Page 3 of Silver Secrets

“Alright. Now that we’ve gotten ourselves into pairs, let’s start with some basics. If you are walking along and are attacked from behind…” Gage began to tune out Stone as he looked over at his exercise partner. Her breathing seemed to be picking up as she watched, unmoving, while Stone grabbed Mae from behind and she went through the motions of stomping down on his foot swinging her elbow up to catch him in the side of his head. A move to slam her hand up into his nose sealed the deal. Mae was free from Stone and had completed the first demonstration.

“Attackers, you’re going to want to slip in behind your partner and… here, Mae. Slip in behind me and put your arm across my neck.” The class waited for Mae to get into position. “Now, this move is advanced. Remember that the goal is to always get away as fast as you possibly can. But, if you can get behind and over your attacker, and the only way you’re getting out of the situation is to choke them out… do it.”

“Like this,” Mae smiled as she tightened her hold around Stone’s neck.

He watched as Sloane’s eyes went wide at the realization of what needed to happen to practice the moves Stone and Mae were demonstrating. He was going to have to touch her. And Gage knew that was the last thing she wanted.

Sloane was there, in the gym, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, like clockwork at three in the afternoon. She’d run on the treadmill. Lift weights. Put on gloves and beat the shit out of their hanging bags. But not once had Gage ever seen her do anything with a partner. And in self-defense class, she’s always partnered with Lily.

The two of them went through something awful together when Lily first moved to Silver Springs with Gunner and their daughter. Sometimes, it seemed like Lily was going to be the only person Sloane ever let in beyond the walls she held up around herself.

“I can’t do this.”

Gage’s eyes dropped to Sloane’s arms. They were wrapped tight across her chest, her fingers digging into her skin.

“We can start slow, if you want. You can just mime the actions. I don’t have to touch you,” he whispered.

“No, I… I need to go. I should already be heading home to get ready for my client this morning.”

“You have a client you see on Saturday morning?”

“Yes,” she snapped. “Sometimes people don’t have any other free time, Gage. I try to help however I can.”

“I didn’t mean anything by it. You just don’t have to run. Stay and watch.” He moved with her, heading towards the back wall where her bag was resting. “It’s important to know this information, Sloane. Stay. I’ll go back to the front with Mae and Stone.”

She shook her head. “I just need to go. Please don’t make it more difficult.”

“Okay. I’ll be here this week, if you decide you want to learn the moves, or talk… about anything.”

“I’m good. Good luck with class.”

Before he could blink, a flash of red hair was blurring in front of his eyes. Sloane escaped out the side door without drawing the attention of the rest of the class.

Two

Well, self-defense class had been a complete and utter embarrassment. Sloane felt her cheeks heat as she thought about how desperate Gage had looked when he asked her to stay.

God. She was mortified at the way she’d run out of there. And the way she was choosing to ignore the nonstop texts from Mae. In her wallowing, the afternoon had completely gotten away from her. Sloane normally would have stopped at the grocery store on her way home, but instead, she’d found herself plopped in front of her TV for the afternoon.

Yeah, she’d lied to Gage. Not her best moment, but having a client was the only excuse she could come up with that didn’t make her seem like a complete freak, so she blurted it out and just went with it. And because she chose to hide her shame by sticking to her sofa all day, she was scrambling to get her groceries for the week before the sun set.

The box of shredded wheat in her hand looked terrible, and she shuddered at the thought of trying to force the dry cereal down her throat in the mornings before work. Mornings, and breakfast, were a particular struggle for her, but she’d made a goal earlier that year to be better about eating, and she was forcing herself to stick to it.

Still, the shredded wheat went back on the shelf and her hand gravitated towards the rainbow fruit cereal she’d loved since childhood.

“Hey.”

Her hand tightened around the box. Shit. Shit. Shit. So much for avoiding him.

She forced herself to take a steadying breath, and clear her mind of the desire to run. Gage was her friend. Her very handsome friend, who had seen her act weird and cagey since he moved to Silver Springs and did his best not to push her for an explanation. It would be fine.

“I’m glad I ran into you. About this morning?—”

Okay. So not fine. Sloane forced herself to stand tall, keeping her eyes trained on Gage’s face.

“No. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have just left class. Sometimes things just… overwhelm me, and I have to get myself out of the situation.”

“I get it. I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

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