The Secrets of Their Souls (2 page)

“Looking good today, Zahra,” Holly said as she walked in. Holly was the assistant lead designer, one below Zahra, and she had no doubt Holly was capable of sticking a knife deep in her back, giving it an extra cutting twist, should it earn her the top position. Notwithstanding, they worked well together, and she respected Holly’s level of ambition. Zahra’s eyes scanned her, head to toe, checking her out like men do women.

“Touché, Miss Holly. Are you ready?”

“I am. And they are ready for us. Have you seen him?” she asked, flicking her ash-blond locks over her shoulder.

“Him? Jayce? No, I haven’t. Why?”

“I haven’t either, but rumors are rife… I believe he is, shall we say, very easy on the eyes.”

Zahra’s head rolled backward as she chuckled in disbelief. Of course he is. “Damn, life is unfair,” she cursed. “Really? Why? Doesn’t he have enough? Shouldn’t he have to work for something in life?”

Holly’s eyes lit up as she scoffed at the remark. “See, this is why I like you, Zahra. I wish you were like this more often.”

“Yeah, you’re just hoping I get fired. Let’s go, then. At least we’ll have something good to look at for a change.”

The glass walls of Mason’s boardroom provided the perfect insight into Jayce Tohmatsu: he stood tall and confident, a stance that was subtly arrogant but did not reek of it. He wore a mid-blue suit, a bold hue that was not quite navy and not a garish tone either. It was an interesting first-day choice, Zahra thought, but it was his eyes that stole her attention—they were ethereal; the kind of eyes that looked at you and looked straight through you, intimately peering into the depths of your soul. And as Zahra walked toward him, a pang of familiarity hit her. Where had she seen those eyes?

“Zahra Foster,” she said, extending her hand. His firm grip and warm skin unsettled every fiber in her body.

“Jayce Tohmatsu. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He bowed in greeting, showing no indication of familiarity on his part.

“This is Holly McCabe, assistant lead designer.” Zahra motioned to the salivating colleague beside her.

Zahra didn’t wait for them to finish their introductions and instead went straight for the boardroom table, positioning herself as far away from the head chair as possible.

“Holy crap,” Holly said under her breath, rolling her chair in.

Zahra’s thoughts exactly: holy crap. Her foot tapped on the white tiled floor while her brain chased itself around in circles. It was not possible to forget a man like Jayce Tohmatsu; no woman in her right mind would. Where on earth had she seen those eyes?

Zahra had chosen her seat well, located in the prime position to watch him without him knowing. He moved eloquently, taking a seat just left to the head of the table, resting one arm on the glass tabletop. Studying his long fingers and neatly groomed nails, she noticed he didn’t wear a wedding band.
That’s going to whirl up the office
, she thought. Jayce listened intently during the entire meeting, his eyes focused on the managers of each unit as they delivered their presentations. In turn, everyone kept their eyes intently focused on Jayce. He exuded power and he questioned staff in a matter that was firm without being intimidating, instantly giving him authority and earning him the respect of his colleagues. It was simple, yet undeniably effective. She had underestimated this trust-fund baby.

It was game time. Pulling back her shoulders, she smiled at Holly and shot her a
‘here we go’
kind of look. Mason had seven projects in development, no easy feat for any team of designers. Most of her team was young, too, but then she thought that’s what the directors liked—they brought a fresh, daring edge to the designs. Zahra delivered her well-prepared, well-rehearsed presentation confidently, despite being rattled by his presence. Jayce’s eyes scanned the concept boards and lingered on Church Street. Zahra didn’t know what to make of the lingering, thinking it could go either way.

“It’s quite a…
sensual
… design, don’t you think?” he asked, his finger pointing to the board his eyes had been on.

“Yes, it is…
sensual
. The building is non-conforming, a progressive design that requires an interior aesthetic reflecting that. It’s a sexy building, and it should be dressed up in the Fantasy Bra, not the satin underwire, don’t you think?” Zahra’s lips turned up at the corners but otherwise she kept her face straight, her eyes locked on his. Torturous seconds passed.

“Well, that’s a colorful answer, Miss Foster… fortunately, for you, I agree.” Jayce dropped his head but not before Zahra saw the amused smirk on his lips. As he did a final review of the papers in front of him, Zahra stood still, not daring to look at her colleagues, and a moment later he looked up again. “Thank you all for your time. We’re done,” he said, dismissing the group.

