My iPhone began ringing, and Cadence’s name flashed across. As I rose up, I noticed Zaina had her eyes on my screen too.
“That doesn’t say Blaise.”
Declining to respond, I headed outside and answered the phone.
“Why you keep calling me, Cadence?”
“I miss you, and we haven’t talked since SLS. We’re okay, right?”
“Yeah, we good. I’m in a relationship though, so ain’t shit for us to talk about, if you know what I mean.” I headed toward my whip.
“Cortez, what you’re doing is super fucked up, and you know it. This whole time, shit has been cool, and now you wanna be with just her all of a sudden.”
“Gotta switch shit up sometimes.”
“Well, according to the screenshots of her Instagram stories that people constantly send me to upset me, and it works by the way, she’s in love with you. She doesn’t post you, but she shows little things, and you can see it in her face and the captions she puts. She loves you as much as all of us, so she’ll fall in line.”
“Fuck you mean, she’ll fall in line?”
“She will understand that you have other women in your life, just like I get it, Kharla gets it, Sienna gets it, and Maia gets it. And you’re good with making us feel special, Cortez, so she won’t mind. Trust me. I wasn’t that type of girl either, but I fell in love with you.”
“Yeah, well I’m not fucking with that. It’s just Blaise and I, no extra shit.”
“Cortez, no.”
“Get off my phone with that bullshit, Cadence. And don’t hit me up no more with that, aight?”
“Cortez,” she whimpered, letting me know tears were coming, so I just hung up.
These females, bruh.
Priscilla
“That dinner was good, sweetie. Even the babies are knocked out from it,” my Aunt Vivian let me know as soon as I came into the den to sit next to her.
“Thank you, and yes, I’m so happy that they’re sleep because I’m so tired. I had to bring them with me to rehearsal today, and that was a struggle.”
“Why couldn’t Rafi take them?”
“He’s recording his album, and he can’t have them in the studio. Plus, they smoke and stuff in there, so I don’t want Penni and Baby Rafi in the midst of that.” I looked over at my aunt who rolled her eyes. “It was fine, Viv. I love my kids. I don’t mind bringing them with me to work.”
“I don’t care how much you love your kids, Prissy. You said yourself having them there while you were trying to practice was hard. You need to stop acting like a single mother and as if what you have going on isn’t as important as what Rafi has.”
“I don’t act that way.”
“You do. When you can’t watch your babies, you call me, which I don’t mind, but you only ask him as a last resort as if he didn’t lie you in that bed and get you pregnant.”
“Okay.”
She was irritating me at this point because I refused to accept what she was saying. She just didn’t understand. Rafi was busy, and rightfully so. He wasn’t some basement rapper, he was big time, and always had shit to do. His schedule was tight, and nine times out of ten, he didn’t have the ability to watch our kids, so what was the point in me asking him? Just so he could tell me he couldn’t?
“I’m not trying to upset you, honey; I just want you to be able to enjoy your life as much as he enjoys his. You’re beautiful, smart, ambitious, and a great mother, so I just want to be sure that you don’t miss out on life because of him.”
“Thank you. I understand. I won’t. Plus, once he finishes recording the album, he will have a month off before promo, so I’ll definitely be making him the stay at home mom for a while.”
“Okay, good.” She laughed.
She turned the volume up on the TV, so I grabbed my slice of cheesecake to devour it. My phone lit up, and I saw it was a text message from Dionne.
Nervous, I just stared down at the phone for a minute. Shaking it off, because I was sure Will hadn’t told her he’d kissed me, I picked my phone up to see what she’d said.
In the thread, she’d sent me a link to one of those gossip blogs. I didn’t need to click it to see the title, which stated, Rappers Rafi and Yesenia Boo’d Up. The photo was of them holding hands, walking into the studio he recorded at, and it stated that this was earlier this evening.
Leaving the conversation with Dionne, I went to call Rafi. The line rang a few times, but he didn’t answer. I was enraged and didn’t know what to fucking do.
