The impact echoed louder than the music.
Xavier staggered back a step, the sound of bone on bone cutting clean through the ambient noise of Black Diamond. His feet tangled beneath him as he went down hard, shoulder clipping a table on the way before he hit the floor.
Gasps rippled outward.
Phones were already lifting, the glow of screens catching the widened eyes of those recording.
For half a second, no one moved.
Then Enzo was on him.
He has crossed the space without any hesitation, his knee hitting the floor beside Xavier.
Xavier laughed, actually laughed, blood already blooming at the corner of his mouth. "Oh, there it is," he rasped, a smug, satisfied smirk crossing his busted lip. "Knew it wouldn't take much."
He grabbed a fistful of Xavier's shirt, hauling him up just enough to slam him back down again, forearm braced against his chest as he drew his other hand back.
"Enzo!" Luca barked.
