Page 17 of Bricked Up

How comfortable and confident she was in her body and beauty drove him crazy with desire for her.

He loved how excited she was about enjoying life despite all she’d been through.

She was more thoughtful than people deserved.

She moved with a sensuality and sexuality that he couldn’t help but be completely obsessed with.

Also, Zia demanded respect and exuded boss, badass female energy, and was just all around unapologetically herself.

Saadiq loved every bit of her. She was the love of his life, and Saadiq didn’t care what mountains he had to move; he was gonna make her his wife and make her happy for the rest of her life.

After he showered, Saadiq quickly exited Zia’s bedroom before he gave in to his urge to fuck her into the mattress, wall, and the floor yet again. After making himself a pineapple mango smoothie and placing one in the freezer for Zia, he was out the door.

His first stop was to finally grab the flooring he’d decided on for the ice cream shop and then meet up with his other best friend.

The same friend who was also the artist he’d asked to paint the inside and outside of his shop before meeting with the interior designer and the furniture company he’d chosen to source the furniture from.

Thankfully, because he was following his grandmother’s wishes to the letter, Saadiq had no trouble ensuring that when he opened for business, everything would be perfect.

It was crucial that he honored his grandmother’s dream exactly as she had envisioned it.

He wanted to keep her vision and memory alive for years to come.

By the time he made it to the shop, everybody in the crew he had hired was hard at work.

And it really made his day that shit was problem-free, and running smoothly.

Saadiq was grateful that the shop didn’t require a lot of major changes or come with numerous problems. He’d just brought in the flooring and all the other materials he’d need for installation and was closing his trunk when his female best friend from college, Callie Jenkins, pulled up in her ride in the parking spot next to him and hopped out.

Callie was a beautiful, tall, thick, curvy, honey-hued sistah with long black hair, noticeably slanted brown eyes, and small hoop nose rings in each nostril.

She wore glasses and had a dimpled chin.

She’d been turning heads since the day they met.

“Wassup headache? You lucky I love you like a brother, best friend. Otherwise, I would’ve told you to kiss my cheeks, and you know I’on even like your kind.” Callie Jenkins smiled as she walked into Saadiq’s outstretched arms as they embraced.

“Shit, don’t I know it,” He chuckled as he kissed her on the forehead. “Ya feisty, blunt ass is a trip. How was your drive into town?” Saadiq asked as he released her and held the door open for her as they headed inside.

“Smooth and quick. I don't usually have too many issues driving from Ohio to Michigan. You’re just lucky as shit that you caught me on a weekend that I had business in Detroit. Well, most of this week, actually, and then I’ll be back and forth the next few months.

I’d do anything for you, but business has been banging lately, and you know I’ve waited forever for the shit to finally pop off. ”

“Yeah, I know, and I’m happy for you and proud of you.

Ya hardworking, talented ass deserves all the blessings coming your way,” He praised his friend as he walked her through another door and out into the lobby.

“Don’t forget to let me know asap when you get a date for your art exhibit. So I can make sure I’m there.”

“Thanks, Sid, definitely. Now tell me,” She put her hands on her hips. “What’s your vision for the interior and exterior walls of this beautiful space?” Callie asked as she glanced around the lobby.

“Actually, I just want you to run wit’ whatever you’re feeling creatively. Do you!” He shrugged. “You know what I like, so make that muthafucka shine for me. I’ll make sure you have all the supplies you need and feed you and all that good shit.”

“Shit, that’s wassup,” She nodded. “Speaking of feeding me. I can eat two chickens right about now. What’s good to eat around here?”

“Everything is good in this area, but I’ve got the perfect spot for you, and it’s right across the street.”

“Shit, what the hell are we still doing here, then?” Callie tossed her hands up in question. “Let’s go.”

“After you,” Saadiq stepped aside so she could exit first.

“I’m surprised you ain’t pull up wit’ ya better half. Where’s wifey?” Saadiq asked once they were seated and their food was ordered at Shannon’s Brunch Bowl.

“Dallas is in Nevada with her family. She and her sisters surprised their mom with an early birthday gift and took her to Vegas for the weekend. Then they’re gonna spend the week with her in Florida once they return. So I’m solo dolo for a minute, and I miss her ass like crazy already.

