The tension in the pub was still thick after the heated exchange between Ethan and Luke. Even though they had lowered their voices, the atmosphere had shifted, and Sophia could feel the weight of eyes on them from the bar’s patrons. Ethan, noticing the growing attention, gave Luke one last hard look before turning on his heel and walking out of the pub, his powerful stride causing a stir among the customers. Luke stood there for a moment, jaw clenched, then stormed off to his office, the door slamming behind him.
Sophia exhaled a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding, hoping things would calm down now that both men were gone from the floor. She went back to her usual tasks, clearing tables and wiping down the bar, trying to distract herself from the confusing situation she had overheard. The idea that their argument could have been about her seemed ridiculous—she wasn’t the type of girl to get caught up in such drama, especially not between two intense men like Ethan and Luke.
Just as she was getting into the rhythm of her work, a familiar face caught her eye. One of her classmates from psychology walked through the door and made her way toward the bar. Sophia recognized her immediately—Jocelyn, or Jacie as she was known by most. She was one of those girls who turned heads wherever she went, effortlessly stunning with her strawberry-blonde hair flowing down to her hips, and bright blue eyes that drew attention. She was tall and thin, the kind of girl that made every guy swoon and every other girl feel a twinge of insecurity.
Jacie slid onto one of the barstools, flashing Sophia a friendly smile. “What can I get ya?” Sophia asked, trying to shake off the lingering tension from the earlier confrontation.
“Vodka raspberry, thanks,” Jacie said, leaning forward. “Hey, do I know you?”
Sophia paused, wiping her hands on a cloth as she thought. “Yeah, I think we’re in the same psychology class.”
“That’s right!” Jacie snapped her fingers. “I’m Jocelyn. Jacie for short.”
“Sophia,” she replied with a small smile. “Nice to meet you.”
Jacie took a sip of her drink, her eyes flicking over to where Ethan and Luke had been. “So... things got pretty heated over there, huh?”
Sophia's stomach twisted slightly. “Yeah, not sure what that was all about.”
Jacie raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in her eye. “Sounds like an argument over a girl. Would that lady be you, Miss Soph?”
Sophia blinked, caught off guard by the suggestion. “No, definitely not,” she said quickly. “I’m too busy for that kind of drama anyway. I wouldn’t compare to them.”
Jacie looked at her thoughtfully, swirling the ice in her glass. “I wouldn’t dismiss it that easy. There’s a lot of testosterone in the air right now. And last time I checked, you were the only lady worker here.”
Sophia huffed a laugh, trying to brush it off. “That’s ridiculous, I barely know either of them. One’s my boss, and the other is basically a stranger.”
Jacie shrugged, clearly not convinced. “Maybe, but there’s something more there. I could feel it from over here.”
Sophia didn’t respond, instead turning to another customer at the far end of the bar, eager to change the subject. She needed to focus on her work, not on whatever strange tension existed between Ethan and Luke.
Jacie continued sipping her drink, her gaze occasionally wandering back to Sophia, and every now and then she made a cheeky comment about how hot both Ethan and Luke were. “I mean, seriously, girl, they’re like walking fantasies,” Jacie said, grinning. “I wouldn’t mind being the girl they’re fighting over.”
Sophia rolled her eyes, though a small part of her agreed. Ethan and Luke were both incredibly attractive in their own way, but it was complicated, and Sophia wasn’t in the mood for complications. “They’re... something, all right,” she said, noncommittally, hoping Jacie would drop the subject.
As the night wore on, the pub started to slow down, and Jacie finished her drink, standing up with a dramatic stretch. “Well, it was fun hanging out. I’ll see you in class tomorrow?” she said, flashing a dazzling smile.
“Yeah, see you then,” Sophia replied with a polite nod.
Jacie grinned. “We should do this more often. But next time, let’s make it a night out, not me just showing up at your work, okay?”
Sophia forced a smile. “Sure, we’ll see.”
With that, Jacie waved and sauntered out of the pub, leaving Sophia standing behind the bar with a lot more questions than answers. The rest of the night passed in a blur of routine, but her thoughts kept drifting back to the conversation she had overheard between Luke and Ethan. The mention of "pack law," the heated argument about some woman, and the strange possessiveness Ethan had displayed—it was all too much to process.
As she locked up the pub and headed home that night, Sophia couldn’t help but feel like she was caught in the middle of something far bigger than she realized. And the unsettling thought that maybe, just maybe, she was the woman they were fighting over sent a shiver down her spine