Page 96 of Taeja

“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 guessit’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?”

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