Page 108 of Taeja

“I figured,” Cavaughn said with a smile. Her eyes darted to Zain before settling on Taeja. “I hope you stop by again sometime. I’m a part of the team for Damon’s video game, and I appreciate what you did for us.”

Taeja smiled. “Of course, no problem. Sometimes fresh eyes do the trick.”

Cavaughn’s lips quirked upward slightly. “I know what you mean,” she said before looking behind Taeja. “I have to go. It was nice seeing you both. Excuse me. Gavin!” The clack of heels bounced around the room as she rushed off.

Taeja’s brows furrowed as she and Zain entered the elevator. “Why mi feel like she know that I just had sex with her boss?”

“She does,” Zain replied as he pressed the button for the lobby.

Taeja’s eyes widened, her heart racing. “What?! How?! Mi nuh smell like sex, and Damon nuh hickey me up too much—”

“You really believed when Damon said the walls are soundproof?”

19

He sat in thewaiting area. His loctician should be here soon, and he used his phone to occupy his time. A ding rang throughout the partially empty room. He looked toward the door as a man entered.

The man smiled before making his way toward Zain. He sat on the chair to Zain’s left. “Scar.”

“Don’t call me that around civilians,” Zain said.

“Fuck these people.”

Zain rolled his eyes at Owen’s comment. “I prefer when you call me Stork.”

“I know. That’s why I’m calling you Scar.” Owen grinned. “Plus, it kinda makes you look badass. You got that whole ‘don’t fuck with me’ thing going on for you now.”

Zain ignored the comment. “What are you doing here?”

“Mi come visit mi barber, dawg. Deevn look like him deh ya.”

“Let someone else do it.”

Owen scoffed. “Yu mad? Mi naa trade my barber fi love nor money! Anyway, you figured out what we’re gonna do about PNG?”

Zain’s jaw clenched. He’d been pretending the meeting never happened. Maybe if he could convince himself, he wouldn’t have to worry about how PNG would affect the life he had now.

Owen gasped. “Yu cya serious right now, dawg… Yu nehna think bout it?”

Zain sighed. “No.”

“Well, you need to hurry. Jollof is against this shit too, and you know we stand with you despite whatever Rice wants to say.” Owen lowered his voice. “We need you, Scar…”

“I’m not the Sergeant anymore. Whatever Rice says is law.”

“Fuckry dis yaa chat ina mi ears, bredda,” Owen hissed. “I didn’t spend ten years of my life at your side fi that fassy come tell mi wa fi do. And you know Jollof feels the same. Just think bout it,please.”

Zain sighed, looking at Taeja, who was walking toward them. She was coming from the bathroom.

“Jah,” Owen said. “Did bout fi leff, but mi cya liff up without tha catty ya number.”

Zain’s brows furrowed. “What?”

Owen nodded his head in Taeja’s direction. “Her. My type a gyal dat.”

Zain glared. “She’s my girlfriend. Keep talking if you wanna lose your tongue.”

Owen threw his hands up in the air. “Fuck, sorry. Didn’t know.”

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