“Be right back, Viv.” I left the den, not responding to her asking if I was alright.
I dialed Blaise up, because she was the only friend I had that I felt I could talk to. For a while, we were just associates, so I didn’t have anyone, but now that we’d grown much closer, I was so happy about it.
“Hello?” she answered softly.
“Oh shit, I’m sorry. Were you asleep?”
“No, I just put Island to bed, and I’m leaving her bedroom. One second.” I listened as she closed Island’s bedroom door, then she asked, “Okay, what’s up?”
“Did you see the blogs?”
“Of course not. I don’t look at that stuff unless I’m getting millions of tags. Why?” She sounded worried, so she probably thought it was about her.
“I’m gonna text it.”
I forwarded Dionne’s message to Blaise, then waited for her response.
“What did he have to say? I mean, what the fuck?”
“He’s not answering his phone. They’re still at the studio right now, so I was thinking of dropping by.”
“Yeah, you should, and I’m going to come as well, in case that bitch has friends or something, I can help you beat their asses.”
“Oh my gosh, Blaise.” I chuckled.
“Or we can just jump, Rafi. Whichever you wanna do.”
“Okay, I’ll come get you. But what about Island? Your mother moved back to her house, so I know you can’t leave her.”
“Belly is here.”
“Whaaat?” I smiled widely, going up the stairs so I could get some shoes.
“Yeah. I’m sure she won’t wake up, and she likes him. She always wants him to hold her now, instead of me, but I think it’s because she likes being high up.”
“Probably so.”
We both laughed and exchanged a few more words before hanging up. I put on my Nike Prestos and then grabbed my hoodie. After letting my aunt know I was going to run a quick errand, I left out to get Blaise. We both lived in Beverly Hills, so she was on the way already.
“Hey.” She climbed into my car wearing black tights, a black crew neck, and some black VaporMax. Her hair was up in the tightest bun ever, and she had on no earrings or anything.
“Wow, so you’re ready?” I pulled off, giggling.
“I am. Ready to fuck up whoever I need to.”
It was a little after 9 p.m., so it took about twenty minutes to get to the studio Rafi and Yesenia were in. I parked in the huge lot on the side, then Blaise and I got out, treading up to the large steel door. I typed in the code and then yanked it open, starting down the semi-dark hallway with Blaise right behind me. I heard one of Rafi’s songs blasting, and when we got to the right room, I entered. It was about ten people in here, including Rafi and Yesenia, and when they both saw me, their eyes were wide.
“So y’all are boo’d up now?” I quizzed, trying to retain my anger just for a second.
“Priscilla, I got an explanation for the shit. I promise I do.” Rafi stood up, gesturing for his producer to turn the music down.
“You better, because I’m ready to whoop your ass!” I shouted.
“And then I’m gon’ beat her ass.” Blaise pointed to Yesenia who looked like she was about to piss on herself.
Yesenia was your typical new aged rapper wearing colored hair and sporting a botched body to appeal to these niggas.
“Please, just relax while I talk to my girl. Please,” Rafi begged Blaise who was standing in th
e studio like a guard dog waiting for her cue.
Blaise said nothing in reply, as Rafi led me out of the room, closing the door so we’d have more privacy in the hallway.
“Hurry up. You’ve got five minutes before I punch you.”
“Aight, look. You know Yesenia and I are signed to the same label and management company—”
“And let me guess, shit just happened one night. You disgusting ass piece of shit!” I shoved him, and when I went to do it again, he gripped my wrists tightly.
“No! Listen, Priscilla! I’m famous, and my shit is popping, so they’re trying to do the same for her! This whole shit with her and I is a stunt; a publicity stunt! Niggas do it all the fucking time! Y’all pretend to date, it gets people talking about you, and boosts your name. I’m getting a nice little bonus to pretend I’m dating her for a few months, just to help her out a tiny bit, and then we’re gon’ ‘break up’.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Baby, I swear. This shit has been in the works for a while, which is why little shit has been popping up about us on them gossip blogs. Her camp is sending that in to them.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this then?”
