Adam gives an exaggerated shiver and says, “Please don’t get hurt on my watch.”
Stacy rolls her eyes at him. “I think it’s sweet how much he worries about you. I’ve only seen him a few times, and I didn’t even have the courage to introduce myself.” She laughs, but I can tell she’s serious.
“Yeah, he can be a little intimidating at first. I promise he’s really a sweetheart, though.”
Adam laughs. “With you, yes.”
It’s hard for me to think of Nikolai as anything other than the sweet, caring man I’ve grown to love, but I do remember how scary he seemed when I first met him. I’m so glad we’re past that stage, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love that he’s a big softie for me and no one else.
Adam and Stacy show me around and help me get set up for my first class. The next couple of hours fly by. About ten women show up, many of them are young college girls, and showing them some simple moves that will help protect them from getting hurt makes me feel like I’ve found my calling in life. I can’t help but remember the time I was able to stop Sean when he crossed the line. What if I hadn’t been able to do that? Just the idea of it makes me feel queasy. If teaching a woman how to throw a punch or get out of a hold saves her from being assaulted, then everything I’ve done, all the hard work I’ve put in, will all have been worth it.
The class is over way too quickly. I thank them all for coming and chat with them for a bit and even get a few hugs from some of the younger women. I send a quick text to Nikolai, letting him know I’m finished, and he responds with aHoly shit you actually listened.
Very funny, I send back.
I’m already out front. ;)
I roll my eyes and laugh.Why am I not surprised?
I shout a goodbye to Adam and Stacy and leave the club, spotting Nikolai’s Porsche waiting for me right out front. Laughing, I get in and give him a kiss. “I told you I would text.”
“I never doubted you for a second,” he says, and I can tell he’s full of shit.
“Please tell me you didn’t sit out here the whole time.”
“That would be crazy even for me.” He pulls out onto the road and says, “I’ve only been here about ten minutes. I saw a bunch of women leave with smiles on their faces. I’m guessing you did amazing, just like I knew you would.”
“It was so much fun,” I gush with a huge smile on my face. “I loved teaching them, and some of them are in college. They told me they always feel scared walking across campus at night but that they already feel safer after tonight’s class.”
“That’s really amazing,” Nikolai says, bringing my hand to his lips so he can kiss it. “I’m so proud of you.”
His words hit me hard. He’s the only person to ever use those words with me, and it means so much that all I can do is squeeze his hand and try not to cry like an overemotional pregnant woman. I manage to rein it in and say, “Adam told me you threatened him.”
Instead of looking guilty or feeling ashamed, he lets out a deep laugh. “Fuck yeah, I did. I told him if anything happened to you that I was going to rip his fucking nuts off.”
I laugh and shake my head. “God, you can’t threaten people like that.”
“Sure I can.”
“You know his fiancée was so intimidated by you that she couldn’t even bring herself to talk to you.”
Nikolai holds up a hand in defense before turning onto our street. “I never threatened her.”
“No, but you can be damn intimidating when you want to be.”
He shrugs his broad shoulders. “Before you, I didn’t have a reason to be happy.”
It’s my turn to kiss his hand, which makes him smile as he pulls into the driveway. He leads me into the kitchen, surprising me with takeout from my favorite local Italian place and a big salad that he actually made himself.
“Don’t look at me like that,” he says with a laugh when he puts the colorful salad in front of me. “I do know how to cut some damn vegetables.”
I stab a forkful of veggies and lift a brow when I see tiny mandarin oranges mixed in.
“What? I was reading how important folic acid is when you’re pregnant,” he says, as if it’s no big deal at all that he’s been reading up on how best to take care of me and our growing baby. “So make sure you eat all of it.”
“Now there’s the bossy man I know and love,” I say around a huge bite of salad.
“And there’s that classy girl I fell in love with.” He laughs and says, “I’ll never forget how sexy you looked devouring that cheeseburger in the club.”