Page 12 of Cedarwood Cabin

Lyka rolls his eyes and crosses his arms over his chest, maintaining his stern, distant demeanor.

I feel overwhelmed standing between these two handsome brothers. Dax’s light hair and easy charm contrast sharply with Lyka’s darker, brooding presence. I don’t know where to look for a moment, my eyes darting between them.

As I focus, I notice Dax’s eyes are a light brown, almost golden. His gaze is steady; it feels like he’s looking straight into my soul.

“I guess you’re new around here?” Dax asks. Lyka remains beside him, silently observing.

“Yup. I moved here four months ago.”

“Nice…How do you find living here?”

“It’s nice, I guess…You’re the guys I keep seeing on the motorcycles, right?” I ask, curiosity getting the better of me.

The brothers look at each other, exchanging a knowing glance as their smirks deepen.

“That's us—”

“LYKA FAULKNER!”

Dax grabs my wrist and quickly pulls me behind him, not giving me time to react.

“Shit! Get behind me,” he urges, his face now serious as his protective instincts kick in. I stumble backward slightly as Dax presses me against him and the edge of the pool table, his body shielding me from whatever is about to unfold. I manage to peer through the gaps of Dax’s massive arms and see the dark-haired blond guy from the parking lot walking over with aggressive energy. I hold onto Dax's forearm as he comes closer.

Lyka remains standing beside us, his demeanor calm and unbothered.

“What do you want, Jonny?” Dax asks with restrained anger.

Jonny is followed by several of his friends. They fan out and surround the pool table on either side, trapping us. I let out a loud gulp, feeling scared.

“Did you fuck my girlfriend?” Jonny snarls as he moves closer to Lyka, sizing him up.

Lyka lets out a deep chuckle that echoes through the now silent bar.

“This has nothing to do with me…” I mumble.

I try to move away, but Jonny’s friend steps closer to me. His gaze turns predatory as he reaches out and touches my hair. I flinch back, letting out a little noise. Dax moves swiftly, his arm snapping back to shield me. “Touch her again and I’ll break every bone in your hand,” he hisses through gritted teeth.

“NOT IN MY BAR! Take it outside or I’ll call the cops!” Nancy screams from behind the bar.

Jonny and Lyka remain locked in a tense standoff. Their faces are inches apart, their breathing heavy.

Lyka chuckles. “She loved every minute of it,” he taunts, his words dripping with provocation.

In an instant, Jonny snaps. He swings at Lyka, but Lyka is quicker and deflects Jonny's fist. Violence erupts into chaos as punches are thrown, shouts echo through the bar, and glass shatters everywhere.

My hands grip the edge of the pool table as Dax fiercely struggles with one of Jonny's friends. My heart pounds in my chest as I glance over and see Lyka and Jonny locked in a brawl.

The female patrons scream in fear as the fight spills over into every corner of the bar. Nancy rushes forward and attempts to intervene. Suddenly, I feel a hand grip the top of my arm. I look up and stare into a stranger's eyes. I don’t know this person and I don’t know what to do. I feel panic as I struggle against his hold. Dax turns around, his fist connecting with the stranger's face with a powerful punch. The man staggers backward and releases me.

Blue and red flashing lights cast a glow inside the bar.

“THE COPS!” a female voice shouts out.

Everyone involved in the fight scatters and runs towards the door. Dax looks back at me with a smirk, his white T-shirt now covered in blood.

My father pushes through the crowd and bumps shoulders with Dax, rushing over to me. Nancy appears beside me, reaching out. “Are you okay, Flora?” she asks, out of breath.

I stand there, stunned and speechless, trying to process everything.

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