‘I can’t believe you said that
’ Holly mouthed at Zahra as they packed up the boards. She couldn’t either.

Clear glass cubicles lined the walls on each floor of the Mason Corp. building. The managers each had their own glass box while the assisting team members had a workstation in the center of the floor. The cubicles were not unlike fish bowls; employees hated them and the directors loved them. They said they met the needs of a senior position by providing adequate privacy to manage a team whilst maintaining an open workspace. Read between the lines: chastise your team members in private, when required, and don’t take a nap, or flirt with staff in your office, because everyone will see you.

Zahra had been afforded the corner suite, imparting envious views of the Manhattan skyline and, in order not to disturb the prized outlook, she had very little else in her office other than an orchid plant, a couple of framed pictures of friends and family, and a glass crystal clock that had been a gift from Jemma. Her eyes trailed to it now, noting the time. 1:11 p.m. It was the second time she had seen those numbers in the past few days, the significance of which escaping her.

“How did it go, Za Za?” Jemma asked as she walked into her office bearing gifts in the form of sushi and coffee.

“Ah…” She blushed, thinking back to the meeting, particularly her lack of filter. “He’s a little hard to read…” Zahra said as she reached for the latte, her index finger tracing the rim of the white lid.

Jemma laughed. “I heard he’s very good looking.”

“Oh yes, he is.” Even Zahra had to admit it. He was charming and had a formidable presence that was lethal to a woman’s mind.

Jemma’s eyes crinkled as she smiled. “I didn’t realize he was American. I just assumed he was Japanese based on his family name.”

“Holly told me Mr. Tohmatsu is his stepfather. I don’t know much else about him. His eyes… they’re so familiar, Jemma. I swear I’ve seen him somewhere before.” Again Zahra ran through past memories, recalling past lovers, past friends, old family friends, but nothing came up. It left her unsettled and intrigued.

Jemma cast a very unsure look her way before taking another bite of her sushi. “I’m sure you haven’t met him before; however, if I’m so blessed with the opportunity to meet this masterpiece, I will definitely keep it in mind,” she said matter-of-factly, appearing to make a mental note.

Her sister was right, Zahra concluded, there was no way she would have met him before. They had nothing in common and he had assumingly been raised in Japan, a country she had never been to. She shrugged it off as nerves and let it slip from her mind.

A fleeting knock on the glass panel roused her from her thoughts and she gawked in shock as Jayce Tohmatsu stood with one hand on the open door and the other on the glass frame. His head did a sweeping assessment of her office, and Jemma, before focusing on her.

“Am I interrupting?” he asked, though Zahra received the distinct impression that he didn’t care if he was.

“No. This is Jemma Foster, who works on the finance team.” Zahra didn’t need to mention that she was her sister since there was no mistaking it.

He nodded his head in agreement with her unspoken thoughts, a slight smirk gracing his handsome face. “I see,” he said as he walked toward Jemma, who in an untimely moment had taken another bite of her sushi. She stood to greet him, gulping her mouthful as she extended her hand. Zahra stood too, it seeming like the polite thing to do. She noted she wasn’t as tall as he was, even with her heels on, but she wasn’t far off either. She rested her fingertips on the glass desktop, tapping them nervously as she waited for him to reveal the reason for his impromptu visit.

“I would like to tour the Church Street property tonight at six o’clock. I will meet you downstairs in the lobby.” It wasn’t a question but rather a politely disguised command.

She cleared her throat. “Why? Are you worried about it?”

“No,” he said. “I’m not concerned about it, I just want to see it… make sure it justifies the Fantasy Bra.” His face gleamed with amusement. “Did you tell your sister what you said today?”

A barely audible whistle slipped from Jemma’s lips. She looked between Jayce and Zahra and then wisely decided to keep her mouth shut.

Zahra cleared her throat. “Not yet, but I will. And I will ensure Holly’s schedule is cleared and we will meet you downstairs.”

He cocked his head. “I didn’t ask for Holly. I just need you.” His eyes penetrated deep within her, daring her to challenge him again.

“
I
will meet you downstairs at six.”

“Very good.” He nodded to Jemma and left the room without another word.

