Casey blinked, both at Sissy’s blinding outfit and the tension she felt among the four women in front of her. She was more than glad to cut that conversation short. “I’m ready.”
The class leapt right into it, punching and kicking and shuffling as Casey instructed, and when Casey told them to imagine an attacker’s face, they actually yelled out names. She thought she heard at least one person mention Brandon, but it went by too quickly, and there were too many voices for her to be sure. He had apparently made quite an impression on this bunch.
Most of the women stayed for the half-hour abs class at nine, and when that was over they begged for a preview of self-defense, which Sissy had planned for the next day.
“She’s exhausted, ladies,” Sissy said. “Give her until tomorrow.”
The women moaned, disappointed, so Casey gave in. “I don’t mind.”
Sissy frowned. “You have to be tired.”
“I am, but it’s nothing sleep won’t cure.”
“If you’re sure.”
The ladies cheered, and Casey took a position in the front of the class. “So what are the three most important things when it comes to self-defense? Anyone know?”
“Strength!” someone yelled out.
“Pointy fingernails!”
“A good right hook!”
“Confidence.” That was from Krystal, who seemed to have more than her share of it.
Casey nodded. “All good stuff. Especially the fingernails.” She grinned. “But there are three you haven’t mentioned that should be at the top of your list.” She held up a finger. “Number one—speed.”
Some of the women sniggered.
“Don’t laugh, ladies. Your best chance of surviving an attack is to run away. Let’s face it, a self-defense class can give you some good skills, but as a woman being assaulted by a man, your chances are less than good. Surprise, and getting the hell out of there, are your best friends. Got it? You have a chance to take off, you do it. No questions asked. Number two.” She held two fingers up. “Any guesses?”
“Don’t be stupid?” Andrea said.
Casey pointed at her. “Exactly. Don’t be stupid. Do everything you can to prevent an assault. Don’t walk to your car alone in a dark parking lot. Take a friend if you go shopping at night. Make your own drinks at a party where you don’t know anyone. Lots of you younger women–” she pointed out several, including Andrea and Krystal “—think nothing can happen to you. Let me be the first to tell you…it’s not true.”
Krystal cocked her hip. “So tell us your story. If you know stuff can happen, you must have firsthand experience.”
“Another time.” Wouldn’t that be great? She could tell the whole group how she’d killed a man just two weeks earlier. That would go over well. And the cops would be on the doorstep by the time class was over. Casey held up three fingers. “So what is the final, and most important thing you can do to take care of yourself? What do you need to do to keep yourself safe?”
Sissy giggled. “Carry a gun?”
Several other women laughed.
Casey shook her head. “So a man can take it from you and put it to your head?”
Sissy reddened. “I was just joking.”
“A lot of women see self-defense as a joke. It goes back to what I said about people thinking it can’t happen to them.”
“So what is it?” Andrea asked. “The most important thing?”
“Awareness,” Casey said. “You have to pay attention to what’s going on around you. If you think someone’s following you, you’re probably right. Take actions to get to a safe place. Notice where the shadows are. Where people could hide. If a man’s looking at you funny, get out of his sightlines. Find a public place. Hold your car keys between your fingers. Never underestimate your opponent. And never, ever turn your back on someone you don’t trust.”
The women stared at her, some with their mouths hanging open.
“I thought this was a self-defense class,” Death said from the back row. “Not a ‘scare them shitless’ class. You got a little intense just then.”
Casey cleared her throat. “Sorry, folks. I just…this stuff is so important. I want you all to be prepared.”
“So,” Krystal drawled, “are you going to teach us any moves, or are we just going to leave here scared to death of getting raped and murdered on the way back to our condos?”
“Of course,” Casey said. “You want to be my first volunteer?”
Krystal gave her that sultry smile and sauntered to the front. Casey could see Laurie wasn’t the only woman in class who