Chapter 53 - Natasha

                                    

                                          
My fist connects with Blair's face and she lets out a grunt at the impact. She didn't even bother blocking me, she just takes the hit, and a bit of blood drips down over her bottom lip. 
She smirks at me and we go back and forth for a bit; She lands a hard punch to my jaw, and I put her in a few holds, two of which she manages to get out of, but the third makes her tap out with a groan. Then her phone goes off so she runs to grab it and I stare at Elena who was watching us with wide eyes. 
"You're both just so fast." 
I motion for her to join me and she stands in front of me, a little nervously. She's mostly practiced with Blair and I think she's a bit intimidated to fight me. 
"Put your hands up," I tell her, nodding as she clenches her fists and holds them up. "Good. Don't be like Blair ok? Make sure to always protect your face."
She chuckles and glances back at Blair who is giggling on the phone, probably talking to Colin. She really misses him, but she's determined to stay here with us until Mathias is dead. I appreciate her for that, it's nice having her here. Plus Dorian likes her weapon knowledge and training, and I think the team leads are all in love with her. Except maybe Jensen who seems preoccupied with his two strippers lately. 
But Blair is completely in love with Colin, and none of the team leads are scummy enough to try and change her mind. They've been perfectly respectable. Though I think Marshal is secretly pining for her, I always catch him just staring at her when she's around him. 
Elena looks back at me, raising her fists in front of her face again and I decide to continue our lesson from a few days ago when I had Blair put her into submissions that she had to get out of. She had some trouble with it. She can get us into submissions just fine, but she seems to have some confidence issues when it comes to getting out of them. I suspect it's just her body shutting down when she feels constricted in that way, but I know she can do it. 
"Although, it's doubtful your enemies will attack head on," I tell her, and she takes a deep breath as I circle behind her, "I've taken your guns, I've taken your knives and your hammer. I'm bigger and stronger than you, and all you have left to protect yourself with is you." I wrap an arm around her throat from behind and lock it in place with the other. "What do you do?" 
She struggles in my hold for a second as the initial panic sets in but then she forces herself to calm down. I taught her how to do this, she just needs to let her body do the work. 
Her hands wrap around my arm and she bends her knees, sitting back into me and keeping her elbows tucked to her body. 
Then she freezes and I chuckle in her ear, "we've been through this Elena, an attacker won't wait for you to get over your fear. He'd have you restrained already." 
"I know, I know," she mutters, "I just don't think I'm strong enough." 
"You are," I tell her. "Besides, it's all in the momentum. A kid could do this to an adult. You can definitely do it to me, and anyone else who tries to hurt you." 
"Ok," she says, nodding her head and squeezing her eyes shut. 
"You can do this."
She pulls down on my arm and bends her body forward as she straightens her legs and I'm flipped over her. I hit the mat with a thud and Elena looks down at me with a big smile on her face. 
"Now what do you do?" I ask her. "I might be down, but I can still hurt you." 
She has one of my arms in her hold so she falls back into an armbar. 
"Don't be afraid to pull harder, Elena. You want to break their arm." 
She tightens her hold and pain shoots up my arm. I tap on her leg over my neck and she lets me go instantly.