No.
Right before he must’ve been about to slam her, she slid away. Her shirt remained in the guy’s hands which gave all of us a great view of her red lace bra.
I would have bet a thousand ruble the bra was what made the big guy give up the fight. He had a good opportunity to yank her back down. Instead, lust filled his eyes as he took in the bra and those full breasts jiggling in the fabric.
A silly grin lit up his face.
I walked around Pavel and slowly pushed through the crowd.
Those who hadn’t noticed my entrance did now. Including my mouse.
She stumbled away, wiped her bloody nose with the back of her hand, and had the nerve to curve her lips into a smile. “Is it time for dinner already?”
“No.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Then…”
I turned to the big man on the ground and gave him all my attention as I unbuttoned my suit jacket. “You fight well. What’s your name?”
Shock replaced the lust on his face.
I growled, “Name?”
“A-anton.” He took a while rising from the ground. “She—”
“Emily,” I corrected.
“Yes.” Anton remained on the ground. “E-emily told me to attack her. She wanted to learn—”
“Of course she did.” I took off my jacket and handed it to Pavel who’d been grinning the entire time.
Emily swallowed. “Kazimir, can we talk over here?”
“After I’m done. Right now I want to meet Anton.” I unbuttoned my shirt. “And you’re very good at systema?”
Anton followed my hands as I undid every button. “Y-yes. I’m okay.”
“Okay or good?”
“I’m…good.”
“Let’s see.” I took off my shirt.
Pavel grabbed it. “Kazimir, would it be rude to make a bet?”
“Go ahead.”
Pavel yelled at the crowd. “I put a $1000 on Anton. Who wants in?”
No one jumped in on that bet.
“You’re getting old, Kazimir.” Pavel smiled at Anton. “Do you think you can win? I don’t want to lose my money.”
Anton raised his hands. “I-I don’t want to fight the l-lion.”
“You don’t want to fight the lion?” Pavel frowned. “But you would rather fight a little woman?”
“S-she wanted to learn.”
Emily walked over to me and kept her voice low. “Kazimir, what are you doing?”
“I wanted to see what was going on in the building.” I cracked my neck on the right and then left. “When I can’t see, I come looking for myself.”
Put those goddamn cameras back on! Someone in the brotherhood is threatening you, and you’ve got a bunch of strange, hungry criminals around you.
She widened her eyes. “Maybe, we can find a way for you to see.”
“How?”
“Cameras, but of course that would be something we discuss. You can’t just put cameras in here. I’m sure you know that.”
I gritted my teeth. “Then, we’ll discuss it later. For now, I’ll have some fun.”
Anton opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Pavel pulled out several large bills. “My money is on Anton. No one wants in?”
I fisted my hands and glared at Anton. “Are you too tired to fight? Or did my mouse wear you out?”
The crowd snickered.
Anton probably didn’t appreciate their humor, and so he went with vanity. Wrong move.
“No, I’m not too tired.” Anton dusted himself off and stood. The man even towered over me. I didn’t know what his parents had fed him long ago, but he’d eaten them out of their house for sure.
I shook my head. “Really, mysh? This is who you decided to fight?”
She got to my side. “He was teaching me.”
“It was more than that.”
Emily’s fighting Anton wasn’t just about learning. She wanted everyone around them to know the mouse could hold her own. That even the biggest guy in the room, she could give a hard time, and she could do it without the lion near.
But I gave you men so you would never have to fight again.
I stepped into my mouse’s makeshift rink, a dirty, bloody cement floor that had seen better days.
Worry hit Anton’s face, but he shifted into a fighting stance anyway.
I remained calm and stepped close to him. “Have you taught her the main principles of systema?”
“I have.”
“But you’re not relaxed.”
“I am.” Anton looked down at his stance.
I lunged forward, striking his face and then punching his jaw. I could’ve hit his temple and knocked him out, but I was trying to take my time as I proved a point.
Anton stumbled back.
“One must stay relaxed. That way you’re ready for any sort of movement. Fast or slow. In any direction.” I dove for him.
He ducked.
I got him on his right.
He stumbled back.
“You’re not breathing.” I moved to my left.
He jumped away.
“Your breathing should be continuous, uninterrupted, and have a pendulum-like quality to it.” I waved my arm from side to side. “See.”
He nodded.
With the other hand, I slammed him in the throat. He crashed into the wall.
“Kazimir!” Emily sounded from behind. “That’s enough lessons for today.”
“But we haven’t finished all of the principles.”