Page 36 of Taeja

“Where are you going?” Taeja asked.

Damon cleared his throat. “A friend.”

Taeja’s eyes narrowed. She didn’t like Damon’s tone. If Kacian wasn’t here, Taeja would’ve pressed Damon for an answer.

“I forgot that Andrew dropped me here. I’m going to the mall,” Kacian said, shifting the conversation to small talk for several minutes until she looked over her shoulder.

Zain entered the room. He was dressed in a black tee that gripped his bulging muscles, and grey sweatpants. As he walked past Taeja, his strong, expensive cologne clouded her senses.

A man that smelled good always had a special place in her heart.

“I thought you’d never join us,” Kacian mused.

“I was having a shower,” Zain said.

Kacian’s brows creased. “Who takes that long to shower?”

Zain’s gaze flickered to Taeja, who blushed before glancing away. In herperipheral, she saw Zain lean on the counter beside Damon. She felt them looking at her. All the attention made her heart quicken its pace.

Not giving Zain the chance to answer, Kacian asked Damon, “Will you be ready soon?”

“Yes. Take Taeja with you.”

“Take me?” Taeja’s brow raised as she looked at Damon.

He nodded. “You have a problem with my clothes, so you’ll need your own when you stay with us.”

“I don’t have clothes to go out, and I don’t have my card—” She stopped talking when the brothers reached into their pockets.

“I got it,” Zain said, moving toward her.

“I took my wallet out first,” Damon said, taking longer strides toward her.

“I was here first.”

“She’s going to take mine anyway, so you can go back over there.”

“Fuck off.”

“Zain!” Kacian hissed.

They ignored Kacian and offered their cards to Taeja.

Looking at the cards and the brothers’ visible insistence for her to take theirs, Taeja smiled. She accepted the cards, then leaned over to kiss them on the cheek. Damon’s was long and hard. Zain’s was quick and feather-light.

“Thank you,” she said to them as she sat back down.

“Damon’s card has a limit,” Zain told her.

Damon scoffed as they walked away. “I have a black card now.”

Zain seemed impressed, but he didn’t say it. Instead, he shrugged as they leaned on the counter and faced her.

Kacian rolled her eyes before looking at Taeja. “Good luck with these two,” she muttered, making Taeja give her a small smile. Hopping off the stool, she said loud enough so her sons could hear, “Are you ready?”

Taeja looked at her clothes. “Yes, but we have to stop at my house.”

“No problem,” Kacian said, glancing at her sons, who were whispering amongst themselves. “Let’s go.”

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