He Who Is a Friend (Sadik Book 1)

by Love Belvin

  A whole hour later, I was standing in the hall of Ellis International, the office of Sadik’s primary business. It was a modest unit inside a business park, modern in design. Most doors were frosted glass, the walls contemporary gray hues, and carpet a strong blue. The scent stirred my belly. The place smelled…professional, intimidating, and possibly because I was uninvited in a facet of his world new to me. But everything about Sadik was new to me. Even craving him in the middle of the day.

  This is insane…

  I approached the doors, then turned to find Rory still looking my way. With dramatic effect, she turned and walked off with both hands tucked inside the pants pocket of her big boys’ suit. I rolled my eyes back toward the doors. Through the opaque glass, I could see bodies moving and hear voices. I pushed in one and glanced around the room. A man standing at the head of the conference table continued speaking to the room, yet most others turned their attention to me. It didn’t take long to find Sadik. He sat at the other end of the table, a laptop open and a mountain of paperwork in front of him while he tended to one of his phones.

  “Our 3PL wing has expanded over thirty percent this last fiscal year, and we’ve been able to identify and adjust on all customs laws and regulations. Acquiring this next account would put us beyond our goal for this quarter.” He finally stopped and glanced over at me, too.

  Eventually, a woman of Hispanic descent asked, “Can I help you?”

  That’s when Sadik’s golden head pulled up from his device. He didn’t speak right away as I hoped. But the muscles around his feline eyes relaxed. His suit jacket clad elbows came up to rest on the table, his chin planted on one of his palms as he waited.

  My nostrils expanded from nervousness and annoyance. He was going to make this hard for me. I managed a smile as I lifted my chin.

  “Hi, I’m Bilan. I apologize for interrupting what looks to be an important meeting. I’m looking for the owner.”

  “May I ask for what?” Sadik turned the heat up.

  “I brought her lunch.”

  The whole room reacted, most of which by laughing. Some of those laughs included confusion. My face broke into an unbidden smile. Sadik finally stood and rounded the table, making his way toward me.

  “Continue, Rashad. I have that Kolwaski next.” His gait was confident, aura powerfully uncompromised.

  I backed out as he neared me, and Sadik closed the door before taking me at the small of my back.

  “Everything okay?”

  I nodded, unable to hide my girlish grin. “Yup.”

  “Just stopped by to meet the owner?” His grin was adorable, my walls constricted.

  He took me at the hand and led me down the hall.

  “And tell her how today was crazy successful. Dr. Chung is the sweetest man. He was so nice and smart. Oh, my God, I was so nervous, but by the end of the meeting, I was so happy to see it through. He told me to submit my application and he’s sure I won’t have any problems.” As I gushed, ambling next to him, Sadik didn’t speak.

  He was stopped by a young guy, Black and professionally dressed. Sadik answered questions about their warehouse. When that was done, we rounded a corner leading into an office. When Sadik closed the door right behind me and I gazed around the large room, I knew it was his office. The artwork was sophisticated Black. Sadik crossed the room for his desk while I got lost in the décor. Sepia images of Black figures on all walls. In the corner, on a waist-level and all-glass pedestal, was a gold sculpture of Jesus Christ on the cross. Its fine details astounding.

  I walked across the office to view the contents on his desk. Every item was spaced from each other. No clutter, all organization. But there, at the right edge was a digital picture frame. I watched patiently as pictures appeared of people I didn’t know, most of which bore similar features to Sadik. Some had sandy blond hair, a few had his nose and cheek structure, a couple even had the feline eyes trait. They were beautiful people flashing across the screen. My heart skipped a beat when I saw pictures of me on a beach, swimming in the water, fast asleep on a netted tarp over the water, diving into the water, and in scuba gear on top of a wrecked bus.

  At the edge of his desk, he wordlessly gazed my way. His inspection began at my head and roved down to my “Amber” Yves Saint Laurent sandals.

  A faint smile lightened his face. “You came all the way out here to tell me about the meeting?”

  I nodded…a little too eagerly. Sadik’s eyes narrowed into slits, and his grin broadened cheaply.

