Page 10 of Bricked Up
A dangerous smirk played on the edge of his lips as he roamed her curves in the black and white belted mini dress. He bit his bottom lip, backed up to let her in, then said, “Don’t play wit’ me, Zia. Bring ya ass in here and say what you gotta say before ya mouth is too full to speak. As bad as I wanna pick you up and take you to my bed, you might wanna chill on the petty shit.”
Smiling, Zia sashayed inside and made herself comfortable on the love seat. “I love what you’ve done with your home.” The black and marble decor was beautiful. It was giving masculine, comfortable, and sexy. And looked nothing like the house she remembered. The cream and gold color scheme was long gone, and so was the cream and beige carpeting she remembered. “It looks like a completely different house. Did you do the flooring?” she asked as she admired the marble vinyl plank flooring.
“Yeah, it was what my Grams picked out before she passed?” He paused to check his emotions. “She never got to see the finished product or any of the updates I did.”
“Oh, Saadiq, I’m so sorry,” She lowered her head slightly at all the unimaginable pain he must be feeling. “I wish I could’ve been there for you.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it,” He smiled at her thoughtfulness. “I know, but you’re here now, so let’s just focus on that. And making things right.”
She nodded slightly, then asked, “How is your grandpa? Does he live here with you?”
“Nah,” Saadiq leaned against the wall that separates the kitchen from the living room. “I tried to get him to stay with me after Grams died, but he refused. Said he was too old to be cramping my style and cockblocking. Said he didn’t want to live with me now that Grams was gone. He said he needed to be with his kind. Old folks. His words, not mine. He had me take him to live in a really nice sixty-five and up apartment complex a month after Gram's death, and that’s where he’d been since.” Saadiq ran a hand across his back out of habit. Something he did when something truly bothered him, then said, “It hurt like a muthafucka. Felt like I lost both of them in a way. I almost lost myself when he moved out. Felt like I was reliving the night my parents died in the car accident when I was a kid. Felt just like that night when I came back to this house all alone. At twelve,when I lost my parents and my grandparents stepped in to raise me, I thought that would be the last day I’d ever feel that kinda pain. But I was wrong. Hell, I think that shit hit even harder this time around.”
“Saadiq,” Zia paused as she stood and rounded the couch to him. “I know we’ve had our differences, but you can always count on me to be a shoulder in your time of need. I can’t imagine the pain you’ve had to endure, but I know you find comfort in knowing how much your parents and Grams loved you. And how much your grandpa still loves you. The decision to leave had to be hard for him, too. Either way, I’m so sorry for not being there for you. I wish I'd known. And I’m so sorry for not leaving the line of communication open between us. Just know that from this point forward, I’m just a phone call or a short drive away.”
“That really means a lot, thanks, Zia,” He released a heavy sigh, then smiled as he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her waist. “My granny told me you were my soulmate. She told me to go talk to you and get you back. When I told her no, she told me I was a fool ass nigga if I didn’t make up with you and marry you.”
“Babeee, one thing Gwen didn’t do was mince words.” Zia cackled as she remembered several of the woman’s fiery, snappy comebacks when people pissed her off.
“She damn sure didn’t, not even a little bit,” He grinned before he pecked Zia on the lips. She told me to make you listen. “Told me to use my masculine energy, my smarts, and my sexiness to get you back.” Saadiq chuckled as the memories from that warm autumn day came rushing back. “When my grams died, my Pop-pop sat me down and said it was lonely here without his soulmate. He said he’d never do anything to hurt himself, but that he was ready to go be with the other half of hisheart. He said living without the one you love is torture. Then he told me I’d better fix whatever went wrong and get you back.”
“Interesting,” Zia nodded when Saadiq kissed her again. “So, why didn’t you follow their advice?”
“Who says I didn’t?” His brows raised in question.
“Oh, is there something I don’t know? Because the last time I?—”
“Yeah, there is actually,” He flashed her a smile, and her clit started jumping and soaking itself. “The night you fucked up my ride is the same night I’d made my mind up to come for you. To get you back.”
“Well, I’on know what playbook you’re getting your plays from, but arguing with me and threatening me ain’t how you get your girl back. And how come you ain’t ever ask me if I had a man? Or if I even want you back?”
“We were arguing because you vandalized my ride, and you got a smart ass mouth and stank ass temper. I ain’t say I was coming for you that night, I said I’d made up my mind to come after you that night. As for wanting me back, I ain’t gotta ask you know dumb shit like that when I already know wassup. You want me back, bad.”
“Niggaaaa, conceited much,” She smirked as she nibbled on her bottom lip. “Ooooo, you get on my damn nerves thinking you know me.”
“Shit, I do. And you know it too,” He licked his lips as his eyes roamed her body once more. “As for not asking whether or not if you had a nigga, I didn’t give a fuck then and ion give two fucks now. We both know that whatever nigga or niggas you entertaining ain’t gon make it too far wit’ me in the picture. I’m letting you have ya fun now since you think I broke ya heart, but you gon’ have to wrap all that shit up by next weekend.”
“Uh, you don’t have any right to put a timeline on my dating life, Saadiq. Know that first and foremost nigga. But I am curious, what's so special about next weekend?”
“It’s just a perfect day to start a new beginning. Our new beginning. I’ll have worked my magic on your stubborn ass by then, you’ll forgive me, and we’ll be together again.”
“Oh really,” Zia cackled. “And when were you gon’ run all this by me?”
“I wasn’t,” Saadiq said, shrugging as he flashed her a smile. “I was just gon’ come by, pick you up, and let you know what it is.”
“Whew, you really need to get you some mental help, asap.” Chuckling, Zia slipped from his grasp and went to answer her phone that had just started ringing.
“You think so, I think I’m pretty sane.”
“Sure you do,” She rolled her eyes as she shook her head at his foolishness. “That's what crazy people always think.”
“Crazy or not,” He smirked as Zia bent over slightly and her dress rose a little higher. “You’ve been given your timeline, baby. So let them niggas know,” He met her gaze as he rubbed his chin. “It’s either times up or lights out.”
“Saadiq, you ain’t crazy, and you don’t control my love or sex life, so find you something else to do, Sir. ‘Cause you ain’t finna play with me.”
“It ain’t a game, I can show you better than I can tell you. Just don’t say you weren't warned,” He chuckled. “But wassup though, what you wanna talk about? You want something to drink or eat?” Saadiq asked. Saadiq wanted to eat and drink on her, but he let her be because whatever she wanted to talk about seemed like it was weighing pretty heavily on her chest.
“A bottle of water if you have it.”
