Darkness Before Dawn

phone all day and the one time she did call me, I couldn't answer mine. Everything is exactly as it was that day. That horrible day. I don't think I can deal with any more heart palpitations.
    "Let's go," I demand. "We're going to Mark's. That's where she was going when I spoke to her."
    I call Connor's cell phone again and this time he picks up. He tells me that he left Blake with Aubry in the apartment earlier tonight and hadn't checked in since he'd been busy.
    "I'm going to Mark's."
    "Don't bother, he left the office after we did. Dude, you don't even know what happened..." Connor says before he proceeds to explain.
    Needless to say, I feel like absolute shit that once again I wasn't here when she needed me the most. I know there's nothing I can do about it, my only options are to quit my job or take her with me everywhere I go. Since she's not going to let me do either one of those, I need to figure out another solution to this. The worst part is, I wasn't even working today. Not that I was any less busy, but on top of not being here for her, the fact that I was a car ride away and ignoring her calls because I was under pressure to finish shit...it doesn't sit well with me.
    "So she met her dad?" I ask to be absolutely sure.
    "Yeah, man. It wasn't pretty. She walked out of there...it was bad, Cole. She was pretty fucking upset."
    "Fuck," I mutter. "Thanks. I have to keep looking."
    "Hold on," Connor says as he switches over to the other line.
    I put the phone on speaker and place it on the seat next to me as I crack my knuckles and try to figure out who else to call. Aimee! I haven't called her yet. I'm about to hang up the phone, but Connor comes back to the line and apologizes.
    "I know where she is," he breathes.
    "Where?" I ask on edge.
    "Green's with Aubry."
    "Did she just fucking call you?" I growl, not able to hide my annoyance about it.
    "Nope. Dean did."
    My mouth pops open in disbelief. I close my eyes and take deep breaths to control the rage I feel rippling through my body. "I need to get to Jimmy Green's, Bruce," I say through gritted teeth, trying to figure out why the hell neither she nor Aubry decided to let me know they were going to a sports bar.
    "She called him, Cole. Remember that when you get there."
    I let out a harsh laugh. "Oh yeah, that makes me feel so much fucking better, asshole. Fuck. Why would she call him?" I mumble to myself.
    "I don't know, but...just be careful. Dean's nice, but don't try him, dude."
    "Don't try him? Are you fucking kidding me?" I shout.
    "Just be smart and rein in that temper of yours before you find yourself in some shit you don't wanna deal with. Get Blake and get out of there. I wish I could go, but I still have some shit to take care of."
    I hang up with Connor and place my elbows on my knees while I will myself to calm down. I know I need to be open-minded about this. Blake wants her answers and he's one of the only people willing to answer her, but fuck. And what the fuck is Aubry thinking? I'm going to kill him when I see him. I can't wrap my head around why she would contact him and have him meet her at a bar. I decide to call Aimee, which ends up being a bad idea because she tells me that when she left our place Blake and Aubry were already pretty drunk. So Blake drunk dialed Dean, lovely. This just gets better and better. I'm working my ass off trying to build something for us, and she's calling a guy that helped kidnap her behind my back. I shake my head in amazement and turn my attention to the city lights around me. At least she's okay, that's all that matters.
    When we pull up to the bar, I take one more minute to calm down before wiping my clammy hands over my dress pants and getting out. I look inside and see Aubry sitting in the bar watching highlights of the game and I anxiously look around for Blake. When I spot her looking beautiful yet sad, so fucking sad, in a dark booth with a guy sitting across from her, I close my eyes and count to ten. I see that Spencer isn't far away from her and is watching them intently, and that calms my nerves some. I walk in and go straight up to Aubry and smack him in the back of the head.
    "Shit. What the fuck?" Aubry says, ducking his head and glaring at me. "Oh. Cole."
    "Oh. Cole?" I growl. "Oh, Cole? Where the fuck is your phone?"
    "Out of battery," he slurs, his blue eyes glazed over.
    "You're so drunk."
    He laughs humorously. "So is Cowboy!" His eyes widen when he realizes his own words. "Shit. She's