Chapter 10
Before Chicago, there was Harlem, the borough that raised her and almost broke at the same time.
Life for Londa was never rainbows and unicorns, her mother was a hustler till the day Harlem killed her and Londa didn’t fall too far from the tree.
Her grandmother did the best she could, but Londa always had a love for money, and she did whatever she had to to get it.
Before the designer bags, luxury cars, and apartments, there was survival.
She learned at the tender age of fourteen that pretty girls could eat without cooking, shop without paying, and take what they wanted without repercussions.
All they needed was charm, patience, and a nigga dumb enough to fall for it.
Back home Londa learned to line men up, scammers, dealers, athletes, and her favorite, rappers.
She had a strategy that made her cold at what she did, she would play sweet, gain trust, get locations, get access, then in the blink of an eye, they’d wake up missing money, watches, drugs, or even their lives if it came down to it.
That was how she got money and leveled up, also the reason she had to get the fuck out of Harlem.
It wasn’t because she wanted a fresh start, but because she was too hot.
Too known in the streets, too many niggas were realizing that the same pretty bitch was playing them.
Chicago gave her free range, new faces, new money, and she wanted it all by any means.
“I wanna live like this,” Ty pulled Londa out of her thoughts as they sat back on the rainy night and took shots.
Londa giggled, “This here takes time and dedication, baby.”
“I’m listening.”
Ty admired Londa more than she knew, especially when she got a glimpse into her life with her own eyes. Chello was still embedded in her thoughts.
“I take what I want from these niggas.”
Ty gave a stale look, “Dead ass? Like rob ‘em?”
Londa laughed, “Come on now, I know you heard a story or five back home.”
“Yeah, but I didn’t believe the shit and I pressed any bitch that spoke on you.”
“It’s true,” she admitted proudly.
“That’s how you got all this?” Ty asked, looking around the room.
“Yup.”
“What about Chello? You love him?”
Londa paused briefly and knocked her shot back.
“In my own way.”
That response told Ty enough, she didn’t give a fuck about him. Londa wasn’t built for love, it got people killed.
“Emotions and shit will get you hurt, that’s why you losing your mind over one nigga when there’s a million out here.”
“I don’t move off emotions.”
“Ty, please. Yes you do, by the way, I saw Kyst at the club the other night.”
“With who?”
“See?” Londa giggled.
Ty looked away because maybe she did, especially when it came to him.
“So, what I’m supposed to do?”
“Control the nigga before he controls you. You have to let Kyst go, your heart is already into him.”
Londa sat up and grabbed her pre-rolled blunt from the ashtray and lit it before continuing her lecture.
“Find a bigger nigga and act like you don’t know Kyst when you see him.”
Ty’s mind instantly went to Chello when she heard “bigger nigga,” and that right there scared her a little.
Why couldn’t she get her cousin’s nigga off her mind?
Two weeks with Londa changed everything for Ty, her style was designer, her mind was on another level.
She stepped out at night to the club and was already up five niggas that had a bag.
Before Londa, Ty was loud, loose, and reckless, now she was calculated; she moved like a woman, not a girl.
Her cousin killed that immature shit fast.
“You look like a bad bitch,” Londa boasted as they walked inside of Woodfield Mall dripped in money and attitude.
“I am a badd bitch, thanks to you.”
“Nah, thanks to them niggas that’s dropping cash.”
“Facts.”
They walked, talked, and shopped until they had everything they thought they wanted.
“Ou, come on… let’s go in the Alo store,” Londa suggested as Ty quickly agreed.
The employees watched them closely because women like Londa and Ty either spent hundreds or stole hundreds, sometimes they did both.
Londa held up a pink two-piece set, “This cute, ain’t it?”
Ty glanced at her, “Mhm. Grab me the black one in a medium.”
“Tyenna, ain’t no medium in Alo going over that fat ass.”
They both started laughing, but the giggles stopped when the energy in the store shifted. Men entered, Ty didn’t have to look to know it was Kyst; she heard his voice, but she briefly glanced to make sure. The woman in the store stared off instinct, but Ty looked away.
“Nyla wear a medium, I think,” she heard him say.
She looked over at Londa, “You bet the fuck not,” she mouthed as Ty nodded.
Ty didn’t react, she didn’t blink, and that shocked her, because a couple weeks ago… she would’ve tore Alo and his ass up.
She calmly grabbed her items and headed to the register, “Excuse me,” she said, walking past Kyst like she had never swallowed his dick whole.
Kyst looked at Ty like he was waiting on some type of reaction, he got none.
Of course, Londa spoke and hugged, but Ty gave nothing except her things to the cashier.
Kyst didn’t say shit to her either, but she didn’t expect him to, he had always been nonchalant anyway.
She knew he felt her vibe though, it wasn’t normal, but it felt so fuckin’ good to her.
“How much?” she asked the associate.
“$427.92.”
Ty paid her tab and grabbed her bags while Londa still talked and laughed with Kyst. She stood near the door and waited, Kyst looked over at her again. She was more controlled than she had ever been, and for the first time ever, she didn’t crave him. Ty was finally learning how to play the game.
“That’s what the fuck I’m talking about!” Londa boasted as soon as they walked away from the store.
“It felt so good.”
“I bet, keep playing like that, you’re sure to win.”
“What was y’all talking about?”
Ty had to ask that one question because Londa acted like she didn’t fuck with Kyst whenever they talked about him.
“Nothing much, just small talk. I did give him my number to pass along to Love.”
Ty’s eyes grew wide, “Londa, he’s not one to fuck with on that level.”
“When you want big shit, you have to go after big fish.”
“You do know he’s engaged to be married, right?”
Londa frowned and hunched her shoulders, “So, I want his money, not his bitch’s place.”