“Because I knew you’d have a problem with it, and it’s not that big of a deal, baby. The shit between her and I is business and nothing else.”
“This is embarrassing for me, Rafi. People know about us whether you want them to or not. And I look like a fool.”
Moving closer to me, pinning me against the wall, he kissed me slowly.
“No you don’t. Niggas know this shit is phony. Only people believing it’s real are the fans, and they don’t know about us.”
“So you can claim her, but not me.”
“’Cause I don’t give a fuck about her. You, I love you and my kids, and I wanna protect y’all. And again, for the hundredth time, this is a business deal.”
“I think…” I was staring down at my feet since he was in my face. “…you should maybe stay in a hotel or something for a while.”
“What? Priscilla, why? I ain’t do shit!”
“Because I need time to think about if I even want to continue being with you. At this point, I feel like the only person benefiting from this relationship is you.”
Tightening his lips, he just stared at me, obviously annoyed.
“So how long I need to stay elsewhere?”
“Until I tell you my decision.”
WHAM!
I jumped when he slapped his hand hard as hell on the wall portion next to my head out of anger. Storming to the door of the studio room, he pushed it open then said to me, “This shit isn’t gon’ last for too long, Priscilla. Get out yo’ feelings, ASAP.”
I didn’t say anything. I just walked in to get Blaise and then we left.
I knew the industry did set people up to pretend to date for publicity; they’d been doing that since the twenties. But what I didn’t know was if this was the case with Rafi. And truthfully, a part of me wanted to use this as an escape…
Manny
“So when do we get to hang out with your brother?” this one bad ass Instagram model, Tori, I met the other day questioned, as I led her into a day party I was attending.
She was fine as hell, and I’d convinced her that I could get a meeting with my brother if she fucked with me. I didn’t exactly say that, but when I told her Belly was my brother, she was all for coming out with my ass. I’d done that before to get women, unbeknownst to Belly, but I was sure he wouldn’t mind if he did know. He wouldn’t give a fuck at all.
“Tomorrow, I got you. Let’s enjoy today though. And shit, we may see him tonight if he’s not too busy. I’ll hit him up.”
“Okay.” She gave me a wide ass smile.
“Mo Bamba” by Sheck Wes was playing over the party at the moment, as everybody kind of just chilled out, drinking and moving only a little bit.
Bringing Tori to the cabana I’d gotten for myself and her to chill, I sat down and immediately began trying to pop open the liquor bottle.
“So uh, Tori, what you like to do for fun?” I gave her my signature look, and she batted her eyelashes, falling for it. Alivia was the only one who acted as if what I did didn’t make her wet.
“I don’t know.” She shrugged, pushing her hair behind her ears. “Stuff like this, go to games, boxing matches, and the nail shop.”
“Oh, okay.”
“So your brother, what is he like? Is he exactly how he acts during his interviews and stuff?”
“Pretty much; a cocky and confident ass nigga when it comes to these fights.”
“Oh damn. So am I his type? I mean, I know he’ll be attracted to me because duh, but I’m wondering if he’ll keep me around. I heard like, he doesn’t do the random chick thing; he keeps a set few of girls. So I’m trying to get recruited!” She laughed.
I just stared into her big blue eyes, thinking. I’d never even seen blue eyes on a Black person in real life, and it was weird but nice.
I was realizing Tori was a straight up groupie, but I didn’t mind. I still wanted to smash her, but I didn’t know if I’d be able to because she was on my damn brother. And the way he was around here acting like Blaise was the second coming of Jesus, I highly doubted she’d even get so much as a hug from him.
“Yeah, I think you’d be perfect, actually.”
“Okay, cool!”
I made her a drink, and once we both started to sip, I saw Alivia at the deejay booth. I hadn’t talked to her… well, she hadn’t talked to me since she stormed out of the club, so I decided I would catch her now.
