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“I respect and accept that, and I will give you a heads up before I tell her the truth.”
“Good. What are your plans now that you’re out?”
“Honestly, sir, that’s what I’m still figuring out. You know how it is. I have a path I want to take, but it’s not the one my family and friends are on.”
“Well… you need to take the path that leads to your security and happiness, especially if you plan to be with my daughter.” Ace returned to his seat behind his desk. “I know your father is still in the business and the Gabriels are too. Because you are so close to them, the temptation will be heavy. Do what’s best for you, and you know you can always come back to the secret society permanently.”
With a bob of his head, Londen said, “I appreciate the offer and will keep that in mind.”
As he walked out, Londen considered if that was something he wanted to do. Realistically, he didn’t have to work, so whatever he spent his days doing would have to be something he loved. The businesses he’d invested in over the years offered him a steady flow of residual income. This was an opportunity for him to do what he loved with food, but Londen didn’t know if he would be fully satisfied with that.
Before he got locked up, his days were filled with excitement and adrenaline. Would he get the same pleasure from cooking? And even if he didn’t, would that be a bad thing? Londen had to figure it out soon because he did not want to keep Lei waiting.
thirty-four
March
As much asYandi didn’t want to admit it, Tussi was right. For the last two weeks, she’d been ignoring Lei. The last time the pair saw each other, Yandi had gotten really close to taking her frustration out on Lei. It had never been Yandi’s intention to let her envy of Mercedes and Lei’s lifestyle get the best of her, but them finding and connecting with men in prison who were better than the free men Yandi entertained seemed to be her breaking point.
The longer she ruminated on the extravagance of being spoiled by a rich nigga, the more infuriated Yandi became. There was a sense of loyalty that Yandi had toward Lei because she was the first woman in her life that accepted her just as she was. That loyalty, however, didn’t outweigh Yandi’s loyalty to herself. Before she could stop it, a seed of resentment was planted in her heart, and talking to Tussi only made it grow larger. Grace had Yandi avoiding Lei. No matter how she felt, she didn’t want to get on bad terms with her best friend over something so silly. But she was becoming so hypnotized by hate that she was willing to do just about anything to make herself feel better, even if that meant betraying Lei.
“This might be a flawed way of thinking to a lot of people, but I’ma keep it a hunnid with you,” Tussi continued, since Yandi was still silently pondering what he’d said. “At the end of the day, you gotta fall in love with yourself and your life. Regardless of who comes and goes, you gotta spend the rest of yo’ life witchu. If you ain’t pleased with who you are and what you got, life gon’ be miserable as hell for you. I know you might not want to go against ya girl, but life is good enough for her. Don’t worry about her. She got it made. You need to do what’s best for you.”
Yandi’s head lowered, and her tears rapidly began to pour. “I didn’t want to like your ass, but you get me. You’re honestly perfect for me. If you weren’t locked up, we could shake the world up.”
“I feel the same way about yo schemin’ ass.” Yandi chuckled, and Tussi followed behind. “For real, though. I do care about you, Yandi. We’re one and the same. A lot of motherfuckers might not get you, but I do. And I’m telling you what you need to do. Humble yourself for the time being and make shit right with you and Lei. She’s the key to me getting out of here, and when I am, it won’t be a limit for us.”
“I don’t know, Tussi. If they find out about what I’m up to, I’m going to lose all my girls. I need you to guarantee me that this shit is going to work.”
“Mane, fuck them. I promise it’s going to work, and when it does, I can get out and get back to the money like I was before I got locked down. I’ma take care of you. You ain’t gon’ have to worry about nothing else.”
Yandi thought about it for a second before agreeing with, “Aight. I’ll do it.”
“Cool. Get in there and act like ain’t shit changed. I’ll hit you up tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
After disconnecting the call, Yandi wiped her face and put a few eyedrops in her eyes. She retouched her makeup and applied a new layer of perfume before getting out of her car. The sooner she got Tussi out of prison, the better. The man she was dealing with now was paying her bills, but he wanted companionship in return. Usually, Yandi would be cool with that, but she was so disinterested in him, she could barely fake the funk.
The only reason she knew what her friends were up to was because Mercedes told her where she was headed, but she didn’t extend an invitation for Yandi to join them. Yandi didn’t blame her. Seeing as she hadn’t spoken to Lei, it wouldn’t be right for her to invite her to her home. Apparently, Lei was wrapping up a case and wanted to enjoy herself before giving her closing statement in the morning. This case had garnered a lot of attention, so Lei didn’t want to be seen out drinking or doing anything else before the case was over.
Yandi knew it was risky just showing up, but she figured this would be the only way to get Lei to talk to her and hear her out fully. Last Yandi heard, Londen was out but he wasn’t spending any time with Lei. If she was going to get back in Lei’s good graces, she’d need to do so before Londen started coming around more often. Even if he didn’t tell Lei about her visit, the vibe between them would be off, and eventually Lei would question why. She’d need to get her best friend back on her side and make sure no matter what Londen said Lei wouldn’t believe him.
It took a second, but once Yandi knocked, Lei came to answer. It was clear her presence had caught Lei off guard because she gasped and jerked her head back. Gripping the door tighter, Lei looked around to make sure Yandi was alone.
“Hey,” Yandi greeted. “Can we talk?”
Chuckling, Lei rolled her tongue around her cheek. “It’s been weeks, Yandi,nowyou want to talk?”
“I needed time to get myself together. I wasn’t in a good space, Lei, but I am now. So can we talk?”
“Yes, but not right now. I’m at the end of a very important case, and I don’t need any distractions. Can I call you when it’s over?”
“Yeah, sure. And um… good luck on the case.”
“Thanks,” Lei muttered quietly before stepping back and slowly closing the door.
That wasn’t the reaction Yandi expected, but she wasn’t surprised. When Lei was deep in a case, she tried her hardest to maintain her focus. As long as she was willing to talk, that was all Yandi needed. Besides, waiting would give her more time to practice her story. The more believable she made it sound… the better.
