I hated how his words aligned with Connor’s fears.
I hated how Jason was right.
38
Connor
“What in the hell do you think you’re doing?” Marie snapped as she burst into my office.
I’d been working on overdrive the past few days, avoiding facing reality with Aaliyah, and the fact that Marie came barging into my office left me stunned. She didn’t even notice Damian, who was sitting in my office chair.
I raised an eyebrow. “I’m sorry, did I miss something…?”
“Is it true you are seeing Aaliyah?”
Jason must’ve brought his mother into the loop, and that was the last thing I wanted to deal with. I didn’t want to face the fact that Aaliyah was sick, that she was dying. I didn’t want to face the fact that there was truly going to be a day where she wasn’t around. So, the last thing I needed was Jason Rollsfield’s mother in my face hollering at me about what was going on between Aaliyah and myself.
“Listen, Marie, this isn’t a good time right now.”
“It sure the hell is, and I need you to end it, okay? Whatever it is that is going on between you and Aaliyah needs to come to an end.”
It already had, but I didn’t need her to know that. All I needed from Marie was for her to leave my office.
“Whatever is going on between Aaliyah and myself is none of your business, Marie—”
“The hell it isn’t,” she spat out, pacing my office as if she’d lost her damn mind. “No. No. She has to be with Jason. They are meant to be together! I didn’t go through all of this for her to end up with you!”
“What do you mean you didn’t go through—”
“Leave her alone, Connor. She’s not yours to have. I fought for this, fought for her, and I’ll be damned if you come in and ruin this for my family!” she barked, tears sitting sternly at the back of her eyes. “End things, or else,” she said sternly before pushing her purse strap higher on her shoulder, turning around on her heels, and marching out of my office.
As she was leaving, Damian looked at her with a raised brow, but didn’t say a word. He then looked over toward me, confused.
“What the hell was that?” he asked.
“I have absolutely no fucking clue.”
“Well, regardless of that, you look like shit,” he stated. I knew I looked like shit. I hadn’t slept in days. My mind was working in overdrive, and I couldn’t focus on anything but the idea of Aaliyah dying. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing. I’m fine.”
“Bullshit. What’s going on?”
“Just work stuff.”
“Bullshit again. I know your looks when work stuff is bothering you. That isn’t it.”
“Can you just drop it, Damian? I don’t want to talk about it,” I snapped. Yeah. I snapped at him. I felt guilty about it instantly, too. “Sorry. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”
“Obviously. Like I said—you look like shit.” He took a seat across from me. “Is it something with Aaliyah?”
“I’d rather not talk about it.”
“Yeah. So, let’s talk about it. What happened?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose and shrugged. “Nothing. I ended whatever it was that we were doing with one another. I figured it was best if I focus on work instead of putting my focus in other places.”
He snickered. No shit, Damian actually laughed. “You got scared, didn’t you?”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I do. I’m not an idiot.” He paused and cleared his throat. “Is it because you found out she was sick?”
I looked at him, stunned by his words. “What? You knew?”
“Yup.”
“How?”
“I told you, I researched her. I did digging when I realized you liked her to make sure she had no skeletons in her closet.”
“And you found out she was sick?”
“Yup.”
He said it so calmly, which pissed me right the hell off. “Why the fuck didn’t you tell me?!”
“Because I knew you’d push her away, which clearly that’s exactly what you did.”
I raked my hands through my hair. My blood was boiling as Damian told me all of this as if it wasn’t dire information that I could’ve used. If I knew Aaliyah was sick, I would’ve never let my feelings grow in the way they had. I would’ve never opened up. I would’ve never allowed myself to fall.
I knew better than this.
I knew better than to get close with someone.
“You should’ve told me,” I said.
“I’m glad I didn’t.”
“What the hell do you mean by that? You wanted me to feel shitty like this?” I barked as the rage built more and more.
“No. I just wanted you to feel.” He shifted in his chair and leaned forward. “I get it, man. I’m heartless. I don’t feel deep for anyone. I wasn’t built that way. But you’re different. You were made to love, but you let your fear of losing people get in the way. I knew if you found out Aaliyah was sick, you’d push her to the side because of fear.”
I knitted my brows together and grimaced. “That’s not why I stopped things with her. I stopped because she lied about it.”
“But she didn’t.”
“Omitting telling me the truth is a lie.”
“I don’t tell you when I go to shit, but that doesn’t mean I lied about it. It just wasn’t something I told you.”
“I’m being serious, Damian.”
“So am I. Stop acting like she’s some kind of devil because she didn’t tell you how bad off she was. You’re acting like a dick.”
“Fuck off a bit, will you, Damian?”
“Nah. I’m good.” He made himself comfortable in his chair. “Let’s unpack this situation.”
“There’s nothing to unpack.”
“There you go lying. Your baggage is heavy, shit, maybe heavier than mine.”
“What do you want me to say?”
“That you pushed Aaliyah away because you’re scared of her dying.”
I started shifting paperwork around on my desk. “I really don’t have time for this, Damian. So, if you don’t have anything work-related
