Damaged!: A Walker Brothers Novel: (The Walker Brothers Book 3) Read online

  “You’ll love traveling,” Mary said enthusiastically. “I love my job because it takes me to so many different places in the world.”

  “I’m sure it will be okay,” I said, without much enthusiasm. I was too concerned about meeting Dane to think about anything else.

  This job has to go well. I don’t have a plan B.

  Mary patted me on the shoulder. “I have to get into my seat. We’ll be landing soon.”

  I shot her a weak smile as she went to sit in one of the cream leather seats behind me and fastened her seatbelt.

  Really, I had no idea how all this was going to work out, but I had to get along with Dane Walker. My survival depended on it.

  I didn’t know what exactly I was required to do as Dane’s assistant, but I was willing to do most anything to keep a high-paying job that would lift me out of the world of poverty I’d been stuck in my entire life.

  I worked hard, but I never got anywhere. I didn’t have a college degree, so there was very little hope of bettering myself. The only thing I’d known was how to stay alive.

  Everything will be fine. Paige wouldn’t have let Trace and Sebastian send me here if it wasn’t a good opportunity.

  I missed Paige so damn much. She’d not only been my best friend for years, but my only true friend. I was desperately hoping I could get to her wedding. Trace had told me that he wanted me to help Dane get organized so he could attend Sebastian and Paige’s big event, so obviously Dane would be going to the nuptials. Since the wedding was in the serious planning stages, I knew the date would be set soon. Would my new boss be willing to give me time off so I could attend the wedding? Since he’d be going to the ceremony, maybe he wouldn’t need me for a while.

  I flinched as the tires of the jet hit the runway. The sound was still unfamiliar to me.

  As I took a deep breath, I tried to convince myself that everything would work out okay. I just needed to make myself agreeable to Dane Walker, and deal with the fact that I was going to be doing things very much alone on the private island.

  The difficulty was that I hated being completely alone. Maybe I didn’t have many real friends, but I’d always lived in the city where there were distractions. If I had too much time to think, I’d end up conjuring up memories I wanted desperately to forget.

  I waited as the jet continued to taxi and it finally came to a complete stop. Mary was already getting my suitcase out of the closet and handing it to the pilot when I rose from my comfortable leather seat. I gathered my purse and my overnight bag which was holding my computer.

  Everything I have fits in an overnight bag and one suitcase.

  My roommates and I had all contributed to buying the threadbare furniture we’d had in our New York apartment. They were only items I’d partially owned, and I’d forfeited any claim to them when I’d left.

  Not that any of the furnishings were worth splitting and moving to another place, but it was kind of pathetic that I could now put everything I owned into a carrier that I wheeled behind me.

  “Good luck,” Mary said sincerely as I reached her.

  I peeked outside, and I noticed that my suitcase was being loaded into a black limo on the tarmac. “Thank you. For everything,” I answered, grateful that I’d had somebody to talk to during the long flight.

  I smiled at Mary as I moved toward the steps. I was immediately hit by a burst of warm, tropical wind as I moved down the stairs.

  “I’m definitely not in New York anymore,” I muttered to myself as I made my way to the car Dane’s brothers had arranged to meet me here at the airport.

  When I’d left New York, it had been well below freezing, and we’d just gotten a brutal winter storm. Being here in the Bahamas was like arriving in a whole new world.

  Looking around curiously, all I saw was concrete because we were still on the runway, but I couldn’t wait to see more of the island. Despite my nervousness, this job was going to be an adventure, and I wanted to savor every moment.

  I hurried to the car as fast as my sensible heels would get me there. I decided almost immediately that the long-sleeved dress I was wearing was much too warm for the climate here. And the stockings I was wearing were already sticking to my legs from the humidity.

  The warmth was welcome.

  The humidity…not so much. Especially in attire that was meant for a cold climate.

