He Who Is a Friend (Sadik Book 1)

by Love Belvin

  That caused me to laugh as she opened the box.

  “Whoa!” she breathed, head going back. “Are you serious?”

  I kissed the side of her neck, ignoring the question. “Open the other,” I whispered in her ear.

  Bilan reached back for the second and opened it. “LOVE bracelets?”

  “For you,” I whispered again in her other ear.

  “Sadik, I can’t reciprocate. What can I do to return the gesture?”

  “Give me the one piece of reciprocity I’ve been fighting for.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Your heart,” I whispered into her lips.

  When I pulled back, observing the unsmiling expression on her face, Monica came into view.”

  “Sorry to interrupt, love birds—Oooh! Cartier!” she tweeted. “What is it?” Monica bent to look between us. “LOVE bracelets! Awwwww! I want one!” she pouted playfully. Bilan cracked a smile. “Stacy told me you two were in here. The girls are down, and I’m now free to show you around the compound.”

  Bilan turned to me with apologetic eyes. I slapped her thighs. “Go. I’ve got shit to do I’ve been avoiding all day.”

  “You sure?” she asked, hesitating.

  “Positive. She’s saving me a bunch of descriptions and other tourist babble needed for that task.” After kissing her lips, I began swimming backwards to the ringing in-house phone on the interior of the pool.

  On the way there, I heard Monica giggle, “We can grab you a glass of wine before we start.”

  My eyes were on Bilan’s dimpled ass as I picked up the phone. “Yeah.”

  “Oh, you are in the pool?” my father questioned with sarcasm.

  “Yup. I’m down here,” I returned with the same naiveté.

  “I know you plan on leaving tomorrow. I need to talk to you. Meet me in the gun range.”

  “About?” I swiped my nose.

  “I hear Rizzo’s spazzin’ the fuck out over the Lia bullshit. He’s threatening war.”

  “Fuck him,” I groaned. Her, too… Lia was wrong for calling me for him. The shit was out of line, and I planned on addressing it before Bilan and I left town. “I’ll deal with Lia on my own terms. Iban has been wanting to unleash on his crew for a minute now. If he wants smoke, sic your son on him. Anything else you need from me?” I was unapologetically curt.

  Earl knew we spoke the same language. When it came to temperament, I was most like him. When you crossed the line of my grace, god help us all.

  “Yeah.” His throat seemed strained. He sighed with humility. “With grown ass sons, it’s like beefin’ with your best friend. You gotta dead that shit before it festers.”

  “Word?” My forehead lifted. “How many times you have to apologize to your bestie, Iban?”

  “Less than I have to kiss your ass,” he grumbled.

  “Actually, I have a conference call I’ve put off all morning to try to undo the damage you and your eldest ensued on my lady. Right now, I need to pay the bills.”

  I needed to shower, then dress for the call soon.

  “Alright. Hit me when it’s over. I’ll be in my study after I’m done in here.”

  “You got it.”

  As I took to the third and final landing of the elaborate Elliswoods Palace staircase hand-in-hand with Sadik, I felt much more relaxed. Much of my confidence had returned since breakfast. Monica was fun. She was sweet and funny as she showed me around the property. She had stories—good and bad—about the different amenities of the place. And boy, were there plenty of them with over thirty-thousand square feet of the house and detached structures like a gun range, small farm, state of the art gym, a coffee shop for just the family, laundry building, bowling alley, skating rink, basketball court, a movie theater not to be confused with the theater room inside the house, and a landing strip for aircraft. And there was more to come. Earl had several projects he’d been working on this year alone.

  After our tour, she walked me back to Sadik’s room when I realized how much of a set-up this morning was. Because of the size of the house, I learned each Ellis practically had their own wing between three floors. Not much was on Sadik’s side in terms of community, outside of his mother’s art room she hardly used. The veranda the family used for morning coffee was closer to the center of the house. It was useless to get upset all over again, though. While out, touring the property, we ran into Earl as he was leaving the gun range. Without his eyes and while he cleared his throat, he apologized “if” he said anything to make me feel less than welcomed. He couldn’t take back the fear I felt, but I appreciated the attempt. His son, according to his wife, Monica, had been off the property all day. So thankfully, I didn’t have to run into him.

