I think she had a great idea teaching self-defense class and so did Hatch. Hatch Williams was ex-Army. He made it his mission in life to teach women how to protect themselves from any and all enemies they should encounter. He and I grew up together, and I knew his mom was a victim of domestic violence. Unfortunately, she lost her life because of it. Hatch made it his mission in life that if he could save at least one life, he was doing something good. I agreed with him and anytime I came across women that had been hurt in some way, I sent them his direction. He’s a great motivator and mentor so I knew, when Ayana said she worked with him in the past, she was in good hands.
I’ve sat in a few of her classes, just to show some support, and to see what she was working with. One class, she actually sparred with Hatch, and I had to say I was impressed. That girl could kick some ass big time. Nevertheless, not all of the fighting and teaching could take the sadness and emptiness from her eyes. No, the only person that could was the very person I saw walk through the door.
He nodded in my direction, then was suddenly pushed back by a flying Ayana. I never understood those two, but my brother told me I probably wouldn’t ever understand. I watched Brad smile and caress Ayana’s face as she held on tight to him. One thing I could say was those two had a love so deep nothing and no one could pull them apart. When they called me to ask for my blessings on them getting married in Vegas, I just told them to stop wasting my time… as if they would listen if I told them no.
Brad had told me one day that Ayana had some kind of hold on him that he couldn’t control. I called him weak. I told him confidently that there was no way I’d ever let a woman get to me that way… not gonna…
“Shit!” I barked.
“God, I’m so sorry,” said someone, with the most heavenly voice I had ever heard.
My arms instantly went around the person that collided into me. I looked down into a set of beautiful brown slanted eyes with just a hint of gold specks dancing in them. Her skin was smooth and buttery chocolate. I couldn’t stop looking at her. And her lips, the gloss on them was a trigger for all of the blood to go straight to my dick. Hell, I almost bent down and kissed her.
This woman was doing something to me that I couldn’t begin to tell you. The top of her head stopped at my chin, the perfect height, and my hands went around a curved waist that I don’t want to admit felt good.
I found my voice and cleared my throat. “No, that’s my fault.”
She shook her head, ponytail swaying from side to side.
“Oh no, really. I can be a klutz. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going.”
“Hey, Phoebe.”
We both turned and found Ayana and Brad standing next to us. I then realized I still had this woman in my arms. She realized it too and was the first to back away. I frowned promptly from the feeling of loss I felt when she moved.
This is bullshit.
Ayana, grinning like a damn Cheshire cat said, “Are you leaving?”
She looked at the woman.
Phoebe, wasn’t it?
Phoebe nodded at Ayana and smiled. She moved further back from me and said to Ayana, “Yes, I need to run a few errands before I head home. Great class. I just hope I can use what you’ve shown me.”
Ayana moved slowly to touch her arm. I could see Phoebe flinch a little, but she didn’t move when Ayana touched her.
“I know you will.” Ayana smiled and nodded. “Just keep coming to the classes. The more you come, I swear the more comfortable you will become. When I tell you it will become instinct, I’m not kidding.”
Phoebe nodded and smiled. “I’m sure you’re right. Thanks. See you next week. It was good to see you, Dr. Mills.”
“Please, Phoebe, call me Brad. And it was good to see you too.”
Finally, those brown eyes came to me. I heard Ayana say, “This is my brother-in-law, Lock.”
Her eyebrows burrowed. “Lock?”
“Lockhart,” Ayana added, and I frowned at her. She knows how much I hate that name.
“Lockhart Mills,” Phoebe repeated my name as if she was tasting something for the first time. “I like it!” she replied, smiling at me, and I swear my fucking heart stopped.
“Take care guys.” Phoebe walked away, and I watched her as she moved. The grace and elegant way she walked entranced me. I blinked a few times.
Did I just say entranced?
“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” I heard Ayana ask.
I didn’t reply… I couldn’t.
I can’t believe I fucking said entranced.
I blinked a few times to gather myself, and instead of answering Ayana, I turned to where I saw Noelle’s last position and moved in her direction. I needed to get out of here.