My Baby Is a West Coast King

by Shvonne Latrice

As I watched her lips flap, I couldn’t help but to think she was lying. I hadn’t known Mischief long, but I would like to think I knew his personality somewhat after spending time. Rita just wasn’t the type of girl he would try to go after. I mean she was beautiful, but her insides were terrible. And we all know that if he did try to fuck with her, she would have given it up.

  “Rita, he don’t even seem like that type,” Cassie said.

  “I just want to know what homeboy of his finger banged you?” I chimed in before both Cassie and I burst into laughter.

  I didn’t care about making Rita feel some type of way. She would never be a close friend of mine, and I could tell that already. She was a hater, it was in her blood and she couldn’t help it.

  After eating, I thought we were going home, but Rita said Cardio was shooting a video at this mansion nearby in Ladera Heights, and she wanted to stop by. I didn’t know what their relationship was, because some days she would act like he was her boyfriend, and others she would be single. Then last night when Mischief clowned her, Cardio didn’t say anything. I wish a boyfriend of mine would do me like that.

  We pulled up to the big ass house, and all types of nice cars were there. One car I did recognize, was Mischief’s Impala. I would never forget that dark ass tint and those shiny rims. We crossed the street, and then went up the walkway until we reached the door. After Rita sent someone a text, Mischief’s cousin came to the door and let us in.

  “Damn, this shit is nice,” I commented as the three of us made our way to wherever the video was being shot.

  When we walked into the huge den, my heart dropped at the sight of some bitch all in Mischief’s face. They were both smiling like they had won the lottery, after she spun around to show off her barely-there outfit for him. Usually I was the type to cause a scene, but he wasn’t my man. I was done with him though, that’s for sure.

  Rita and Cassie hadn’t spotted him yet, so we walked over to a big couch where Cardio was and sat down. Rita got in Cardio’s lap, and Cassie and I just continued to scan all the hoes and niggas in the party. My eyes again landed on Mischief, who pulled a small bottle of brown alcohol from his pocket as the same girl pressed herself into him, looking up into his eyes. He bit down on his lip after saying something to her, brushed his finger under her chin, and then moved away. She watched him with a smile, and then went to who I’m assuming were her friends and squealed a little.

  “I’m ready to go already,” Cassie said just before locking eyes with Mischief’s little brother Kordell. He had a girl in his lap, but his eyes were on Cassie. When I looked back to her, she was smiling shyly.

  “I ain’t know you were here,” Mischief appeared and tried to lean down and kiss my lips.

  “Are you fucking crazy?” I hissed as I moved away.

  The look of anger and confusion in his eyes scared me, but I couldn’t back down now. I was furious with him and I was hurt.

  “Come here and let me talk to you.” He stood up straight and started out of the huge den as if I was just supposed to follow him. I kind of didn’t want to because I knew he was out of his mind, and I’d gotten smart with him just seconds ago.

  “Giirrrllll, if you don’t come back in ten I will call the police,” Cassie said, eyes never leaving Kordell’s from across the room.

  “He may need an ambulance,” I joked, getting up. I could feel eyes on me, and when I looked it was that bitch that was all up on Mischief.

  I followed Mischief until he pulled me into a bedroom and closed the door. I folded my arms, trying to still be mad, which I was, but not show any fear at the same time.

  “What’s yo’ problem?” he asked calmly, staring down at me with his fine ass. He looked good, dressed simply in a black hoodie, black jeans, a black hat, and all black Chuck Taylors. The only color was the red bandana stuffed in his pocket. He was so hood and that shit turned me on like crazy!

  “I saw you with that bitch all over you as soon as I came!”

  “So.”

  “Okay, have a nice day.” I tried to leave but he blocked the door and took another sip of the dark liquor. Staring at me with those menacing eyes, he licked his lips and adjusted his black baseball cap that read Bompton.

  “I explained to you that we weren’t exclusive but that I would respect you. You weren’t here, so yeah, I was macking a little bit, but it don’t have shit to do with what we got, Laine.”

