Darkness Before Dawn

subject," I mutter, trying to fight a smile.
    The side of his mouth turns up a little more and his eyes grow sad. "You know when you love someone so much that you make them miserable? You push them away any chance you get because you know they can do better than you. It kills you, but you do it anyway...because you know, you just know that they can't possibly be happy with you. That they'll figure out at some point that you're a piece of shit and they're so much better and they'll leave you anyway?" I nod slowly, blinking back tears.
    "Well, that's what happened. And now I can't get her back."
    The tears I was trying to blink back begin to run down my face and I wipe them quickly as Connor looks at me, his own eyes clouding. He clears his throat loudly.
    "I told her I didn't love her anymore...like that," he continues. "Fucking ripped my heart open, but I had to."
    "Wow," I say, my voice barely audible. "That's messed up. You're worse than I am."
    He nods. "I'm worse than a lot of people are, Blake."
    "You're not. The big guys never are," I say, shaking my head and offering a smile, making him smile back. "So are you still in love with her?"
    "Always have been, always will be. She knows that too. She let me walk away because she was hurt and hurt more with what I told her...but she's not stupid. She knows she has my heart forever."
    "Do you think love conquers all?" I ask quietly.
    "I hope so. If it doesn't, we're all doomed," he replies seriously.
    My phone chirps while I'm washing the dishes and I lean over to look at the screen.
     
    Cole: I miss you.
     
    I smile at the screen and wipe my hands to respond.
     
    Me: I miss you more. Thinking of going to Mark's.
     
    Cole: Be careful.
     
    Me: Taking Connor.
     
    Cole: Be careful.
     
    Me: I got that part.
     
    Cole: K I love you. See you later.
     
    Me: Love you too.
     
    I smile at the screen for a couple of seconds before I shuffle off to my room.
    "Con, I'm going to Mark's. Wanna come?" I ask once I'm dressed in presentable clothes.
    "I guess. He know we're going?" he asks with scrunched eyebrows.
    "Nope. Figured we can show up and sneak in there in between his meetings. I have to get some papers he owes me from a while back anyway," I say with a shrug. He agrees and helps me finish cleaning up before we head out.
    We have Bruce and Spencer meet us downstairs and make the drive to Mark's office, but when we get there, Connor says that he can't go inside. I give him a confused look and he explains that nobody can know that he's Mark's nephew because "shit will get ugly", his words. I contemplate heading back home, but Connor assures me that he doesn't mind waiting in the car with Bruce while Spencer goes inside with me. I shrug off my worry and head up to Mark's office with Spencer on my tail. Everything about this place is so familiar; it's oddly comforting, all things considered. Once we reach the firm's lobby on the eighteenth floor, I see one of the Barbies behind the desk. She sees me and her smile goes from brilliant to snarl before it fixes on fake.
    "Hmm. Miss. Brennan, do you have an appointment?" she asks, clearly annoyed. I'm taken aback by her attitude, she's never been nice to me but this is just...weird.
    "No, I don't. Do you think you can squeeze me in between appointments?" I ask, watching her expression sour suddenly. Before she can answer me, the door that leads to the offices opens and Mark and a couple of men in business suits walk into the lobby. They're all so lost in conversation that they don't look around or notice me. One of them is an older man with salt and pepper hair that looks familiar, but I can't place him. As I study his face, my phone vibrates with a message in my purse.
     
    Connor: Abort mission. I have to get home ASAP.
     
    I look at the message for a couple of seconds before I reply.
     
    Me: Abort mission? Lol I'll be quick. He's already out here.
     
    Connor: Alone?
     
    Me: No. Saying bye to clients.
     
    I stay staring at the phone, but his reply never comes, so I put it away and look up. The men are still talking and I decide to walk a little closer to make my presence known to Mark. Both of his clients are wearing black suits and have serious yet easygoing expressions on their faces as they speak. The other man is probably in his fifties and has brown hair and light brown eyes, he has a laid back smile that I find myself entranced with. I don't realize how close I've walked to them until the three of them turn their