8. Top Off
CHAPTER EIGHT
TOP OFF
“Psss. Look.” Roni stirred her iced tea with a straw and nodded out the window when Coast pulled up in a brand-new black Jeep and parked on the curb.
Mozzi’s security detail was right behind her, parking, but remaining in the car as she strolled to the door.
She wasn’t dressed up or none of that, but there was still something euphoric about her.
Her face was makeup free, and she glowed like ripe oranges on a dewy day, while her thick hair rested in a high curly ponytail.
She looked like she was wearing one of Mozzi’s big shirts and a pair of little ass shorts with blush pink Chanel sneakers.
“Looks like she got her whip upgraded.” Lin glanced over her shoulder and studied Coast’s Jeep enviously.
It wasn’t even the car that had her pissed; it was the fact that Mozzi bought it for her. Granted, she was pretty much an heiress thanks to her father’s chain of grocery stores, but that didn’t mean she didn’t want a man to pay for things.
“What the fuck is it with this bitch?” Gill sucked her teeth, eyeing Coast as she stopped at the front counter to speak with the manager.
The two spoke for a few minutes before she placed an order to go and was handed a thin white envelope.
“And where did she even come from?” Gill added.
“Well, from what I know, she’s the niece of that Beverly woman who runs that orphanage where Mozzi and all them grew up.
I don’t think they ever knew each other though.
I heard she’s only been back here for like a year,” Lin leaned in and whispered.
“And, when Nickel looked into her, he found out she was fucking with some nigga from his crew named Sipes. She just ended things with that nigga.”
“And I’m pretty sure she’s pregnant, too.” Roni brought her cup near her mouth and gripped her straw between her fingers for a sip.
“Girl, what!” Gill shook her head. “See, hell no.”
“Gill, it’s not Mozzi’s baby,” Roni declared, watching her lunge out of her seat anyway.
“I don’t give a fuck if it was Jesus’s baby! This is some bullshit!”
“Umph. There her spoiled ass go.” Lin tittered, shaking her head and picking up a crinkle cut fry from the chicken tenders basket she’d ordered.
“And what about you?” Roni challenged.
“What about me?” Lin took a bite of her fry and her nose wrinkled.
“You and Nickel? You know how Mozzi feels about that fool, Lin, but you keep provoking him.”
“I’ve known Nickel as long as I’ve known, Mozzi, Roni. I’m supposed to cut him off, but Mozzi can have it his way any time, any place?”
Roni looked past her as Gill approached Coast at the counter.
She didn’t have an answer for that. She herself couldn’t fathom entertaining another man.
Her drive was different from both Lin and Gill.
The two of them were out for self-preservation.
Roni had no qualms about letting them sabotage themselves so she could be the only opponent standing against this girl.
“Thank you for the food, Missy.” Coast grabbed her bag of wings, fries, and strawberry milkshake and turned.
“Don’t be a stranger around here, Coast. Take care of yourself.”
“Oh, you can count on that.” Coast’s smile wilted when she found Gill in front of her.
She hadn’t seen her up close before, but the girl was very pretty.
The wavy bob and modest, but obviously designer attire gave her a more refined look than Lin and Roni.
Coast took note of the Cartier, diamonds, and Dior as Gill’s oval shaped eyes roamed her casual ensemble.
While she’d been raised to be a confident girl, she found her insecure like the next, especially in the presence of another pretty girl.
Coast had a natural glow surrounding her, like she legit walked around with the sun following her.
It wasn’t even her fault that people took notice.
She wasn’t in anything fancy, there was no pile of foundation or concealer hiding her blemishes, and she was still gorgeous.
“Can I help you with something?”
“You can tell me exactly what it is you think you’re doing with Mozzi?” Gill demanded.
“I’m sorry, which one are you again?” Coast squinted.
She was being sarcastic as hell.
“I’m the one that he’s going to marry,” Gill divulged, nostrils flaring. “See, Roni and Lin can’t elevate a man like Mozzi, but I can. He knows it, and so do I. I’m sure whatever he’s doing with you is only temporary.”
“You think so?”
“Men like him get bored. Why do you think there are three of us?”
“Because one of you clearly can’t satisfy his needs.
You’re so confident in your position in his life, why you over here pressing me?
Why are you sitting here in cahoots with two other bitches vying for his time?
Sounds like whatever this little polyamorous situation was, it was temporary.