  “Is that the only reason you pulled up on me in the middle of my day?” His full lips twitched.

  An involuntary deep pull of air vacuumed into my lungs, and I pushed it right out. My face tightened with contemplation and eyes fell, but I couldn’t find the words. I tried to ignore it, but couldn’t. The pictures…they sent me over the top in emotions. I was included in the slideshow with his family. It was the sweetest gesture ever.

  Then I was yanked forward. My body smacked against the hardness of his suited frame. His warm hands were at my hips, then moved forward. One shifted up, pulling my head toward his. The scent of his cologne at this proximity fluttered my eyes closed.

  His lips were against my ear when he whispered, “I’ve been thinking about you non-stop, too.”

  The pictures were proof.

  I sucked in a breath. My eyes rolled behind closed lids when I grated louder, “Not the way I’ve been thinking about you.”

  That emotional admittance made me want to cry.

  “You wanna bet?” His lips were on my ear again.

  I swallowed deeply, felt a sudden need come over me and rushed him, meeting his lips with stark impatience. I felt his deep groan push from his lungs and hit my face. My tongue pushed through his soft lips. His mouth tasted of jelly beans and Bvlgari. Quickly responding, his tongue swept mine. I refused to be afraid as I had been the first two days in Costa Rica, my lips and tongue moved aggressively…faster, wanting to taste his soul.

  His groan echoed around the room, then he pulled back. His eyes were half-masted, lips full and glistening. “Don’t do that, Bilan,” he begged, vocals gravelly.

  Sadik was out of breath and…disheveled. He stood to his feet and sauntered with grace to the door and twisted the knob as he peered over to me. Then he slowly took to his desk, sitting behind it and picking up the phone.

  “Hold my calls. I’ll be ready for the meeting with Kolwaski in a minute,” he murmured, then listened in. Sadik nodded. “Alright. Thanks.”

  Before he could hang up, I reached for him, not having a clue what I was doing or where the boldness was coming from. I only focused on the need. I needed this man unlike anything else in life. As I went for him, he pivoted in his chair and reached for me. My lips were on his, his hands were at my legs, roving. The hem of my skirt raised to my hips as I moaned into his mouth. Cool air hit my backside and his fingers were on the string of my panties, roughly pulling them down. I opened my thighs to him with ease. Our tongues swiped and teased one another’s. My hands went to his neck, feeling more confident than ever to roam his person.

  I lifted each foot to be relieved of my panties. A clanking sound caught my attention and before I could withdraw to see what it was, Sadik was pulling me onto his lap. I swung my right leg over his and straddled him, my arms circled his shoulders as I sucked on his tongue. I could feel his hot hands rounding my back before pushing down to my bare cheeks and squeezing. I tried stifling another moan.

  “Bilan…” he called against my busy lips. “I’m gonna fuck you right here.”

  I couldn’t decide if it was a warning or a tester. My head reared from his face and our eyes met. Sadik’s expression was deadpan. I didn’t think for a second, didn’t want to hesitate. My shaky hands went to his waist in search of a buckle or latch. A guttural growl pushed from his throat as his hands went to the sides of my face, pulling me to him. His mouth was more aggressive this time and I tried to keep up. I didn’t know what had come over me. Where did
this bold Bilan come from?

  My hips moved over him, needing him. One hand left my face, and I could feel him between us. His mouth went to my neck and my head rolled back, giving into the tickling pleasure. Taking me at the waist, he lifted me as I held onto his desk for security. When he lowered me again, I felt him. My eyes flew open and between it was the bullet head of him. My chest thundered, and the pits of my arms misted in a flash.

  His lips moved against my neck. “I’m waiting on you.”

  My hands clutched his shoulders, squeezing as my body tensed all over. “I wan—” I swallowed the sudden excess liquid in my mouth. “I want…you.” With closed eyes, I lifted from my feet planted on the floor. “I want you, Sadik,” my voice a trace of a plea as my eyes were squeezed closed. “I don’t know what to do.”

  I felt his hand beneath me this time, the mushroom head of him brushing against my aching clit. I sucked in air, then again when I felt him at my opening. Without invitation, I pushed down gently, but greedily.