  Shaking my head, I didn’t know why I felt like I was about to cry. I didn’t even know this man, yet somehow, he’d gotten me to be slightly attached to him already. I should still be crying over Tarik, not some new dude.

  “What do we have, Shai? Because it doesn’t seem like much.”

  “It doesn’t? I take you out, I spend time with you when the sun is still out, I kiss you in the mouth, I call you, text you, and I ate your pussy. Look for another female that can say she got any of that from me, you may find one, two tops, from ages ago.”

  “You said you would try, nigga! I was just in your bed two days ago, how are you trying?” I wiped my eyes and stepped back when he tried to touch me.

  “Laine, I’m not ready for all that relationship shit, but I like you and I do want you. It’d be easy for me to just be with you and then cheat, but I can’t do that. I won’t do that.”

  “After everything I told you, you still thought it was a good idea to sleep with me, and then just days later have another bitch in your face? But it’s cool, Shai.”

  I tried to leave again, but he pinned me up against the wall.

  “You know yo’ pussy is better than these other females, so I’m gon’ always be on you,” he whispered against my ear before sucking it.

  He started to unbutton my shorts as he kissed on my neck, and when he got them open, he crushed his lips against mine. We were kissing hard as hell as he pushed my shorts and panties down. Once they were off, he released himself, and then picked me up to slide me down on him.

  “Fuck, I knew I shouldn’t have hit you raw,” he grumbled against my neck as he pumped in and out of me against the wall.

  I held onto his neck, while he gripped my body as if I weighed nothing. The way he pounded between my legs had my eyes rolling to the back of my head. Not to mention he was sucking my neck, which was my spot, like a vampire who hadn’t ate all day.

  “Oh my gosh, babe,” I whimpered as he continued to beat it up. I just knew someone was outside listening.

  “Damn, you get so wet for me,” he grunted before sucking my lips.

  Gripping my ass cheeks, he pressed me harder into the wall and drilled me until we both exploded. We sat there panting for a little bit, before he finally pulled me off of him.

  “I’m on birth control.” I decided to let him know just in case he was a worrywart.

  “Cool,” he nodded, before going into the bathroom within the room. I followed him, and after we cleaned up, we washed our hands.

  Taking my hand into his, he led me back to the den where everyone was and kissed me on the lips a couple times before letting go. I saw the girl who thought she had him, glaring at me, before glancing at him talking to his older brother Chaz. I knew she was confused on top of being jealous and angry.

  “Come on, Cass.”

  “I’m not ready,” Rita smacked her lips.

  “We’ll take an Uber.” I grabbed Cassie’s hand and we started out.

  “I gave him my number while you were getting some dick,” Cassie said as we walked out of the house.

  “Who? And how do you know what I was getting?”

  “Kordell, and the walls are not that thick in that house, boo.”

  I covered my mouth, floored, as Cassie burst into laughter.

  I hoped Mischief didn’t think dicking me down made a difference. I was done playing whatever game this was.

  Cassandra “Cassie” Reid

  Fifteen minutes earlier…

  I watched as Laine followed behind crazy ass Mischief, and said a silent prayer that he wasn’t about
to slice her ass up or fill her body with bullets. On the flip side, I was giving my girl props for getting him because it was a hard thing to do.

  I may have been from Oakland, but even up there, Mischief’s name had definitely been thrown around by a few bitches. Some who swore they had a chance, and others who couldn’t stand him because he’d turned them down… like Rita. He was a cocky asshole who felt like the hoes out here were beneath him, and honestly, could you blame him? He was fine, talented, and definitely gonna be something. The only drawback was his temper and involvement with a lot of dangerous shit, namely gangs.

  “Thanks,” I said to Rita when she handed me a bottle of water from the cooler.

  As I sipped it, I felt a pair of sexy eyes on me again that made me smile unintentionally. When I looked over at Kordell, he waved for me to come to him, before licking his lips.

  Kordell Benjamin was the sexiest nigga I’d ever laid eyes on, and I was usually a stickler for chocolate guys. But Kordell had supple light caramel skin, long golden brown dreads that swept his shoulder blades, low cut facial hair, tattoos, and a body that was out of this world; I could tell through his clothes. He was cocky too, but not like Mischief, more in a way like he felt as if he was the finest thing walking and I couldn’t say I disagreed.

