“I wouldn’t give you the satisfaction,” Zaire uttered. “You will have to look at me every single day knowing that you lost out on the best thing to ever come into your life.”
His eyes widened in surprise.
Zaire folded her arms across her chest. Her lips were pressed shut so no sound would burst out. She imposed an iron control on herself. Zaire refused to allow Tyrese to see her shed a tear over him.
He left her apartment.
She bit her lip to stifle the outcry and fought hard against the tears she refused to let fall.
Tyrese doesn’t deserve me. He was definitely not the man Zaire had thought he was.
* * *
He felt like an idiot.
Tyrese had believed he was doing the right thing by Zaire, but now he wasn’t so sure. There was no point in second-guessing himself. She didn’t want anything to do with him.
He grudgingly admitted that Zaire was most likely right about her being the best thing to ever happen to him. She really was something special.
Tyrese considered giving Zaire a few days to deal with this without seeing him, but then he realized he was acting like a coward.
He enjoyed working with her and vowed to find a way to make this right. Over time, Zaire would come to realize that it was better this way in the long run. One day, she might even thank him.
The only problem with this theory was that Tyrese had trouble convincing his own heart. How in the world could he convince Zaire of something that he had not fully committed to? Tyrese drew a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He had hoped to prove to himself that he was immune to her, but he was failing miserably.
Pride kept him from calling Zaire.
He had to be strong and keep to his convictions. The incident in Chicago had taught him that, despite the vastly different circumstances. The only thing similar in both situations was that both women were connected to very powerful men—men that could destroy careers with a wave of the hand.
Tyrese had already experienced the wrath of one man who’d vowed to make sure he never saw the light of day because of a woman. He was never going to let that happen again.
* * *
“Good morning,” Zaire greeted as she walked past Tyrese in the hallway. She didn’t miss a step as she headed to her office.
She didn’t linger to speak with him. He had already made up his mind, so there was nothing more to be said outside of anything pertaining to business.
Max was waiting in her office with a cup of tea for Zaire.
She smiled. “How did you know I would need this?”
“I checked your calendar and thought you could use some hot tea this morning.”
Zaire met his gaze. “Oh, I forgot. I have back-to-back meetings this morning with two of M.G.’s biggest clients. Max, what was I thinking?” She considered running to Tyrese for help, but with the tension between them, Zaire stood her ground. She would have to do this on her own.
“I was thinking that we rock,” Max responded. “Drink your tea, and I’ll go set up everything in the conference room.”
“Thanks.”
Zaire sat down at her desk and turned on her computer.
She could hear Tyrese talking as he strolled by her office with a client.
Zaire averted her gaze from the doorway, pretending to be engrossed in her work. She was not going to let him affect her to the point that she could not give her best when it came to work.
Putting all thoughts of Tyrese out of her mind helped tremendously. After her meetings, Zaire felt like celebrating.
She took Max out to lunch as a show of gratitude for all of his help.
“We did it,” she told him. “I want you to know how much I really appreciate your help. Max, you and I make a great team. I’m looking forward to a long working relationship.”
He smiled. “So am I. I really like working with you, Zaire. Hey, I noticed that Tyrese was sitting in the back of the conference room. Did you see him?”
Zaire was surprised. “Really?”
She’d had no idea that he had been present during her meetings. Zaire had been nervous and focused. She’d known Max was somewhere in the room, but she couldn’t remember seeing him.
Zaire finished off her lunch. “I guess we’d better get back to the office. We have to prepare for our last meeting for the day. Afterward, I’m going down to the gym to work out. It’s the perfect way to end a good but stressful day.”
* * *
A wave of apprehension swept through Zaire as she entered the parking deck. Biting her lip, she glanced over her shoulder several times but did not see anyone. Everything appeared normal; however, the tiny hairs on the back of her neck protested otherwise.
She had never stayed this late before and had not intended to do so now. Time had slipped by during her workout. Zaire decided that, going forward, she would not do it again unless there were others working in the office, as well.
Zaire was suddenly anxious to escape the empty parking deck. She became increasingly uneasy.
She had never felt so uncomfortable out alone like this.
Zaire heard what sounded like footsteps and quickened her pace.
It was probably security, she told herself. She shouldn’t be worried, but the warning voice in her head could still be heard.
This time the sound of footsteps echoed louder, sending a thread of fear through Zaire and alarm bells ringing. She walked faster, her keys in hand. She could press the panic button if necessary, but surprisingly, this did nothing to end the disquieting thoughts running rampant in her mind.
Zaire released a sigh of relief when she was within yards of her car. In a matter of minutes, she would be in it and driving away to the safety of her home.
Suddenly a man appeared in front of her.
Zaire screamed before everything went black.
* * *
Tyrese answered his cell phone on the second ring. “Hello.”
“Mr. Moore, I think you’d better come to the office,” one of his security personnel stated. “There’s been an incident.”
