He tossed her gloves aside, and Tracey’s annoyance gave way to anxiety, remembering the attack in detail, the fear that had consumed her. Diesel must have seen it written all over her face, because he took her hand and said, “Excuse us a second.” He led her away from Eliani and Lior, his eyes serious. “You’re scared.”

“Yeah, kind of.”

“You should be. That’s another reason I didn’t let you know ahead of time. This isn’t going to be easy. I’m going to push you, baby, and I’m going to scare you, but only because it’s the best way for you to learn. What we’re doing today, and every other chance we get until this type of self-defense is second nature for you, is going to test you mentally and physically.” His jaw tensed, a storm of emotions in his eyes. “You might hate me after this.”

Now she understood why he’d wanted to make sure she was fully healed. “I could never hate you.” Knowing he cared deeply enough to do this for her endeared him to her even more.

“I hope not, baby girl. You sure you’re up for this?”

She was determined to make him—and herself—proud. “Absolutely.”

“Remember, the goal is not to pretend you’ll get the upper hand and slay a dragon, but to stun it just long enough to escape.” They started slow, just as Diesel had promised. “The first thing you need to do is be aware of your surroundings every minute of every day. Whether you’re at work surrounded by people or in a dark parking lot alone, you’re still at risk. Always be aware of who and what is around you and know your escape routes. Size up customers and passersby, because you never know who’s a little off their rocker. Don’t count on safety in numbers. If you’re with your girlfriends, be aware of which of them is the weakest, because she may need your help if something goes bad.”

Did he realize how much that told her about him?

They worked through the mental side of sizing up opponents and controlling her proximity to two attackers, making sure she understood where to position herself—never between the attackers, always to the outside edge, facing them—and how to do so. Practicing was nerve-racking. He and Lior came at her slowly, but even at that pace, as she tried to evade them, her fear was real. She moved quickly to keep them in front of her as they tried to take control. Diesel wasn’t playing around. He gained control every time, not giving her an inch and, at the same time, firing her up. Think aggressively. Be fiercer. Use your head, Tracey. Overcome that fear. Your life depends on it.