  Shaking my head ‘no’ to his request, I took another sip of my water. Did he honestly think I was about to come to him when he currently had his hand gripping a bitch’s thigh? Boy, please.

  Grinning, he stood up with his tall ass and made his way over to me. He was dressed in a simple white t-shirt, gray sweats, socks, and Nike slides. His jewelry was simple, only a gold chain and matching watch. Before he even got to me, I could smell his cologne.

  “Why you make me get up?” he quizzed as if we were old friends, before sitting down next to me. Like his brothers, Mischief and Chaz, Kordell was tall as hell and solid, making his presence intimidating, even when he didn’t try.

  “Because I don’t work for you,” I replied smartly, throwing my hair behind my back. I knew I looked good, and so did he. We could drool over each other.

  “Shit, you may work for me one day; ya boy is coming up.”

  “I know. I heard your little songs, and they aight,” I replied, grinning. When I looked to him, he was smiling, giving me a close up of his perfect teeth.

  “They’re more than aight. The Hunnit Boyz are about to be the best thing out of West Coast.”

  “And even then, I won’t be working for you. I do my own thing.”

  “I know, I see that pretty face all over Instagram.” He had his arm thrown around the back of the couch as he eyed me from head to toe, licking his lips at his thoughts. “So what’s good, you gon’ come to my show?”

  “Depends, when is it?”

  “Next Friday night. Be there, and tell the doorman you know me so you won’t have to pay.”

  “Okay, but where is it?”

  “Give me your number and I will text it to you.”

  “You ain’t slick, nigga,” I chuckled.

  “Ain’t trying to be slick, baby. I want your number so I asked you for it. Can I get it or nah?” His facial expression was dead serious. He was definitely Mischief’s brother.

  Speaking of Mischief, I could hear Laine whimpering like a wounded animal from somewhere, which only meant one thing.

  “Since you’ve twisted my arm.”

  I read my number off to Kordell, and he called me so I could have his.

  “Aight, be there at the time I text you and wear something sexy for me.” He stood up, looking down at me while his teeth sank into his bottom lip.

  “Go back to your groupies,” I waved him off.

  “Oh, I am, because I can get some pussy from them tonight. You on the other hand ain’t about to let me fuck just yet.”

  He was a little too blunt and brash for my liking, but his sexiness outweighed the bad, and he had actual musical talent, which I admired as well.

  “Yet?” I jerked my neck back.

  “Yeah, yet.”

  And with that, he walked off. By the time he made it to the couch where the groupies were, a cameraman and his crew started setting up, and Laine came out holding hands with Mischief. They kissed on the lips, and then parted ways.

  Laine was ready to go, so we left the party and took an Uber back to the mansion. Once we got there I took a hot bath, letting it soothe my muscles as I thought about the bulge in Kordell’s sweats. Suddenly my phone buzzed, and I looked to see I had a text from the same Unknown number that I couldn’t block and kept finding my new number.

  Unknown: Bitch when I find you, you’re dead.

  Quickly locking my phone, I sunk down under the bubbles and just prayed tomorrow morning went smoothly.

  ***

  The next morning…

  After brushing my teeth, I slipped on some jeans and a tube top, before grabbing my purse. Rushing down the stairs, I picked up the key set to the Lexus and then darted out. I sped to the Grafton hotel on Sunset, in West Hollywood near The Model mansion, and parked all fucked up because I didn’t care; I was anxious to get inside. Once I got the room number, I entered the hotel and took the elevator up.

  I knocked on the room door, and as soon as it opened, I took a deep breath.

  “Mommy!” my two-year-old daughter, Melody, jumped off the bed and rushed towards me. I dropped down to allow her into my arms, and hugged her tightly.

  “I missed you lovey,” I whispered before kissing her round cheek deeply.

  “We can’t keep doing this, Cassandra,” my mother huffed as she walked by Melody and I to sit down.

  “I know, Mama, and you won’t have to.”

