“I don’t see your associate either.”

Jai smiled. “Patience.”

Lila spotted Trench Coat Man stomping in their direction. She could use him, she thought. Use that simmering rage, that f**k-you attitude. She’d just need to time it perfectly, then—

At that moment, Earl Grey popped his head out of the corner of Lila’s bag, gave a happy here-I-am yip.

It was only a moment, the jolt of surprise, the slight loosening of the hold, but Lila seized it.

She shoved, putting her back into it so Jai skidded backward a step. And Lila plowed her balled fist into that stunning face. Off balance, Jai went down on her ass on the sidewalk.

Lila ran.

First it was blindly, full panic, ears ringing, heart thudding. She risked one quick glance back, saw the woman pushing aside a man who had stopped to help her up.

She’s wearing heels, Lila thought, and felt a little spurt of hope through the panic. Vanity would cost her.

She sprinted, gripping her bag and the dog that had burrowed back inside tight. Too far to double back to Julie and the gallery, and she’d need to cross the street to get to Ash’s loft.

But the bakery. Luke’s bakery.

She ran another block, full out, dodging pedestrians, shoving through them and ignoring the curses when they didn’t part way for her. With her breath heaving, her legs singing, she careened around the corner and burst through the door of Baker’s Dozen.

People stopped, stared over their peach pie or kiwi tart, but she kept running, straight around the counter where one of the staff called after her, and back into a huge kitchen smelling of yeast and sugar.

A burly man with scruff covering most of his round face stopped in the act of piping rosettes on the edges of a three-layer cake. “Lady, you can’t be back here.”

“Luke.” She managed to wheeze in a breath. “I need Luke.”

“Another one.” A woman with purple hair pulled a baking dish of brownies out of an oven. Chocolate dripped through the air.

But something in Lila’s face got through. The woman set aside the tray, dragged over a stool.

“You better sit down. I’ll get him.”

Lila pulled in another breath, shot a hand in her purse for her phone, and felt a trembling Earl Grey. “Oh, baby, I’m sorry.”

“You can’t have that thing in here!” The cake artist dropped his piping tool as his voice rose two full octaves. “What is that thing? Get it out of the kitchen.”

“I’m sorry. Emergency.” Lila pressed the shaking dog against her breast, reached back in her purse for her phone.

Before she could dial 911, Luke barreled up the stairs.

“What happened? Where’s Julie?”

“Gallery. She’s fine. She had a knife.”

“Julie?”

“No. The Asian woman. She had a knife. I had to run. I don’t know if she saw me come in here. I didn’t look back. Or there was a car. I don’t know.”

“Sit.” Luke literally picked her up, put her on the stool. “Simon, get her some water.”

“Boss, she’s got an animal. We can’t have animals in the kitchen.”

“He’s a teacup poodle.” Lila only snuggled the dog tighter. “His name is Earl Grey, and he saved my life. He saved my life,” she repeated, looking back at Luke. “We need to call the police. And Ashton.”

“I’ll take care of it. Drink this now.”

“I’m okay. I just panicked a little. I haven’t run that far that fast since track and field in high school.” She gulped down water. “Can I get a bowl? I need to give Earl Grey some water. He’s pretty shaken up, too.”

“Get her a bowl,” Luke ordered.

“Boss!”

“A bowl, goddamn it. I’m going to take you to Ash, and we’ll call the cops. You can tell us what happened.”

“Okay.” She took the bowl Simon reluctantly offered.

“That ain’t no dog,” he muttered.

“He’s my hero.”

“Well, he ain’t no— Lady, you’re bleeding.”

“I—” Panic reared back when she looked down, saw the blood on her shirt. She yanked up the hem, then shuddered in relief. “She just poked me with the knife a couple times. It’s just a scratch.”

“Hallie, the first aid kit.”

“It’s nothing, really—except now I’ve got this little hole in my good white shirt, and the bloodstain.”

“Here, lady, I’ll water the dog.”

“I scared him when I ran.” Lila looked up into Simon’s eyes, saw the softness come into them. “It’s Lila. I mean, I’m Lila. This is Earl Grey.” Carefully, she handed the dog and the bowl to Simon.

“I’m just going to clean this,” Luke told her, his voice, his hands gentle as a mother’s soothing a frightened child. “I’m just going to clean and bandage it.”

“Okay, okay. I’m going to call Detective Fine. Ask if they can meet me at Ash’s. He’s expecting me. I’m late.”

She felt drifty, she realized. Once the adrenaline leaked away, her body felt just a little too light. She appreciated Luke’s arm around her shoulders on the short walk to Ash’s loft. Without it anchoring her, she felt she might float up and away.

He’d been so calm and gentle in the bakery, and now felt as sturdy as a tree that would stand up to any storm.

Of course Julie loved him.

“You’re her tree.”

“I’m what?”

“You’re Julie’s tree. With good, deep roots.”

“Okay.” He kept that sturdy arm around her, and used a gentle hand, rubbing her arm to soothe and calm.

She saw Ash running toward them, bolting toward them, almost blurry with it.

She felt him gather her up, right off the sidewalk.

“I’m fine,” she heard herself say.

“I need to go check on Julie,” Luke said. “I need to make sure she’s okay.”

“Go. I’ve got her.”

“I can walk. This is silly. I ran for three blocks. About. I can walk.”

“Not right now. I should’ve waited for you. Or come for you.”

“Stop it.” But since she didn’t have the energy to argue, she let her head rest on his shoulder while he carried her up and into his loft.