The Secrets of Their Souls

by Brooke Sivendra

“You should be focusing on the first part of my sentence about how hard we have been working.” Zahra opened up her email program and watched the black lines load one after the other in a ceaseless ladder to heaven. “Anyway, how are you doing?” she said, more interested to hear about him.

  “Uh, I’ve been better. It’s only Wednesday and it’s already been a hell of a week.”

  “Yes, I heard you fired quite a few people yesterday.”

  “It was necessary. I don’t tolerate laziness, nor do I tolerate people who don’t give a fuck about this company.”

  “If I were boss, I would’ve done the same.”

  Jayce laughed. “Zahra, you will never be boss.”

  She smiled, biting her lip. “Never say never, Jayce.”

  “Cocky, aren’t you? It’s a good thing I like confident women.”

  “That is very good news for me.”

  “So I’ve been thinking… once Church Street is sold, I want to take a few days off, get away for the weekend. Just the two of us, somewhere beautiful and quiet. What do you think?”

  “Really?” She was speechless. “I would love to. Where are you thinking?” She spun her chair to face the windows, giving her some privacy to revel in her excitement.

  “There is a beautiful house a couple hours’ drive away in Hunter Mountain. I’ve spoken with the owner and it’s available around the time we would want it. Obviously we’ll need to confirm closer to the date, depending on whether the Church Street sales gallery completes on schedule, but it shouldn’t be a problem.”

  “And what are we going to do there?”

  “Fuck. Eat. Hike. Probably in that order.”

  Zahra giggled loudly. “I see… That sounds perfect. Thank you, Jayce.”

  “You’re welcome. I’m looking forward to it already. What are you doing this weekend?”

  “Honestly, I’ve not given it much thought. Are you free?”

  “Not really, but I want to see you on Saturday night. I won’t finish until late, but still I’d rather see you then than not at all.”

  “I would like to see you too, so come over when you’re done. What are you doing for dinner Sunday night?”

  “I’ll eat here, I suppose. Why?”

  “You should join us for family dinner—you have to eat so you might as well eat with us. Bring your laptop, and you can work while we cook.”

  “You have a deal. Even better, I’ll work from my laptop on Sunday so we can spend the day together. It’s my way of making up for being MIA this week.”

  Zahra smiled and she was glad he was staying at her apartment—she couldn’t bear to sleep in his bed with that painting above her head. “Sounds like a plan. Have a good day, Jayce.”

  *

  My head snapped to Dryas. He nodded his head and we drew our weapons.

  “How many do you think?” he asked, only loudly enough for me to hear.

  “Many,” I said and they were moving fast, headed straight in our direction. I felt my body come alive, ready for the fight. Whoever was coming after us had made a fatal mistake—I was deadly on my own but, with Dryas by my side, they didn’t stand a chance. We stood back-to-back and waited. My hand was steady, not a single tremble.

  “Stay close.”

  I laughed. “I don’t take orders from you, Dryas.”

  I felt his back rub against mine as he chuckled. “I didn’t intend it as an order. I thought we were friends now and friends look out for each other.”

  “I look out for myself. Four in front,” I said as our attackers emerged from the shadows of the forest.

  “Four behind. Don’t hold back, Raven. And that is an order.” Dryas was handsome and he had a sense of humor.

  I assessed the men creeping toward me, step by step with their knives ready. I looked into their eyes, it was easy to spot the weak ones—you could see the fear. I waited, ready for them; there was no fear in my eyes.

  “One… two… three.” I had my knife in my target’s neck before he knew I’d moved. I pulled it out and blood sprayed from the wound. One down. I backed up, keeping close to Dryas, who was wiping his knife clean. I picked my next target and smiled at him. He blinked and I threw my knife, landing it in his forehead. Blood trickled from his eye sockets as he fell to his knees. I drew another blade from my holster. “Two down.”

  “Two down,” Dryas replied.

