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Brent leans in and gives her a hug with a kiss on the cheek before he turns to me. “This is Elle.”
“Hi,” she turns that smile to me.
“Is your boob tattooed?” I blurt out, pointing to where her ink runs under the sports bra.Fuck, what is wrong with me? For twenty-four years I’ve understood the etiquette about not asking women you have literally just met about their boobs, but for some reason, I forget that today.
She laughs, “Yeah, my nipple’s pierced too, you want to see?”
Crap. Is she flirting with me? My cheeks actually flush.
“Anyway,” Brent interrupts, a tint of annoyance in his voice. “I was hoping you would give Elle a little one-on-one.”
A one-on-one…wait, what? Whoisthe chick?
“Women’s self-defence is Thursdays at six, cousin.”
Cousin? This is Brent’s cousin? Ruby O’Reilly…why does that ring a bell? She was one of the names that came up when they were talking about the underworld leaders who run the city. Is she some freaking mob-boss? Oh God, why am I here? Wait, did she say women’s self-defence?
“Come on Rubes, I’m asking as a favour. This is important,she’simportant.” He says the last part so quietly I’m thinking I misheard him.
Ruby looks me over, less friendly and far more suspicious. She clearly takes in the yellowing bruise on my cheek and huffs out a breath, coming to a decision. “Fine. Follow me.”
She heads over to the other ring where a couple of guys are fighting but not as seriously as those in the ring we’d just left. She bends at the waist and effortlessly moves between the ropes to enter the ring, looking particularly cool.
“Out,” she barks at the two guys who are each twice her size, but they obey without any hesitation. “Elle, come up here.” Can’t say I am too keen but her tone brooks no argument.
I look like a baby giraffe being born trying to get through the ropes, I have zero chill right now. The combination of this woman, who I find quite intimidating, and Brent’s watchful gaze is turning me into Bambi on ice. Picking myself off the floor, I face her trying to straighten myself out. My tank has somehow ridden up to show the bottom of the still dark bruise on my side. Ruby eyes it under heavy brows.
“Anything in particular you want to know? Something that worries you?” Her voice gentles slightly.
“Um…” I glance at Brent, awkwardly. “I guess, being grabbed from behind…it’s rather triggering.”
She nods slowly, before shouting across the hall. “Hey, Briggs, get over here.”
The guy Brent had acknowledged on our way in comes up to the ring, he’s a beautiful man. Light brown skin and shortly clipped black hair, his exposed chest is ripped, and his biceps literally bulge. “’Sup boss?”
“We’re doing some SD. I need you to be our attacker.”
I panic, not wanting a repeat of yesterday’s anxiety attack. “Oh, I…uh…”
“Don’t worry,” Ruby interrupts with a gentle smile. “Briggs and I are going to demonstrate; he won’t touch you.”
Grateful, I smile and watch as Ruby instructs Briggs to attack her from behind. She tells me to watch as he quickly wraps his arms over her torso. “Okay, so if someone is behind you, the best way to neutralize them is to headbutt them. That will at least loosen their grip and give you the chance to run. Or, hopefully you can do a little more damage.”
Without any further warning, Ruby throws her head back directly back into Briggs’ face. He cries out and while she does some friggin’ kung fu shit, hauling him over her shoulder so he lands on his back with a grunt. I stare in disbelief; this dude must be three times her size, yet she just floored him…literally.
“Ah fuck, did you have to demonstrate quite so hard?” he groans, writhing on the padded floor. “Why am I always the one to get beaten up?”
“Because you keep fucking my clients and it’s pissing me off,Marvin.”
“I can’t help it if women find me irresistible, boss!” He throws me a wink with a surprising confidence from someone who just got defeated by a girl who pretty much only just comes up to his waist. I smirk at him, liking him immediately.
“Yeah, yeah. Well, until you learn to keep your dick in your pants, you’re my little bitch boy. Get up, we’re going again.”
Ruby is fucking amazing. We spend just over an hour going through some basic self-defence moves. She’s patient and understanding with me, and when it comes time for me to have a go, she acts as my attacker herself, which I find a lot more tolerable than one of the men touching me. I may be in love with her.
Brent watches silently from the side lines until Ruby announces we’re done. Back out of the ring, he stands at my side as he turns to Ruby. “Thanks Rubes, I owe you.”
“No you don’t, family first, right?” She smiles at him and he gives her a nod. “Elle, tell me when you’re free and we’ll set up some more one-on-one sessions.”
