be spending Thor'swedding trying not to stare at the expanse of skin I'd mapped with my mouth last night.

"All done!" Mia announced cheerfully, organizing her bridesmaids for payment. "Tyson, Duke, thanks for playing bodyguard. I know it's not your usual scene."

"Happy to help," Duke said smoothly. "Security is security, whether it's the clubhouse or a dress shop."

As we prepared to leave, Lena passed close enough that I caught her scent—that unique mix of ink, vanilla, and something uniquely her that made my head spin. She paused, pretending to adjust her bag.

"See you at the boat party," she said casually, but her fingers brushed mine in passing, a touch so brief anyone watching would think it was accidental.

It wasn't.

Duke waited until we were outside, away from civilian ears, before speaking. "So. You’re getting on well with Lena."

"She's a good artist," I said carefully.

"Mmm." Duke lit a cigarette, took a long drag. "Funny thing about dress shopping. Shows you things you might not notice otherwise."

My jaw clenched. "Such as?"

"Such as how a man looks at a woman when he thinks no one's watching." He blew smoke into the afternoon air. "Or how a woman says 'boyfriend' while making eye contact with someone specific."

The words hung between us, heavy with implication. Duke wasn't stupid—he'd risen to president by reading people, understanding dynamics, seeing what others missed. But he also wasn't pushing, not yet.

"Duke—"

"Right now, everything is about about Thor and Mandy," he interrupted. "Everything else can wait until after." He flicked hiscigarette away. "But Tyson? Whatever's going on, it better not compromise security. We clear?"