Page 37 of Love Letters From Memphis

After disconnecting the call, Tussi’s eyes scanned the crowd of men that were huddled up by the phones. His eyes settled on Montrell—the nineteen-year-old who was serving a life sentence because his friends convinced him he was tougher than he was. With all the dirt Tussi had done in his life, seeing young boys come in so early always broke his heart. They didn’t allow themselves time to live and enjoy pussy before they were giving up their freedom for street or gang shit.

“Aye,” Tussi called. When their eyes connected, he bobbed his head to the right. “Let me holla at ya.”

Montrell’s eyes went from Tussi to the older man that had taken him under his wing. It was the same one that had given up his seat for Tussi days ago. He’d spent time in the infirmary then solitary after Londen’s attack, and Tussi was determined to get even. The OG whispered something in Montrell’s ear that caused him to bob his head before Montrell slowly walked in Tussi’s direction.

“Wassup, big brotha?” Montrell greeted, accepting the handshake Tussi offered.

“Who you got outside?”

Montrell shrugged as they slowly began to walk. “Nobody. My mama can’t afford to be doing shit for me ’cause she gotta take care of my lil’ brothers and sisters.”

“I can keep your commissary stocked and time on your card but you gotta work for that shit.”

Montrell’s feet stopped moving. “Doing what?”

“Getting me information on what Londen and Noah are up to. Whenever you see them two together, I need you nearby listening in on their conversation. If they mention getting out of here or the name Lei, tell me.”

Sucking his teeth, Montrell shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest. “Hell nah. They would kill me if they thought I was listening in on their conversations.”

“Well, I’ma kill you if you don’t.” Tussi paused, jaw clenched as he closed the space between them. “Now you can get something out of this shit, or you can do it for free. Either way, you gon’ do it.” Montrell’s head tilted as he released a long breath. His eyes shifted over to his OG, but Tussi told him, “It ain’t shit he can do for you. So what you wanna do?”

Montrell’s head hung briefly before he agreed with, “Aight, I’ll do it.”

Tussi chuckled. “As if you had a choice.”

twenty-seven

After takinga sip of her green juice, Yandi sat on the bar stool and cut on her laptop. While she waited for the Apple device to power up, she scrolled her Instagram feed and checked to see how many likes the morning selfie she’d posted had gotten. Yandi lived for the validation she received from strangers on the internet. There was something about having hundreds of women envying her and men lusting after her that gave her the confidence to tackle anything throughout her day.

According to who was asked, they’d give a different version of Yandi that they encountered. Most men would say she was a woman who knew exactly what she wanted, and if they didn’t provide that, she didn’t waste her time with them. Most women would say she wasn’t a good person or friend because of her selfish ways, while others would say she was the best woman they’d ever encountered because of her genuineness.

Growing up with a mother who finessed and hustled for everything she had instilled that same drive in Yandi. Her relationships were often transactions, and Yandi would make sure she got all that she could out of a person in case their relationship ended. Yandi had never known true peace. Glimmers of it came with a rich man or giving friend, but true peace hadn’t made its home in Yandi since she was a child. Being in survival mode, constantly looking for ways to take left little room for rest.

As tormented as Yandi was mentally and emotionally, she gave no hints physically. Between her rigorous workout routine, consistent plastic surgery maintenance, and clean eating and drinking throughout the week, Yandi was almost a picture of perfection. On weekends, she allowed herself to have cheat days, but even those were done in moderation. Her face and body got her far with men, and Yandi wasn’t going to letanythingruin that. Unlike Lei and Mercedes, Yandi didn’t have guaranteed wealth because of her family.

Her father was a married preacher who disowned them publicly yet came to drop his load inside her mother in exchange for money every few weeks, and her mother hadn’t worked a steady job for more than six weeks in all of Yandi’s life. Everything she had, Yandi worked for, and her pride wouldn’t allow her to let anyone make her feel bad for it.

“Let me see what this nigga want,” she grumbled, opening the Chrome browser.

For Tussi to be asking to see her face, it must have been important. Most of their conversations were done over the phone at that point. Unfortunately for her, Tussi didn’t have the power and pull she wanted him to have. He was just a regular man in prison—nothing like Londen and Noah—who had their noses up her best friends’ asses. Yandi was much too nice allowing them first dibs because of the bet. She should have taken one or both from the jump. If she would have, not only would she have access to their money, but she’d have more power and connections because of those attached to them in the outside world.

Now, she was stuck with Tussi… a man who was great to look at but didn’t have much else to offer.

As soon as Yandi saw Tussi, she gasped and covered her mouth. His eyes were purple and slightly swollen and his nose was distorted. There was a cut down the middle of his top lip, as if it had been cut by his teeth.

“What the hell happened to you?”

“You is what happened to me.” He sat up in his seat. “I was talking about the news you gave me on Lei and Londen did this to me.”

Yandi huffed and rolled her eyes. “Why were you talking to them about it? I told you that in confidence. If he tells her I told you, she’s going to kill me.”

“Fuck all that.” Tussi sucked his teeth. “I need to know how close you are to her. She needs to get me up outta here, and I need to make that nigga pay.”

“Are you… Do you think this is something we should be talking about on here? Don’t they monitor these chats?”

Tussi’s head shook. “Nah. Once they approve of your location, we’re good. It is recorded, but I got somebody that can handle that.”

“Mhm,” was all Yandi offered. Of course, he’d have a connection to someone on the inside. “So what exactly does this have to do with me, Tussi? I can’t make Lei fuck with you if she wants to be with Londen.”

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