Page 6 of Bricked Up

CHAPTER TWO

“ W hat else you need me to do, Zia, baby?” Saadiq asked after he came back inside from taking the trash out and headed to the sink to wash his hands.

Since two of her night shift employees, who are sisters, called off earlier due to a family emergency, Saadiq returned to Sugah & Dough a few hours after he’d left a trail of starry-eyed women in his wake.

Without hesitation, he rolled up his sleeves and started performing closing duties once Zia let him know that she was short-staffed.

Megan and Dillon, her two remaining employees, went home at the end of their shift an hour ago.

Leaving Zia alone with Saadiq and more sexual tension than she knew what to do with.

She tried to keep her mind out of the gutter, but after screwing her senseless in her office earlier and her mind running with the double meaning of several of his questions and comments, like the one he just asked her.

Zia’s body was humming with lust for this man, and she hated it.

She hated it because her heart kept trying to gloss over the pain he’d caused her.

She also hated it because she was screwing two different niggas and chilling with a third, and none of them, nor most of the niggas she’d been with after Saadiq, could control her body and make her squirt and cum the way Saadiq could.

She had a feeling that Saadiq could sense that, and knowing that nigga the way she did, she knew his ass was going to take full advantage of it.

Zia was even ashamed to admit to herself that she knew she was puddy in Saadiq’s hands.

It didn’t matter how long it had been since she last laid eyes on him.

Zia knew she would fold every single time where he was concerned.

Which is why she was dead set on staying away from him the minute they locked eyes.

Unfortunately, her pussy had taken hold of the reins, and her heart wasn’t too far behind.

“I shouldn’t even be speaking to you right now because I’m really too through with you behind your shenanigans in and out of my office today.

But you helped me out in a big way, and I couldn’t be more appreciative of your kindness tonight.

Thank you for helping my staff and me.” She smiled as she turned off the neon lights in the front window and then circled around to the back of the service counter.

Saadiq was leaning across from her, grinning, with one of his hands in his pocket, like he knew something she didn’t.

“Of course, Zia. I’ve always been ten toes down behind you, no matter how big or small. That shit ain’t gon’ neva change.”

Zia nodded before she glanced away from Saadiq’s intense stare and searched for anything else to focus on until she could get herself together.

Allowing him to slide his dick up in her again was going to have her strung out on him all over again.

And that shit had fucking disaster written all over it.

All she wanted to do was pay him back for vandalizing his ride and end all contact with him.

Preferably, without a broken heart this time around.

“I didn’t know that,” She found his eyes again. “With such a painful history between us, I wouldn’t think?—”

“Come here, Zia.” A smirk followed Saadiq’s sexy ass command. And not a regular one either. One of them smirks that soaked panties and encouraged dick rides in public parks.

“Whyyyy?” She shot him a skeptical glare as she dragged out the word.

Crossing his arms across his chest, Saadiq said, “‘Cuz I asked you to.”

“Nope,” Zia shook her head. “I’ve done all the cummin’ I’mma do for you today.”

Saadiq glanced down between Zia’s thighs while licking his lips. “You think so?”

“I know so, Saadiq. I ain’t about to fool with you,” Soft laughter slipped from her lips. “I’m exhausted and ready to go home. But I just wanna ask you something. Well, a couple of things before we go.”

“Of course you do,” He chuckled. “You always been nosy. So, gon’ and ask away.”

“Was your decision to buy this complex, knowing I would be your tenant, intentional? Also, are you really planning to open an ice cream parlor next to my cookie shop when it could potentially cost me business? And lastly, were you ever gonna tell me? Why wasn’t I notified about a change in ownership? ”

“Damn girl, you so full of yaself. I knew I shoulda smoked before I came back up in here,” Amusement lit up his gaze as he pondered her questions.

“Uh, let’s see. So, no. I didn’t even know you were slinging cookies for a living.

My realtor actually found this spot. I did know you were here before I took ownership, though.

And as long as I don’t make any major changes, Michigan law does not require you to be aware of a change in ownership.

I did still plan on coming to let you and the other three tenants know, though.

Eventually. You were gonna be last, though.

” Shrugging, he chuckled. “And every business around here could potentially cost you business.”

