Page 95 of Under His Protection
Philip follows us into the living room. “Teach her what?”
“Some self-defense moves.” She points at the sofa. “Have a seat, Romeo.”
Mateo laughs at Charlie’s new nickname for Philip. I think it’s cute.
“I can help,” Philip says.
Charlie shakes her head. “No, Mateo’s going to help. You’re going to sit on the sofa and watch.” She points to a spot on the floor in front of her. “Stand here, Haley.”
When I do as instructed, Charlie motions for Mateo to stand behind me.
“Now, be careful with her, guys,” Philip says as he sits forward. He looks like he’s about to shoot to his feet. “She’s not used to rough—”
“Shut up, Phil,” Charlie says with an eyeroll. “We’re not going to hurt your precious girlfriend.”
Philip scowls at her. “I’m serious, Charlie.”
But Charlie ignores him. “Let’s start with a simple wrist grab. Mateo, grab Haley’s wrist.”
Mateo does as she asked. Automatically, I try to pull free, but Mateo’s grip is too strong for me. I can’t budge him. I try several times, and the only thing I’m managing to do is hurt my wrist.
“Now, Haley,” Charlie says. “Watch closely.”
Mateo lets go of my wrist and grabs Charlie’s wrist instead.
“Clamp your free hand on top of your assailant’s hand, like this,” Charlie says, demonstrating the move in slow motion. “Then, twist your wrist, like this, so that you can grasp his wrist. Then push down hard, twisting your opponent’s forearm in the process.” As she demonstrates, Mateo grunts in pain and goes down on one knee to relieve the pressure on his forearm.
“We’ll do it again,” she says, repeating the actions and getting the same outcome. “Now you try it.”
Mateo grabs my wrist, and I follow the steps Charlie showed me. At first, it’s awkward, but after a few more tries, I succeed in breaking Mateo’s grasp.
“Excellent,” Charlie says, clearly pleased with my performance. “Now, let’s try something else. How about a chokehold maneuver?”
Mateo moves behind me and wraps his arm around my neck.
“Now, Haley, if someone grabs you from behind—” Before she can get another word out, a bunch of shrieking alarms start going off.
Philip and the others grab their phones to peer at the screens.
“Front porch motion detector,” Charlie says, suddenly all matter-of-fact. “Philip, take Haley upstairs. Mateo, monitor the backyard. I’ll check the front.”
Mateo pulls a black handgun from the back of his waistband—I didn’t even know he had it—and races to the kitchen.
Philip grabs my arm and leads me up the main staircase and into his bedroom. He locks us in, goes into his closet, and comes out a moment later holding a black handgun. After tucking the gun into the back of his waistband—and damn, if that’s not a sexy move—he opens his door so he can monitor what’s going on downstairs.
“What’s happening?” I ask as I sidle up behind him.
“Not sure yet. Please step back from the doorway.”
Before long, Charlie yells up the stairs, “All clear.”
We come downstairs and meet the others in the kitchen. Charlie lays a sheet of notebook paper on the table for us all to read the handwritten note.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, HALEY?
COME BACK TO CAMPUS WHERE YOU BELONG.
ARE YOU HERE WITHHIM?!? WHY?
