The smiles ended the moment Evelyn Cross stepped onto the mat.
Until then, everyone inside Iron Summit Dojo thought it was funny.
They thought the quiet woman in the gray hoodie had wandered into the wrong building.
They thought the best fighter in the room had found an easy way to entertain the class.
They thought one friendly match would be harmless.
Especially when the man choosing her was Victor Kane.Victor was twenty-nine years old, undefeated in every local tournament he entered, and proud of reminding people of it. He stood barefoot at the center of the mat in black gi pants and a sleeveless training top, shoulders wide, arms roped with muscle, black belt tied low around his waist.
He smiled like a man posing for a poster.
“Come on,” he said, pointing at Evelyn with two fingers. “Let’s make this fun.”
The students laughed.
Evelyn stood near the wall with her arms folded, a small gym bag at her feet, silver streaks in her dark hair, calm eyes watching everything and giving away nothing.
She was forty-one.
Not old.
But old enough for the twenty-year-olds in the room to dismiss her.
Old enough for Victor to think she was safe to humiliate.
“You want me?” Evelyn asked.
Victor spread his arms.
“Just a friendly match. Nothing serious.”
His grin widened.