Page 38 of Army
The hostess sat them at a table for two and took their drink order. Soon, Mia had a margarita in front of her, and Army had a bottle of Corona; a big basket of chips and salsa separated them.
“Do you come here a lot?” Army asked, picking up his beer.
“Too much. My friends and I love it, and it’s a favorite for our weekly dinner out. Goliath and Rick would kill me if they knew how often carbs slip into my diet.” She gave a half shrug and picked up a chip. “I don’t have a fight, so I can fudge a bit.”
“Breaking away is always a good time.” He winked at her.
“I saw you sparring with Taylor last night. You’re good. How long have you been boxing?”
“Since high school. I actually got Taylor into MMA after I left high school. He needed to take care of himself since I moved away to Alina. Once he started, he really got into it. He was able to hold his own in high school.”
“How many years apart are you?” Mia scooped up some of the tomatillo salsa with the chip.
“Five. So, what made you go into MMA and compete? It’s not real common for a woman. I know there are a lot more now, but dudes still outnumber chicks.”
All of a sudden Mia’s mouth went dry as she pondered whether she should tell Army the truth.Will he look at me differently?Except for her therapist, she’d never told anyone what had happened that night so long ago, but somehow sitting across from him, drinking a margarita and surrounded by all the gaiety and bright colors, she yearned to tell him—to unload something she’d been carrying around with her for too long.
After a large gulp of the margarita, she folded her hands on the table and looked at him. “I wanted to feel empowered.”
“Were you bullied in school?”
“No.” Another big drink, then she looked down at the tropical orange placemat. “I was attacked and felt powerless.” She pulled on a loose thread in the orange cloth. “It was an awful feeling,” she said softly, slowly lifting her eyes up.
Consternation filled the fine lines around Army’s eyes that had glints of anger in them. “Is that why you moved to Durango?”
“Yeah.” Mia picked up her drink and drained it.
“What happened?” Army asked in a low voice.
“I need another drink for that.” She laughed, but her insides were twisted and her heart raced.
Army gestured to the waiter, then he placed his hand over hers. “If it bothers you too much, you don’t have to talk about it.”
Pressing her lips together, she shook her head. “It’s hard, but I do want to talk about it.” The waiter set down another margarita, and she grabbed the stem of the glass like it was a life raft. “I knew the guy. He was a friend of a friend who I’d met at a Christmas party two years after I moved to Tucson. I wanted to study cosmetology and break away from the craziness of my family, so I went to the big city. I earned my associates degree and was feeling pretty damn proud of myself when I went to the party. Gavin and I had some chemistry going the minute we met, and he said all the right things to me. We danced, laughed, and I felt like I’d met a really great guy.” Mia stared at the smiling sun imprinted on the table then traced her fingernail over the triangles around its face. “He called me and asked me out. We had a nice dinner, good conversation, and I felt okay. I didn’t get the vibes that he was a creep or something wasn’t right with him. After dinner he asked if I’d ever been to “A” mountain and I said no, so he suggested a drive to it. I’d heard it was a the perfect place to see the whole city, and even though a small warning light went off inside me, I ignored it and agreed to go.”
Army grasped her hand and held it, and the warmth from his skin on hers calmed her. She looked up at him. “Long story short, he wouldn’t take no for an answer. I kicked, screamed, and scratched, but I still couldn’t protect myself. He just got madder, hit me harder, then … well …”
“What a fuckin’ bastard,” Army gritted, his gaze narrowed.
“Yeah … I’d say that. And the fucking sick part was that he didn’t think he did anything wrong. He thought it was his right to do whatever the hell he wanted. The asshole dropped me off at my apartment and said he had a nice time and would call me.” She blinked rapidly.
Army reached out and stroked her face with his other hand. “He should’ve been taught a lesson. Did you turn him in?”
She shook her head. “I was so embarrassed and humiliated that all I wanted to do was forget the whole thing. I kept thinking that I shouldn’t have worn the skirt or the blouse that I did. I doubted everything I’d done that night, convinced that I’d somehow caused him to do what he did.”
“The fucker was one hundred percent at fault. You said no, babe.”
“I know that now, but it’s taken me a long time and years of therapy to realize it. After it happened, I stopped hanging out with my friend because she was always asking why I didn’t want to go out with Gavin anymore. I stayed in the victim mindset until a good friend of mine told me about a class they were teaching at a local gym on self-defense. I went with her, and the rush I got after that first training was something I’d never experienced. I felt liberated, so I signed up and then went on to learn jiu-jitsu, and I’ve never looked back. I didn’t even think about competing until Sergio—my trainer in Tucson—suggested it. I thought if I could win, I could show that I really can kick ass.” She laughed as the memory of the pride she felt after her first win flitted through her mind.
“And youcankick ass.” Army leaned across the table and before she could react, he’d brushed his lips against hers, in a soft, quick kiss. “You’re a survivor, babe.” He leaned back in the chair and held her gaze.
Mia cleared her throat and shifted in the chair. “It’s your turn.” The noise in the restaurant filled in the silence as Army drank his beer. “Besides my therapist, you’re the only one who knows the truth about what happened. It’s only fair you share something about you that you keep deep inside.” Dunking the chip in the salsa, she brought it to her mouth.
Softness erased the tightness he’d had on his face as she told him her story. “I’m glad you trusted me enough to tell me.”
“I do.” And she wasn’t exactly sure why. Normally, she guarded her privacy like a trained pit bull, but for some reason it felt okay—no … better than okay, it feltright, and that blew her away.
“I didn’t know that not being able to talk about how sexy you look in your jeans, and how pretty your eyes shine, was gonna make me spill my guts.”
