Logan (Chosen Champions #1) - Macy Blake Page 0,35
What do you do?”
And again, Bailey went with his first instincts and tried to pull Logan’s arm away. Logan lifted him easily, using Bailey’s grip against him, and walked backward a few steps. “And six. You’re out and I’ve taken you into an alley.”
“Fucking hell,” Will said. “That’s crazy.”
“How do I get out of that?” Bailey asked.
Logan repositioned them and showed Bailey how to spin down and away from the arm that held him. He then had Bailey shove him back and use the momentum to get his footing and run.
“Wait,” Ashley said, “so I move into the hold? That doesn’t make sense.”
“Not into it. Watch.” Logan held Bailey again. “If he spins toward the arm that’s holding him, watch what happens.”
Bailey tried and failed to escape. “It got tighter.”
“Yep. Move away from the arm that’s holding you. Down and around, then push.”
Bailey demonstrated the movement a few times, getting the hang of it pretty quickly.
“The key is pushing me away, giving you an opening to run. Everyone with me?”
They paired up again, and this time Logan left Bailey’s side to make sure everyone had the technique. After he helped them, Logan returned to Bailey.
“Okay?”
“Yeah,” Bailey said. “Just intense. I’ve never really thought about how to get away as a guy, you know? Which is stupid. And then I see Gideon with his hands on Ashley’s neck, and it freaks me out even worse.”
“That’s the thing,” Logan said softly. “You think you won’t be freaked out if someone has their hands on you? When you’re feeling this way is the best time to practice. You’ll know what to do when you’re afraid. Let’s do it again.”
Bailey stepped into the hands Logan held out.
Logan carefully closed them around Bailey’s throat and gently squeezed. “Go.”
Bailey spun down and away, sprinting a couple of steps before coming back. “That felt easier.”
“Yep. The more you get used to the movement, the easier it gets. Now let’s do the other one. It’s harder.”
It took a few more tries before Bailey got the hang of the choke hold from behind. He finally got the feel of it and became more fluid in his movements. Foot back, shoulder down, pivot, push.
“Better.”
Bailey grinned at him and did a little happy dance. “That one’s scary, but yeah, I think I’ve got it.”
Goddess, Logan wanted nothing more than to pull him close and kiss those smiling lips. He managed to keep his hands to himself and smiled in return.
“Ready for the next one?”
“Let’s do it.”
Logan pretended not to be affected by the double entendre of the words. He got everyone else’s attention and prepared to do the next movement he wanted to show them. They all seemed confident, and Logan didn’t scent any fear in the air. He’d seen it happen before, and usually the next couple holds triggered anxiety.
“So before we get started, I want everyone to think about our goal for the first couple moves. It was to get away, right? You want to break the hold and run, and I want you screaming your head off as you go. Be loud, get attention, and run like hell. Got it?”
Everyone nodded.
“These next holds are scarier because you’re going to be on the ground. We’re going to take these very slow. This first one will be someone straddling your hips and choking you from above. Bailey.”
Bailey looked a little worried but lay down on his back. Logan gently sank down over his waist. “You good?”
Bailey nodded.
“We’re going slow, okay?”
“I’m good.”
“Okay, now if I’m holding Bailey’s neck in this position, how does he get away? The instinct is to buck and squirm, right? But you don’t have leverage. Let me show you how to get it.”
Logan demonstrated the movements, putting Bailey’s hands and feet where they needed to be to successfully flip Logan off him.
The first time he did it, Bailey grinned from ear to ear. “Holy shit.”
Logan stood and smiled back. Bailey flung his arms around Logan’s waist but then backed away as quickly. “Sorry, sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry.”
Joey snickered, but Aleron cuffed him on the back of the head. “Don’t mock the mating habits of the awkward and inexperienced.”
“Awkward!” Bailey squawked.
“Inexperienced?” Logan barked.
Aleron cracked up laughing, and the heavy tension that had been in the air eased. He winked at Logan, and after he processed that Aleron had read the room better than him, Logan nodded his thanks.
“Yuck it up, wise guys. Joey, you’re next. Show Aleron how it’s done.”