42. Chapter 42
42
Looking at the diploma in her hands, Taeja smiled. Her last semester of college ran off faster than she expected it to. She’d accomplished a lot during these past months…
Being a germaphobe and harsh critic aside, Gavin was an amazing mentor. Now that her internship was complete, she’d work at Damon’s office part-time, but for the most part, she’d be a freelance web designer. She was in the final stages of getting everything ready to venture into her new career, and things were looking up for her already.
Taeja looked at Liyah, who walked beside her. “We did it!”
Tightening her coat around her body, Liyah smiled. “Best believe it!”
Taeja smiled as she stopped by the car. “Before I forget—” Taeja opened her diploma jacket, pulling out a small envelope Mason discreetly handed her moments ago. “This is for you.”
“What is it?” Liyah asked with a smile, her teeth clicking against each other as a gust of wind blew by.
“Open it to see!”
She opened the envelope and gasped. “What’s this?”
“Gyal like you weh just graduate cya read already?” Taeja teased, and Liyah rolled her eyes. “You’re looking at a paid-off student debt, and a card stocked to kick start your first semester in grad school.”
“Tae,” Liyah sobbed. “I can’t—”
“I told you that you had no choice but to accept it,” Taeja said, and Liyah tugged her into a hug. Their body warmth seeped into each other’s skin.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
Taeja chuckled when wetness settled on her neck. “Mi love yu, but nuh bother with the crying on me right now. The place is too cold as is.”
Chuckling, Liyah pulled away and dried her tears.
Taeja smiled. “Thank your fiancé, too. He got Gordon to secure you a President’s scholarship if you decide to pursue grad school here.”
Liyah’s mouth fell. “ What ?”
“Links run the world, Liyah.”
“Oh, my God.” Liyah wiped the back of her hand across her eyes. More tears ran down her cheeks. “Mi feel fi drop down.”
Taeja laughed. “Please don’t.”
“I have no friends, but I swear you make up for it.” She pulled Taeja into a tight hug. “Thank you, Tae. This means so much to me!”
Grinning, Taeja pulled away and wiped the tears from Liyah’s cheek. “Make sure you put it on Mason real good tonight.”
“Might give him a baby, too,” Liyah said, and Taeja laughed.
After they said their goodbyes, Taeja walked toward where her boyfriends, mother, and father waited.
Two months ago, Jerry returned from his trip and demanded Teddy return Cassedi’s documents. Cassedi returned to America and got a job as a psychologist. They’d been working on their relationship since then — through marriage counseling, frequent date nights, and welcoming God back into their union.
Despite wearing her wedding ring again, Cassedi insisted they weren’t completely back together. She didn’t want to live with Jerry yet, so he bought her a house close to his.
Every time Taeja visited either of her parents’ houses, they’d both be there, breathless with ruffled clothes.
Taeja wished she was still innocent. Were her parents rabbits? They were too old to be going on that way.
It was a good thing though …
Jerry became a better father. He looked like he was aging backward now. Life was looking up for him since he cut the cancerous Teddy off. The last Taeja heard, the old hag moved out of state.
“There is our graduate!” Jerry exclaimed, tugging Taeja into a hug while Cassedi smiled at them. “Congratulations, baby girl!”
Taeja grinned, hugging him. “Thanks, Jerry.”
“I’m so proud of you,” Cassedi said, her eyes teary as she pulled Taeja into a hug after Jerry released her.
“Sas Crise, Cassedi! I can’t breathe,” Taeja choked out.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Cassedi pulled back. “I’m just so happy that I got to be here for you.”
Warmth filled Taeja’s chest. “I am, too.”
Jerry grinned, pulling Cassedi to him by the waist and grazing her belly with his fingers. “It is getting colder out here.” He glared at the men standing on both sides of Taeja. “Get her home safely.”
Zain scoffed.
Damon nodded and said as cordially as he could, “We will.”
Taeja sighed. All these months, and her father and boyfriends still didn’t get along. They bickered on every occasion, but they hadn’t fought again, so she was thankful.
“I’ll see you later,” she told her parents.
They nodded and walked away. Jerry opened the door for Cassedi. After she was settled, Jerry entered the vehicle and drove away.
Taeja faced her men with a bright smile. “I did it!”
They grinned.
“We’re proud of you.” Damon pulled her into a one-arm hug so Zain could hug her other side.
Zain kissed her cheek. “Congrats, Taeja,” he said, and she beamed as she hugged them.
Damon broke the hug first. “Can we go inside the car now? My balls are freezing.”
“Do you want me to hold them for you?” Taeja teased as Zain opened the door for her.
Settling himself behind the wheel, Damon turned the heat on and rubbed his hands together. “No, but you can suck them.”
Zain scoffed from the back. “Save that for later. Remember, we have a—” He paused.
She turned to look at him. “What?”
“Nothing.”
“Zain.”
Damon glared at Zain. “We had a surprise for you, but someone doesn’t know how to keep their mouth shut.”
Taeja slapped Damon’s thigh. “Stop being mean to him.”
“He’s the one who always bullies me .” Damon pointed at his chest, and Taeja rolled her eyes.
“The two a unu coming like puss and dog. Give me the surprise now. I love surprises!”
“Are you sure you don’t want to wait?” Damon asked.
Taeja nodded. “It’s my graduation! Let’s keep the good vibes going.”
Damon chuckled and looked at Zain with a nod. Zain grabbed a small bag on the backseat, then handed it to her.
