The Secrets of Their Souls Read Online Free

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.”
    “I agree, actually, but I want to see the apartments and your full concepts first. You are aware, if I approve this, that it will be the most expensive design fit-out Mason has ever done?”
    “Good. I love to set a new record.”
    She was his kind of woman and an image of her back up against the elevator wall, pinned up by his body flashed in his mind. His fingers gently caressed his jawline and her eyes followed them. “I think we’re going to get along just fine.”
    Zahra studied him, but she didn’t respond. What was she thinking? He would kill to know.
    Spectacular. 4 bedroom, 4.5 bathroom with an expected listing price of $46 million. They walked through the penthouse with not an arm’s length between them. The sun was setting, and the building was dim and full of shadows.
    “Thoughts?” Zahra asked.
    He sighed. “I’m not sure… this development will either be incredible or a fucking disaster. Would you buy this apartment?”
    Her salary was impressive but did not warrant buying such an apartment. Still, she entertained the ridiculous notion like a good sport. “Well, supposing Mason were giving me a substantial raise, I would actually invest my hard-earned cash into this penthouse. I think it pushes the boundaries without being gimmicky. Future resale should be strong.” She rocked on her heels, “But, the real question is, are you going to buy this apartment?”
    He pushed off the wall he had been leaning against and they stood close, far too close. “No, I’m not going to buy the penthouse. I might buy an apartment a few floors down though, depending on how long I’m going to be in New York.”
    She stepped back and cleared her throat. “And what does that depend on?”
    “How efficiently Mason is operating, the profit it is generating… things of that nature,” his voice was lower than he’d intended.
    “I see.” She looked down at the concrete floor and he resisted the urge to lift her chin back up, forcing her to look at him.
    She was so tempting and he could so easily lose himself in her but the objective was to get inside her head, not in her bed. He wanted to know why he had reacted that way when he’d seen her and he would not let it go until he had the answer.
    “Good.” Curtly, he put his hands back in to his pockets and began to walk. “Let’s go, I want to see a few more apartments before I need to be back in the office.” He was done playing games for the evening.

    Hours later, she still occupied his every thought. The only sound in Mason Corp. at 1:00 a.m. was the quiet humming of his computer. Jayce sat at his desk, as still and silent as a marble statue. For Jayce, women served only as tools, as a release from his high-pressure career. He wanted nothing else from them and he gave them nothing in return. But Zahra was different—he wanted