He came to me with empty hands. They wouldn't stay that way. Colin was my karate instructor. He was a sixth degree black belt. But that wasn't all I noticed. He had a commanding voice that made me want to do anything he asked of me. His hair was dark with some gray through it. That, along with his steel-blue eyes, made him a very attractive person from whom to take orders. He always wore a short sleeved shirt instead of the Gi top which made it possible to see his huge arms. He seemed to be solid muscle the whole way down but his loose Gi pants prevented me from seeing anything else. I spent several weeks desperate to please him. I did crunches and push-ups until my body ached. I would practice at home only to forget the technique in class every time I felt his eyes move in my direction. And I blocked until my arms were covered in bruises. I wanted so much to earn his approval. Then one tragic moment in my life and his tenderness sparked my longing to earn his attention as well.
I was seeing my boyfriend at the time, Andrew. When I went to check on him in my office where he was studying for his psychology class, I found him rather angry for no reason whatsoever. I stepped in to put my mail on my desk when he grabbed it and ripped it up.
"Andrew, why did you do that? How would you like it if I ripped up something of yours?" I had my finger on his notebook. That's it. I wasn't intending anything. But his eyes gave me a look that sent fear down my spine. He got up in a second, put his hands on my shoulders and threw me against the wall. My heel dented the drywall. In that instant, I moved to free myself from his next blow. He reached out and grabbed my throat. He was so big and so strong. My limited training seemed to be no help. Every time I tried to remove his hand, he just blocked my efforts. Finally, when it was over and he released me, he retreated to our bed. My arms were bruised from his blows. My throat was sore where he grabbed me. My ankle was hurt where it had been buried into the wall. I sat in my living room crying. I called the only man I trusted at that moment. I called Colin.
The phone rang and he answered, "Hello?"
"Mr. Parker? This is Tiffany. I'm sorry to bother you with this but I didn't know who else to call."
"No, it's okay Tiffany. What is it?"
"Tonight, Andrew," I paused trying to check my tears before they started to fall again. "He grabbed me. He was so mad. I don't know what I did. He threw me against the wall and then..."
"Tiffany, are you all right? Is he still there."
"He's here. I don't know what to do." I could hear the bedroom door open. "I got to go, he's coming out of the room." I went into the office and locked the door.
"I'm on my way over." Colin said just before he hung up.
I could hear Andrew at the door. I didn't know what he might do to me but I wasn't opening that door. "Tiffany open up."
"No. Just go away."
"Open up or this is coming down."
"Go away!" I screamed. But I could hear him banging on the door. It began to shake as he pounded. Next thing I knew, it burst open. He stood there in front of me. I was terrified. He began to scream at me.
"Get out of here. These are my things and I don't want you messing them up!" He grabbed me by my wrists and pulled me from the chair. His fingers dug into my flesh. I tried to pull away but could not. He just clamped them tighter. Out of no where a hand grabbed the back of Andrew. It was Colin.
"Leave her alone!" He yelled as he freed me from my abuser. He was amazing. He looked at my crying eyes and the bruises on my arms. "My God, Tiffany. Stay here." He said as he softly touched my cheek. Andrew was backing away from him as Colin turned to him.
"She came at me, Colin. I was just defending myself."
"Really? Than why is she the one with bruises? Real men don't hurt women. You want to hurt someone? Hurt me." He said as he walked towards my attacker. He stepped forward with a roundhouse punch to Andrew's jaw. From that moment on, it was a lecture and a beating all in one. Colin through him against the wall, "If you ever lay one hand on her again, you'll regret it for the rest of your life." Andrew tried to push him off. But Colin kneed him square in the groin and elbowed him in the face on his way down.
Colin backed off for a moment until Andrew tried to punch him. Colin blocked it and then punched him again followed by a spinning back kick to the stomach. "You get the hell out of here and don't ever come back." He picked him up and dragged him to the door where a policeman was waiting for him. "He's all yours now. Sorry he didn't come quietly."