Broken

by Melody Anne

  “Byron Knight!” he shouted back.

  “Byron?” She opened the small window that would show her who was standing on her doorstep. She was shocked to see that it was Byron, Blake Knight’s brother, who was standing there. “What in the world are you doing on my doorstep at two in the morning?” she asked.

  Then she started to panic. What if something had happened to Blake? Or to Jewell? Without thinking, she unlocked the door and thrust it open. “What’s wrong? What’s going on?”

  Though she’d seen the man only a few times before, he took her open door as an invitation and walked right inside.

  “What is wrong?” she asked again, truly beginning to worry.

  “I have a question for you, Ms. Beaumont,” he said, and that’s when she smelled the alcohol and noticed the narrowed eyes. She never should have opened her door. She knew Blake. That didn’t mean she knew his brother.

  “Just ask your question and then get the hell out of my house,” she said, thrusting her shoulders back as she got ready to do battle. She had been to hell and back more than once. There was no way this man was going to intimidate her.

  “Just who do you think you are?” he said menacingly.

  “I’m sorry, Byron, but you’re going to have to be a little bit more specific than that,” she said, placing her hands on her hips.

  “You think you can mess with people’s lives and get away with it. Well, I’m here to prove you wrong.”

  McKenzie stumbled back a step when he started stalking her, and then she was up against a wall with his arms caging her in.

  “If you touch me, I’ll press charges,” she warned him.

  “Oh, McKenzie, you will soon learn I’m not one of the timid little men you’re used to dealing with,” he warned.

  And then his head descended.

  You can find more of Melody Anne’s titles at all retailers.

  Here’s an excerpt from

  The Billionaire Wins the Game

  Prologue

  It’s just not right, Katherine!” Joseph slammed his fist down on the table, making the dinnerware shake. “Those kids just don’t listen to us—not one of them. Can’t they see that we aren’t getting any younger? I should’ve had grandchildren bouncing on my knees years ago.”

  Katherine smiled as she listened to her husband complain about his disobedient children. She knew what he said was nothing but empty words. He adored their kids as much as she did. She had to agree with Joseph, though, that a few beautiful women rocking babies would be an excellent addition to the house. She’d always dreamed of the day she’d be holding grandchildren while her table was surrounded by those she loved.

  “Now, Joseph. You know if you go meddling again, the boys are going to disown you,” Katherine warned.

  “If they don’t do something about this grandchildren situation, then I’m going to disown them,” he growled, though with zero conviction in his voice.

  “Since you retired last year, you’ve had too much time on your hands, Joseph Anderson. The boys have been tossed a lot of responsibility already. Are you sure you want to add more to their plates?” she finished, knowing the answer already.

  “The boys are ready for love and marriage. They just need a helping push.”

  The decision had already been made. He’d have at least one grandchild in his empty mansion before Christmas.

  Katherine suppressed her sigh, knowing there was nothing she could say that would change her willful husband’s mind. Where did he think their sons acquired that particular trait? Even with their flaws, she couldn’t possibly love any of them, including her husband, more than she already did.

  “Lucas will be first,” Joseph said in his booming voice, startling Katherine out of her reverie. “I’ve already found him the perfect bride.”

  Joseph leaned back in his chair with a pleased expression on his face. Finally, he had a project to keep himself occupied—with the prize of grandchildren as his reward. Lucas was in for wild adventures come Monday morning.

  Katherine watched the self-satisfied expression on Joseph’s face and thought about warning her sons about what was coming. She decided against it because even though she didn’t agree with Joseph’s meddling, she really did want those grandbabies…

  Chapter One

  You can do this. Walk in there with confidence. Who cares if this family is worth more than Bill Gates and Donald Trump combined? You were hired for this position, and you need this job. They obviously see something in you, so keep your head held high.

  Amy was giving herself a lecture on her long elevator ride up to the twenty-fifth floor of the Anderson Corporation. Her stomach was in knots as she began her journey into the corporate world.