“Just one second, gorgeous.” I looked to Tori, and she blushed.
I got up and made my way across the room to Alivia, and when I reached her booth, she gave me one glance then focused her attention back on her computer.
“Can I help you?” she finally asked since I was still there.
“So uh.” I licked my lips to entice her. “I was thinking that we should hit the movies or something then—”
“Before or after your date with that bobble head over there?” She raised her brows to gesture behind me where Tori was seated.
“Uh nah, that’s not a date. She’s for my brother.”
“Yet your arm was around her?”
“Well, you know I have to warm them up for him and be sure—”
“You know what? I don’t even know why I’m asking because I don’t even care. So if there isn’t anything else you have to say, then I’d like you to step away so I can work.”
“Alivia, just say yes to the movies. We can see whatever you want.”
“Are you really a complete idiot or do you just pretend to be stupid like a lot of attractive people do?”
“Huh? I—”
“The last time you saw me, I was distraught, and you haven’t once asked me what was wrong or anything of that nature. You just keep trying to get me out, and you don’t even care to know me or anything. All you do is stare me down salaciously, lick those big lips that I’m sure smell like spit by now, and squint your eyes like most bogus caramel-skinned niggas. And FYI, none of it is a turn on.
I don’t have time to waste with men who have selfish and immature mindsets. So please return to your cabana before I have security come escort you out.”
Feeling like I’d gotten punched in the stomach, I backed away a tiny bit.
“So no movies—”
“Get away!” she snapped, so I quickly did as she asked. I didn’t know what her problem was, but whatever.
“Aye, let’s go. I’m hungry,” I told Tori once I reached the cabana.
“Okay.” She got up, fixing them little ass shorts. “What should we go eat? Or I can cook something. I love to cook. And maybe your brother will come over.”
“Yeah, that works. I don’t have shit at my house though.”
“If you have money, we can stop at the grocery store for a few things.”
If I have money…
“Yeah, I got
money. Come on.”
Tori and I bounced then headed to the Ralphs grocery near my house. During the ride, she was loosening up more, and I was feeling like she was more interested in me now.
We hopped out of my Lexus to head inside, and to test the waters, I hugged her body from behind. She only laughed and didn’t push me off, so I was elated.
“Okay, so let’s get some meat.”
I followed Tori to the back where the meat was, and as she looked around for her preferred ground beef, I spotted Jasmine, my baby mama, pushing a cart with my son in the front. She was facing me, and his back was to me. I saw her phone in her hand, so I texted her.
Me: Aye I don’t want Jasiel seeing me, Jasmine. Make sure you don’t come any further.
I stared her down, waiting for her to look at her iPhone clutched tightly in her hand.
“Okay, so which one? This one is best but it’s more expensive,” Tori asked me.
“Get whatever you like,” I replied, keeping my eyes on Jasmine instead of looking at her.
Finally, Jasmine looked down at her phone after putting some chicken breasts into her basket, and when done reading, she looked up and around until her eyes landed on me.
Friend: Really? Don’t want your little slut to know you have a son?
Me: Her nor people in here. I live around here and one of these niggas will see and hear Jasiel call me daddy. Take him down the aisle next to you ASAP!
Jasmine read the message then looked up at me to shake her head sadly. She grabbed Jasiel to kiss his forehead, then made a quick left down the freezer food aisle.
“Okay, do you have seasoning or should we buy some?” Tori placed her hand on my chest, getting my attention.
“Let’s buy some.”
That was a close one.
Blaise
Tonight, I was hosting at this upscale club in Hollywood, and thankfully, Priscilla could come with me. Ever since she took a break from Rafi, we’d been able to hang out much more, with and without the babies. I knew it was selfish of me to hope she never went back to him, but I loved having her around. Plus, that wasn’t the only reason; I was seeing him in a new light.
Nobody Can Love You Like Them Roughnecks Do Page 27