  I’d wanted to impress Dane by looking professional, so I’d dressed in a green wool dress that I’d found at a thrift store at Christmas, and matched it with a basic pair of low-heeled shoes.

  As I approached the vehicle, an unknown male in a loud, flowered shirt got out of the driver’s seat.

  “Ms. Jordan?” he asked in a friendly voice.

  I was taken aback by his politeness. Nobody called me Ms. Jordan.

  I reached out to grasp the large hand he was offering. “Please call me Kenzie,” I requested, smiling at him even though I was nervous.

  The big bear of a guy had sparkling brown eyes and skin so brown that I suspected he was a native. When he spoke, I knew for sure he’d been born and raised in the tropical environment.

  “I’ll call you whatever you want me to,” he answered in a laid-back Bahamian accent.

  “Then definitely call me Kenzie,” I said as I finally pulled my hand away from his strong grip. “Do you work for Mr. Walker?”

  “I do,” he confirmed. “I have been working for him as long as he’s lived here on Walker’s Cay.”

  “He named the island after himself?”

  “Oh, no. He named it after his father,” the big man answered.

  I felt my heart clench as I thought about what had happened to Dane. “And what should I call you?” I queried.

  “You can call me Theo. That’s my name,” he said jokingly as he opened the car door.

  I looked into the back seat, knowing I’d feel awkward sitting behind Theo. “Can I sit in the front?” I queried hesitantly. “I’d love a front seat view of the island.”

  “Of course you can,” he said magnanimously, moving his large body in a surprisingly agile manner as he jogged to the passenger door.

  I took a deep breath and let it out, feeling more comfortable because Theo was so nice.

  I hauled ass to get into the passenger side of the dark limo, hoping Dane was as kind as Theo was being to me right now.

  I’m going to be safe. I’m going to have a great job.

  The financial stress of the past two weeks was finally going to get better. Who cared if all I owned was in just one suitcase and a carry-on? I was going to be working as an assistant for a world renowned artist, and I’d do everything I could to be useful to Dane.

  Truth was, I was so grateful for this job that I hadn’t taken all that much time to wonder what it would be like to live on a private island with no people except my new boss. And it really didn’t matter. I was a survivor. Always had been. I’d work any job I could find to keep myself afloat.

  Honestly, I didn’t want anybody to find me, and staying on an uninhabited island was as good of a place as any to hide.

  Luckily, I’d scored a high-paying job, which was something I hadn’t expected. But I swore that no matter what it took, I’d impress Dane Walker so he never wanted to be without a personal assistant—me in particular—ever again.

  CHAPTER 2

  Kenzie

  “You for sure gonna burn that fair skin of yours, Kennie,” Theo said with concern in his voice as he flew like a bat-out-of-hell down the road leading out of the airport.

  I smiled, not bothering to correct him on how to pronounce my name. His lilting voice was relaxing, and the way he spoke was calming. “I’ll get used to it, but I probably will burn first. We haven’t exactly had much sun in New York.”

  Theo’s driving didn’t bother me. I was, after all, coming from New York City.
/>   I sighed, knowing my blonde hair and fair skin wasn’t the best complexion to have in a tropical environment. I rarely tanned, and if I did, it was after I’d already been burned to a crisp. I wore quite a bit of foundation makeup, and it had a pretty strong sunscreen, but the rest of my body would be fair game if I didn’t protect it.

  “Don’t stay out long at first,” he warned.

  “I won’t,” I assured him. “Do you live here on the island?”

  I was curious about Theo, and what he did for Dane. We were both employees of the island’s owner now, and I was hoping we could become friends.

  “Oh, no. I live on New Providence with my beautiful wife and my daughter. I use Mr. Dane’s boat to get here and back home again every day.”

  I knew the capital city of Nassau was on New Providence, so he obviously lived in a more populated area. “He has boats?”

  “Yeah. Several. I use one of the smaller boats to take myself here and back to Nassau.”

  “What exactly do you do for Mr. Walker?”