  She brushed a few strands of escaped golden hair from her face, more out of nervousness than necessity. She considered herself to be of average looks and tried to downplay the assets she’d been given. She wanted to be respected, not lusted after, like her mother. She had long hair she couldn’t find the will to cut off, although when out, she always placed it in an unflattering bun.

  She tended to hide her curves from the world. She was well endowed, in what an ex-boyfriend had called “all the right places” and she was self-conscious of the fact. She also didn’t like the fact that her green eyes gave away every emotion she was feeling, and that no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t manage to fix it.

  She still couldn’t believe she’d been hired as executive secretary for Lucas Anderson. Anyone who lived within a thousand-mile radius of Seattle, Washington, knew who the Andersons were. Their corporation had a variety of divisions, which required a large staff. They dealt with everything from construction and farming to high-end corporate takeovers. Although their headquarters was in the U.S., they did business all around the world, and she was excited to be a part of it.

  Her job was in the corporate headquarters, working for the fairly new president, Lucas Anderson. All she really knew was he’d taken over his father’s position about a year ago.

  Though she’d graduated with honors, she was still fresh out of college and felt a little bit overwhelmed at the prospect of working for such a powerful man. She hadn’t actually met Lucas, yet, just his father.

  She’d originally met Joseph at a college fair toward the end of her senior year at the university. He’d given her his card and told her to call after graduation, telling her he was impressed with her college transcript. She’d called the day after her commencement ceremony, and he’d gotten her in for an interview faster than she’d dared to even hope for.

  As she continued the long ascent in the elevator, she let her thoughts drift back to the previous week when she’d interviewed for the job.

  Amy took a fortifying breath as she stepped from the cab, looking up at the huge fortress of a home in front of her. Before she could blink, the yellow car pulled away, leaving her frozen at the bottom of the large cement staircase. There was no turning back now.

  She slowly climbed the steps and approached the door, which was big enough to fit a large truck through. It seemed Mr. Anderson liked to do things on a much larger scale than the average person.

  She rang the doorbell, though he must know she was already there as he’d opened the gates at the bottom of the driveway.

  Within seconds, the door was opened by an older gentleman who, thankfully, was smiling.

  “Hello, I’m Amy Harper. I have an appointment with Mr. Anderson.”

  “Good morning, Ms. Harper. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Please follow me to the sitting room, where Mr. Anderson will join you shortly,” the man offered.

  Amy nodded, then followed his quick steps as he led her through the overwhelming home. She couldn’t help but look around as her steps echoed off the walls.

  The home screamed luxury, from the gorgeous marble floors to the priceless pieces of artwork adorning the walls. The longer they walked, the more out of place she felt. She couldn’t figure out what had ever made her think she could ha
ndle such a prestigious job as to work for the head of a multibillion-dollar corporation.

  They walked through a set of oversized double doors and Amy looked around the warm room as her shoulders relaxed. A fireplace, so large she could literally walk inside of it, was burning what smelled like cedar, giving the room a comforting quality. Though the room was well lit, it was done in soft bulbs, making the space incredibly inviting.

  “Would you like something to drink while you wait?”

  Amy shook her head and gave the man a small smile. She didn’t want to appear rude.

  “Go ahead and make yourself comfortable in the seating area. I’ll let Mr. Anderson know you’ve arrived.”

  Before Amy could respond, he exited, leaving her standing near the entrance. Eventually she was able to make her feet respond to her brain and walked over to the comfortable-looking sofa. She sank onto the soft leather and leaned back. She wasn’t kept waiting long before a rumbling voice startled her, causing her to sit straight up. She was thankful she hadn’t accepted the drink or she would’ve spilled it all over herself.

  “Good morning, Ms. Harper. I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. Sometimes it’s difficult to get off the phone,” Joseph said.

