17. Chapter 17
17
“Stop sulking,” Zain said from behind her.
Taeja glared at him through the mirror before them. “I don’t want a spotter.”
Zain stepped backward. “Go ahead.”
“Thank you.” She rolled her shoulders before looking at the weight below her. The most she ever lifted was about seventy-five pounds, but she wanted to see if she could do more. Eighty should be good enough. Seeing Zain bench press two hundred and say that was nothing because he could press more gave her motivation to try exercising again. Inhaling a deep breath, she grabbed the bar.
“Don’t hurt yourself because Damon will kill me,” Zain said.
Taeja chuckled. “Bury my body before he comes from work.”
“Burying bodies is too risky. I’d prefer to use acid—”
Taeja’s head snapped up, her mouth agape as she watched him smirk. “That was a little too specific, Zain.”
He chuckled. “Relax, the last thing on my mind is hurting you. It’s not on my mind at all.”
“Hmph,” Taeja huffed before looking back at the bar. Giving herself a pep talk, she tightened her grip around the bar and tried lifting the weights. She’d warmed up before this, but her muscles protested as she grappled to stand straight. “Sas Crise!” she exclaimed and dropped it, hearing it roll for a few seconds. “I think I peed myself.”
Zain chuckled. “I told you to start smaller. ”
Rubbing her lower back, Taeja pouted. “I thought I could do it.”
“I’ll get you there one day.” Zain grabbed the weight and fixed it on the weight bench.
“Huh?”
“I do personal training.”
“Yu waa train me?”
“I can train you to do many things.”
“Such as?”
He only smirked. “C’mon. It’s twelve.”
Taeja sighed, wiping a hand across her forehead as they exited Zain’s gym. “Yago always force me fi eat now?”
“Yeah.”
Taeja rolled her eyes as she washed her hands in the kitchen sink, then sat by the island. “Not even mi father neva yet force me fi eat.”
Zain shrugged as he watched her dig into the cheese and vegetable omelet he made. “I have a question about him.”
“Go ahead.”
“How would you feel if he… disappeared?”
Taeja stopped eating, her eyes narrowing on him. “Zain, doh think about it.”
Her threat didn’t come off as intense as she hoped. It was hard to be serious when he stood shirtless an arm’s length away from her. Zain was a sight for sore eyes.
“I don’t understand why you defend him this much.”
She sighed, looking at her food. She picked at a piece of spinach with the fork. “He’s my dad…”
“A real man doesn’t constantly disrespect their child. Every time he calls you a whore, it burns me.”
Her throat dried, and she pushed the plate away. “I’m not a whore…”
“I know.”
“Sor— I mean, it’s just that you’re making me think about stuff that I did… Can I tell you something?” she asked, and Zain nodded. “I used to—” She paused. “I should tell Damon, too. You guys don’t know much about my past, so I guess it’s fair to tell you at the same time.”
“We don’t care about your past.”
“But I do. It’s what makes me,” Taeja countered while glancing at the clock on the wall. “Damon has lunch soon. Can we bring him lunch?”
“After you eat.”
“I don’t have an appetite anymore.”
“Take two more bites.”
Taeja sighed, but gave in. “Happy?”
“Close.”
“I can work with that.” Taeja stood and grabbed a plate out of the cupboard, then covered her plate. She exited the kitchen with Zain, walking toward his room. “I can feel you staring at my ass, Zain.”
“You have a nice ass.”
“I know,” Taeja bragged, swaying her hips more seductively.
“Stop that. You’re making me horny.”
Taeja smirked as she stood between the threshold of the room and the bathroom. She turned to face him with a devious grin. “Stop what?” she asked, and he glared in warning. “Stop this?” Taeja lowered her shorts to her ankles. Then, slowly, she brought down one side of her panty. “Or this?”
“Fuck… Come here.”
“Catch me first.” She ran into the bathroom. Before she could reach the shower door, Zain had her bent over the sink, one of his hands wrapped in her hair and his dick pressing against her ass.
He met her eyes in the mirror. “You couldn’t jog that fast earlier. The only thing you know to run from is dick?”
“I don’t run.”
Zain broke the stare to look at her ass. Palming it, he gave it a slap that made it shake. “I beg to differ,” he said as he spread her feet with his knees. “It’s been too long since I’ve been inside you.”
“What are you waiting for?”
“It’s Damon’s turn.”
She rubbed her ass against his hardening dick. “I don’t care about turns. I want you now.”