  Theo shrugged. “Anything and everything. I’m his driver, property manager, handyman, and his friend. My wife comes out to the Cay a few times a week to clean that huge home of his, and to do general housekeeping.”

  “So he does live here alone?” I mused.

  “Not anymore,” Theo answered with a grin. “You’re here now.”

  “I wonder how he’ll feel about that. Does he have a guesthouse for me?”

  “No need. His home is enormous.”

  I had assumed I’d probably have to live in Dane’s residence, and I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about that. Although I’d always had roommates, I had always had my own place away from my work.

  “What about a studio?”

  “Oh, yeah. He has a big glass building for his art. He paints good.”

  I bit back a laugh. Dane’s paintings were more than good. They were extraordinary.

  I’d love to have Dane Walker as a mentor. I just hoped he’d let me sketch or paint with him on occasion, and possibly give me a few tips. I’d do my best not to bother him, but if he let me watch his technique, it would be fascinating.

  I can’t make a pest of myself. My number one priority is to help Dane.

  Any dreams I had of bettering my art skills were secondary to doing my job, but a woman could hope.

  I was quiet as we hit a road that appeared to skirt along the island’s coast. “Wow. It’s beautiful here,” I muttered aloud.

  The blue water of the ocean and the white sand beaches left me speechless. A sense of peace flowed over me as I stared at the beach, mesmerized by the azure waters, and the gorgeous sand. The land on the opposite side of the vehicle was just as stunning. The bright flowers, palm trees, and the green of the plentiful plants was one of the most incredible sights I’d ever seen.

  “Very beautiful,” Theo agreed readily. “I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.”

  I sighed. “When I left New York, it was cold and snowy. It seems almost surreal to be here now. It’s so warm.”

  Theo chuckled. “It gets warmer.”

  I imagined it was a lot hotter during the summer, but at the moment, I was enjoying the mild winter in a tropical climate. Unfortunately, I’d never had the chance to see a lot of Los Angeles during my brief time in California, and I’d never traveled much outside of New England. New York had been my only real adventure, and that had turned sour really fast.

  I soaked in the scenery as Theo navigated the winding road around the island.

  “Can you tell me what Mr. Walker is like?” I asked hesitantly.

  “Cranky most of the time, but don’t let that scare you away. He’s lonely, even though he doesn’t want to admit it.”

  “How cranky?” I questioned nervously.

  Theo shrugged. “Mostly, he doesn’t have much to say. But once you get past the crusty exterior, he’s a good man.”

  “Does he like company?”

  “Don’t know. He never has visitors,” Theo said in a sad tone. “I think he’d like to have his brothers come see the island, but I don’t think he ever asks them to come.”

  “They’re the only close family he has,” I mentioned thoughtfully.

  I knew Paige and Sebastian were both worried about Dane. He hadn’t made it to Denver for the holidays, and he hadn’t left the island at all for quite some time. Paige had yet to meet Dane, but I knew she wanted to finally make the acquaintance of the one member of Sebastian’s close family that she hadn’t seen face-to-face.

  Part of my mission here was to make sure that enough work was lifted off Dane so that he’d come to Paige and Sebastian’s wedding, and I was determined to accomplish that task for my friend.

  Seeing as every Walker was filthy rich, I found it odd that his family had never come to visit here. All they’d needed to do was jump into their private jet. I knew Paige would love it, and I couldn’t understand how Trace and his wife could not enjoy a quiet vacation on the island.

  “He needs his family,” Theo said quietly. “He’s been on this island alone too long. I’m here during the weekdays, but I’m usually off somewhere taking care of Mr. Dane’s property. He paints alone all day. Being by himself that much isn’t natural.”

  “Why does he hide himself away here?” I questioned.

  “Says he likes his privacy, but he really doesn’t. He was scarred after the accident that killed his father and his new stepmother, inside and out. I’m not sure what wound hurts him the most.”