  “Easy, baby,” he warned in my ear.

  Fullness. Already, I felt full from his girth. He took me at the sides of my face again, gracing me with a tender kiss. His tongue worked at a more patient pace, his lips followed suit. I felt tender and center stage on his lap, in his arms. I felt versed with his body this time. My friend was becoming my lover, and my body loosened to him. Yielded to him. He was filling me by the second as my straining walls settled onto him. My neck gave out, eyes fluttered closed. I could feel my excitement for him as I glided down. My need.

  My hips began to move of their own accord. It was as though my body had its own destination with him. I could feel his erection throb inside me, his clammy hands now at the curving of my hips.

  “Are you okay?” I asked, somewhat panicked.

  He let out a heavy breath against my neck. “I don’t remember you being this wet without me eating you first,” he heaved.

  I rocked, feeling tiny sparks of confusing pleasure against the pressure of his fullness.

  “Help me,” I panted.

  I was still a novice at this. His palms clawed my hips, lifting me to stroke him. With curled toes, I rolled my pelvis over him, changing his pace to meet my need. The pleasure expanded in my groin, and so did the ache. It increased, just like my thrusts. Sadik’s spiked face scraped down my chest to my cleavage. One arm wrapped around my backside, and his other hand palming my breasts. He kneaded through my blouse to the lace of my bra. His hand rounded until his fingers found my pebbled nipple and squeezed, enhancing the ache and propelling my hips faster. I could feel his protective arm behind me, encouraging my thrusts.

  Then pleasure bloomed in my belly at cyclonic speed.

  “Oh!” I squeaked, pushing my sex into him.

  The cheeks of my butt squeezed, pushing into the pleasure. My entire frame seemed to gravitate to the point of ecstasy: Sadik. His arm, fingers, mouth on my neck. And his cock… It was the base of bliss.

  “Sadik—” I couldn’t breathe to speak, emotions flared.

  “I know, baby,” he panted, mouth moving to my ear. “You’re coming for me. Just ride it out.” I moaned into his shoulder. “You’re doing so good, Nalib,” he whimpered, moving his pelvis against mine.

  I flopped on his lap, inspired anew, face tense, and tears slipping from the corners of my eyes. This was too much. I was too open, too raw. No man should be able to strip me like this.

  Oh, God…

  “I’m gonna come with you,” he groaned as though in pain.

  Sadik crushed me deliciously in his arms as he thrust into me from below, grunting as he did. Even against the slight pain of his grip, I felt protected and empowered. I felt purposed in his arms. Needed and belonged.

  “Shit, girl,” he swore, crushing me into his chest.

  I felt complete exhilaration there, boneless. The moment he began to come down, his arms loosened from around me. A heap of holding air I was unaware of flew from my lungs. That caused me to choke on a cry.

  “I came in you again…” he grumbled, not panicking and not proud.

  I sniffled, wiping my tears as I backed away, needing to see his eyes. My brows met as anxiety poured over me, as did the tears. “I’ve only been with one guy…before you.” I lifted my gaze to measure his. Other than the relaxed muscles around his eyes given what had just happened, Sadik showed nothing. His expression was aplomb, eyes darkened. “I was seventeen and it was with my brother’s friend, Derrick.” I could feel his thighs stiffen beneath me. I’d been sensing Sadik’s jealous streak lately. “He was cute, and I thought…different. I don’t want to get into it, but it was horrible—all three times. And it wasn’t just the…sex. It was the experience.” I took a quiet, yet hefty breath, feeling him still throbbing inside of me. “Honestly, I was in no rush to do it again…” A shaky breath left my mouth. “Until you.”

  He lifted his hand to my face and thumbed my wet cheeks. His soft lips brushed against my mouth sweetly.

  I rolled my eyes at what I was about to share. “Randi told me not to trust you. She said you’d get bored with me as soon as I got comfortable with all the spending, attention, and sex.” I took a deep breath. “But I want to let go. I want to trust you.” My forehead wrinkled. “I want to be your girlfriend. Your real friend.” As my bottom lip quivered, the pad of his thumb grazed it. “I want to trust you about the baby, the illegal stuff about your family. I wanna let everything go and let you be a friend.”