Zain inhaled a deep breath through his nostrils. “Fuck it,” he cursed, releasing her hair to drop his sweatpants. He slipped her panty to the side and ran a finger through her. Meeting her gaze in the mirror, he asked, “Did you really pee?”
Taeja laughed. “No. I’m just horny,” she confessed shamelessly.
“Minx.”
“Never said I was a saint.”
Zain smirked before looking between them. He gripped his dick, and she leaned over some more. She bit into her lip, silencing a moan while Zain trailed his dick along her slit. He reached a hand around her body, using his thumb to pull her lip free from her teeth. “Let me hear you,” he said as he slowly entered her.
“ Oh ,” Taeja breathed, gripping the counter as her walls stretched around his length. He wasn’t all the way in, but she already felt so full.
Her scalp burned as he grabbed a fistful of her hair again, locking her head in place and forcing her to watch him fuck her. Zain’s breathing was heavy in her ear as she threw her ass back, collecting his long strokes with unfiltered moans.
His hand moved from her lip and gripped her throat before trailing down, cupping one of her breasts and teasing the nipple through the thin material. Zain was silent as he watched her every action. She didn’t mind because her brain was too mushed to think of anything to say. His dick was hitting her in all the right places, driving her senseless.
The only thing she could do was moan. Loudly. Without shame.
Throw her body back against his.
Tighten her grip around the counter and enjoy the view of this scarred man taking her.
Just seeing her plump lips parted as her cries ran free made her hornier than she already was.
Her wetness ran down her thighs as he ferociously slammed inside her, setting her insides aflame as her orgasm drew closer.
Zain must have sensed it because he broke the stare and attached his lips to the side of her neck. Taeja’s eyes rolled to the back of her head as he sucked on her sweet spot, increasing the pleasure to an even sweeter experience.
His hand moved from her nipple and disappeared between her thighs. His thumb pressed against her clit and rubbed it in quick circles, coaxing her orgasm closer and closer while he maintained his thrusts.
“Zain,” she cried, and he hummed against her skin. She bit into her lips as her walls clenched around him, her orgasm taking complete control of her being. Stars dazzled behind her eyelids when they slammed shut, and when they opened again, she felt anew.
Zain pulled out of her and took his hand out of her panty, making it slip back into place. Taeja watched in awe as he got himself off, then came on her back. Thick warmth slowly crawled down her skin.
“That was hot,” Taeja said while catching her breath.
Breathing just as heavily, Zain looked away from his masterpiece to meet her eyes in the mirror. “What?”
“The face you make when you’re coming all over me.”
Zain smirked. “That’s nothing compared to the sounds you make when you take my dick.” He grabbed the hem of her blouse. “Lift your arms.” Zain stripped her from her blouse and soiled underwear, tossing them aside. He stepped out of his remaining clothes and led her to the shower. As Taeja faced him, he stretched a hand behind her to turn the pipe on.
“My knees still feel weak. Mi waa sidung before me drop dung.”
“Come here.” He widened his arms.
Taeja covered her shock with a smile, quickly stepping into his hold. When his arms wrapped around her, she molded against his skin, sighing quietly.
Zain’s hugs were special. Maybe it was because he rarely touched her. But whenever he did, damn , did he make those seconds count.
“Thanks, Zain,” Taeja breathed, and he nodded.
They stayed silent for a moment. Just holding each other while the warm stream of water sprayed their skin.
As much as she wanted to stay in his hold forever, Taeja didn’t push her luck. She knew how touch made him. Plus, they really needed to get going if they were going to see Damon on time. She was excited to see him… no matter the budding feeling of dread in her stomach.
She slowly eased out of the hug. They showered in silence. After they were done, they got dressed in comfortable silence, too.
“You always do that,” she muttered as she trailed down the stairs with Zain behind her.
“Do what?” he asked.
“Walk behind me.”
“I like looking at your ass.”
“Mind ino.”
“ Mind ino ?”
Taeja stopped walking, turning to look at him. “You don’t know what that means?”
“No,” Zain answered. “Not because I understand most of what you say in Patois means I understand everything.”
“Yu know seh yu feisty,” she joked, and he grinned, making her smile as she turned away from him and continued walking. “I meant watch what you’re saying because that sounds like yaa plan fi enter an exit.”
“I am.”
Taeja froze, recovering seconds later to face him. “Wa?!”
“You almost made me fall,” he grumbled. “And you heard me.”
“No, mi nuh hear yu good. You wanna fuck me in my ass?”
“Yes.”
“You wanna put ten inches—”
Zain scoffed. “Ten? I’m honored, Taeja, but I’m not that big,” he said before motioning for her to continue walking, which she did. “I won’t do anything you’re not comfortable with.”