  My heart fell when Theo mentioned Dane’s injuries. “How bad is it?”

  “Not all that bad anymore,” Theo said. “He makes it much bigger than it needs to be. Over the years, they’ve done surgery and skin grafts to fix the worst of it. For sure, his body is marked in ways that will never be healed, but I think his heart aches worse than his body now.”

  For a moment, I could almost feel his pain as I imaged a man who hid himself away from the world. A loner, not by choice, but by circumstance. “I hope I can help him,” I said wistfully.

  “Oh, I’m thinking that you can. You seem like a nice woman,” Theo answered in a mischievous tone.

  “His scars won’t bother me,” I insisted.

  “Then he might eventually come to accept you in his house.”

  I stopped looking at the island scenery and turned my head to look at Dane’s caretaker. “What do you mean?”

  “He ain’t gonna like it.”

  “Like what?” I asked in a panicked voice.

  “Mr. Dane isn’t going to like the fact that you’re here at first, but hopefully he’ll get over it.”

  “Wait! He knows I’m coming, right? Trace and Sebastian told him?”

  Theo shook his head. “He don’t know anything. I guess his brothers thought it was better to send you here rather than to give Mr. Dane a chance to refuse you. Mr. Trace called me directly and asked me to come and pick you up. I told him I’d do it, but it wasn’t my place to break the news to the boss.”

  My heart stuttered as my mind tried to deal with the fact that Dane didn’t even know I was coming. He didn’t know that Trace and Sebastian were sending him help.

  The fact that nobody had informed Dane about me ticked me off, but those feelings were secondary to a fear I couldn’t suppress. “What if he doesn’t want me? What if he sends me home? I really need this job,” I whispered hoarsely in a horrified voice.

  Coming to work for Dane Walker had been my salvation.

  Sadly, very soon it might become my ruination. If Dane Walker wasn’t willing to let me stay and work for him, I wasn’t sure what in the hell I was going to do.

  CHAPTER 3

  Dane

  SEVEN YEARS AGO…

  I was glad to get back to my island.

  I’d just seen my brothers for the first time in almost
a year, and even though I missed them, the meeting had been awkward for me.

  Yeah, I’d enjoyed the holidays, and my brothers’ company, but I hadn’t liked the horrified looks I’d gotten when I’d gone to Denver to shop one day for Christmas gifts.

  Mommy…he’s a monster. Look!

  The terrified voice of the child in the mall kept ringing through my head as Theo drove me back to my house. I’d arrived via helicopter. I’d eventually put up an airport, but most of my attention had gone into building my home.

  Maybe I am scary to a kid.

  The little girl’s mother had scolded her daughter and hauled her away, mumbling apologies to me as they hurried out of the electronics store.

  Still, I couldn’t forget how frightened the child had been once she’d seen my face.

  Granted, I’d just had some corrective surgery, and my mug had been covered in bandages. I probably shouldn’t have left Trace’s place, but I’d had a sudden attack of guilt once I’d realized I hadn’t been off Walker’s Cay to shop before arriving in Colorado.

  “Glad you’re home, boss. Your crazy puppy missed you,” Theo informed me jovially.

  That got a small smirk out of me as I rode in the passenger seat while my caretaker drove me home. I’d probably missed my potcake dog more than he’d missed me. Picasso, my young canine, had been my only real friend. The black and white menace with floppy ears hadn’t given a shit that I was scarred up and broken. All he’d wanted was a safe home, food, and affection. In return, he gave me unconditional love.

  I wished the world was that simple. Unfortunately, life with people was a lot more complicated.

  “I’ll be happy to see him,” I finally answered, watching as my house came into view.

  “My Emilee will be happy to give him back to you,” Theo joked. “He’s been whining since you left.”

  “I’m sure Emilee spoiled him rotten,” I answered. Theo’s wife was in the house with my crazy pup. She was a damn angel, and I doubted that she’d be happy to relinquish care of any creature.