My Baby Is a West Coast King

by Shvonne Latrice

  “I don’t need all them fucking details my nigga.”

  I sniffled again before turning his heat on, and when I did, I saw his iPhone light up in his lap. When the name Erynne appeared, a smirk crept across my face. Here this nigga was preaching, and he was doing dirt.

  “I see you kept in touch with that Blasian.”

  “Not even like that, she’s just cool.”

  “Aight, pimp.”

  Lying ass nigga.

  Tomorrow would be the end of Laine and Mischief. I couldn’t do this.

  ***

  The next morning…

  I woke up in my bed fully clothed, with my head pounding. I had way too much shit last night and I was never doing that again. Shit was so spotty and I hated when that happened.

  I stood up off the bed, and as I undressed my phone chimed. I looked down at it to see the name Liberty, which prompted a frown to appear on my face. Once I was down to my boxers, I grabbed my iPhone and opened the text message.

  Liberty: Last night was fun. I know you have a girlfriend, but when can I see you again?

  My heart started pounding as I read the message over and over, hoping the contents would change.

  “Fuck,” I mumbled before going into my call history and dialing Chaz. I knew Kordell wouldn’t likely remember what happened, nor Ishmael because we all got way more twisted than Chaz.

  “You seriously calling me at 9am, nigga? I told you we will be at the stu—”

  “What the fuck happened last night? Like with me?” I paced the room, eyes closed tightly trying to remember. I recalled a stripper being in my lap and after that it was kind of fuzzy.

  “Oh fuck, I knew I should have kept an eye on yo’ ass. You fucked that pretty bitch with the dimples and green eyes.”

  “What? Where?”

  “Hell if I know, nigga. I left for a second, and she lured yo’ ass somewhere because Kordell and Ishmael weren’t paying attention I guess. All I know is you came out and told me you fucked her, you were gonna do it again, and you planned to break up with Laine so you wouldn’t hurt her.”

  “See you later. Thanks.”

  “Mischief—”

  I hung up the phone and went into my text conversation with Laine to see if my dumb ass had actually broken up with her. I didn’t see anything, but what if I called her from another source. Panicking like a whore in church, I dialed her up and when she answered, I took a deep breath before testing the waters.

  “Good morning baby, I miss you.”

  “Good morning, I miss you too, Shai,” I could hear her smiling, which prompted me to exhale a sigh of relief.

  “What you doing? Come over here.”

  “I just got out the shower. I was gonna eat breakfast and then I will—”

  “No, come right now. I will make you food.”

  “Oh, umm, okay.”

  “Hurry up. Leave right now.”

  “Okay, Shai. Are you alright?”

  “Yeah, I’m good, I just wanna see you.”

  “Alright, I will be there in the next thirty minutes.”

  “Aight.”

  Once I hung up, I had to pause for a second to allow my heart rate to slow down. The fact that I was damn near about to go into cardiac arrest thinking I’d broken up with my girl, let me know my feelings for her were deeper than I thought. I’d never been scared of anything in my life, like on some real shit, not even death. However, I was sweating bullets and shitting bricks just a moment ago when I thought I’d let her go over some hoe.

  I went into the bathroom to brush, floss, and rinse with mouthwash, and then used the bathroom. I washed my hands and then cut the shower on before hopping in and scrubbing like crazy.

  As I washed off, I started to wonder if I even used a condom. Quickly rinsing the soap, I stepped out the shower to dry off, and then darted to my bedroom to grab my wallet. When I saw the condom I kept in there was gone, I almost felt the Holy Ghost. I guess no matter how under the influence I was, I was still on my toes with some shit. I’d always practiced safe sex until I met Laine.

  I put on a little bit of unscented lotion, and then got dressed in a wife beater, some gray sweats, and socks, before spritzing a little bit of cologne. By the time I was done, I heard Laine at the door so I rushed through the living room to answer.

  “Morning,” she beamed, looking up at me with that pretty ass face.

  “Come here.”