  I grimaced. I would not let Dryas kills his targets before I did. I focused, watching the last two men in front of me. I noted the way they moved, if they favored one side, how heavy they were breathing—everything to help devise my strategy. One man was slower on his feet and I lunged for him. He blocked me once but on my second attempt I landed my knife in his chest. I kicked it in deep and then drew it out. One to go. We danced in a circle, sizing each other up. He was a small man but, like me, he was quick on his feet. I had to use the element of surprise. I didn’t lunge for his chest, choosing to go for his arm instead and brought my knife down on his wrist. He howled in pain, stunned by my assault, and I went for his neck, slicing it open and he fell to the ground. Adrenaline surged through me as I reveled in the bloody victory before my eyes—four down.

  I turned to Dryas who was still battling it out. I stood back and took the opportunity to watch him without him knowing. He moved well and I admired his skill. His target was a fine warrior, but he was no match for Dryas. The man dropped his shield to the left as he defended a blow and Dryas lunged forward, plunging his knife into his chest. Dryas kicked him to the ground, retrieved his knife, and turned to me. He looked me up and down and smiled. “You’re not hurt?”

  “Of course not,” I scoffed. “You took your time.”

  Dryas beamed a beautiful smile and then looked over my shoulder. “You forgot one,” he said.

  I turned on my heels. My last target was still wriggling on the ground. The bastard was still alive! I marched back to him, stuck my knife into his chest and turned it full circle. He coughed his last breath.

  “You can just kill them, Raven. You don’t need to torture them.”

  “I wouldn’t want to bore you,” I said.

  Dryas threw his head back, laughing. “Believe me, that would be impossible.”

  I wiped my knife clean and put it back in my holster. When I looked up, I noticed Dryas watching me, his eyes on my thigh. I let my gown fall, covering my leg and holster, and walked toward him. My pulse was racing and it wasn’t just from the kill.

  Dryas drew me in at the waist and I held my breath. “Everything they say about you is true. Men fear you and those same men yearn for you.”

  “Do you fear me, Dryas?” My words were rushed and I hated that he had this effect on me.

  “Yes. But I yearn for you too.”

  He leaned in and kissed me and I closed my eyes. My body swayed toward him and he wrapped me up in his arms. I kissed him back and then forced myself to stop. We still had a long journey ahead and I wouldn’t allow him to distract me. “We need to keep moving,” I said and pushed him away.

  *

  Every floor was identical to the one above, or the one below, depending on how one looked at it. Being a junior, Jemma’s desk was located in the center of the floor and it was a goddamn mess. Zahra shook her head at the chaos that lay strewn across every inch of her sister’s workspace: papers, spreadsheets, three calculators, two packets of gum, one packet of Skittles and countless Post-it notes. Ugh… How could she work in such a state? Zahra resisted the urge to tidy it, assuming there must be some form of organized logic to her littered mountain of crap. And not only was her desk unorganized, she wasn’t at it, which meant she was late.

  Zahra found a pen and left a hot pink Post-it message for her sister:

  Morning Jem,

  Blood donation day—what time do you want to leave?

  Email me.

  Love, Za Za.

  P.S. You’re late.

  P.P.S. Your desk is a mess—clean it up!

  Using two hands, Zahra pushed a gap betwe
en all of the papers and placed the note square and front of Jemma’s desk—surely she couldn’t miss it there. Noting she, too, was now officially late, Zahra went up to her office where her team was busy at work. She grinned smugly as she walked in: her team was productive and organized.

  The morning passed quickly and Zahra powered through her colossal workload. She sipped coffee, cleared her inbox, conducted a team meeting, resolved a designer-supply issue and reviewed the trend analysis reports her team had put together, all before noon. She was at her best when things were fast-paced, as they say: if you need something done, give it to a busy person. It was mid-afternoon by the time her sister decided to respond, just when Zahra thought her Post-it note must have been buried in the paper graveyard.

  To: Zahra Foster

  From: Jemma Foster

  Subject: Yo, wat up sis?