“I know. I’ve just never… done anything like that before.”
“I know.”
“Mi deevn ago ask how yu know,” Taeja replied as they stopped at the door in the kitchen that led to the garage. “I’ll have to think about if I ever want you to…” she trailed off, unable to finish. It was taboo, but sparked her interest. Being in this relationship had her mind open to a lot of things. “I have something to tell you before we go out there… I scratched your car the other day. By accident. It isn’t big or anything, but I’ll—”
“I know.”
Taeja’s mouth dropped, and her heart stopped beating for a second. “What?”
“Did you think I didn’t see it because I always ride my bike?” he asked, and she nodded.
“You’re not mad at me?” she whispered.
Zain shook his head. “No. It’s just a car. Nothing happened to you, so I don’t care.”
Her shoulders slackened. She looked at her fingers as she fumbled with them. “I wanted to tell you, but I was scared how you’d react.”
He lifted her chin, and she held her breath as she dragged her eyes to his. “It’s fine, Taeja. I’m not angry at you,” he said in a comforting voice, as if he was speaking to a child.
She smiled at him as her heart fluttered in her chest. She fought the urge to hug him, having mixed feelings as he released her. Zain opened the door with one hand and used the next to grab his key off the rack. They walked toward the car, and he opened the door for her. He strolled around the vehicle before sitting beside her.
“We should buy Damon lunch,” Taeja said as they reversed out of the garage. “He loved the fried rice you made the other day, so we can buy him some of that.”
“Damon loves anything I cook.”
Taeja hummed and stole a glance at him. His right hand idled atop the gearstick. His left hand was on the steering wheel, the veins on his hand and arm popping out with each turn of the wheel.
Was it normal to be attracted to veins? Because Taeja’s pussy throbbed at the veins crawling beneath the scars on his arms. Zain always dripped sex without trying. He could probably make taking out the trash look sexy.
“I can feel you staring, Taeja,” Zain said.
She dragged her eyes to his face — partially covered with his long locs, as always. “Stop gwan like yu nuh like when mi look pon yu.”
The corner of his lips twitched upward. “I wasn’t complaining.”
She did her best impression of his voice. “ Whatever you say .”
“I don’t sound like that.”
“ I don’t sound like that ,” she mocked, and Zain shot her a glare. Smiling, Taeja looked through the window. “Okay, I’ll stop.”
Zain drove until they arrived at a restaurant. Taeja stayed in the car while he went inside to buy food, returning twenty minutes later before they were off again.
Soon, they parked before the skyscraper. The entire building was framed with glass windows, each one reflecting the sunlight, except for the ground level, which was made of smooth marble. The company’s name was etched into the marble above the automatic doors of the entrance.
Taeja grabbed the food and drink, carefully holding them as they walked toward the building. The receptionist at the front desk knew Zain, so they were allowed access to the elevators without identification.
Arriving on the fifteenth floor, they were immediately greeted by another receptionist.
“Ah, Mr. Zain and guest,” said Zaida — a pretty, petite white woman, who was formally clad. “I’ve notified Mr. Stark. He’s in his office waiting for you.”
Zain nodded and walked away, leaving Taeja to throw Zaida a smile of gratitude. Taking long steps to fall in stride with Zain again, Taeja said, “That was rude, you know?”
“Rude would be walking away while she’s talking,” Zain replied.
Taeja rolled her eyes and muttered, “Nuh know where dem get yu from.”
As they walked down the hallways, the contrasting scents of citrus air freshener mingled with the strong aroma of coffee. The walls, painted in a slate grey hue, showcased minimalist paintings of nature and star employees, adding a touch of artistic flair. Chatter and the distinct sound of computer keys being tapped drifted through the partially opened doors.
They turned down another hallway where two people were exiting a room while talking. The woman was taller than the man by about three inches. Her long legs looked amazing in the pencil skirt. Taeja was sure that bright red lipstick left a stain on the coffee cup in her hand. The man had a well-kept beard and goatee, his thick glasses making him look more mature than he was .
The woman saw Taeja and Zain first, and her smile brightened. “Zain!” she exclaimed. “I haven’t seen you in forever!”
The man raised a finger. “Forever is immeasurable. You saw him approximately five weeks ago, which does not equate to forever—”
The woman rolled her eyes as Taeja and Zain stopped before them.
“Good to see you too, Cav,” Zain said, then looked at the man. “Gavin.”
Cav smiled as her gaze darted back and forth between Zain and Taeja. “Aren’t you going to introduce us?”