  “I haven’t been waiting long at all, Mr. Anderson. Thank you for getting me in for an interview so quickly. I really appreciate it.” Amy jumped to her feet and moved forward to shake his hand.

  “The pleasure’s all mine. Now, let’s get the formality out of the way. Call me Joseph, please,” he said as he held out his hand.

  Amy felt like she was caught before an oncoming train. She didn’t know how to react. She couldn’t be rude, but she was uncomfortable calling him by his first name. She took his hand as she shifted on her feet.

  “Thank you. You can call me Amy,” she finally replied, deciding to just not call him by any name.

  “Now that we have the formalities out of the way, let’s sit down and chat. Have you been offered something to drink?”

  “Yes, but I don’t need anything.” She didn’t think she’d be able to swallow past the nervous lump in her throat.

  Joseph indicated for her to sit back down on the sofa, which she quickly did, grateful to get off her shaky legs. He took the chair opposite her, then trained his light blue eyes on her face. The man was quite intimidating, standing well over six feet tall, with the broadest shoulders she could ever remember seeing.

  He had snow white hair, just starting to thin a bit, and a neatly trimmed white mustache and beard. He was actually quite handsome for a man who must be in his early fifties at least.

  “I was impressed with your résumé during the job fair at your school. If I remember correctly, you’ve held regular jobs since you were fourteen, then full-time work all throughout your schooling, correct? How did you manage to regulate your time to keep such impressive grades?”

  “I’ve always believed in a strong work ethic. I made sure not to overschedule myself, and I took my classes a little later in the morning so I could work the swing shifts at my jobs. I didn’t want to graduate with a lot of debt,” Amy replied, happy in knowing she’d done exactly that and was pretty much debt free.

  “Very impressive, Amy. Your résumé here, says you graduated with a degree in business finance with a minor in public relations. What are your future plans?”

  “I haven’t had a lot of time to think about where I want to go in ten years, but my goal has always been to get my foot in the door of a great corporation, such as yours, and work my way up. I know it’s not an easy task, but I learn very quickly, and I’m not afraid of hard work or long hours. I’ll do whatever it takes to learn all I need to in order to be a real asset to your company.”

  “What about marriage and babies?” he asked, never taking his gaze from her eyes.

  Amy felt her cheeks heat at his question. She knew a lot of higher-up companies were afraid to hire young women due to the fact they’d sometimes get married, then need time off for having children and such. She didn’t want to lie, but she knew her answer could lose her the job.

  “I’m not involved with anyone right now, but I’d be lying to you if I said I don’t want that to happen. I eventually want children, whether I do so in the traditional way or I adopt. I’ve always wanted to be a mother, but I can guarantee you I wouldn’t let anything affect my job performance. I know the value of secure employment, and I can’t be a great mother without first having a solid home for my child,” she answered. She knew he didn’t know her, but she could obtain letters of recommendation. She’d never once taken a sick day from work, and her school assignments had always been on time, if not early.

  Joseph continued watching her for so long, it made her want to fidget in her seat. With sheer will, she remained still as she waited for his response.

  “Do you have family or friends close by who’d be willing to help you?”

  Amy was surprised by his questions. She’d never before had an interview with so many personal questions. It was throwing her off balance. She had all the answers to typical interview questions, but not the stuff he was asking her. She didn’t want anyone to know the true circumstances of her personal life.

  “I have a few friends, but no family here,” she finally answered, feeling safe in her choice of wording. The reality was that she didn’t have any family, period.

  Joseph then switched back to asking a few more work-related questions and she relaxed, secure in her knowledge of the business world. She’d studied hard and spent the very little free time she had researching large corporations, knowing she wanted a high salary job when she graduated.

  Her real goals included her working nonstop for several years while saving every extra dime she could so she’d be able to have a family. She’d been alone since she was a child, and she didn’t want to die that way.

  What Amy didn’t know was that Joseph had already run a full background check on her, knew she was an orphan, and he had much bigger ideas in mind than just an executive assistant position. He was looking for a potential daughter-in-law.