  Za Za,

  You’ll be pleased to know that my desk is sparkling clean and for your information, although unrequired, I was late because I left the office at 2:00am. Precisely the time your boyfriend decided to exit. He insisted on dropping me home… he’s a smooth operator that one… I’m still trying to determine his flaws. He must be a closet serial killer because he seems too good to be true!

  Oh and I had to move my appointment to next week. I hope that’s OK, let me know if it doesn’t work and I can reschedule it

  Love ya x

  Zahra was surprised that Jayce hadn’t mentioned dropping Jemma home. It must have slipped his mind, she decided, since he had a lot on his plate at the moment. Regardless, she sent him a quick message to thank him and then replied to Jemma’s email:

  To: Jemma Foster

  From: Zahra Foster

  Subject: Re: Yo, wat up sis?

  Jem

  Your prolific imagination is impressive.

  He has flaws, I’m sure, I’ll let you know what they are when I work them out.

  Next week is fine, just let me know the time. Love you too X

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN – ZAHRA

  Jayce Tohmatsu: Are you awake?

  Zahra smiled, reading his message. She was awake and watching the end of Romeo & Juliet.

  Zahra Foster: I am. What are you doing?

  Jayce Tohmatsu: I’m at Mason. Can I see you tonight? I might be late though

  Zahra looked across at her bedside table, noticing that it was nearly midnight.

  Zahra Foster: I want to see you too. It doesn’t matter, come over whenever you’re done. I’ll leave a key with George. He will be on until 3am

  Jayce Tohmatsu: Thanks. I’ll see you in a few hours. xo

  Zahra retrieved her spare key from her study and delivered it to George. She kept the conversation friendly but short and returned to her apartment. Zahra put her phone on the bedside table and undressed, wanting to be naked for him when he arrived, and got back into bed just in time to see Romeo and Juliet’s tragic ending.

  *

  The bed was cold. And empty. Zahra looked at her clock, confused. Where was Jayce? Zahra lay still, barely breathing, her ears tuning into her silent apartment. Nothing. Had he not come over after all? She rolled back the duvet with the craftsmanship of a bank robber—not a single sound could be heard. From the hallway she could see a gleaming light and she walked toward it, high on the balls of her feet. She stopped at the corner and peered around. He stood at the window with his arms crossed over his naked chest, staring at the colored lights beyond. Zahra continued to watch, suddenly not sure how to end the awkward stalking session. She needn’t have been concerned—he turned his head to look at her, both surprised and amused. “A naked peeping Tom… This is a first.”

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  He walked toward her, cupping her face in his hands as he kissed her forehead. “Thinking about work, as always,” he said with a sigh. “I tried to sleep but I gave up after half an hour. Did I wake you?”

  “No.” She wrapped her arms around him, drawing him closer. She kissed his warm chest; it was disappointing that he had pajama pants on. “Tea?”

  “English Breakfast, please,” he said with a nod. “Are you going to make tea naked?”

  “I was going to put a top on while it boiled,” Zahra said, filling the teapot and turning it on.

  Jayce shook his head, a devious smile lighting up his face. “Not necessary.”

  “What if the water splashes and burns me? I think I need a top.”

  “Just be careful and you’ll be fine. I think you should stay just as you are,” Jayce said, grinning broadly.

  Zahra scoffed. “Yeah, of course you do.”

  “And what is that supposed to mean?”

  “Exactly that, Tohmatsu.”

  She walked toward him en route to her bedroom, but he blocked her. She moved again, he blocked her again. She was trapped between the kitchen cabinets and the island. Keeping her eyes on him, she mentally assessed her options. She backed up to the end of the island; he didn’t move but the goading smile on his lips encouraged her. She walked around the island, and toward him, fooling him. She wasn’t headed for her bedroom; she had a clean top in her gym bag, which was stored on the glass shelf of her entry console. When she stood not four feet from him, she darted for the bag and hurriedly pulled the top out, but he tackled her to the floor.

