Page 86 of My Destiny

“I’ve been so worried about you,” he says. “Pat reassured me earlier that you were doing well, but I feel much more relieved now that I can see it with my own eyes.”

“She’s been discharged, so we thought we’d pop in and see you before we left.”

“I’m so glad you did.” Although he’s replying to Logan, his eyes never leave me. A ridiculous smile lights up his face, and I hate myself for actually liking it.

It’s twenty-six years too late, I remind myself. He can’t just come into my life after all this time and expect to have a relationship with me. If my mother had listened to him all those years ago, I wouldn’t have even been born.

“I’m surprised Kathleen isn’t here,” Logan says, pulling his uncle’s attention away from me.

“She was here earlier,” he replies, rolling his eyes. “But when she started to scream at me, the nurses told her leave.”

“You’re lying in ICU with a gunshot wound and she screamed at you?” I can hear the anger in Logan’s voice as he speaks.

“You know what she’s like.”

“I honestly don’t know why you put up with her.”

I stand there in silence as John and Logan talk. His wife sounds like a horrible woman, and from what Logan tells me, she is. I can’t help but wonder why he chose somebody like that over my mother. He couldn’t get a better woman than her.

The resentment I was lacking when I walked into this room comes back full force. I have so much to say to this man, but now is not the time. When that time comes, though, he’s not going to know what hit him. Somebody has to stand up for my poor mum—it’s not like she ever had the chance to do it. She gave up everything for me: her life, her career, even him. I’ve often wondered if she’d done as he asked that day, would they have stayed together. But I know my mum; once she found out she was the other woman, I doubt she would have stayed with him. Despite her deep love for him, she had morals and self-respect.

My mother was the kindest, most giving person. All I wanted for her was to find the happiness she deserved. That was always my wish growing up, every time I blew out the candles on my birthday cake and wished on every falling star. I wanted that so badly, but he stole that from her. He ruined her life.

My breathing becomes laboured and I have a tingly sensation in both my arms as my anxiety grows. The compassion I was feeling a few moments ago is quickly replaced with anger and contempt. My nostrils flare, and my heart races as I struggle to get enough oxygen into my lungs.

“I need air,” I say, turning and rushing from the room. Coming to see this man was a huge mistake.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Logan

“Are you sure you’re okay?” I ask Brooke for the umpteenth time. I had one of the doctors look her over in ICU, and he assured me she was just hyperventilating, but I’m still concerned.

“Yes, stop worrying,” she answers as the taxi pulls away from the hospital. I know Chris would’ve come and got us if I called him, but I didn’t want to wait. I wanted to get her home.

“What happened back there?”

“Nothing,” she says, turning her gaze out the side window.

“Brooke.” I reach for her hand.

“Just drop it.”

My fingers remained laced with hers as I settle back into my seat. I know it has something to do with my uncle; I’m sure of it. It was selfish of me to encourage her to go and see him. I knew it would brighten his day, but I didn’t stop to think of the effect it would have on her.

“I’m sorry,” I say, tightening my grip.

Her focus moves back to me. “Sorry for what?”

“For making you go and see your father.”

“You didn’t make me,” she replies in a clipped tone, “and that man is not my father. He’s nothing more than a sperm donor, and a lousy one at that.” She sighs heavily as she rests her head back into the seat. “Can we just not talk about it?”

“Okay.” I bring her hand up to my mouth, letting my lips linger against her skin. The last thing I want is for this to come between us.

She leans her head down to rest it on my shoulder. “I’m sorry I snapped at you, Hot Stuff.” Her pet name for me never fails to bring a smile to my face. “I’ve got so much going on inside my head. I just need some time to process it all.”

Her words tug at my heart. She’s been through so much in the past few days, I can only imagine the cluster-fuck that’s raging in her head right now. “Take all the time you need.”