CHAPTER 4
Dane
THE PRESENT…
“I’m never going to be able to please everybody,” I said grumpily as I tossed my paintbrush aside and examined the large canvas in front of me.
I’d been working on the painting for months. I was fairly satisfied with the piece. But I knew—just like I always did—that every painting I did was subject to individual interpretation. Some people would love the art. Others wouldn’t. That was the problem with being an abstract artist. Two totally different individuals would have two separate opinions about what the picture said to them.
I stood and moved restlessly toward the house. As far as I was concerned, the painting was finished. I’d poured my emotions into the art on the canvas. It would be entirely up to the viewers to decide if the piece was relevant to their life…or not.
I rolled my shoulders as I walked, trying to get the knots of tension out of my upper back. I’d have Theo take the abstract and ship it to a gallery in New York City. No doubt I’d make good money from the painting, but at my level of wealth, the income meant very little. I’d doubled my net worth over the last several years, but it was a game, something that kept me occupied. The last thing I needed was more material wealth. Yeah, it had been nice to possess billions while I’d set up my place here on Walker’s Cay. But I had no use for more money. I already had everything a man could want.
Everything except some company.
Sure, I had Theo and his wife to talk to sometimes, and they were both friends. But every once in a while, I wished I could have something…more.
There hadn’t been a woman on the island since my brief relationship with Britney, and I’d learned my lesson well. Sometimes it was better to be alone. The woman I’d fucked for several months two years ago hadn’t been company; she’d been a major pain in the ass.
She’d wanted to be with me only to get back at my brother, Trace, for dumping her. Not that I cared. I’d known from the start that Britney barely tolerated my appearance, and we never had sex in the light of day. The bitch had let me know when she moved out that she’d only hung around for the money I gave her, and the possibility of getting Trace back.
I’d known. I’d always known that she couldn’t stand the sight of me. But I’d wanted some human contact so badly that I hadn’t questioned the fact that she barely managed to let me fuck her. Britney had never been more than a high class prostitute. A very expensive whore.
Settling for what a woman would give me for money ended two years ago. Never again would I feel grateful for a screw. I could get myself off, and not worry about trying to please somebody who had no real interest in me.
“I’m better off alone,” I rasped as I reached the front door of the mansion I’d built on the island. My solitary state had eventually become normal to me. I was resigned to being by myself on my island, even though it wasn’t entirely by choice.
I turned before I entered the front door, my attention drawn to the vehicle that was pulling into the driveway.
Theo. What in the hell was he doing here?
The dark sedan, a vehicle that only came out if I needed to go somewhere off the island, made its way down the long driveway and stopped right in front of my house. These days, I rarely needed Theo to shuttle me from place to place. I preferred to drive myself now that my injuries were completely healed.
I was mostly curious and bemused at Theo’s actions.
Until I saw her.
Not ten feet in front of me, I saw the female exit the passenger side of the automobile, struggling mightily with a carry-on bag and a purse.
“Damn it!” she said in a disgruntled voice as she yanked at the overnight bag that had gotten tangled up with the seatbelt. “Don’t be a klutz now. Not now.”
The small suitcase finally came free, and she stumbled back, trying desperately not to trip over her heels.
She failed miserably.
I flew forward instinctively, wanting to shield her from landing on the hard surface of the driveway.
My body was behind hers as she slammed into my chest. “Easy,” I said in a raspy tone as I steadied her, my arms curling around her waist.
Jesus! She smelled like coconut and sin, and temptation was thumbing through my body just from feeling her sweet, curvy, warm form against me.
I froze, my cock immediately up, my body tense and ready.
Disgusted with myself, I let go of the female as soon as she had her balance.
“Mr. Walker?” she queried in a nervous voice as she slung both of her bags over her shoulder.
“That’s me,” I growled, my primitive instincts barely held in check as I scrutinized her, trying to figure out what had caused my volatile reaction.
Yeah, she was beautiful, and pretty adorable as she brushed her hands down her skirt, trying to get herself together. Straight, long, platinum-blonde hair flowed over her shoulders, and the delicate features of her face made her look a whole lot more innocent than any female could possibly be. She was petite, and had to tilt her head to look up at me with her baby blue eyes. It wasn’t the color that hit me like a Mack truck, it was her expression. Her gaze was completely devoid of any disgust or dislike as she looked up at me expectantly, apparently waiting politely for me to say something more.
“I’m happy to meet you. I’m Kenzie. Your new assistant,” she said in a breathless rush as she held out her hand in greeting.
“Your brothers sent her,” Theo said as he stepped up beside her.
“No! Hell, no!” I grunted.
I stared at her outstretched hand, but didn’t take it.
I was too damned outraged at the moment.
My brothers? Those bastards! They knew I didn’t want anyone else on Walker’s Cay, especially not a damn female.
“Take her back,” I instructed Theo as I turned to enter the house. “I don’t want her here. I don’t need an assistant.”
“You’re being a jerk, man,” Theo answered in a warning tone.
“My island. My rules.”
“I’m taking her up to the blue room,” Theo said, completely ignoring my orders as he took her suitcase from her, and followed me inside. “She came a long way to get here, and she needs a job. You’re not sending her home right now.”
“You actually helped my brothers,” I accused as I turned around to glare at Theo.
