Fighting to Survive (36 page)

“
Have
you seen Katie?
”
he asked.

Philip
turned, startled.
“
Oh,
um, yeah. She went into the ladies room with someone.
”

“
What?
”

Philip
looked a little flustered.
“
Yeah,
she, uh, she, uh…you know. She
’
s
trying out the other side of the fence.
”

“
What
the fuck are you talking about?
”

Philip
stepped away from the door, looking vastly uncomfortable.
“
She
came on to Shane, all slutty-like, saying she wanted to know what it
felt like to have a man.
”

Travis
didn
’
t
even respond. He burst through the bathroom door and took in the
scene.

Katie
was fighting Shane as he tried to push himself into her. Katie had
one hand planted hard into his throat, but the other was twisted
behind her back. Shane was exposed and the sight enraged Travis.

“
Get
off my girlfriend,
”
Travis shouted. He grabbed Shane by the shoulders and sent him
flying across the room.

“
Travis,
”
Katie sobbed.

“
Baby,
I
’
m
here,
”
Travis said, wiping away her tears. His heart was thudding so hard in
his chest it hurt. The anger he felt was so intense it was pulsing in
his temples. He was torn between comforting her and beating the shit
out of Shane.

Shane resolved that
dilemma by punching him in the kidneys and knocking him forward into
Katie.

“
Leave
us alone!
”
Katie slammed her fists against Shane.

Travis
twisted around and nailed Shane with a hard left to the jaw. He
tackled him to the ground and began to slam his fist into his
opponent's face over and over again.

Philip appeared,
grabbed Travis and swung him around into the wall.

“
Run,
Katie,
”
Travis grunted, turned, and swung at Philip.

To
his relief, she managed to evade Shane and run out the door. It
slammed shut with a resounding boom and left him trapped with Shane
and Philip bearing down on him.

3. Descending
into Chaos

The foyer seemed to
swirl around her, then Katie found her bearings and backed away from
the bathroom. She could hear the men inside fighting with each other
and tears streamed down her face. Nearly falling, a she walked to the
doorway to the ballroom. She pulled the top of her dress up around
her breasts.

Already the
self-incrimination was starting.

..
.how
could she drink so much...

...why had she
worn such a sexy dress...

...why hadn't she
just gone back into the ballroom, not the bathroom when she had seen
Shane...

Stumbling
to the doorway, she called out in a hoarse voice,
“
Can
someone help Travis?
”

Nerit saw her first
and immediately walked toward her. She caught Jenni's arm as she
passed her on the dance floor and Jenni looked startled until she saw
Katie. She immediately ran to her.

Katie
flung her arms around Jenni and held onto her tightly.
“
Someone
needs to help Travis.
”

“
What
happened? Where is he?
”

Juan
ran up just as Katie pointed toward the bathroom.
“
Shane...Shane...he...he...
”

“
Shit!
”
Juan cursed and ran for the bathroom.

He
was almost to the door when it was flung open. Travis came stumbling
out backwards with Shane right on him. Juan was in the fray
immediately, shoving Shane off his feet and into a planter. He was
sucker punched by Philip as the older man barreled through the door.

“
Break
it up!
”
Bill shouted as he ran out of the ballroom. Curtis was right behind
him and they ran toward the brawlers.

Shane
recovered enough to kick out at Travis and trip him. Travis stumbled,
but regained his feet. He whirled around and slammed his fist into
Shane's jaw. The men began to exchange a flurry of blows as Juan
struggled with Philip.

“
Break
it up!
”
Bill managed to hook his arm around Shane's neck and haul him
backward away from Travis.

Travis
lunged forward for one last punch, but Curtis caught him.
“
That's
enough, Travis.
”

“
Did
you see what he did to Katie?
”

Katie
clung to Jenni, sobbing. The sight of her made Travis even more upset
and Curtis had to put extra pressure on his arm to keep him under
control.

Juan and Philip were
still grappling with each other. Finally, Juan managed to get him
down to the ground. Roger and a few other men hurried to help subdue
Phillip.

