Strings (1 of 2)

Chapter 50 - You Don't Know Me

[Nathan's POV]

I feel her whole body tense against me before I even process her name being called behind us, making me jump to alert.

I look down to Emily and her eyes are the biggest I have ever seen. There's fear in them, but also another look - like she is silently begging me to not start something right now. It's a split second look before she turns towards the voice and I follow.

"Cory..." she says in a polite but cautious tone. Not her normal one, she's on edge.

I look over the prick in front of her. He's about my height, maybe a little shorter, and he has short black hair - almost a buzz cut. He has a grey tshirt under his open plaid shirt with jeans - overall he looks like a bumpkin... other than his eyes.

There is something off about him. The way he looks at her... I don't like it. Not only in a jealousy way - although that is a main part - but also in a dangerous way. There's something ugly behind his eyes.

Who is this guy to her? Another ex?

Fucking Christ if it is.

His eyes graze over her slowly, unnecessarily slowly, in a creepy glare as he smirks and licks his lips sloppily. She shrinks a little under his stare. I can see her trying to process what to say and failing. All the colour has left her face as she stands there speechless.

"How long has it been, sweetheart?" He sneers and the anger I'm trying hard to control starts to boil over. Emily still doesn't seem to have any words yet and stands there, panicking, making me hate this guy even more.

I stand up straighter, taller, and take a step forward, just slightly in front of Emily to block the two of them. His two buddies behind him take a step forward, staring at me with dumb, daring looks. I'll fight all three if I have to - I don't give a shit right now.

Cory moves his eyes to me finally and off of her. He smiles - a smile that is eerie to even me - and starts chuckling.

What the fuck does he think is funny?

"What do you want?" I glare at him, clenching my fists to keep from hitting one of them right now. We were having a great time and he just had to come fuck it up.

I glare at him, challenging him, as I wait for his reply to my question, but it doesn't come.

"Emily," he turns his attention back to her, looking past me and making the rage boil further to the surface, "I can hook you up tonight if you want? On me. Old times sake." He smirks at her.

What the fuck does that mean?

I turn to look at her as her eyes widen and she shakes her head adamantly, not looking up to me.

"No, thanks, Cory. We were just leaving actually."

"We were?" I ask, raising my eyebrows. Now she's starting to piss me off. Is anyone going to tell me who this is? I have guesses, but none of them are good. None seem accurate when I look at my girl beside me.

"Yes." She says, still staring at Cory. I look back to his still smirking face. I would pay anything to punch that smirk of his face right now.

They seem to be having some silent battle as neither breaks eye contact.

Finally, I step forward in front of her and turn my back to him, cutting their staring off and forcing her to look up at me.

"Let's go then." I say through my teeth, holding in all the questions and thought racing through my mind.