Page 245 of Barinov

“Give a lap dance or two?” Zeke laughs, shaking his head. “Trust me, I’ve seen way worse from my sister.”

“Kinky,” August chuckles, earning him a quick little backhand from Marisol.

“Welcome, everyone!” Javi beams from the half-court line. “I want to thank you all for being here today as we kick off the Trifecta’s senior season.”

Cheers erupt from the Legacy dancers as they all swarm Bella, Ellie, and Haley in jumping, loud, and chaotic hugs.

Javi chuckles, raising his clipboard in the air. “That’s enough, ladies. Save some of that energy for the floor. We have a busy year ahead of us, but first thing’s first…” He turns toward the tunnel, his smile widening. “Rez!”

Rez walks out onto the hardwood carrying a massive trophy in his hands. The gold gleams under the gym lights as he marches straight toward Ellie.

“Miss Ellie, darling,” Javi continues, beaming like the proud dancing papa he is. “Your trophy came in from the engraver a few days ago and we wanted to present it to you today.”

Beside Cade, Briggs mutters something too quiet for me to fully catch. But the look on his face while he smiles toward his girl says enough that I don’t need to hear.

Clay’s loud whoop from behind me echoes off the gym wall as he claps like a maniac for his daughter.

“Go El!” Cade yells out, joining in on the noise when Rez plants the heavy trophy into Ellie’s hands.

She beams, her ocean-blue eyes bright and watering as she looks out at us. Before she can even take a breath, Bella and Haley close ranks. They drop their heads into Ellie’s shoulders and hug her tight while the rest of the gym bursts out into cheers.

“¡Ya, ya, ya! Back to work, my beauties!” Javi suddenly claps his hands. That sentimental proud-papa routine vanishing in a flash as the full drill-sergeant diva we all know and love resurfaces. He snaps his fingers, shooing Rez and the trophy off the center logo.

“Ellie, mi amor, I hope you are ready to repeat that glorious moment, because I am a man of expensive tastes and silver simply does not go with my complexion.”

“He’s right!” Rico pops his head out from behind one of the Trifecta’s garment racks in the corner overflowing with rhinestones, glitter, and fringe. He dramatically pulls a silver skirt off of a hanger and lets it drop straight to the gym floor. “Or any of yours, for that matter. Silver is out, ladies… GOLD is in.”

Javi doesn’t even break a stride as he points a finger in his husband’s direction. “Yes, dear. Gold!” He refocuses his eyes back to he girls. “The Trifecta is whole again, which means this grace period is officially terminado. We have a legacy to defend, and I’ll be damned if those bunch of basic, uncoordinated dancers from Brazil will steal our spotlight again.”

Bella, Ellie, and Haley all nod in unison. Completely focused on Javi’s words.

“Now if you are not one of the four newbies here, clear my floor!” He waves his hands to shoo the veterans to the sideline. “Freshmen, let’s see if you can actually give us something worth looking at.”

Javi never even bothers introducing the new girls by name. Just snaps his fingers toward Knox to cue up their set.

As the freshmen begin their set, I notice Zeke staring off at the far end of the gym looking at nothing.

“You good?” I mutter, giving him a quick elbow that makes him flinch.

“Yeah,” he says way too quickly. He rubs his eyes and drags his fingers down his face. “I’m fine.”

“Bullshit,” I snap.

A screech from the floor pulls our focus for a second. “Watch your turns, mija!” Javi yells, damn near chucking his clipboard at the taller brunette freshman’s head.

I shake my head through a dark laugh before turning back to Zeke. “What’s going on with you, Z?”

Zeke flexes his fingers, his left knee starting to bounce as he keeps staring off into the distance. “It’s nothing.”

I slam my hand on his vibrating knee, gripping it tight and forcing his focus to me. “Fucking tell me.”

“Monroe.”

“The shrink?”

He nods.

“The hell does that asshole have to do with anything?” I ask, my brows pinched.