  Now showered for the third time today, I was dressed in floral, silk cropped pants, an off-white blouse, and strappy sandals. Sadik was in a two-piece suit again with an open-collar white dress shirt. At the landing, there was a small gathering. Taaliba was there with Monica.

  “We meeting in the foyer for drinks?” Sadik joked.

  The ladies chuckled as Earl neared the circular area with his granddaughters.

  “No. The doorbell rang as we came down here,” Taaliba answered.

  “Yeah,” Monica added. “Iban went to answer the door.”

  “Who’s here?” Earl asked, finally amongst us.

  Iesha took my hand immediately. “You look pretty!”

  I kneeled to her. “And, so do you. I wish I could fit that skirt!”

  She smiled infectiously.

  “And what about me?” Ivana stepped almost between us, showing off her black capri pants and adorable shirt.

  “You’re equally as stunning, as your Uncle Deek would say.”

  I glanced up and caught his grin as he gripped my shoulder. When I turned back to the girls, thrilled at finally having the ice broken between Ivana and me, my little Iesha broke from my hand and ran off.

  “Auntie Tiff!” Iesha shouted as she lunged into the diva’s arms.

  She was thick. A brick house…and very stylish! Her makeup smoothed her brown sugar complexion, and the red lipstick made her teeth appear stark white. She had a line of diamond studs increasing in size from the top of her earlobe to the bottom. Her hips were round and seductively wide in black fitted, cropped joggers with the Fendi logo stripe running down the outer leg. She wore a matching short-sleeved Fendi logo shirt hugging her ample breast line and small waist. I wondered if it was possible for a woman who had to be a size sixteen, at least, to have such a small waistline. It honestly didn’t matter. This woman was gorgeous, fashionable from head to toe with yellow, gold, and black strappy sandals I was willing to bet were Fendi, too.

  It was the club owner. So far, Randi knew what she was talking about regarding the Ellis clan. I watched as she was greeted by the small group now congregated in the opulent foyer. That played with my head, subconsciously reminding me I didn’t belong here. She seemed very familiar with everyone.

  “Hi, baby,” Earl cooed as he kissed her cheek and hugged her tightly. “What’re you doing here?”

  Tiffany moved on to hug Taaliba. “I got a invitation from your oldest. He asked me to come last night, but I had some bullshit going down at Energy I couldn’t leave to those crazy asses. Heeeeey, Monica!” She reached out to hug her.

  Monica appeared visibly uncomfortable reciprocating. That’s when it hit me. This was the “Tiff” Iban mentioned last night at dinner. When she moved on to approach Sadik, his darkened eyes were on his brother, shooting flames. But it wasn’t until her eyes met me, then brushed over to the tense arm Sadik had roped around my hip, then to his face that I knew.

  “Hey, Tiff.” He leaned in for a quick greeting, barely touching her.

  She tried smiling as she backed away, but struggled to rebound.

  They were lovers. It was either past or very recently, but she’d known my “friend” intimately.

  ∞21∞

  Bilan requested softly with a hand planted on m
y thigh. “More, please.” I glanced down at her, practically tucked beneath me, though in her own chair. “More food,” she blinked up at me this time.

  Fuck!

  She knew. Bilan knew I’d fucked Tiffany. It was no different than Miami, at the Ameerah concert. One look at a woman, and my Nalib knew if I’d spoiled myself in her. That was dangerous for me. It was risky. I didn’t trust Bilan could accept I had a life before she sent my world topsy-turvy the night I tried to appeal to her using a fucking romance novelist as a tool.

  As my regard went between her sipping on a glass of Malbec that hardly left her hand all meal as she peered across the table at Tiffany, and the chicken parmesan I cut on my plate that I used to feed the both of us, I realized we’d come a long way since that night at Michelle’s. But I wasn’t at ease. Bilan was still out of my grasp. I still had work to do to secure her.