“I was going to, but you’re impatient as always.”
“I concur—” Gavin said, groaning as Cav poked him with her elbow.
Amused by their playfulness — which was something she didn’t expect to see in such a prestigious building full of people who not only sounded smart, but looked the part, too — Taeja smiled.
Zain said, “This is Taeja, our girlfriend.”
‘Our’. That word always did something to Taeja. Especially whenever she got introduced to new people in her boyfriends’ lives and no one judged their relationship. It made her somewhat jealous that she wasn’t the first girlfriend they shared and introduced to their close friends, but she didn’t let the bad thoughts fester what was good.
She was theirs now. That was all that mattered.
She pulled herself out of her thoughts in time to hear Zain finish, “And this is Cavaughn and Gavin. Damon is their boss.”
Cavaughn extended a hand toward Taeja, which Taeja shook. “It’s nice to finally meet the woman who’s had Damon’s head in a twist these days. The way he describes you does you no justice.”
Taeja smiled. “Thank you. You’re pretty, too.”
“ Pretty ? You’re not pretty, you’re gorgeous,” Cavaughn said as they released their hands. She looked at Zain and motioned her hand with the coffee toward Taeja. “You guys better hold on to her.”
Gavin nodded. “Pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Taeja.”
“Likewise.” Taeja extended a hand toward Gavin.
Gavin held a hand up. “I do not shake hands. Hands carry over three thousand germs, and—”
Cavaughn rolled her eyes as she grabbed Gavin’s arm. “Let’s go, Gavin. Not everyone wants you to bore them with your big brain.” She smiled at Zain and Taeja while dragging Gavin away.
Taeja chuckled as she and Zain walked away. “They’re… something else.”
Zain nodded as they arrived outside Damon’s office. Taeja entered first, and Zain shut the door behind her. She skimmed past Damon, who sat at the desk, to familiarize herself with the office.
The desk was in the middle of the room. Large cabinets lined the right wall while a sofa, potted plant, and mini coffee machine lined the left. Three intricate frames hosting abstract art were diagonally lined above the sofa that Zain was now sitting on.
Clearing her throat, she looked at Damon with a smile. “I brought you lunch!”
Damon licked his lips. “You or the food?”
Taeja chuckled as she walked toward him. Placing the items on the desk before him, she said, “Depends.”, while throwing a leg over his thighs, then sitting on his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he wrapped his around her waist. “What do you wanna eat first?”
“You.”
Taeja smirked, then placed her lips on his. He kissed her with raw passion, making her smile into the kiss as she pressed her breasts against his chest. Damon tasted like dark coffee, and it surprised her that she liked the trace of bitterness. She wasn’t much of a coffee lover, but anything this man had to offer, she’d always willingly accept.
They kissed for a moment more — their tongues tangling and their heads moving in sync — before they pulled away for air.
Her eyes were hazy as they fluttered open to settle on him. Using her thumb to graze the light stubble of his jawline, she said, “You should eat. I’m dessert.”
“How can I say no to that?”
Taeja laughed as she stood. She walked toward the wall of glass and hummed when Damon thanked her. The city looked amazing from an aerial view. The newest semicircle-shaped hotel was far in the distance. Tall leafy trees danced in the wind. Vehicles cruised along the busy roads.
“Wow,” she breathed. “You get to look at this every day?”
“My back’s usually turned to it.”
“You should appreciate this view more.”
“How’d I be able to focus on my work?”
She looked over her shoulder at him. Damon was digging into the food while looking at one of his monitor screens. It had many tabs open, and she was in awe that he could focus on so many things at once. Even as a computer science major, she got flustered whenever she had too many tabs opened simultaneously.
“You know what they say about all work and no play…” Taeja warned.
“Leaves Jack with heavy balls?”
Her nose crinkled. “Yu know seh yu nasty, Damon?”
He looked around at her with a silly grin. “I’m only nasty for you.”
She smiled. “You’re right.” She moved to sit on a chair before his desk. “We didn’t only bring you lunch. I want to talk to you both about something.”
Damon paused shoveling a forkful of rice in his mouth, his brow raising at her. “Why don’t I like the sound of this?” His eyes darted to Zain for a quick second before returning to her.
“It’s nothing bad… Well, it depends on how you both want to take it.”
Damon dropped the fork on the plate. “We’re listening.”
Taeja gulped. “I think you should eat first.”
“I’m good at multitasking. Stop deflecting.”
She exhaled a long breath. Usually, Taeja had no problem saying whatever she wanted, but nerves rendered her throat almost useless. She had to force the words out: “I used to be an escort.”