I know you do wit’ y’all spoiled ass, but why you all up in my business nigga? What the hell you been up to? Did ya whipped ass get Zia back yet?” Callie smirked as she sipped her glass of water.

“Cal, I know you ain’t calling me whipped, girl,” Saadiq chuckled as he reached for the complimentary wood basket of cheese bread. “Shit, all Dallas gotta do is look at you and you ready to screw her against the wall.”

“Touché,” Callie cackled as she nodded in agreement. “But with friends like you and Truce growing up, what do you expect?”

“Nah girl,” Saadiq shook his head as their waiter approached with Callie’s loaded nacho fries and catfish nuggets and Saadiq’s quesadillas, fried mushrooms, and onion rings.

“Don’t try to blame that shit on us.” He shot back as he devoured an onion ring.

“But uh,” He drank some of his papaya juice, clearing his throat before he continued.

“Zia’s still holding back. I feel it. She’s still got her guard up, and I feel some typa way ‘bout it, but I get it. She thinks I hurt her. So she’s cautious.

But I’mma get to the bottom of this shit asap.

You know I can’t live without that girl.

I tried and failed. I’mma hit up the club tonight to see what I can find out. ”

“I feel you,” Callie nodded in agreement before filling her mouth with another forkful of her fries. “I told you, I always felt like Zia was your soulmate. I told Jabari that same shit, a couple of weeks before all hell broke loose. That nigga argued me up and down that soulmates don’t exist.”

“Aye, speaking of that nigga, you heard from him lately? His ass been moving real funny since right before I moved back home. ‘Bout three weeks before I told that nigga I was coming back to stay, he ain’t really had much to say to me. I know he’s finally a pilot now, and he told Porter that that’s the reason he’s so hard to get in touch with, but if memory serves me correctly, they got phones all over the gotdamn world.

I know his punk ass is my cousin, but he’s always felt more comfortable coming to you about shit, so I need you to get in touch with him for me.

” Saadiq explained as he loaded a quesadilla with salsa before he damn near inhaled the thing.

“I guess he didn’t tell you, but I haven’t spoken to him in almost four months.

He ran into me and Dallas one night at Stroker’s lounge three months back, drunk as fuck.

He was going on and on about some chick that broke his heart, then asked me and Dallas for a threesome.

When we said no, he cursed us out. Said women ain’t shit but annoying ass cum buckets, called us a couple of weak ass dyke bitches and left. ”

“Damn, straight up,” Saadiq asked as he scarfed down a few onion rings. Confusion furrowed his brows. “How come you ain’t never tell me. I woulda beat that nigga’s ass had I known.”

“I’on know,” Callie shrugged. “I ain’t want ya to be beefed out over me. Y'all blood. So instead of slicing that nigga up, I just let it go. I kinda even felt sorry for him. But Dallas wanted to murk that nigga right then and there, though.”

“Shit, I’on blame her, that nigga never could hold his liquor. I’on even know how he became a pilot in the first fucking place.”

“Me neither, Saadiq. He’s also developed a bad gambling habit, too. I suggested he get help for the drinking and gambling before the big blow-up, but he told me that he had everything under control.”

Saadiq guzzled down the rest of his juice as his face settled into a frown.

“You still shoulda told me that shit regardless, Callie. That nigga is only blessed enough to know you because of me. He know I’on allow that kinda disrespectful shit behind people I love.

I’m pissed at you for keeping that shit from me and his punk ass for saying that shit to y’all. ”

“Yeah, I know, and I apologize. I do hope you forgive me. As one of your best friends, I just didn’t think it was healthy to add bullshit to your plate, especially when I knew that you were still fucked up behind Zia.

You were still mad at the world. Plus, like I said, the nigga was drunk.

But I ain’t got shit to say to him until he apologizes for that shit he said. ”

“That nigga is definitely gon’ apologize,” Saadiq reached for his glass of water after wiping the corners of his mouth. “I’mma make sure of it.”

“Listen Sid,” Callie waved a dismissive hand at him as she dabbed at her mouth with her napkin.

“Don’t worry about all that. I’d rather you tell me how you plan to get ya woman back.

What's the plan ‘cause I’m tired of seeing ya miserable ass trying to act like you ain’t depressed and missing the fuck outta Zia. ”