Tyrese immediately picked up his car keys and headed toward the door. “What happened?” he stammered.
“Miss Alexander,” the security guard began. “Someone attacked her. They wanted her car.”
“I’ll be right there.”
The police had arrived and so had the ambulance by the time he pulled up. Tyrese parked his car right nearby. He shifted the gear to Park and then rushed over to check on Zaire. The police wouldn’t let him near her.
The paramedics were placing an unconscious Zaire on a stretcher.
“How is she?”
“You are?” one of the policemen asked.
“Tyrese Moore,” he answered thickly. “I am the owner of this building. How is Zaire?”
“From the looks of it, someone punched her in the face. She may have been hit or kicked. There’s a red BMW crashed in the parking garage.”
“It’s her car,” Tyrese confirmed.
“This was a carjacking,” the police stated. “The perp got away, unfortunately. She’s going to be taken to Cedars-Sinai Hospital.”
“She’s my partner. I’m going with her.”
Tyrese climbed into the ambulance. He took her slender hand in his. “I’m right here,” he whispered. “You’re safe now.”
He swallowed hard, trying to keep his fear at bay. Tyrese wanted her to open her eyes. She looked pale and it bothered him to see her so still.
The police had found her wallet somewhere in the car. They were not very forthcoming with details at the moment. Her red tote was also still in the car with the laptop. He had overheard this much. Apparently, the person who’d attacked Zaire had been in such a hurry that he’d never noticed the tote.
Tyrese played a number of scenarios in his head. He knew that it was Zaire’s usual routine to take her tote to the car before working out. Apparently, the person who’d attacked her was an amateur, and for that, he was grateful. The situation could have turned out much worse.
He waited until they had arrived at the hospital and Zaire had been taken to one of the emergency rooms before calling her parents.
“Mr. Alexander, this is Tyrese Moore. Zaire was attacked and she’s at Cedars-Sinai. I’m here with her.”
“Her mother and I will be right there.”
Tyrese was surprised at how calm Malcolm had sounded over the phone. He saw a nurse coming out of the room that Zaire was in. He rushed over to her.
“Is she awake?”
“She was awake for a moment,” the woman responded. “Miss Alexander was in a lot of pain so we gave her something to help. She’s sleeping, but she will be fine.”
Tyrese prayed she was right.
Chapter 9
Ari Alexander was the first one in Zaire’s family to arrive at the hospital. Tyrese recognized him and crossed the room to meet him. “I just spoke with the doctor. Zaire was hit in the face and has a broken tooth, but she will be fine.”
“What happened exactly?” Ari asked.
“She was attacked in the M.G. employee parking deck. Someone tried to steal her car.”
A young woman who was obviously pregnant and a man approached them. “Where is Zaire?”
“Sage, you shouldn’t have come,” Ari told her. “You don’t need to get yourself all upset. You have a baby to consider.”
“My sister was attacked,” she snapped. “I’m going to be upset no matter where I am. I’m going to be here in case Zaire needs me.”
Sage glanced over at Tyrese and asked, “Where were you when this all happened?”
“I wasn’t there,” he explained. “I am going to do everything in my power to get to the bottom of this.”
“I would have assumed that you would have security cameras everywhere,” Ari muttered.
“I do,” Tyrese said, his gaze steady. “I will be evaluating my security needs because of what’s happened.”
Malcolm and Barbara arrived with another man.
“You must be Tyrese Moore,” Malcolm stated, walking up to Tyrese. “This is my wife, Barbara, and this is Franklin, my head of security.”
“We’d like to keep this quiet,” Barbara told him. “My daughter would not want this flashed across the tabloids.”
He nodded in understanding. “I’ve already spoken to the medical staff about that.”
“I’m going to talk to them, as well,” Malcolm said. “I want to make sure they understand that this is not to get out in any form or fashion. My daughter’s tragedy will not be plastered all over the world and the internet.”
“I am going to stay here to make sure no one takes any photographs,” Franklin announced. “Only the medical team will be allowed in the room, and I intend to make sure they do not bring in their cell phones.”
Men like Malcolm had the power to keep certain things out of the news, make or break careers and even ruin reputations, Tyrese thought with light bitterness. He had no doubt that Malcolm would destroy the person responsible for leaking the news of Zaire’s attack.
Tyrese was a powerful man within his own right, but he had never been the type of person hungry to avenge the wrongs done to him—not to the point of destroying a person. It was just not his way.
Ari approached him. “Thank you for all you’ve done, Tyrese. We can handle it from here.”
He did not want to leave without seeing Zaire, but Ari’s tone brooked no argument.
“I’ll tell her you were here.”
Tyrese gave a slight nod and then turned to leave. He took a taxi back to the office. He checked in with security as soon as he arrived.
