Page 4 of Control (Everyday Heroes 3.50)
I glance at the women and wonder who fits what profile. Who’s been victimized? Women from all walks of life and sizes and ethnicities surround me—some I know, most I don’t—and it calms me some knowing I’m not alone in this. That I’m not ridiculous in being scared.
“Let me introduce to you our four instructors so you know who you’ll be giving hell today.” A round of chuckles filters through the air. “First up I have Teddy. He’s a Krav
Maga instructor by day and a self-defense teacher at night. He’s been doing this for fifteen years and loves nothing more than for you to beat up on him.” Teddy, with the light hair and slender build, lifts his hand in greeting.
“Hello, Teddy,” a woman near me says with a whistle and fans her hand in front of her face.
“He’s happily married, as well.”
“Damn,” she murmurs and gets a round of chuckles, nerves tingeing the edges of most of them.
“Next up is Eric. He’s a newly minted instructor, and so I told him you’d be easy on him,” Bear says, all the while shaking his head to tell us not to. “He might be new, but the kid somehow has endless requests from women to be placed with him.”
Eric steps forward and lifts his hand. He’s tall with the looks of a model—chiseled, scruff, blinding smile—but too clean-cut for my liking. “That’s only because I give out free candy at the end of class,” he says, as the women sit taller and pat down their hair.
I’m sure his lollipop is what he has to offer.
And then I feel stupid even thinking that. It’s my damn nerves again. They’re making me jittery and causing my thoughts to run. The last thing any of these women are here for is to be enjoying the eye-candy.
They’re here to learn self-defense.
They’re here to prepare themselves.
Then why am I looking?
Because you’re really good at sticking your head in the sand and using other things to distract you from the truth.
The truth that says you’re scared but too stubborn to admit it.
“Next up is Ky. He’s straight from Florida where he’s a physical therapist for the Olympic athletes, and now he’s doubling as an instructor for the next few months.”
Ky lifts his arm. His light brown skin is gorgeous in color, and his arms are dotted with Maori tattoos.
“And last but not least is our newest addition. A certified badass who has served as the commander of one of San Francisco’s SWAT units for fifteen years before recently taking a short sabbatical to live a life outside of the constant razor’s edge of crazies. We’re thrilled to have him and his expertise. Ladies, please welcome Reznor.”
The ladies clap, and I turn to find none other than the tattooed hottie who was standing by the door with me. Oh shit. Now with the red company shirt on, he takes his time walking over to us while every part of me wants to crawl in a hole and die of embarrassment.
My comments loop on a reel in my head as I lower my eyes and shut them momentarily.
Did I really say all that about cops and psych tests and…oh, this is not good.
And of course when I lift my eyes again, he is staring right at me. No mistaking it. He doesn’t address us, but rather just holds my gaze, and with a ghost of that smile of his, nods his head before stepping back.
Reznor.
How did I know he’d have a sexy name to go with all that deliciousness that he is?
The ladies turn their focus back to Bear and just before I do, Reznor gives the subtlest lift of his eyebrows to me as if to challenge what I’d said before turning his attention to his job.
Bastard.
Chapter Two
Desi
Of course I was placed in his group.
Placed in his group and too damn proud to ask that I be changed to a different instructor.