  Sadik didn’t speak right away, all tension seemed to have left his body. His soft lips brushed mine again.

  “Let me cook you dinner tonight.”

  “You cook?”

  He chuckled softly. “Nah. But let me have a moment to lie.” My head tossed back as I laughed. “I’m trying to impress you here.”

  After a final howl, I admitted, “You are—you did.” I wiggled on his lap.

  “Shit!” he mumbled, lifting me. “Easy,” he warned as I balanced myself in my heels, my legs slapping together from something leaking from my inner thighs.

  Sadik shot to his feet, holding the crotch of his dress pants with one hand and cupping the tip of his cock with other, then tottered to a small room in the corner with his pants and boxers collected at his ankles.

  A bathroom?

  I heard water run for a while before he returned with a wet cloth. Sadik dropped on his haunches and ran the warm fabric up the center of my legs.

  “You can go wash up. There’s a small closet with washcloths in there.”

  I grabbed the cloth from him and wobbled into the bathroom. He under-spoke of how well the bathroom was stocked. It was small, but contemporary in design. There was a small shower, marble vanity, and a linen closet filled with bar and liquid soap, washcloths, and towels. Physically and emotionally spent, I washed up with a gazillion things running through my mind.

  When I stepped out of the bathroom, Sadik was hanging up the phone. His honeyed eyes met me in inspection.

  “You good?”

  I nodded. “I have to work tonight. Dinner’ll have to be postponed.”

  “Bullshit,” he declared. “What’re you about to do now?”

  “Bum a ride home and take a nap. I’m tired.” That subconsciously prompted a yawn.

  “I’ll get you a bucket of coffee and a ride home. You forget I know you make your own hours at the diner?”

  I snorted as he made his way to me. “It doesn’t exactly work that way, but there’s a bit of flexibility involved.”

  His lips were on my neck again, warming me. “Work now.” His voice was breathy against my skin. “Play and rest with me later. I still want to taste your pussy.”

  My groin roiled deliciously.

  “Sadik…” I whimpered when the tips of his fingers gripped my scalp.

  “Agree to it,” he grated playfully with tight lips. “And pack a bag. You’re gonna stay with me for a few days.

  I sighed, licking my lips. “I get to see your place?”

  My l
ips were just inches away from his. “You’re my girlfriend. It’s about time you do.”

  ∞18∞

  “Before we close, I’d like to make a deal with you, Ellis.”

  Extending my arms the full length of the armrests, I nodded, encouraging his proposal.

  “I have a brother-in-law. He lives in Paterson. My only sister’s husband. Half Polish like us, and half Irish; second generation. He’s a supervisor of the dock workers there at the port. Abram Murphy. He hasn’t had a raise in over seven years, and I’ve been told he was looked over for a position rightfully his by some Italians who have more connections in this area.”

  Salvatore Rizzo.

  “I’d like for him to have his hard work reflected in his home as far as what he can provide for his family of six.” He shrugged. “And he likes the seaport. That’s where he feels he belongs. I know you have some influence with the board controlling them.”

  I tapped my fingers on the leather armrests. Silence rested over the room for a stretch of time as I considered all the moving parts.

  “Then it sounds like a deal.”

  Kolwaski nodded, taking a deep breath while scowling pensively, it seemed. His men around him stood guard with fixed blank expressions, staring at the walls with their hands linked behind their backs. It wasn’t customary for me to have clients or guests needing armed security on my premises, but this one was necessary because of my need of his alliance.

  Kolwaski was a powerful businessman in Poland. He had several industries catering to the American market. His reputation was solid, but his ruthlessness largely unknown to most. When he approached me a month ago, I saw, in more than one way, how this relationship could be beneficial.

  He lifted his head, and his index finger waggled my way. “Although you’re a multi-million-dollar company in your own right, I need you more than you need me.” He sat up on the sofa. “See, Ellis, I’ve done my homework on you. Yeah. We’ve heard about your father’s alleged underworld, but if you’ve not been investigated or sought after for involvement, I don’t give a damn.” He tossed his hand in the air dismissively.