“What is it?” she asked, ruffling the decorative paper with a smile.
“You have to open it, Taeja,” Zain replied.
“I hate you,” she muttered while taking out the paper.
“And I love you.”
She paused, a smile stretching onto her face. She’d never get tired of him saying that.
Either of them.
She continued taking out the paper, then screamed when she saw what was in the bag.
Damon winced and rubbed his ear. “Damn, woman…”
She laughed. “Sorry, babe,” she said before reaching into the bag and pulling out the gift. Looking at Zain with the brightest smile, she wiggled her eyebrows and jiggled the key. “Is someone trying to say that I’m a great driver now? ”
Zain looked away from her and grumbled, “I’m not answering that.”
Taeja chuckled. “Come here,” she said, and he leaned forward. She kissed his lips, and when pulling away, he tugged her lip between his teeth. “Thanks, zaddy.”
His eyes gleamed as he leaned back into the seat. “You’re welcome.”
“What about me?” Damon asked. “I’m the one who convinced him to get you a bike.”
Chuckling, she kissed Damon. Her lips sweetly tingled when she pulled away. “Thanks, daddy.”
Damon hummed. “Check the bottom of the bag.”
She complied, and her fingers hit the soft fabric of a velvet jewelry box. She took it out, her hands shaking as she opened it. “Is this what—” She gasped when it opened.
This was the prettiest ring she’d ever seen! The most unique, too. It was intricately designed. Two halves of a whole came together to form a marquise-cut diamond.
Tears blurred her vision. “ Oh, my God! ”
Damon smiled and gently took the box from her, taking her left hand in his and running his thumb over her index. “Remember when we said we can’t marry you?”
“How can I forget?” she asked, her brows furrowing as she glanced at the ring, then between them.
“We’ve been looking at other options. We can have a commitment ceremony.”
“What’s that?” she piped up.
“It’s a marriage not legally binding to the government.”
“So… you guys found a loophole? This wouldn’t be illegal?”
Zain nodded. “Right.”
Her mouth dropped. “Unu stop play with me!”
“We’re not, baby.” Damon cleared his throat and sat more upright.
“Will you marry us?” they both asked.
Taeja bobbed her head up and down. “Is that a real question?! Yes, yes!”
They snickered, and Damon took out half of the ring and slid it onto her finger. Zain took out the other half and slipped it onto her finger, too. Mesmerized by the sight of it, Taeja was a smiling mess when they placed soft kisses on her cheeks.
When they pulled away, she wiped away her tears and said, “You guys know that this means you’re going to be watching rom-coms for the rest of your lives, right?”
They sighed heavily, and she grinned.
“Jesam! Why you look so?” Liyah asked.
Breathing hard with a silly smile, Taeja held the phone in the air. “Me just get the sex of mi life! Mi cudn keep this to miself.”
Liyah tossed her head back and laughed. “A so me a see. Yu breast dem stiff, though.”
“Yaa fish ino,” Taeja laughed, cupping one of her breasts and looking at a hickey on it.
Definitely the work of Damon.
“Mi boxcova! Tae, a wa dat pon yu finger?!” Liyah exclaimed.
Taeja blushed. “To how me still a think bout them buddy, I forgot to tell you. I’m soon-to-be Mrs. Stark!” She put her hand before the camera.
“Mind yu blind mi!” Liyah squealed, and Taeja laughed.
“If extra was a person.”
“I’m not being extra. I’m just so happy for you. You deserve all the love in the world and more!”
Taeja’s lips trembled as she moved her hand. “Thanks, Liyah—” She paused when the door opened and Zain stepped inside. “I have to go. Call you later?”
Liyah nodded. “Big up you and yu good hood man dem!”
“Right through!” Taeja laughed and ended the call. She looked at Zain, whose eyes roamed her naked body. “Everything ready?”
“Yeah. Come shower.” He took her into his hold and walked into the bathroom.
“Where’s Damon?”
“Sampling the food to make sure it’s good. ”
Taeja laughed as he made her stand. Cum dripped out of her holes, blending as it trailed between her inner thighs. “Of course, he’d be.”
They were hosting her a graduation dinner. They’d just got done having sex when the doorbell rang.
She told them to go see to the caterers, but one of them insisted on staying with her. She told them she’d call Liyah so they should stop worrying about her falling into sub-drop.
That hadn’t happened to her since the first time she got double penetrated, and the fourth time Zain spanked her with a paddle. They always kept a close eye on her after sex, even when she couldn’t help falling asleep sometimes during the aftercare.
Now, they were here.
Showering…
Getting dressed…
Sitting at the table with her parents, and beaming as everyone — Miss Charm, Dijonae, Kacian, and Andrew — congratulated them on their engagement…
And yes, that included Jerry.
Swallowing the bite of steak with a side of mashed potatoes, Taeja glanced around the table until she saw what she needed. “Daddy, can you pass the salt?”
Three men reached for the bottle.
Silence fell over the room. Jerry glared at the men beside Taeja while embarrassment consumed her.
Cassedi grabbed the salt and stretched to give it to Taeja. “Here you go, baby girl.”
“Thanks, Cassedi…” Taeja cleared her throat, looking down at her food while the conversations resumed.
Both her men shuffled about in their seats. They placed a hand on either of her thighs, causing Taeja to smile.
She really loved them.
But more than anything, she was glad she went out that night.