Page 23 of In The Trenches (Owens Protective Services)

I shook my head. “Nope, and it doesn’t hurt my pride to admit that.”

I walked out of the room with her calling after me. “You’re all a bunch of pussies!”

10

BETH

My first fewnights of work were uneventful. With all the sensors and cameras, I was sure that at any minute, someone would step off the elevator in some action movie scene, demanding I lead them to the secret weapon of the company. I was actually a little disappointed when that didn’t happen. It wasn’t that I needed more suspense and drama in my life. What I was dealing with was already enough. But every once in a while, I dreamed of a man that would come in with the capabilities to steal me away from this life.

I walked out of the grocery store with my meager groceries and walked down the sidewalk past the appliance center. I stopped when I saw a sign in the window, instantly intrigued. It was a class for self-defense and it was just down the street at the gym. Pulling out my pen and a piece of paper, I wrote down the hours and the phone number. I knew no one was coming to rescue me. I had to learn to defend myself so I never had to rely on anyone like I had with Art. I only got him killed in the end.

There was a class tonight, so I got in my car and drove home. I would be cutting it close, going to the class and then to work, but this was something I needed. After putting away my groceries, I went to sleep, not even bothering to eat first. Ever since Art died, my appetite was non-existent. I had to force-feed myself just to survive.

When my alarm went off, I wiped the sleep from my eyes and got to my feet. Every afternoon, my back ached from the cold that seeped into the air mattress. I stumbled into the kitchen and flung open the cabinet, staring at all the unappetizing food. I pulled down a bowl and some Cheerios, not even bothering with the milk. Per my usual routine, I flipped on my small TV and searched for any news of Art. Even all these months later, I was sure there would be a report one morning, telling of how he was murdered at the bus station.

After watching for a half hour, and eating most of my cereal, I turned off the TV and stared out the window. Guilt ate at me constantly. Every day, I thought of Art’s friend that helped me and wondered if he was okay. Had they gotten to him too? I was desperate for answers, but I was pretty sure I would never get them.

I showered and dressed for the self-defense class, unsure of what to wear. I didn’t have anything other than jeans and t-shirts. It would have to do. I didn’t have a lot of superfluous things. I allowed myself a TV only because I wanted the news, and it helped me calm down when I had nightmares.

I drove over to the class, watching from outside the building for a few minutes. What I saw inside was absolutely amazing. There were women inside that were performing moves I’d never seen before. I bit my lip, wishing that was me.

“Are you going in or are you going to stay out here the whole time?” a gruff voice came from behind me.

Startling, I spun around and pressed myself to the glass. My heart raced out of control as I stared into the darkness at the man standing in front of me. I closed my eyes for a brief moment, just long enough to remind myself that not everyone was out to kill me. When I opened them again, the man stepped into the light, the shadows still playing across his face.

He was tall, much taller than I imagined when I first saw him. With short hair, a thick scruff along his jaw, and dark eyes, a shroud of danger washed over me. I could tell he was muscular, even through his leather jacket. Everything in me screamed to run, but as he stepped closer to me, I found myself paralyzed.

“Are you here for the defense class?”

I glanced through the window again, stuttering my response. “Uh…yes. I should get in there.”

I slipped past him, my arm brushing against his. For just a moment, I thought I felt something when we touched, maybe excitement, but it could have just as easily been dread. It had been so long since any man had elicited such a response from me that I wasn’t sure I would recognize it if it slapped me in the face.

I hurried to the door and yanked it open, stepping inside before the man could say anything else to me. Unfortunately, he walked in right behind me, forcing me to step forward. I skittered off to the side, needing some space so I could regain my senses. In this light, the man didn’t look nearly as terrifying. And as he saw someone across the gym, he smiled and waved to them. My body relaxed against the wall as air finally filled my lungs.

Maybe I wasn’t really ready for this. I pulled my bag higher on my shoulder and turned for the door just as a woman came rushing over. “Hey! Are you here for the class?”

I looked around at the other students and shook my head. “I changed my mind.”

“Are you sure? It’s a great class.”

I shook my head, ready to get out of there. “No, I just dropped by to see what it was all about.”

“Well, why don’t you let me show you a few moves? If you don’t like it, you can leave.”

“I don’t have enough money,” I said almost pleadingly. At this point, I just wanted to escape. I wasn’t ready for this kind of action. My shoulder was still sore and the thought of fighting made me sick to my stomach.

“It’s okay. The classes are free. Come on,” she said, taking my hand without asking. I almost pulled back, but she was already dragging me across the gym. I felt people staring at me and I ducked my head, letting my curtain of blonde hair fall over my face.

“Here,” the woman said, stopping and reaching for my bag. I flinched back, clasping it tighter to me. She watched me warily, like I was about to attack her. I swallowed hard, wanting to apologize for my reaction to her, but I couldn’t seem to get the words out.

She walked closer and lowered her voice. “You don’t have to be scared. I know this is new and there are a lot of people here. These men,” she said, pointing around the room. “I work with all of them at a security company. They’re all ex-military, which I know sounds scary, but they’re born protectors. They would never hurt you.”

My eyes flicked to the man I met outside. He was watching me from across the gym, his arms crossed over his chest. I dropped my eyes, not wanting him to see my curiosity…or fear. “That man…the one over there,” I jerked my head. “Is he…”

She glanced over her shoulder, then turned back to me. “He’s my boss, and the best guy I know. However, he’s a former sniper, so kind of a pussy when it comes to street fighting,” she said teasingly. “I’ve been known to kick his ass a few times in the ring.”

I knew she was telling me all that to make me feel better, though based on the way she moved, I wondered if she was telling the truth about kicking his ass. “I can only stay a few minutes.”

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