Sports were a damn good outlet for any violent tendencies. Or maybe they just fed them. It was a little too hard to tell some days of the week. But at least if he knew he was aggravated about something he could just lay into someone at practice, take a few hits that weren't advised and it was typically worked out of his system. It was usually all that he needed. Apparently he wasn't getting that outlet anymore. That whole practice twice a week wasn't doing the trick. Or maybe James pulled out more in him than any tackle dummy or defensive lineman could ever begin to work out.
Noah made the trip to his room with Natalia following him in stony silence. Aside from his heavier than normal breathing and the crack of his knuckles as he flexed them once or twice. Yep they were tender, but that bit of pain was at least reaching his brain. That was a good sign. The sound of the door closing registered as well. He really did need to get ahold of this. Hated that he could get this close to out of control because a dickhead like James opened his mouth. But that wasn't just it. It was the way what he said just seemed to... pull the floor out from underneath Natalia. That wasn't the girl he'd known for so long. That was what made him want to beat the other man into oblivion.
It was one thing to physically hurt a woman, something that Noah could never forgive, but it was a lower level of hell that you ought to be sent to when you managed to break what was inside.
Noah scrubbed his hands over his face, as Natalia began to talk. Just the sound of her voice, the apologetic tone... she had no need to apologize for anything... it was just, he'd heard it too many times and not from Natalia. Never from her and that was what hurt the most. "Nat..." he began, heels of his hands still pressed against his eyes for a moment longer. "Please, you don't have to apologize for anyth-" and then there were the tears and her crumpled form. His stomach plummeted to some place that he'd hoped it would never go. He didn't even remember crossing the space of the room but there he was pulling her up from where she had fallen on the floor.
Was there really anything he could say at that moment? If there were he'd never known them. All he could do was hold her as he moved them towards his bed, the closest available seat.