Page 37 of Cedarwood Cabin

Dax chuckles, raising his eyebrows and glancing at Lyka for his response.

“Just because you ain't getting any…” Lyka says in his deep, gravelly voice, a hint of a smirk playing at the corners of his lips.

Glaring at him, I feel a spark of defiance flare up. “Or maybe I don't want to.”

“Calm down,” Dax interjects, still smirking but clearly trying to diffuse the situation.

The atmosphere changes when Jonny suddenly appears behind the small cabin, his friends following close behind.

“Look…it’s the Faulkner brothers,” Jonny taunts. An evil grin spreads across his face and I want to slap him. He irritates me.

Lyka’s smirk is wiped off his face as he quickly moves to stand protectively next to me, his arm pushing me slightly behind him. I’ve never seen this side of him before, but it’s clear he’s ready to defend me.

“What do you want?” Lyka asks in a threatening tone.

“Nothing, just out on a walk,” Jonny hisses back.

“What, deep in the forest?” Dax retorts, stepping forward. His eyes narrow, his body tense and ready for whatever might happen.

Jonny's friend steps to the side, his eyes locking onto mine. He gives me an evil smirk. “Hey Jonny, isn't that—” he starts to say, but Jonny cuts him off, his gaze never leaving Dax.

“Yup. The British doll. You know she has a wicked tongue, spitting at me like that. Maybe I should teach her some manners and rip it out,” Jonny sneers, his eyes filled with a twisted amusement. His words make my skin crawl and I feel scared. I can feel Lyka’s arm pressing me more firmly behind him.

Lyka’s protective stance becomes even more pronounced, his arm acting as a barrier between me and Jonny. His muscles are tense; I can sense his readiness to act if things escalate.

Dax steps up to Jonny, their faces inches apart. “Get the fuck out of here,” Dax growls through gritted teeth.

I hear a sharp click and my eyes dart to see Jonny flip a switchblade open. The blade glints in the light and my heart skips a beat. Lyka notices it, too. I grab onto him, gripping his arm tightly.

“What are you gonna do, Jonny?” Lyka asks, his voice steady.

Dax's eyes follow Jonny's hand and he steps even closer, his face inches from Jonny's. “Cut me, I fucking dare you,” he challenges.

“You better back off, Jonny,” Lyka warns.

Jonny's friend looks uneasy, glancing between Jonny and Dax. “Jonny, come on, man. Let's just go,” he mutters, trying to pull Jonny away. But Jonny seems locked on Dax, the knife still out and threatening.

“You think a knife scares me? Go on, try it. See what happens,” Dax hisses.

The standoff feels like it stretches forever, every second ticking by. My heart is pounding in my chest. Finally, Jonny seems to waver. With a snarl, he retracts the blade and steps back, shoving the switchblade into his pocket. “You’re not worth it, Faulkner.”

Dax doesn't move, his eyes still locked on Jonny, watching his every move. “Get the fuck out of here,” Dax repeats.

Jonny and his friend finally turn and walk away. I release the breath I didn't realize I was holding, my grip on Lyka's arm loosening.

Dax stands there for a moment longer, making sure they’re really gone, before he turns back to us. His face is a mixture of anger and concern, the adrenaline still evident in his eyes. “Are you okay?” he asks, his voice softer as he puts a reassuring arm around me. “We need to be more careful. They might come back.”

“Agreed.” Lyka nods.

But amidst the fear, there's the realization that Dax and Lyka would do anything to protect me.

I jump onto the ATV, gripping the handles as we return to the cabin. We pull up and park in the stone garage. I dismount and a wave of sleepiness washes over me.

“Hey, you don't mind if I go take a nap, do you?” I ask, handing the helmet back to Dax.

“You don't have to ask. Use my bed.”

Feeling grateful, I nod and head into the cabin. As I walk down the hallway, my eyelids grow heavier with each step. Suddenly, I hear footsteps behind me. I turn around and see Lyka trailing a few paces behind.

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