“Not like a shop selling ice cream could. So spare me the bullshit, and why was I gonna be last? Don’t you think that that would’ve been highly unprofessional to be so petty?”

“No, the fuck I did. You broke my heart. And if I wanted to be petty, I could’ve been petty. I still could be.” Saadiq warned as he mugged her.

“I see, I guess some things never changed,” Sighing, Zia released a heavy breath, then asked, “Saadiq, why are you out walking God’s green earth lying on me? Is this what you’ve been telling people, that I broke your heart when you're the one who broke my?—”

“Come on now, Zia. When have you ever known me to be a lying ass nigga? I’m genuine and honest to a fault, and we ain’t been broken up that long for you to forget that shit.

But since you got temporary amnesia, let me refresh your memory.

Did you or did you not pack up all yo’ shit while I was at work and leave a note on the counter telling me that I was a lying, cheating ass nigga who deserved to have his dick cut off and fed to him.

Remember that shit?” he asked as he pushed up off the counter and started pacing to help level out his growing frustration.

“And not only did you change your number while I was at work, but you also blocked me from all your social media, and you changed the locks on your crib. You told your family that we were through because I supposedly was screwing some hoe that worked at my bank down the street from me. Don’t fucking play with me, mannn! You did a nigga dirty.”

“Yeah, I sure did,” Zia hopped off the counter, walked over to him, and got all up in his face.

“‘Cause you had me out here looking like a fool. All I needed was proof of what the fuck I was told, and once I had that shit, it was time to get the fuck on. Wasn’t no way I was gon’ let you play in my face like you were the only nigga that wanted me.

Had me fucked up then, and you got me fucked up now.

Shit, my pussy is made of gold, you thought I was ‘bout to let you fuck me over when I’m the muthafuckin’ prize. And you forgot that shit.”

“Mannnn, Zia,” Saadiq chuckled as he moved back over to the counter.

“Walk up on me wit’ all that hostility in ya voice again if you want to.

You ain’t gon’ have no dress to walk up outta here in, in a minute.

I’mma rip that muthafucka off you and beat the bottom out that pussy.

Keep acting like you don’t know that I won’t fuck the shit outta you all over this bitch and have you walking up outta here in just my muthafuckin’ t-shirt. ”

Zia knew he meant every word. She rolled her eyes but quickly took her ass back around to her side of the prep area.

“And I ain’t forget shit either,” He held her stare until she glanced away. “I know you’re a diamond. Rare as fuck. I knew you were the prize and felt blessed beyond words to be with you. Even when you worked a nigga’s nerves. You were all I wanted. My heart was always full with you.”

“Then why the fuck would you go and break mine, Saadiq? If I meant so much to you, why fill my soul with so much hurt?”

“Zia,” Saadiq ran his hands down his face in frustration. “I didn’t cheat on you wit’ that girl. I never cheated on you. Never. Never even had the urge to. I know that shit sounds crazy, but it’s the truth.”

“I had proof, Saadiq.” She waved her hands about dismissively.

“Proof that you cheated on me. The bitch and her momma approached me about you in the fucking parking lot. How the fuck did she know where you lived if you wasn’t fucking her, huh?

She said y’all were engaged and had lost a fucking baby not too long ago.

Said you only stepped out because you couldn’t cope with her depression after the loss of the baby.

Then she told me y’all had been together for three years and asked me to please stop seeing you so y’all could fix your relationship and get married.

The whore had pics and everything. And then someone else who knows both of us admitted that the bitch wasn't lying and had more pics to support her claim. What you’re saying can’t be the truth, so just gon’ and admit it. ”

“Nah, I ain’t never gon’ admit to shit I ain’t guilty of.

I don’t know who the fuck the girl was. And before you, I ain’t never fuck with a chick long enough to even meet her fucking momma.

I never cheated, Zia. I’on care what nobody told you.

Whoever was in them pics wasn’t me. Or it was some old shit that happened before we met.

And bet not nobody I know had backed up that bullshit ass story.

Who the fuck was this muthafucka backing up this bullshit anyway? ”

“Saadiq,” She huffed a frustrated sigh. “Does it even matter? Besides, it won’t do any good now. It’s in the past.”

“Just admit?—”