  Standing up, I brought Melody up with me and kissed her face again as she played with my earring.

  “Don’t leave, Mommy,” she hugged my neck as I sat down on the bed with her, and I couldn’t stop the tears from falling.

  I had Melody two years ago, when I was eighteen, by my ex-boyfriend, Miles. I was in love and thought I’d found the perfect man, but that was until we had a baby. After that it was like a switch had flipped, and he turned into this crazy, jealous, and abusive man I didn’t know. I tried to stay for the sake of my daughter, and because I was hoping that he was just going through a phase. However, he just got worse and worse, and I knew that if I didn’t get out of there he’d kill me. Not to mention my moneymaker was my face.

  I told everyone I met that I was from Oakland, but really I was from Memphis. When I finally got the courage, eight months ago, I took my daughter and mother to Oakland, where I found us a little apartment. Being in Oakland paid off, because the little work I did get got the attention of Jude Whittaker, the owner of The Models.

  Now that I’d gotten a few jobs, I moved my mother and daughter down here to have them closer to me. Once I got enough exposure and ended my contract with The Models, I would take my child off my mother’s hands. I still planned to do everything for her now that she was much closer to me, but because I lived elsewhere, some stuff I would need my mom to do.

  “I won’t leave, at least not for long periods of time,” I told Melody.

  I hadn’t seen her since I moved from Oakland to The Model house and that was almost a month ago. I felt like shit, but I knew I was doing what I had to do to take care of her and my mother, while shielding Melody and myself from her psycho father.

  “I will help you until you need me, but then I’m going back to Tennessee,” my mom interjected.

  She was half white, so very fair skinned, and as crazy as they came. My father was Jamaican, and I remember him being with us up until I was in about fourth grade; after that, he just disappeared. Not even my mother could tell me where he went. I do remember a girl telling me she was my sister through my father, but that was back in high school and the last time I thought about him.

  “Ma, I’m telling you it’s not safe. I don’t want you there where Miles is. He may use you to get to me.”

  “Child, please, I wish
that boy would show up trying to start some shit with me. I’ll stomp a mud puddle in his ass.” She lit a cigarette.

  “Ma, this is a non-smoking room.”

  She ignored me so I turned my attention back to my baby girl and kissed her forehead.

  “Are you gonna put me to bed tonight?” Melody quizzed, and I nodded which made her smile.

  “I love you.”

  “Love you too, Mommy.”

  Chapter Four: Mischief

  That weekend…

  “Pull out that damn champagne, that’s the only other thing I got,” Ishmael directed my brothers and I as we sat on his couch. We were about to roll out to a party, and even though I wasn’t really in the mood, I hadn’t turned up in awhile and deserved it.

  “You got molly?” Kordell’s ass asked. Nigga was always trying to pop pills or smoke. I occasionally got down with it, but not like he and Ishmael did.

  “Of course,” Ishmael smiled, dangling the Ziploc bag as Chaz shook his head at him.

  Ishmael poured the champagne into our red cups, and then dropped the pill in his, Kordell’s, and mine. Of course, Chaz’s ass declined. That nigga stayed on the good foot and I admired it. I would be there one day, but for now I was just… Mischief.

  The four of us sat there drinking, and after a while I started to feel the molly, so I was good. The four of us stepped out of Ishmael’s apartment, and I noticed Sammi was in the driver’s seat of Ishmael’s truck.

  “She’s taking us?” I pointed, using my elbow, since my hands were sitting in the pockets of my bomber jacket that read Bompton on the back.

  “Yeah,” Ishmael replied.

  “Is that cool?” Kordell grinned at me so I smacked the back of his head.

  “Ain’t like we can drive my nigga, we just drank hella champagne and that cheap ass tequila Ishmael found,” Chaz replied.

  We got to the truck, and Kordell went to the third row, while Chaz and I got on the second one. When I sat down, Sammi looked back at me with a glum expression. She must have been upset that I hadn’t texted her back in the last week and a half. I was busy working in the studio and helping with Cardio’s video. Not to mention I was trying to keep Laine on my good side.