  “Amy, it’s been a true pleasure talking with you today. As you were my last interview, I can safely tell you that the position is yours if you’d like it.”

  Amy stared back at Joseph in shock. She hadn’t expected to hear anything about the job for at least a week and found herself speechless as his words sunk in. He smiled as he waited for her to compose herself.

  “Um…thank you, Mr. Anderson. I…Of course, I’ll take the job,” she finally stuttered, completely forgetting about his request to call him by his first name.

  “That’s wonderful. Welcome to the Anderson family corporation…”

  The elevator sounding her arrival snapped Amy back to the present. Do not blow this job, Amy. If it all works out, you could be completely secure within a couple years. With her final words of encouragement to herself, she took a deep breath and waited for the doors to open.

  As she stepped onto the twenty-fifth floor, she was momentarily paralyzed with fear. It was the most beautiful office she’d ever seen. The doors opened up to a massive lobby, a round cherry wood desk strategically placed for easy guest access. Behind the desk was a stunning blonde who looked more efficient than Amy ever hoped to be. White marble columns flanked the entranceway, leading to where Amy assumed the offices were located. Exquisite paintings hung on the walls, adding a depth of warm color. In the corner a seating area offered soft leather furniture and an antique coffee table with a priceless chandelier acting as a centerpiece overhead. She felt increasingly frumpy and inadequate as she stepped forward in her second-hand business suit and three-year-old heels.

  “Can I help you?” the woman asked.

  Amy snapped out of her temporary paralysis and walked forward. “Yes, I’m Amy Harper, the new executive secretary for Mr. Anderson,” she said with as much confidence as she could rally.

  The woman looked at her blankly for a moment before slowly reaching for her phone. “Mr. Anderson, I have Amy
Harper here who says she’s your new executive secretary.” She paused for a few moments. “Okay…Yes, sir.”

  She hung up the phone and turned back to Amy, “Mr. Anderson says he already has an executive secretary and has hired no one new. He also said that if you’re a reporter trying for another story about his family, all his answers are no comment.” The woman looked dismissively at Amy before adding, “Have a nice day, Ms. Harper.”

  She didn’t give Amy another glance as she turned back to her computer. As far as she was concerned, Amy was dismissed.

  “Um, excuse me,” Amy looked at the secretary’s nameplate “…Shelly, I was interviewed last week by Mr. Anderson. He told me to be in the office at eight a.m. sharp, so you may want to check again,” she said a bit more forcefully. Shelly glanced up, as if shocked that the disturbing woman was still there.

  Before Shelly had a chance to reply, the elevator chimed and in walked an older woman with smiling blue eyes. “You must be Amy Harper. I’m sorry I’m late but I got stuck behind a car accident,” the woman said while walking forward. “I’m Esther Lyon and I’ll be working with you this week getting you trained for the new position. I was so happy when Joseph called to let me know he’d found my replacement,” she said, warmth seeping through her voice.

  Relief flooded through Amy, knowing the job was really hers, for better or worse. “It’s so good to meet you, Esther. I was a bit nervous when Shelly said there wasn’t a job,” she said.

  Esther looked over at the woman in question. “We haven’t yet announced I’m retiring, though it’s been in the works for some time. Shelly wasn’t made aware of the situation. I’m sorry about any lack of communication.

  “Walk with me, and I’ll show you your new office as I talk a little about the history of this wonderful company. The original building was created a little over one hundred years ago, but in this growing city, many updates have been added since then. Joseph’s grandfather, Benjamin, started Anderson Corporation with little more than a prayer and a few dollars. As I’m sure you know, his hard work paid off. We’re now global, with offices all across the United States and the world. Joseph was the next elected CEO after Benjamin’s passing, but his son, Lucas, took over last year, and is certainly following in his relative’s footsteps. He’s a brilliant man, and I’m sure you’ll love working for him.”