His mood veered to anger. “I can’t believe we have all of this high-tech equipment and yet we could not get one clear image of the person who attacked Zaire.”
“Mr. Moore—”
“I don’t want this situation to ever happen again. If we need more cameras installed, then see to it.”
He couldn’t get Zaire out of his thoughts. Tyrese stayed with the family at the hospital until he was sure she was going to be fine.
The image of Zaire’s bruised face haunted him.
Tyrese curled his hands into fists. She didn’t deserve to be punched in the face like that—no one did.
He called the hospital before heading home, but her family had requested that no calls be put through to the room. They wanted her to get some rest.
Tyrese groaned in frustration.
* * *
Zaire opened her eyes and then closed them quickly to block out the blinding-bright lights. She heard her parents’ voices and lifted her head.
“She’s awake, Mama.”
She recognized Sage’s voice and whispered, “What are you doing here? You should be home resting.”
“I’ll go home when I know that you are going to be fine.”
“I hurt, but I’ll be okay.” Zaire tried to sit up, but she was still shaky.
Barbara took the remote and raised the bed for her. “Honey, I’m so glad to see those beautiful eyes of yours.”
She put a hand to her still-swollen mouth. “My...”
Her mother placed a gentle hand to her cheek. “Shh...dear. It’s going to be all right.”
“I look a mess.”
Malcolm sat down on the edge of the hospital bed. “You’re still beautiful.”
“Tyrese...”
“He was here,” Barbara said. “He rode in the ambulance with you. He would probably still be here, but Ari sent him home.”
“Why did he do that?” Zaire wanted to know.
“He thought Tyrese’s presence would prompt too many questions,” her father responded. “The doctor said you can come home with us. Tyrese can visit you there.”
“Do you have a mirror?” she asked Sage.
“I don’t,” her sister responded.
Zaire moved to get out of bed. “I need to see how bad I look.”
“Honey, don’t...” her mother pleaded.
“I have to do this.” Zaire placed a hand on her stomach. The guy who had attacked her had kicked her, too. Her ribs were bruised, but had not been broken.
She walked slowly to the bathroom.
Her father tried to assist her, but she refused his help. “I can do this, Daddy.”
Zaire winced as she eyed her reflection in the mirror. Her face had a bruise, her lip was cut and her tooth had been chipped. Her eyes filled with tears.
She put a fist to her mouth to stifle her sobs. Why had this happened to her? Zaire had never done anything to hurt another person, so why did some stranger want to hurt her like this? He had been vicious in his attack.
Zaire feared he had stolen her wallet and knew where she lived. She was afraid to go home. She would not feel safe until she knew that her attacker was behind bars.
Barbara knocked on the bathroom door. “Honey, are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she answered. “I’ll be right out.”
Deep down, Zaire did not believe that anything would ever be right again. Her life was forever changed.
* * *
Zaire slept all of the way home due to the pain medication she was taking.
Her mother woke her gently. “We’re home, sweetie.”
Malcolm helped her out of the car and escorted her upstairs to her bedroom. Barbara followed close behind.
Zaire turned the doorknob slowly, opening the door wide to reveal a rich purple-and-gold color scheme throughout.
“I’m glad you decided to com
e home with us,” her mother said.
“Me, too,” Zaire managed to say. Although her wallet had been found in her car, Zaire still feared that her attacker might show up at her apartment.
She walked over to the bed, running her fingers along the delicate etchings of the mahogany bed.
“Honey, do you need anything?”
Zaire looked over her shoulder at her mother. “No, ma’am. I just want to lie down for a while.”
She crossed the gleaming hardwood floor, heading to the eight-drawer chest. Zaire retrieved a pair of knit shorts and a T-shirt.
“I’m going to take a shower.”
Her parents exchanged looks but said nothing.
“I’m fine,” Zaire said, trying to reassure them.
“I’ll check on you in a while,” Barbara told her.
She nodded but did not speak.
Zaire slipped out of her shoes and padded barefoot into the bathroom. She turned on the shower, undressed and stepped inside, letting the warm temperature of the water soothe her sore body.
Tears filled her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.
Zaire put a fist up to her mouth to smother her sobs. She had never known such fear in her life. She was grateful that the man had only tried to steal her car—the situation could have turned out much worse. Still, Zaire could not escape the memories that haunted her dreams.
When the sobs subsided, Zaire turned off the shower.
She dried off and slipped on the shorts and T-shirt.
Zaire opened the bathroom door and peeked out.
She was relieved to find that her parents were gone. Zaire did not feel like talking or having company. She just wanted to be alone.
Zaire pulled down the covers on her king-size bed and climbed in.
She just wanted to sleep.
Zaire did not know whether it was the effects of the medication or what she had gone through—it did not matter as long as she could close her eyes.
She was vaguely aware of her mother slipping into the room later, closing the curtains and casting the room in darkness.
Five Star Seduction Page 6