Page 59 of My Destiny

After Chris drops me at the office, he heads back to the penthouse. I’ve arranged extra security to get Brooke safely to and from work this morning. She’ll probably be pissed off, but it’s a necessity.

“Morning, Claire,” I say, when I find her waiting for me in my office. There’s a pile of files in front of her.

“Morning.” She eyes me as I walk around the desk, removing my jacket before taking a seat. “Someone got out of bed on the right side this morning.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I get out of bed on the right side every morning.”

“You’re always pleasant enough to be around,” she says. “But that permanent smile that’s been planted on your face for the last few days is nice to see. I gather things are going well with Brooke.”

“She makes me happy, Claire. Happier than I’ve ever felt.”

The grin on her face grows. “It shows.” She’s been nagging me for years to find a healthier balance between work and my personal life.

This company has been my life since I took over, but I can already feel the shift. I was never in a hurry to get home in the evenings, sometimes working until late into the night, but now that’s all I think about. I can’t wait for the end of the day to come, so I can go home—to her.

“While we’re on the subject of Brooke, I need you to get forms from deed poll, so she can legally change her name.” I fucking hate that she still hashislast name.

“Any news on Jake?”

“No. We had a close call on the weekend, but he managed to slip through our fingers.”

“I hope they catch him soon,” she says.

“Makes two of us.”

I pick up my phone when it dings.

Really? Four security guards? That’s overkill, don’t you think? Two of your goons rode in the back of the limousine with me, and the others followed us in another car.

I chuckle to myself as I write my reply. I knew she wouldn’t be impressed.

It’s my priority to keep you safe. x

I throw my head back and laugh at her next response.

When I got to the studio, the four of them surrounded me like a human shield. So, so, so over the top! I felt ridiculous. Two of them are sitting in the reception area as I type this, and the other two are manning the door. I ended up having to tell Ellen, my boss, what’s going on, which is something I didn’t want to do.

To be honest I hate this as much as she does, but until Jake’s caught, I’m left with no choice.

I know you didn’t want them to know, babe, but it’s probably for the best if they do. What if he shows up there? x

A few minutes pass before she replies.

You’re probably right, but I hope I don’t lose my job over this.

I’m sure that won’t happen, but I jot down ‘Call Ellen’ on a piece of paper that’s sitting on my desk. There’s something I need to discuss with her anyway.

Standing, I grab my jacket from the back of the chair. “Rose,” I say, as I walk past her desk. “I’m stepping out briefly. I won’t be long.”

“Okay, Mr. Cavanagh.”

I have some making up to do.

I smell the delicious aroma the moment I step out of the lift. It’s after six, so Jill should’ve left by now. It’s rare for me to see her in the evenings, but I always have a cooked meal waiting for me when I get home, which I appreciate. Even though that’s what I pay her for, she goes above and beyond her job description, and looks after me well.

Placing my briefcase down in the foyer, I set off in search of my girl. “You’re home,” Brooke says, when I enter the kitchen.

“I wanted to come home hours ago, but I had a lot of work to get through.” Closing the distance between us, I pull her into my arms. “I’ve been missing you all day.”