I backed away from Aimes and faced my former maid, taking strength from my fury, collecting courage into my fists.

She charged at me with a flurry of jabs, her fists flying faster than I could keep track of them. I blocked most of them.

"Stop backing up," she warned, her lip curled in disgust. "Pretty soon, you're going to run out of room, and then what happens?"

"Cherry pie, I hope." I ducked her roundhouse kick and jabbed her fiercely in the sternum.

She ...