  I reached down to feed her the chicken, and all she gave me was the arterial view of those freckles. Her eyes were on Tiffany. Tiffany struggled, but did a good job avoiding looking at Bilan and me. I was sure she was grateful Iesha sat next to her, providing a distraction with her constant talk. She, too, was uncomfortable and caught completely off guard by Bilan’s presence. My eyes roved over to Iban, who appeared completely oblivious to the tension he’d caused, leaning into his wife’s ear, whispering something to make her grin.

  As the staff began to collect plates, my father sat reclined in his usual seat. His discerning eyes went all around, but I was sure he was concerned about Bilan and Tiffany mixing. Tiffany was his goddaughter, and lately, his choice for a second daughter-in-law. I was sure he was in favor of that union purely to put to bed any possibility of me having more than just a child with Lia. My mother, at the opposite end, threw him glances throughout the meal I could only guess were of concern, too.

  “You girls are out of school already?” Tiffany asked as though she was shocked. “You’re making me wish my Ellis Academy days weren’t over.” She tickled Iesha.

  “You didn’t go to my school, Auntie Tiff!” Iesha giggled.

  “I sure did!”

  “She sure did!” Tiffany and Iban spoke, practically, at the same time. “You didn’t know your Auntie Tiff went to all schools with Uncle Deek, even college,” he had to add.

  Iesha sucked on a breath, ironically, at the same time as Bilan next to me—beneath me.

  Shit…

  “Why don’t we have drinks and dessert in the family room?” my mother suggested. “Girls,” she referred to my nieces. “Nana has some tunes you can get down to!” She snapped her fingers above her head and twitched her shoulders.

  The girls shouted their excitement in unison right away. The plate was collected from Bilan and me. She’d eaten more than I was used to, and I knew why. Bilan wanted Tiffany to see her being fed by me. Being a secure thirty-eight year old man, I had no problem going lengths to care for the woman I cared for. Yet I also wasn’t the type of man who did shit for show.

  As the table began to clear, Bilan turned to me and whispered, “How recent?”

  My face tightened in confusion. “I’m sorry. I don’t understand.”

  “How recently have you two been together?”

  That was a rabbit hole my ass was going nowhere near.

  I reached down and planted my lips on hers. “You’re my recent, my now, and if I can catch a break, you will be my forever. Let’s go.”

  I stood and grabbed her by the hand. Bilan stood, but did not lean into my guiding touch as I was used to. I turned to her.

  “At least answer one question.” I could see tears pool in her eyes. “Were you in love with her? She’s beautiful…very stylish—” Her regard brushed down her frame in the clothes I purchased. “—and she seems sweet and family oriented.”

  I turned to her, chest to chest, beckoning her soul through her eyes. “She’s never been my friend, Bilan.” I gave her a minute, hoping she could process my need of friendship in a partner. It was non-negotiable for me. “My parents are the ideal partners. They’ve raised children and built wealth and legitimacy beside one another. But they aren’t regular companions. They aren’t on the same page. They aren’t sick and obsessed with wanting to see the other at their optimum being. I believe, with the air I breath, you being your best Bilan can help me be my best Sadik. And if you’re your best Bilan and I’m my best Sadik, we can take over the fuckin’ world. Friends. Companions. That’s what I need. Trust me?”

  Before she could say no, I brushed my lips against hers, then spoke into them. “Trust me, Nalib. Please,” I whispered.

  “C’mon, you lovebirds!” I turned to find Taaliba in the entryway of the dining room.

  My little sister may have been a pain in my ass, but she’d always been able to sense my duress. She stood with a wry smile and waited with her hand out. I grabbed Bilan’s hand and made it over to my Taaliba, taking her around the shoulder, under my left wing. With both their arms around my back, Bilan’s lower, we strolled down the hallways to the family room.

  It wasn’t until we were feet away that we noticed commotion in the foyer.

  “Well, what is he doing here?” my mother demanded. “What the hell does he want?”

  “I don’t know, Irene. Just calm down, sweetie.” My father’s attempt at a calm voice inherently alarmed me.

