Page 84 of Cakes for the Grump

Everything has escalated so rapidly.

Judging by the frantic flurry of his swings, Dmitri is operating more out of panicky instinct than any skill. Luke avoids a particularly wide slash, having enough space to grip the wrist with the knife in it and bend it backward.

The weapon drops with a scream.

Seeing as both Luke’s arms are engaged in stopping Dmitri, Elevator Man dives in.

“Stop!” I think I’ve been yelling this whole time, but only hear that one coherent word out of my mouth.

Elevator Man is wearing rings. His punch cuts the side of Luke’s mouth. It’s bleeding enough to stain the collar of his shirt. Not that Luke reacts. He’s unbothered.Trained, I realize more accurately.

Still, it’s unfairly two against one until Sistine’s bodyguard tries to join in.

“Don’t,” snarls Luke, not taking his eyes off the fight. “Protect Rita and Sistine. Stay with them.”

The bodyguard obeys, catching my arm as I try getting closer. There is no way Luke should be fighting alone!

Luke hits Dmitri hard enough that he drops to the floor again.

“You bastard,” yells Elevator Man. “You are going to pay for that.”

The way they circle and come at each other is professional. Arms and hands shielding more often than not, feet moving all loose, and strikes when they happen are vicious.

How long will this go on for? What is this night? What kind of world have I unknowingly entered?

Dmitri intends to end it. He scurries on his knees towards his dropped knife.

Since the fight has moved from its original spot, it’s more than a few feet away.

My gut bottoms.If he gets the knife, and Luke doesn’t see it…

I wrangle myself away from the bodyguard, only possible because he’s relaxed his grip, wrongly assuming I’d be crazy to involve myself. A strong lurch forward and I’m running to Dmitri, stomping on his hand right as his fingers curl over the handle of the switchblade.

“You bitch!” He snaps his head up and sneers.

Before he can attack, the bodyguard comes over and hits him hard. Dmitri loses consciousness.

I’m gasping. My heart races and everything feels overblown. I look up in time to see Luke get a close-range chokehold on Elevator Man. Arms lock in around his neck. Airflow shrinks. Biceps strain. Luke doesn’t stop until his opponent is knocked out. Then he drops the man with unnecessary vigor, and steps over his body.

“I’m never letting you out of my sight again,” he says, approaching me, his eyes wild and vivid.

“And you,” he says to Sistine, who is still standing by the exit. “We talked about you going to these kinds of events, and we’re going to talk about it again.”

“Iwas safe. I had Adam with me this whole time.”

Before more can be said, a crowd of people rush into the suite. The property’s management and security team have arrived. The next few minutes pass by, but not in the way I assumed they would. Luke is not arrested, despite the still-breathing-but-beaten and unconscious men on the floor around him. No, property management is apologizing tohim. Saying they reviewed the video footage, had no idea I was a close associate of his, and that the men on the floor would have their membership revoked for bothering Luke Abbot.

Amongst even the wealthy, my employer is in the upper echelons of the business world.

Surreal. Out-of-body. What is going on with this night?

“How can we compensate you for this terrible experience?” asks a visibly nervous manager to Luke. “If you care to follow me, our team would love to situate you and your guests in our VIP lounge?—”

“No. We’re leaving. Take us to the roof.”

“Right away, sir.” He leads us out of the suite, through a secure door, and down an empty corridor.

The roof?Although that’s not the first question on my mind. “How did you get here so fast?” I ask Luke. He was on a trip somewhere outside the city limits tonight.