“Yeah, man. Because I think they’re right. Between your art, your actuary work, and your hobbies, you need somebody to organize you.”
I hesitated for a moment, not sure what to make of the Theo I was seeing right now. He rarely argued about anything, and I didn’t get why he was doing it now.
“With all due respect, Mr. Walker, your brothers promised me a job,” the woman said in a steady, reasonable tone. “I quit the work I had in New York to come here.”
“And why is that my problem?” I rumbled. “I had nothing to do with them hiring you without my knowledge. They fucked up, and I want you gone.”
I watched as she tucked her long, blonde hair behind her ear anxiously. “Maybe not. But if you have any kindness, please let me stay for a while. This wasn’t my fault, either, and I have nowhere else to go. I have five dollars in my purse. That’s the only thing standing between me and homelessness and starvation.”
Her confession was matter-of-fact, and it got my attention. I wanted to strangle my brothers for putting this woman into this situation. “I’ll give you money,” I told her.
“I’m not looking for a handout, Mr. Walker. I just want to be given a fair chance at the job I was hired to do. Maybe I don’t have a lot of experience as a personal assistant, but I’m a hard worker, and I’ll complete any task you throw at me. I’m an organizer, so I can help take some of the load off you.”
Honestly, I didn’t feel stressed by my workload. Well, I hadn’t—until some drop dead, gorgeous, highly fuckable blonde had walked through my door. Right now, I was feeling downright overwhelmed.
“I don’t need help,” I snapped at her angrily, knowing I had to get away from her before my head was all fucked up.
Not once had she looked at me any differently than she would any other normal guy. She hadn’t noticed my scars, and she didn’t appear to be fazed by my messed up face.
It was a weird experience. I wasn’t used to women looking at me like I was… normal.
“What if you do need it,” she reasoned.
“I don’t.”
“At least let me try,” she persisted.
“No.”
I felt just like the jerk Theo had just accused me of being. I had to give her credit…the woman was spunky as hell, and I kind of liked that. She was fighting for a job, and she didn’t seem to care what I looked like at the moment.
Not only was my face exposed, but I was shirtless, my old wounds readily exposed because of the warmth of the day. She was damn lucky I wasn’t naked, but it hadn’t been hot enough to shuck all of my clothing. I was still wearing an old, comfortable pair of jeans.
“Okay,” she answered in a hopeless tone. “Theo, can I get back to the U.S. in the same plane?”
Yeah. I was an asshole. Looking at the devastated expression on the blonde’s face, I felt like I’d just kicked a puppy to the curb. But dammit, why did I have to worry about her fate? Hell, I didn’t even know her.
“I can take you back, Ms. Kennie,” Theo answered her unhappily.
She pinned me with a disappointed gaze. “I wish I could say it was a pleasure, Mr. Walker, but it wasn’t. I’ve always been an admirer of your artwork, and I was looking forward to getting to know you better. But I guess it’s better if I just look at your pictures and try to forget how rude and unpleasant you are.”
And scarred! Why in the hell doesn’t she mention my scars?
Damned if she still hadn’t mentioned my appearance or shown any type of reaction to the way I looked.
Her shoulders were slumped as she opened the door that I’d slammed closed earlier, during my fit of irritation…and fear.
There was something about waiting for the bomb to drop that had set me off, and caused me to have a negative gut reaction.
I admired this woman’s spunk, and the last thing I actually wanted to see was for her to come to any type of harm.
As she went to exit with Theo following behind her, I said in an annoyed tone, “You can stay for now.”
What the fuck? Why had those words come out of my mouth?
When she glanced over her shoulder with a hopeful expression, I knew exactly why I’d said them.
I couldn’t send her back into the world with nothing.
I couldn’t kick her out into a life that had no damn compassion. I’d experienced it myself firsthand.
And, I didn’t want this female to suffer because my brothers had been complete assholes. Hadn’t they thought about what would happen to her if I refused to have her on my island?
“Do you mean it?” she said in a breathless voice that had my cock harder than it had been since I was a horny teenager.
“Yes,” I said through gritted teeth. “Theo, show her to her room.”
It was going to be damn hard to give up my privacy. Being alone at least gave me some peace. But I was resigned to the fact that she wasn’t going to take anything unless she worked for it.
“Thank you,” she murmured.
“Just try to stay out of my way. I don’t like to be interrupted when I’m working.”
She nodded. “Understood.”
I watched as she retreated upstairs behind a silent Theo, her heels clicking on the marble surface of the stairs. I tried to make my body relax as I continued to stare at her disappearing figure, ogling her attractive backside as she reached the top of the stairs.
“I’m fucked!” I whispered hoarsely as I lost sight of Kenzie, knowing that it wasn’t just her body and face that mesmerized me.
I was attracted to her spirit, something that was far worse than just wanting to get laid. There was something about this female that made me want to get closer to her, and that wasn’t a good thing.
I didn’t get close to women.
I couldn’t.
It had taken me years just to protect myself, so I sure as hell didn’t need somebody to turn my world upside down. I was bound to be disappointed, and I had way too much failure and defeat in my past.
I shrugged my tense shoulders as I turned around to make my way into my office. I’d keep my distance. I’d make sure she didn’t get to me. My sanity depended on it.
Still pissed off, I slammed my office door behind me as I entered, determined to call my brothers immediately and let them know I was never fucking talking to either one of them again.