  “Damn!” She laughed, struggling to breathe under his weight.

  Jayce pinned her in position. “It was a good effort.” He paused. “But as I said, not necessary.” He tossed the top aside and it landed in a crumbled mess in the corner. Jayce pushed her breasts together and licked her cleavage. “You should thank God every day for these tits,” Jayce said and Zahra giggled. “I’m serious, they’re full and supple and perfect. And I want to look at them while you make me tea,” he said with a sexy smirk. “I think the kettle’s nearly done, baby.” Jayce stood up and held out his hand, helping Zahra up. He gestured for her to go ahead and Zahra felt her cheeks turn warm. When she looked back over her shoulder, Jayce smiled and mouthed, ‘Nice’. Her breasts weren’t her only body part he appreciated.

  Zahra poured the tea and then sat next to him at the dining table. His computer was on, the Mason email program center on the screen. “Thank you,” he said.

  “Tea doesn’t keep you up?”

  “My mind keeps me up.” He looked at his computer. “Do you want to see the place at Hunter Mountain?”

  Zahra nodded excitedly and leaned over to get a better view. Jayce located the bookmark and then enlarged the images, clicking one after the other. Zahra sat in disbelief: it was a house of dreams. “Jayce, it’s amazing. How did you find this place?”

  “It’s called Google.”

  “Of course it is—Google runs the world. How long can we stay?” Zahra asked.

  “We can leave late Friday night or early Saturday morning, and come back late Sunday night.”

  She could barely comprehend it: an entire, uninterrupted weekend with Jayce. It was a miracle, a gift from the universe. “Well, let’s hurry up and get Church Street sold, then, right?”

  “I’m pushing them every day.” Jayce sighed.

  Zahra smiled, knowing that was true. “Thank you, Jayce, for organizing this, for taking the time for us.”

  “You don’t need to thank me, I want to do this for you.” He curled a long strand of her hair around his finger. “I feel bad that I barely see you.”

  “It’s not a problem, Jayce. It’s not like I’m sitting at home waiting around for you. I’m at Mason too, just a few floors below.”

  Jayce smiled. “I know and I love that. We would be good partners, Zahra. I think together we could do anything.”

  Zahra hid the sadness from her eyes—they had been partners once. “What are you saying?”

  He shrugged his shoulders, looking down at his computer. He seemed different tonight, softer. He looked back at her. “I just feel like we’re so good together and, apart from my schedule, thing seem so easy. I’m not sure if I’ve ever told you, but my fat
her is Buddhist and he believes in past lives. He told me that when he met my mother, he was sure that they had been together before, in another lifetime, because he felt like he’d known her forever. I feel the same way about you. I think we can have a great life together, running businesses and living around the world. We could have a family, one day,” he said, raising his eyebrows, “if that’s what you want. I don’t feel like there is anything that could come between us, nothing that we couldn’t overcome together.”

  Zahra looked down, unable to look into his eyes. She wanted to tell him about her dreams so that there weren’t any secrets between them, but she was terrified of losing him if he didn’t believe her.

  Jayce took her hand and squeezed it and she looked back up at him. She opened her mouth but nothing came out. She couldn’t do it, she couldn’t tell him. He might be open to the concept of past lives, but he isn’t prepared for our past, he isn’t prepared for Raven—no one could be, Zahra thought. She took a deep breath and smiled. “I feel exactly the same way. You’re a wonderful man, Jayce Tohmatsu, and I would be lucky to have you.” She kissed his lips, a kiss loaded with anguish and shame. As hard as she tried, she could not keep her past from her future.

  “You should go back to bed and get some sleep,” Jayce said. “I’ll just finish up a few things and then I’ll join you.”

  *

  Zahra homed in on the red light, willing the waffle maker to hurry up. She was making her mom’s famous recipe, and the wafting aroma told her she was doing a good job. She wouldn’t normally go to such lengths for a workday breakfast, but Jayce was going into the office late—well, late for him—so they had a few extra minutes to eat together.