Page 96 of Forced Vows

"Open it and find out."

I slide my finger under the flap of the beautiful wrapping paper covered in roses. Portland is the City of Roses. Is there meaning to him choosing this wrapping paper?

No, of course not. That's too big of a stretch.

I get the present open without tearing the paper and pull it off the box before neatly folding it.

"I don't remember you being this careful on your birthday."

"That was for show. Not real."

"This is real."

I shrug, but don't disagree. "The paper is pretty too."

"Roses for when we first met."

Why did he have to say that?

Pretending I didn't hear, I open the box and peel back the layers of tissue paper to reveal a Barbie pink taser and a keychain with a pointy metal stylus on it.

"Um…thank you?"

"I figured if they're pink you won't mind keeping them on you."

"You want me to carry a taser?" Why? "I have bodyguards."

Two more than I want because of him. And even my dad didn't think I needed to carry a taser.

"You need to be able to protect yourself. If you don't know how to use the kubotan I'll teach you."

"What's a kubotan?"

"This." He lifts the keychain. "The sharp point will shatter glass that hasn't been reinforced to repel bullets. More effectively, hitting the right pressure points will incapacitate an attacker."

I examine the kubotan with interest. "Okay."

"It opens like this to become a knife." He twists the pointy end off, pulls and a thin sharp blade emerges.

"I'd probably cut myself." That's something my dad never tried to train me with.

"I'll teach you how to use it. How are your self-defense moves?"

"You're assuming I have some," I tease.

"Damn your uncle's Stone Age ideas about women. You need to learn self-defense."

He's right about my uncle, which is why he never trained my cousins. "My dad taught me, but I haven't had any more training since his death."

I try to keep up with the workouts, but my uncle's soldiers are forbidden from sparring with me.

"Will you teach me more?"

"I'll help, but you should have an ongoing instructor to work with a couple of times a week."

That sounds good, especially if my cousins join me, but this feels really domestic. "You're acting like a real fiancé."

And I'm not sure I like it.

---