“No, it’s okay. I want to be able to defend myself, and you’re right. I would have overthought it and probably ended up being really nervous. Now I’m just a little irritated, which isn’t a bad thing for this situation.”

Lior and Eliani laughed, but Diesel remained serious.

Tracey pointed her gloved hand at him. “For the record, I don’t like when people go behind my back.”

He nodded curtly. “Understood.”

“But you had a good reason, so you’re forgiven. Now, let’s get started so I can flip you or something.”

“There won’t be any flipping going on,” he said firmly. “I’m going to teach you to fight dirty, which is harder than you think. You need to get rid of any ideas you have about fancy kicks and trying to flip a guy twice your size. We’re going for creating openings so you can get the hell out of there.”

“Getting away didn’t work very well last time,” Tracey pointed out.

“That’s why we’re doing this. Lior says you’re great in the studio. Now it’s time for the next level.” Diesel began removing her gloves. “You’re not going to wear gloves or pads on the street, so we’re not going to practice with them. We’re going to work on controlling your position and movements against two attackers, so nobody can get behind you. I’ll show you what targets to go after, which ones put you in danger, and when and how to strike. I know you’ve learned about kicks and punches, but the truth is, during an attack, fear takes over, and most strikes miss their targets and leave you vulnerable. We’ll work on that and on perfecting open-hand strikes, which are less likely to injure you and more likely to land where you’re aiming. I’ll also teach you to neutralize holds in close contact, using techniques that give you enough power and space to get the hell out of there.”

“I can do a thumb lock,” she said.

“That’s good, babe, but perfecting a thumb grab at high speed isn’t easy. Especially with a size disadvantage. You’re used to a very controlled environment, and by the time we’re done, you’re going to see the difference between a walk in the park and a run through hell.”

Her nerves prickled. “You’re making me nervous.”

“Good, because if someone grabs you, you’re going to be scared for your life.”

“Yes, I remember it all too vividly.”

“I know. That’s why we’re doing this. You need to know how to fight when you’re in that condition. We’ll take it slow at first, but I want you to feel the fear and have to fight through it. That’s the only way you’ll be able to do it in real life.”