Mozzi needed a little more substance in his life. ”
“Oh, and that’s you?” Gill scoffed. “Some small town hood rat knocked up by some thug? How long do you think he’s going to go along with that? How long before he realizes that you and that little bastard just ain’t worth it—”
Smack!
Coast’s open palm landed across her cheek, sending Gill’s hair swinging with her face.
A wave of gasps and chatter spread through Comfort Kitchen when she stumbled away from her.
Brim was on his way inside when he saw things get heated from the car.
He knew from the power behind Coast’s slap when he crossed the threshold that she didn’t need his help.
When Gill tried to come for her, he quickly intervened.
Stepping between them, he nudged her off when she tried to lunge for Coast.
“Take a walk.”
“Fuck you!” Gill spat. “This bitch got me fucked up!”
“You got Mozzi fucked up if you put a hand on her. I ain’t gon’ be able to stop that nigga, so you might want to tread light on this one,” Brim warned.
Gill glared at him, rubbing the ache from her cheek before looking past him at Coast. She threw her hands up, ready to get busy if it came to that. Roni and Lin arrived up front to check on her, but Gill yanked away from them both.
“Don’t fucking touch me!”
“Are you okay?” Roni queried.
“I’m fine. No thanks to you bitches!” She snatched her purse from Lin’s hand and stormed out.
“So much for solidarity,” Coast joked.
The bell above the door chimed once again. Watching Sipes slip inside turned Coast’s blood cold, but Lin recognized him and smiled.
“Well, well. What do we have here?” Lin teased. “Come on, Roni. Let’s let the parents to be have a chat.” She dragged her past Sipes and out the door, leaving Coast with Brim at her side.
“Been trying to reach you. We need to talk.”
“We don’t have anything to talk about,” Coast argued.
“Get the fuck out of here, Coast. I know you pregnant, and I know it ain’t that nigga Mozzi’s baby.”
“I don’t care what you know. You can’t prove shit, and I don’t owe you shit.”
“You think a nigga slow? I got an auntie that work in child services, among other connections. Ain’t shit to get a court order for a paternity test,” he threatened.
“Then I guess you better get to it.” Coast tucked her arms across her chest and popped her neck.
The minute he lunged for her, Brim stepped in. Darkness swirled in his eyes, which never blinked while challenging Sipes. Shooting daggers at her past Brim, Sipes nodded and backed off. Brim was a big nigga, and the pistol on his hip was even bigger.
“How long you been fucking with this nigga? Was you fucking him when we was together?” Sipes brows drew together.
“That ain’t none of your fucking business! How long was you fucking Arwen in the apartment where I was paying bills?” Coast spat.
“That shit was different—”
“Fuck you, Sipes! Ain’t no excuses for being an ain’t shit ass nigga!” Coast bumped past him to leave, with Brim watching her back to the door.
“You can say all the fucked up shit you want about me, Coast, but I ain’t never put your life in danger. You been with this nigga how long and already got shot. I guess karma decided to spin the block on yo’ ass.” Sipe sniggered like a female. “Lucky for you and my baby, you survived.”
She swirled on him, eyes burning with rage, looking him over.
She used to think he was the best thing since sliced bread.
Now, every time she saw him, she wondered what the hell kind of spell he had her under.
Although still attractive, and stylish, everything with Sipes was surface level.
There was nothing beyond that, and she couldn’t believe she hadn’t seen it before.
“This is my baby, Sipes, and I swear to God if you come for me, you better be ready for everything that comes with that. Stay the fuck away from me!” She barked over her shoulder.
Brim opened the door for her, and Sipes’ blood boiled when he saw her hop into the brand new all black Jeep.
He didn’t believe for one second that she hadn’t been fucking Mozzi the whole time.
She had to be. That nigga wasn’t cashing out on her like that for no fucking reason.
The most Sipes had ever done for her was take her to the mall and let her shop ’til she dropped.
Either way, he wasn’t about to let her walk away, especially if that was his baby she was carrying. He was on his way to yell just that when he got an alert on his phone. It was a message from the homie, Nickel, also one of his lieutenants.
Nickel: Fire got hit. He’s gone.
“The fuck?” Sipes muttered, looking up and catching Coast pulling off into traffic.
“What you doing out here?” Kong stepped outside near the pool where Moose sat on the edge of a lounge chair, drink in hand, eyes glossy as fuck as they bounced off the blue water.
The lieutenant meeting ended over an hour ago, and he and Mozzi had arrived back at the estate. He’d planned on going home, but when he got the text from Inari, the shit kind of blew him. After a few lines, he grabbed a drink and stepped outside to get some fresh air.