Page 50 of Natasha
Chapter 10
When Silas opened the door to his apartment, it wasn't to a scene he expected. He had anticipated finding Natasha in his bedroom while James watched television in the living room. The punk had always been after this entertainment center. Instead, what he found was James and Natasha sitting on the floor with the coffee table covered in takeout containers. Scratch that; there wasn't just food on the coffee table, there were food containers on the counter as well.
It was everywhere.
The pair looked up at his entrance, and Natasha gave a little wave of the chopsticks she was holding, her mouth stuffed with noodles.
"What the hell happened in here?" Silas looked around the room in shock. He pinned James with a glare. "When I said to feed her, I didn't mean to stuff her full of crap!"
James rolled his eyes at Silas. "What are you talkin' about? This is good food. Ain't it, doll?"
Natasha bobbed her head, mouth still full, and snagged a chicken wing. "S'good," she managed to get out around the food in her mouth.
"It's not healthy." Silas flicked a finger against a fried chicken container. "Where the hell is the nutrition in an ice cream cake?" he blurted out, poking a finger at a half melted ice cream cake that had a spoon jabbed into the center.
"Ah," James said as he waved his mostly full plate at Silas. "She was hungry. I fed her, so what if it's not all salads and veggies? You probably shove enough of that down her throat, anyway."
"He gives me bacon and carbs," Natasha interjected.
"Baconandcarbs?" James raised an eyebrow at Silas. "Oh, so it's okay when you do it, but when I do it, it's too much. It's 'who needs an ice cream cake?' Classic."
Silas put his hands on his hips with a sheepish look on his face. "I don't give her that all the time. And she hadn't eaten all day that day. She needed the carbs."
"Yeah, yeah. Just jealous because I'm way more fun than you." James gave Natasha a conspiratorial look. "Word to the wise, I'm the one who's gonna let you enjoy yourself."
"The hell you are. You're going to give her diabetes is what you're going to do," Silas muttered. He came to sit beside Natasha with a huff and put his arm around her shoulders. "He mind his manners?"
"He did. We watched a movie and ordered all of this. We were playing cards." She held up a hand of cards to show him. "It's been fun."
"That's because I'm fun." James winked at Natasha.
Silas glowered at James. "I'm fun, too."
"No, you're not," James said with a flick of his hand and jerked his thumb at himself. "You're her Daddy. All you do is make rules. I'm the fun uncle."
Natasha grinned. "Fun uncle?"
"You're not a part of this, punk," Silas grumbled.
James snorted before he unfolded his long legs and stood up. "Everything go all right?" he asked, shifting the conversation to a more serious topic. Natasha swallowed hard and put her plate down. The thought of food was suddenly not as appealing as it once had been.
Silas glanced over at her before he gave a curt nod. "Wasn't much of a problem. Just like I thought."
James crossed his arms over his chest. "He have anyone with him?"
"Just one other idiot."
Natasha cleared her throat. "Wh-what happened?"
"Not much. Found him and his friend. Let them know you were off limits. You won't hear from him again," Silas replied. He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Don't look so worried, Tash. He's gone for good."
She bit her lip. "How do you know?"
"Oh, he knows, all right," James said, pulling on his jacket to leave. "If Silas paid him a visit, then he won't be comin' around anymore."
Natasha frowned. "Bu—"
"Trust me, doll." James gave her a gentle smile. "Drop it."