  I pulled her in and closed the door, then started kissing her hungrily up against the wall. My hands started going up her skirt, so she pulled back slightly.

  “Shai, I thought you were gonna cook.”

  “I am, but I wanna get up in you first.”

  I lifted her and let her legs lock around my waist as I carried her to the bedroom while we kissed. Placing her on the bed, I climbed between her legs and continued kissing her passionately.

  “I missed you,” I whispered in between hungry kisses.

  “I missed you t—” she couldn’t finish because I started kissing her roughly again and yanking her panties past her thighs.

  Laine could never and would never find out what happened last night. I would be sure of it.

  Chapter Seven: Laine

  This afternoon I was gonna meet Mischief’s aunt, Doreen. He told me he didn’t want me to ever meet his parents, and that his aunt was more like his mom anyway. I still kind of wanted to meet his real mother and father since they were a part of him, but I’m sure he had good reason why he wanted to keep me from them.

  “You never told me how your little date with Kordell went,” I smiled at Cassie. Erynne had gone back home to Illinois, so it was just the two of us in the room again.

  “I did something bad, but it felt really good while it was happening,” she laughed, staring at me as if she expected me to try and guess.

  “So you had sex with him.”

  “Yes, and he was so much better than I expected. I thought I’d get one little orgasm out of him, but he had my whole body shaking. I don’t know if he eats pussy or fucks better.”

  “So you guys are like dating then? Ooh, we can go on double dates and—”

  “Chill, he and I are just gonna be fuck buddies, Laine. That’s all niggas like Kordell are good for. I’m gonna fuck him until I meet someone that’s presentable.”

  “Presentable?”

  “Yes, not some crazy ass ignorant nigga like him. I just broke free from a psycho so I’m looking for something different. Shoot, give me a nerd if possible.”

  “You think a nerd will fuck you as good as a crazy ignorant nigga as you put it?” I slipped my jeans on and then grabbed my bralette top.

  “Maybe not, but hey, that’s the sacrifice you have to make.”

  Hell to the naw.

  “Who the hell have you been texting all morning?”

  “Annoying ass Kordell.”

  “I, for some reason don’t think you’re finding his actions annoying, but whatever you say. I’m about to go, so have fun with you know who this afternoon, and then Kordell tonight.”

  “Girl, please. After I see Melody, I’m coming straight home.”

  “Sure.”

  As I walked down the stairs, Jude met me, holding a white envelope in his hand. When I got to the bottom, he reached it out to me without saying a word.

  “Jude, I hope there aren’t any hard feelings about what I said to you. I just want our relationship to be business and nothing else. I never had a father and I don’t really need one now.”

  “I understand, Laine. As long as you’re making money I’m cool. I want what’s best for you, but if you don’t want that for yourself then there is nothing I can really do about that.”

  I smiled to hold back the words I wanted to say to him.

  “Well, I guess I should let you know I may not come home tonight, but I will be at the photo shoot in the morning for Paste.”

  “I hope so.” He walked off and one of the other girls named Farrah started walking and talking with
him.

  As soon as I got into the car, I opened the envelope to see it was an invitation to some big yacht party for this boxer named Rhett. The whole crew had been booked, which meant getting paid to stand around and look pretty, while mingling. Basically, we were party fillers, and since most of us had made a name for ourselves, when people saw us somewhere, it made an event seem more legit. I didn’t care, I was getting paid a minimum of two thousand dollars to enjoy myself.

  I pulled out of the driveway of the mansion in West Hollywood, and then hopped on the freeway towards Mischief’s place in Compton. He was gonna drive us to his aunt’s home, and we were to have dinner there. When I got to his spot, I parked inside of the back parking area, and by that time he was already coming up and walking to me.

  “Look at you,” he bit his lip and leaned down to kiss me.

  Taking my hand into his, he led me to his Impala and opened the door for me. Once he was in the driver’s side, he turned on his music and sped out of the lot onto the street.

  Shorty bad, slim thick, she my drug, she my fix. And I’m all up in her mix…. She don’t stress, she don’t trip, and she fuck with all my bros. So if I gotta choose someone, it must be her, she been here since day one.