Zahra collapsed back into her white leather chair, letting out a strangled, exasperated sigh. “Oh, Lord help me.”

The slightly subdued lighting created an atmosphere similar to a hotel lobby—a
sensual
hotel lobby. Zahra arrived at 5:55 p.m. and, when she saw him, she looked at her wrist with a strike of panic. She wasn’t late, he was early. There were four things he already knew about Zahra Foster: she was intelligent, she was confident, she was guarded and she was beautiful.

He had been in the café ordering breakfast that morning and through the glass doors he saw her walk into the lobby. His body had spiked with adrenaline and his veins pumped with a vigor he had not felt in a long time, if ever. He had no idea why his body reacted that way, and it made no sense to him. What was so special about her that set his soul on fire? Business deals made his heart race; women did not.

The Fantasy Bra. He hadn’t been able to decide if he should laugh or reprimand her, so he’d done neither. He did vow in that moment, however, that he would find out more about her, so this visit wasn’t about Church Street, it was an opportunity to get inside her mind.

As she walked toward him, Jayce gave her his most charming smile and she looked back at him warily. “Let’s go,” he said.

Zahra nodded her head and headed for the towering glass lobby doors. Mason Corp. was the perfect illusion, appearing to be built entirely of glass. Not until you looked past the striking façade could you see what it was truly made of.

A driver was waiting on the sidewalk and he took Zahra’s hand, helping her into the car. Jayce now knew a fifth thing: she had a great ass.

He slid in beside her and relaxed into the seat.

“Tough first day?” she asked.

He turned his head to look at her, not troubling himself to lift it off the headrest. “There have been one or two surprises; otherwise, as to be expected, I suppose.”

When he didn’t offer any further information, she turned her gaze to the front.

“How long has Jemma worked at Mason?”

Her head swiftly turned back, surprised by his line of questioning. “About six months. Why?”

He smiled. “
Why?
You like that word, don’t you? It’s been a long time since someone has asked me
why
, especially twice in one day.”

“Oh, I can imagine,” she mumbled.

Sixth thing noted: she was judgmental. “I’m sure you can. Do you have other siblings?”

“No, it’s just the two of us.”

Zahra kept her answers short, but he pressed on. Little information was better than no information. “And your parents?”

“Alive and well. They’re living the retired life in Puerto Rico.”

“Good for them,” he mused sincerely.

She eyeballed him and then crossed her legs toward him. He could see the flicker in her eyes as she turned the tables on him.

“And you—do you have siblings?”

“I have two brothers, stepbrothers to be exact. And my father is obviously Mr. Tohmatsu Senior. He is my stepfather, but he raised me from the age of two. I call him Father. My mother unfortunately passed away a few years ago.” His voice was void of emotion but he knew his eyes had betrayed him, as they always did where his mother was concerned. His vulnerability was on display, but it wouldn’t hurt for her to see that—maybe if he opened up a little, she would too.

“I’m sorry.” She seemed genuine.

They finally arrived at Church Street and Jayce was eager to escape the confined space of the car. The sweet, but not sickly, scent of her perfume had infiltrated his senses and it was hard to keep his mind focused on the task.

The tradesmen had long since left for the day so Jayce slid his key into the lock and motioned for Zahra to enter in front of him. Church Street was a residential development of 180 units and it had the potential to be, visually, the most stunning building in Manhattan. But, from a developer’s perspective it was the equivalent of hell. “I want to see the penthouse first.” As they walked together, his shoulder brushed hers and she jumped at his touch. Seventh thing noted: she was more affected by him than she led on. He walked into the elevator carriage behind her and as they rose to the forty-fourth floor, he realized he was subconsciously leaning toward her, drawn to her like a magnet. “I read your report on this development. I think your concerns are valid, but the expense of completely styling such a high number of apartments is a huge risk.” He leaned back against the wall then, crossing his arms over his chest. Managers take note: cross your arms when you talk; it shows who is in charge.

“An even greater risk is not being able to sell these apartments. I don’t believe anyone, other than a developer or a designer, would be able to conceptually visualize how amazing these apartments are. The angles are sharp and the space is elusive, so people need to see how they’re going to live in them and how to position the furniture. I understand it’s expensive but, if you want top dollar, I think it’s non-negotiable, to be honest.”