Lee bursts into Katarina's bedroom drunk, filling the room with the familiar threat of his violence. Katarina and Heath immediately understand the danger, because Lee has long forbidden Heath from being in the house and becomes far worse when intoxicated. When Heath talks back instead of retreating, Lee grabs him and starts dragging him into the hallway.

Katarina tries to stop Lee by clawing at him, but Lee elbows Katarina aside. Heath resists too, yet Lee's size and strength let him overpower Heath and slam him against the banister near the top of the stairs. Seeing how easily Heath could be crippled or killed, Katarina panics at the thought that his skating future could end in an instant.

Desperate, Katarina runs to get a small paring knife and points it at Lee, ordering him to let Heath go. Lee dismisses the threat, but Heath recognizes that Katarina is truly capable of using the blade. In a brief silent exchange, Heath signals reluctant agreement because neither of them has a safer option.

Katarina lunges and slices Lee's bicep. The cut is minor, but it shocks Lee into releasing Heath and turning his rage toward Katarina instead. Katarina ducks his retaliatory swing, drops the knife, and races downstairs while Heath opens the front door and waits for Katarina to reach him.

For a moment, escape seems possible. But Lee recovers first, surges ahead, slams the front door shut, and throws the deadbolt. Then he seizes control of the confrontation again by pressing the knife to Katarina's neck, ending the chapter with Katarina trapped in immediate danger.