  I chuckled shyly, feeling myself blush as Mischief sang along with Eric Bellinger’s “G.O.A.T” to me. His hand was gripping my left thigh like always, as he whipped through the streets of his hometown. The wind blew through my hair as I swayed subtly to the chill yet up-tempo R&B track.

  “I swear I think of you every time I hear that part,” he said, bobbing his head as he hopped onto the freeway.

  “What? You think about me?”

  “You know I do,” he spoke lowly. “All the fucking time.” His fingers drummed against the inside of my thigh as if he were thinking.

  We got to his aunt’s big house in Beverly Hills, and it was so beautiful. It made me wonder what his parents’ home looked like, but I guess I would never see it.

  Mischief exited the car and then came around to open my side and help me out. We tread up the long driveway, and when we got to the door, Mischief used a key to get inside. Traveling through the large foyer, we made it to the kitchen area. As soon as we stepped inside, Mischief’s smile faded and he dropped my hand. I noticed there were two women in the kitchen instead of one like I’d expected, since he told me his aunt’s husband was out of town and it would just be the three of us.

  “My baby!” one of the ladies shouted. She was beautiful with long brown curly hair and a small frame. She rushed Mischief and jumped in his arms, locking her legs around his waist like she was his woman. When she kissed his lips, I lost it.

  “What the hell?” I frowned, scanning the Spanish chick.

  “Ma, stop,” Mischief peeled her arms from around his neck and turned his face from her with a disgusted expression, before wiping his mouth.

  Ma? What the fuck kind of mother is she?

  When he was finally able to get her off him and onto her feet, she studied me with a strange look on her face. I couldn’t tell what she was thinking but it didn’t look like anything good. She appeared to be very young, like she was in her thirties, but I knew she couldn’t be; at least I didn’t think she could be. She was wearing tights and a sports bra, and had her son’s names were tattooed down her rib cage. Her cinnamon complexion was vibrant with not a wrinkle or sign of age anywhere.

  “So you’re the one taking up all of my baby’s time. I’m Blanca.”

  “Uh—”

  “Welcome, honey!” the woman I assumed to be his aunt beamed as she rounded the corner. “I’m Mischief’s aunt, Doreen.” She hugged me and then him.

  “Nice to meet you.”

  “Auntie, I thought it was just the three of us—”

  “No, I told my sister I wanted to meet your little girlfriend and she told me I could come over for dinner. Did you not want me to meet her and talk to her? I’m your mother, I’ve earned that right.” Blanca bit down on a strawberry as she smirked up at him.

  “Let’s go.” He grabbed my hand and started towards the door.

  “Shai!” his aunt yelled after him, chasing behind us, but he was moving too fast.

  Because he was so much bigger than me, I couldn’t keep up, so he eventually scooped me up and carried me out of the house like we were newlyweds.

  “Shai, please! Don’t be like this!” his aunt hollered from the doorway with his mother peering over her shoulder, munching on fruit.

  “No, you don’t be like this! I fucking told you I didn’t want to eat if she was gonna be here and you assured me she wouldn’t be! So I’m gone!” Mischief roared back as he closed the passenger door for me and rounded the front of his vehicle. “Some bullshit!” he barked as soon as he got inside and reversed at an alarming rate.

  “Baby, what just happened?” I quizzed him as he peeled down the residential street.

  “Laine,” he sighed. “I really don’t want to talk about that right now, and probably won’t ever want to.”

  I wanted to explain to him that I needed to know shit like that about him if we were gonna be together, but this wasn’t the right time. He was extremely upset, and I didn’t want to add fuel to the fire. So instead, I just placed my hand on top of his. He let it sit there for a few moments, before flipping his hand over and clutching mine.

  “I’m sorry, did you want to eat somewhere else? I got a lot of shit that came through this month so I can take you somewhere nice.”

  “Let’s go to Tam’s.”

