Jasper’s stretching when we get inside, and I do a quick glance around, disappointed that there’s no Arlo. Jasper looks up when he hears us, then looks around. “No Arlo?”
I shake my head. “I guess not.” Damn. I really thought he would come. “Hang on. Let me text him.”
Letting go of Austin’s pinky, I take my phone from my pocket and pull up Arlo’s contact.
I’m halfway through typing my message when the doors swing open and he walks inside. “Sorry I’m late.”
He looks half out of it, confused and exhausted.
I’m not the only one who notices. “Are you okay?” Jasper asks before I can even open my mouth.
“Fine,” Arlo replies, waving him off. “Are we doing this or what?”
There are a few moments of tense silence before Jasper inhales deeply and claps his hands together. “Okay, let’s get to it. Today, we’re gonna work on getting someone on the ground.”
Austin loops an arm around my waist, pulling me closer to him. “No one touches you but me.”
I know he doesn’t mean the words any type of way, and I also know that he’s just concerned I’ll get triggered again, but they still send a shiver up my spine.
“Okay,” I say, giving him a small smile.
“I guess that leaves you with me,” Jasper says, dragging my attentionaway from Austin.
Arlo doesn’t look thrilled about that in the slightest. “Yay me.”
Jasper walks us through a move where we sweep the leg of our would-be attacker, intending to get them on the ground.
“Come here, Austin. We’ll demonstrate.”
Arlo stands beside me while Austin walks across the mat to Jasper. Jasper takes us through the move again, slowly showing each step, and then, lightning quick, Austin is on the ground.
His back hits the mat with a dull thud, and the air rushes from his lungs. We’re all stunned into silence for a few seconds, and then Austin bursts out laughing. “You fucker.”
Offering him a hand, Jasper pulls Austin to his feet and turns to us. “You guys ready?”
“Ready as I’m gonna be, I guess,” Arlo says, glancing at me. “What about you?”
A rush of trepidation shoots through me, and my fingers start tingling. “Yeah,” I croak.
Austin won’t hurt me. Austin won’t hurt me. Austin won’t hurt me.
Austin steps toward me, a wry smile playing on his lips. “Go easy on me, now. Jasper’s done kicked my ass.”
I let out a nervous chuckle, hoping that he doesn’t see how worried I am about this. “I’ll do my best.”
“Do you wanna start?”
I nod slowly. Austin comes at me cautiously, and I follow Jasper’s instructions, sweeping his leg and knocking Austin to the ground. He doesn’t go down as hard as he did when Jasper did it, and he pops right up after.
“Again,” he mumbles.
We repeat the motion again and again, but there’s something… not quite right about it. He’s being too slow, his moves too cautious. “In a real attack,” I say, chest heaving with exertion, “there’s no way my attacker—” I cut myself off with a shake of my head. “Damien never came at me slow. He was quick and terrifying.”
Austin nods, studying me. “I understand.”
“Stop treating me with kid gloves. Come after me. I need to know I can take someone down who means me actual harm.”
Austin steps closer, bringing a hand up to brush his thumb along my jaw. “I’d never mean you harm, Luc.”