  I was his preserver. No harm would come to Earl Ellis without prevention or a reaction from me.

  Full. Fucking. Stop.

  When the foyer came into view, the first thing I saw was Iban pacing back and forth, his hand on the burner at his waist.

  “What’s going on?” I asked.

  “The guard’s gate just called. Rizzo’s on his way up.”

  “How many with him?”

  “Just one car,” my father answered. “His family.”

  “And I want to know why?” my mother asserted, crossing her arms.

  “There are rules in place for this.” Monica appeared from the family room. “Aren’t I right?”

  “What’s going on?” Tiffany was next to appear.

  “Let’s just all calm down.” My father’s palms pumped the air. “You all can join the girls in the family room. Let us men—”

  The doorbell rang in impatient successions. My father hopped to it, trekking a few yards down the vestibule to the door. He opened it with high and broad shoulders, as he’d taught us. Expectantly, Rizzo was escorted by an armed Ellis guard. While it was against protocol to bring war to any of the five alliances’ homes, we still couldn’t be too lax on security. Rizzo had been making threats. I saw the moment my father recognized the sprouting belly of Lia Rizzo. His hand fell from the door handle and body shifted, allowing them room inside.

  Mello and Leo, our security, shadowed them inside, palms to waist.

  “The fuck is going on, Ellis?” Rizzo began with arms in the air, charging inside. “I’ve tried staying the fuck out of this shit with these kids, but he’s gone too fuckin’ far!”

  “Who the hell are you talking about?” my father’s voice controlled.

  “Who the fuck else?” Rizzo’s arm swung to his pregnant daughter, cowering behind her mother like a scared mouse. “Lia and your smart ass, educated kid!”

  Earl’s hand pumped the air again, without animation. “Let’s start with I don’t have any kids. I have grown ass children. And if you’re going to address my son, you will refer to him by his name.” My father pointed to me, bringing my person to Rizzo’s awareness.

  In all the shouting he’d done within the span of seconds since he’d been inside, he hadn’t realized the small crowd. When his eye landed on me, he noticed my juxtaposition to Bilan. She was still buried under my arm, chilled from the chaos.

  He turned to my father. “You know, Ellis, I always respected you. Out of all the Black men I know, you’ve been the most disciplined, the most prideful, and calculated. I thought when your oldest got sent up…” He shrugged, lips pouted dramatically as though he was considering the right words
. “…maybe it was just a fuck up that couldn’t be controlled in our line of work. But then, when the youngest came and knocked up my sweet fucking Lia and did not have the gall to address me like a fucking man… The goddamn cazzo didn’t have the cajones to face me like a fucking man!”

  Cazzo? Wow…

  Rizzo advanced my way, and I could feel Bilan’s body shift, moving in front of me.

  “Is this her?” he trilled, aghast. “Holy fuck! This is her!” He turned over his shoulder. “Lia, come over here and let these two address you like adults. Let him tell you why he knocked you up and dropped you like you’re some trash on the fucking street and not a goddamn Rizzo!” he shouted so loud, Bilan in front me leaped. “Get over here!”

  My eyes traveled over to Iban, who watched Lia obey her father. As though he could feel my icy gaze, his regard flipped to me. If Iban wouldn’t man up in this instance, it would alter the weaving of our brotherhood. This was it. This was where I would draw the line.

  “Daddy,” Lia choked on her tears, then slammed her face into her open palms.

  She had the sense to not carry on with the lie.

  This was it for me.

  When the round man, Rizzo, I recognized from the FaceTime call, barked so loud, threateningly approaching Sadik, I felt protective. Violent even, if he dared lay a hand on him. But seeing this poor woman, pregnant—clearly abandoned—and in distress from the denial of her child, I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t forget I, too, was a woman and vulnerable to hurt, disappointment, heartache, and…being alone.

  My body vibrated with an unnamed emotion as I reached for her arm.

  “Lia, what’s wrong?” I asked, my chin dipping to find her eyes. “I don’t know what your history is, but Sadik isn’t a monster. Say what you need to say. No one will hurt you.” I hoped.