  Surprisingly, a smile burst through his handsome face when I mentioned his favorite food place in Compton. The cuisine was really good though, so I had been craving it.

  “Cool.” He licked his lips and nodded before turning up the Young Jeezy song. When his hand gravitated towards my thigh, I relaxed, knowing he and I were good.

  Chaz

  My brothers and I were in the studio, just listening back to our newest mixtape. We had a few labels interested, so we decided to throw a listening party soon to celebrate. It seemed like shit was finally falling in line, which made me happy that all that work I’d put in was worth it.

  I remember the days when I had to work a job all damn day, just to go and record all night. Both of my brothers were right there with me, getting money any way they saw fit, and meeting up with me at the studio so we could work. It was crazy that now we paid bills with this shit and we didn’t even have a record deal.

  “What’s good, people?” Ishmael walked in with some bitch that wasn’t Sammi. This nigga swore up and down he loved Sammi’s swamp rat ass but stayed cheating on her. “Wait outside the door, Evie.”

  The pretty girl backed outside of the door to wait in the hallway after he kissed her, and my brothers and I just chuckled at Ishmael’s ass.

  “Where’s Sammi’s Mississippi river cricket ass at?” Kordell quizzed, and both Mischief and I burst into laughter. My little brother got on my damn nerves 24/7, but the nigga was funny as fuck.

  “What I tell you about coming at my girl, man?” Ishmael whispered, and looked over his shoulder like he thought that hoe from outside could hear.

  “She sucked Mischief’s dick, bruh.” I shook my head and lit the blunt in my hands.

  “A long ass time ago.”

  When he said that, Kordell started choking like he had a bad lung. Nigga was stupid as fuck and always trying to get somebody upset. Mischief just stayed quiet, seemingly in deep thought and not even really paying attention. Then again, he was like that. If he didn’t have any interest in the topic at hand, he would stay quiet, even if you mentioned his name.

  “You sure it was a long time ago?” Kordell grinned.

  Ishmael glanced at Mischief who just stared back at him with a blank expression.

  “Anyways, negros. I was productive as fuck today so I was able to get some radio play for ‘Something New’. I’m thinking once that shit gets in rotation, we can drop the video we just shot so they can work along side one anothe
r.”

  “I knew yo’ ass was good for something,” I smiled at my cousin.

  “Percy should have the video done in like a week, so this is perfect timing,” Kordell added, referring to the editor.

  “Congrats, niggas,” Mischief finally spoke up, grinning widely before texting on his phone.

  After about five more minutes of talking about this new radio shit, the four of us parted ways and left the studio. As I climbed into my car, I felt a boost of energy just thinking about how my music career continued to be on the up and up. The only thing lacking right now was my damn personal life.

  I exhaled heavily as I pulled from the studio parking lot and made a right at the corner to hit the freeway.

  A couple years ago, having a baby with Jade would have made me the happiest nigga on earth, but at this point, I was almost devastated. Don’t get me wrong, I loved my wife but she wasn’t the same girl I’d married. We needed to get back to our happy space before we brought a child here. However, I loved that baby already and wouldn’t dare think of getting rid of it.

  When we got together about four years ago, she supported my dream and acted like she would rock with me no matter what. I fell in love with her because being the son of Mel Benjamin, you ran across a lot of hoes who only wanted to fuck with you because of your last name. But Jade was different, and that shit pulled me in.

  Whipping into the parking area of my apartment building, I swooped into a park and unbuckled my seat belt as I changed gears. I was ready to shower and knock the fuck out. Nothing else.

  When I walked into my spot, I saw the living room light and TV were off, so Jade must’ve been asleep. However, entering the bedroom, I saw it was empty which alarmed me. It was past 10 o’clock at night and her ass wasn’t here. Just to be sure, I checked the bathroom and the spare bedroom, but found them to be empty as well.

  “The fuck,” I mumbled to myself as I pulled my phone from my pocket. As soon as I hit her number, the front door opened slowly so I hung up.

  Jade walked in and damn near jumped out of her skin when she saw me standing there in the dark living room with a scowl.