“
He
fuckin' attacked me out of nowhere! I demand you arrest him!
”
Shane was still struggling to get free, his angry gaze on Travis.

“
You
were hurting Katie!
”

“
The
bitch wanted to try out a man. Yer just jealous she didn't pick you!
”

Nerit
very calmly said,
“
If
you hadn't been late to the party tonight, Shane, you would realize
how foolish your words sound to everyone. Katie and Travis made it
very clear tonight that they are a couple.
”

Shane
turned his bloodied face toward her and said,
“
Back
off, Jewbitch. I don't give a fuck what you say.
”

“
It's
true, Shane,
”
Bill said pulling him away from Travis.
“
You
better come up with a better story.
”

“
The
lesbo wanted to try out a man,
”
Shane hissed through his bloodied teeth.

“
You
sonnofabitch,
”
Katie said in an angry voice.
“
You
tried to rape me!
”

“
You
can't rape the willing,
”
Shane spat back.

“
That's
it,
”
Jenni said.

She launched herself
at Shane and managed to get in a few good slugs before she was yanked
off of him by Roger and carried away to a safe distance.

Nerit slid her
sweater around Katie's shoulders and drew it close over her breasts.
Katie was trembling, but was looking more in control of herself.

“
Let
me go,
”
Travis ordered Curtis.
“
I
want to go to Katie.
”

Curtis
hesitated, then let go of Travis.

Travis was walking
to Katie when Shane managed to slip free of Bill and landed a solid
punch to Travis' jaw. They went down in a jumble, fists, flying once
more.

Nerit
let go of Katie and picked up a candleholder from a nearby corner
table. Bill and Curtis once more tried to draw the two fighters
apart. It was hard going with both men determined to kill each other.
Nerit finally managed to squeeze in between the two cops and clocked
Shane across the back of the head. He collapsed over Travis. Bill and
Curtis immediately dragged him off.

Travis
struggled to his feet and reached for Katie. She took his hand and
pulled him up and into her arms. Clinging to him, she stared angrily
at Shane.

Bill
and Curtis finally got Shane and Philip handcuffed and managed to get
the crowd in the foyer to step back.

“
We
didn't do nothing wrong!
”
Philip was shouting. Next to him, Shane was slumped over unconscious.

“
I
want to know what is going on right now,
”
Bill said in a loud voice that sent most of the people in the room
into silence.

“
That
bitch lead Shane on then Travis busted in on them--
”
Philip began in an almost shrill voice.

“
From
Katie, I want to know from Katie,
”
Bill said.

Travis
gently rubbed her back as she took a deep breath.
“
I
went into the bathroom to splash water on my face and Shane followed
me in. Then he...he...attacked me...and...I fought him...until Travis
came...
”

“
I
’
m
going to kick his ass!
”
Jenni started across the foyer again and Juan grabbed her right
before she reached Shane. She was cussing away in Spanish with
impressive dramatic flair.

“
Jenni,
back off,
”
Curtis ordered.

Travis looked ready
to beat the hell out of Shane again, but Katie clinging to him forced
him to calm down. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and held her
close, laying his cheek on the top of her head.

“
That
bitch asked Shane into the bathroom with her and said she wanted to
try out a man,
”
Philip protested.
“
They
asked me to stay outside and not let anyone interrupt. Shane was more
than willing to the turn the lesbo straight.
”

“
Oh,
please,
”
Peggy said, rolling her eyes.
“
She
’
s
with Travis. She
’
s
obviously not gay.
”

“
And
if she was, it wouldn
’
t
make no difference if Shane was trying to rape her,
”
Bill said firmly.

Shane
managed to open one swollen eye and slurred,
“
She
fuckin
’
begged me.
”

Jenni shouted
something about Shane being a puto and tried kicking him. Juan
dragged her a little further away from Shane.

“
Let
’
s
get them down into the holding cell,
”
Bill said to Curtis.
“
We
’
re
not going to get anything settled like this.
”

Curtis
nodded and motioned for Roger and a few other men to help him. Philip
and Shane were then half-dragged, half-carried into the elevator and
disappeared from view.

“
What
are you going to do with them?
”
Jenni asked angrily.