Page 13 of Natasha
"He's lucky I'm not stepping in there with him tonight," Silas muttered, his blue eyes flashing in a challenge to the man they had named as James. He slid his arm up from Natasha's waist and firmly settled it across her shoulders in plain view of everyone in the room. "Ballsy fucker, looking at her like he knows her."
Sam crossed his arms, stepping up on the other side of Natasha, the two men forming solid pillars of protective muscle on either side of her. It was a comforting feeling, having them both so close. Natasha felt herself genuinely relax. Her fight or flight instincts, which were still humming from earlier in the night, eased slightly at their presence.
"I'll keep an eye on her when you go in," Sam said to Silas.
"Don't let him fucking near her," Silas ordered, jaw clenched. He was currently locked in a staring match with James, who, much to Silas' frustration, winked cheekily at Natasha before finally turning away.
"He's barely gonna breathe her air," Sam replied with a curt nod.
Silas let out a deep sigh and gave Sam a thankful look. "I owe you one."
Sam gave him a broad smile. "Don't you always?"
Silas rolled his eyes at his friend before he turned to Natasha and cupped her face in his hands. "I gotta go back and get ready. I'll be out in a few minutes for the fight. Stay close to Sam while I'm gone."
Natasha leaned into his touch. "I will," she said.
His eyes moved over her face, and he leaned closer to her, lips brushing her cheek. "Promise me."
Natasha raised an eyebrow at the big blond. "Again?"
"Natasha…" Silas huffed at her, fingers tightening ever so slightly where his hands covered her neck. She wanted to roll her eyes at him and say that she could take care of herself, and maybe on any other night, she would have. However, Peachtree's attack and the downright predatory look in James' eyes had her begrudgingly nodding.
"I promise," Natasha sighed finally.
"If he comes near you, I want you to knee him in the balls and scream for Sam," Silas told her before he pressed a quick kiss to her forehead, the touch so fast and so gentle that it shocked her into stillness.
Once again, all the noise and every last person around her vanished, and Natasha could only marvel at Silas' ability to affect her so deeply. This man was dangerous, she decided, looking up at him. A beat passed with the two looking into one another's eyes, and then Silas turned, melting away into the crowd with a confident stride. He never looked back, but Natasha wasn't surprised. Not with what he was about to face.
"How long you two known each other?" Sam asked her once Silas disappeared from sight.
"Well, that depends, really," Natasha said. She tapped her chin thoughtfully. Madeline had been coming to the dance studio for nearly a year, but until tonight, she had never spoken a single word to Silas.
Sam raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"Well, let's just say that I've admired him from afar for a while now is all," she replied with a smile.
Sam snorted. "You admire him? I think you have that backward, beautiful," he said with an appraising look, but Natasha didn't shrink away from his gaze like she had with James or even Peachtree. There was something warm and trusting about Sam like he was the goofy kid brother she had never had.
"You're sweet," she said after a moment.
"You're thinking I'm the dorky brother you never had, aren't you?" He let out a mock sigh of defeat, but he was smiling at her.
"Very astute." Natasha laughed, thoroughly enjoying Sam's lightheartedness.
"Eh, that's what all the lookers say." Sam shrugged. He nodded to the black chain cage in front of them. "Come on, let's get a decent spot. I'm sure Silas is going to want to show off for you tonight."
Natasha felt her heart flip-flop at the thought, and she nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes. Lead the way." She slipped her hand into Sam's, following him through the crowd, which seemed to melt away in front of him. When they were nearly dead center of the cage, he stopped.
"Stand here," he said, pointing in front of him. "Sometimes the crowd is rowdy. I'll never hear the end of it from Silas if they get too close to you."
Natasha practically skipped into place in front of Sam. "Why thank you, sir," she said, throwing him a grateful look.
"Ah, ah." Sam wagged a finger at her. "You keep that 'sir' stuff far away from me. Make a grown man weak with it. I know the tricks."
Natasha bit her lip in chagrin and turned her eyes back toward the cage. She went still when she noticed the room had gone quiet. The quiet lasted for only a moment more before loud rap music blasted from speakers all over the warehouse. Behind the cage, she could see a man walking out. He was large, almost as big as Silas, with colorful tattoos covering his pale skin. He was a redhead like she was, and Natasha smiled at their shared kinship before she remembered she most certainly didn't want him to win.
The man stalked into the room, a small entourage behind him, all of which worked to push back the crowd that was now eagerly surging forward. The man's face was impassive, eyes focused on the cage in front of him as he made his way to the center of the cage.
