WACK! WACK! WACK! The sound of skin against the duffel bag was the first sound that April Brimms heard as she opened the door to the gym she had signed up at for her self defense classes. The second sense was the smell: sweaty males quickly followed by grunts and groans from the two men in the middle of the ring.
"Are you here for the self defense class?" A man she hadn't realized was waiting by the door behind her asked.
"Yes, actually I was-"
"Locker room is all the way down to the other side." He pointed her to the right and went back to looking at the two men wrestling in the ring.
April took a deep breath and pulling her backpack closer together on her shoulders, she headed in that direction, glancing around the gym.
Most of the people occuping the gym were males. They was quite a few of them watching the men in the ring. Others were toning their muscles in the cornor across from the locker room. The cornor closest to the door had an office door with the bold words, Do Not Enter across the middle of it. The last cornor had ellipticals and exercise bikes. No one was in that cornor.
She went into the locker room and almost turned back around when she saw a man coming out of the shower without his towel. He was very handsome and winked at her before grabbing a towel and wrapping it around his waste.
"Sorry, I must be in the wrong room."
He chuckled. "No, sugar, you're in the right place. Gym like this only has one locker room. We don't get many shy females here so it hasn't been much of a problem."
"I'm not shy. I just wasn't expecting to walk in and see a guy's junk for the world to see."
"If you got a dick as great as mine, the world is lucky to see it." He stretched a hand in her direction. "The name is Darren. Are you here for the self defense class?"
"April and yes. How'd you know? Do I look out of place?" She gave him her hand for a brief shake before pulling it back quickly.
"Nah. I just haven't seen you around before. Pretty face like yours, one is sure to remember. I'll be the one teaching the class today." He walked around her and unlocked one of the lockers, grabbing clothes from it. "I suggest you look away unless you want another look."
April jerked her head away from him, ignoring his laughter.
"Do I just chose a locker or do I get assigned one?"
"Long as it doesn't have a lock on it, it's free for the taking. I'll meet you outside after you get changed."
"Are there others coming?" She opened a locker door and shrugged her backpack off her shoulders, placing it inside. She was already wearing a baggy black shirt and a pair of gray sweats. "I don't need to change. This is what I'm planning on wearing."
He looked down on her clothes, his eyebrows raising. "You sure? It'll be easy for someone to grab ahold and swing you."
"I didn't think about that." She paused. "I didn't bring any other workout clothes."
He smirked. "You got a sports bra on, honey?"
"No way. I'm not going to prance around half naked for all you overgrown men to stare. I might not be very pretty but I still don'tfeel that comfortable with no shirt."
She had a good set of breast, them being a size D and even in her sports bra, it was hard to contain them. If she had to go half naked, then she would just go home and screw getting her money back.
"I'm just letting you know ahead that just because you're a lady, I have no plans to take it easy on you." He walked from the locker room, leaving April alone to debate taking her shirt off or not.
Half an hour later there was a group of five women including April stood around the ring watching as Darren easily brought his opponent down wrapping his legs around his waist and his arms around his neck until the other guy tapped twice on Darren's leg before Darren let him up.
"That was called a rear naked takedown, ladies, a near impossible hold to escape from. What wewill be doing is along those lines. I will be teaching you first how to escape a hold. If someone grabs ahold of you, you first need to escapse that hold before you defend yourself." He walked over and braced himself on the top rope. "Make no doubt about it, you will be able to defend yourselves when you finish this class as long as your attacker isn't more experienced than you are. The more you practice on your own the better you will be."
One of the other ladies raised their hands. "So you're saying anyone can kick our ass?"
Daren stood straight up, his face darkening. "I am teaching you to defend yourself, not to kick someone's ass. If I believe you will use what I teach you to kick your neighbor's ass for sleeping with your boyfriend, then we'll be done."
The lady scoffed. "We paid good money for this in this shitty gym. We paid for your service so whatwe do with what we learn should be none of your concern."
"Out." He pushed one of the ropes down, swinging his powerful body to the ground. "This 'shitty gym' as you put it is my home. You will not disrespect it nor me. Expect no refund and get your ass out of here." His body stood at least a foot above her and he used it to his advantage, towering over her, his face a dark, hard mask of anger.
She paled before nearly running to the locker room to grab her things, coming back out not five seconds later and leaving the gym for good.
Laughter filled the gym from all around, nearly everybody but the newbies smiling.
"Think she about pissed herself." A voice called to Darren from across the gym.
"There's always one that you can scare away isn't there, Darren?" Another voice called out.
Darren shook his head, smiling slightly, his face no longer threatening.
"Ladies, if you disrespect me or the gym, then you're out. Other than that, learn to take a joke." He looked around at the remaining four women before landing on April in her baggy shirt and smiling. "Come on in to the ring, April."
April took a deep breath to steady her already shaking nerves. Taking the few steps before pulling herself onto the ring where he held two of the ropes apart so she could slip between them.
"I see you didn't want to change your clothes." He followed behind her onto the ring, remaining a few feet from her.
"I told you before I didn't bring any other clothes and there's no way I was prancing around half-naked." She ignored the fact that the other three women were wearing sports bras and no shirt.
"You're going to regret that." He took a step towards her, in which she took one step back. "Ready for this?"
April put her fists up in front of her body in answer. She was watching him earlier when he was fighting with the other guy. He was fast even though he was a big guy. She would have to keep on her toes to even be able to dodge him.
