Page 40 of Natasha
"And I won't tell anyone if you get me ice cream." Maddy continued with a serious look on her face.
"Thank God for small favors," Silas muttered, tugging Madeline after him toward the door. "Goodnight, Ms. Natasha," he said with a grin.
Natasha gave him a slight wave. "Sir."
The heat in his gaze at her goodbye had her squirming, and by the time she got home, she was achy with need. How did one man manage to do this to her? And just with a single look?
"I'm out of control," she sighed at herself, falling against her couch. Natasha had begun to formulate a plan to get her head back on straight when she was interrupted by the buzzing of her phone. Picking it up, she sat up straight, seeing a message from Silas.
Come over tonight, Ms. Natasha?
She giggled at the message, already moving from her seat on the couch and hurrying toward the door. So much for her plan to get control over herself, she thought with a shake of her head as she walked to the subway station and keyed in a response.
Of course, Daddy. Be there in thirty.She hit send and tucked her phone into her bag with a smile on her lips. It was fun to play with him like this, but they would have to figure out what to do, eventually. She hadn't yet decided how to handle interactions at the school, a place so wholly within the grasp of her family.
For the entire subway ride, Natasha mulled over how to handle her family. Keeping things with Silas secret, for now, seemed the best course of action, and she was confident they would be ready to take on the Ochenko women soon enough. Natasha was still lost in her thoughts as she approached Silas' building and was about to text him that she was nearly there when a familiar voice called out to her.
"Natasha!"
Natasha whirled on her heel, looking around for the voice, but she didn't see anyone immediately. She shook her head, thinking that she might have misheard someone else in passing, but then a hand was on her arm, pulling her back. "Natasha! It's me!"
Natasha had a momentary panic, thoughts of Peachtree flooding her mind's eye, and she stumbled back with a gasp. She sucked in a deep breath and tried to regain her composure. Peachtree wasn't here; there was no possible way he would be grabbing her across from Central Park. It was then she saw who had grabbed her. A face she recognized. A woman, not Peachtree.
"Woah, sorry." Ashley gave her a weak smile. "Didn't mean to scare you."
Ashley was Natasha's height, a slight blonde woman who had danced with Natasha in her first company. They had been friends but had fallen out of touch when Natasha had moved to France for a summer. It was easy to lose track of people in the dance world, and the last she had heard of Ashley, the woman had moved to Australia.
"It's nothing. Just jumpy." Natasha gave her a tight smile. "I thought you were down under."
Ashley grimaced. "Please, that lasted like six months. Everything down there tries to kill you! I got back to civilization as soon as I could."
Natasha grinned, instantly remembering why she'd befriended Ashley in the first place. She had always been lighthearted and honest, with a quick wit, whereas the other ballerinas had been nothing short of hostile to her. It had been nice to have a friend then, and it was nice to see a friendly face now.
"I can imagine. Come here." Natasha held her arms out to Ashley and smiled when the other woman hugged her tightly.
"I heard, you know, about what happened," Ashley sighed with a frown. "I should have called."
"No, no. I wouldn't have answered. You know that."
Ashley rolled her eyes. "You're right. I do know that. What have you been up to lately?"
"Teaching at the school."
"The school? You mean your family's?" Ashley asked with a surprised look on her face. It was no secret how much Natasha had itched to put distance between herself and the women of her family.
"Ironic. I know." Natasha laughed. She shook her head and hitched the strap of her duffle bag higher on her shoulder. "It's something to do."
"Do you like it?"
"It has its perks but…" Natasha toed the sidewalk with a sigh. "It's all right, for now, you know."
"Of course. For now." Ashley nodded. "Which brings up something I want to talk to you about."
"What?"
"There's an audition forLa Bayadère. Nat, you would beamazingin any one of those shade routines, and you know it!" Ashley clapped her hands and stepped closer to Natasha. "Please tell me you'll audition."
"Oh, I don't know."
