Hold U Down
by Keisha Ervin
Available September 2016 in Mass
Market paperback
1
Simply Unique
“I got no time for fake niggas . . . Just sip some Cristal with these real niggas . . . From East to West Coast we spread love niggas . . . And while you niggas talk shit we count bank figures,” Unique sang with her eyes behind shades, strolling down the streets of L.A.
Fresh to death with Moschino bags, Unique and Tha Get Money Crew strutted down Robertson Boulevard, looking as if they could have been young socialites or Sex and the City knockoffs. Unique, a.k.a. Nique, Kiara, Kay Kay, and Zoë had the best of everything—great looks, cars with chrome spinners, designer outfits, and money.
None of them needed a man for anything, but most of the niggas they fucked wit’ were tricks. It was nothing for a man to pay all of their bills. The girls always stayed fly. They all lived life by their own rules. Falling in love was a no-no. To them, men were looked upon as pawns, mere playthings. Catching feelings was forbidden and looked at as a sign of disloyalty. Only rough sex and getting money was allowed. Their motto, Niggas Ain’t Nothing but Hoes and Tricks, was tattooed on each of their lower backs.
Kiara, a single mother of one, was the loudmouth of the crew. Tall and caramel, with full lips and an attitude to match, Kiara butted heads with Unique often. Kay Kay, her identical twin, was the peacemaker, silent type. She kept it gully and always kept her feelings close to her heart. Zoë, the feisty, petite, mahogany-colored mamacita held it down for real. She was down for whatever, even if it meant putting her own life in danger.
Unique, the leader of the clique, had one thing and one thing only on her mind at all times—money. It kept her alive and on the grind, thirsting for more. Hustling was the song she sang, and getting money was all she knew. The only men she ever loved were dead ones—Benjamin Franklin and Andrew Jackson.
With smooth peanut butter skin, big brown eyes, Egyptian cheekbones, plump lips, red hair with blonde highlights, and a pretty smile to match, she captured the male species’ hearts. Reaching about five foot five in height, Unique wasn’t a slim chick. Her hips rounded out to be size ten, and her full breasts filled out a C cup bra. On her left shoulder she had a set of praying hands tattooed with the words Lord Forgive Me underneath. To most, she was considered a lethal weapon. She was often compared to the singer Keyshia Cole, but to her crew, she was just their girl and the one who called all the shots.
“Niggas ain’t shiiiit!” Unique stomped her foot, slamming her Nextel shut.
“What did Tone do now?” Kiara asked.
“That was Patience. She told me she saw Tone riding down Lucas and Hunt with Robin! Then she said that her friend Chantell’s sister seen him at Toxic later on that night Big Willyin’ it up.”
“Ain’t she the same chick that blew his cell phone up last week?” Zoë questioned.
“Yeah, that’s her. I swear to God I hate that black muthafucka. He thinks just because he pays all of my bills that he can cheat and do whatever he wants.”
“I don’t know why men think they can cheat, like we won’t find out.” Zoë shook her head and laughed.
“Because they stupid, that’s why! They think with their penises and not their brains, stupid bastards!”
“Just hit them pockets up when you get home.”
“That’s what’s up, but have you seen that bitch? She ugly than a muthafucka,” Kay Kay added.
“The bitch is wack! She’s a broke, bummy, Reebok broad! I mean, come on, look at me! How the fuck he gon’ cheat on me with a project chick?” Unique stated, looking over her physique.
“Okay, bitch, you can quit feeling yourself, ’cause remember pussy don’t have no face.” Zoë grinned.
“I don’t know why you getting mad. It ain’t like you gon’ leave him.” Kiara rolled her eyes and sucked her teeth.
“That’s not the point! It’s the principle of the whole thing! As long as that nigga continue to provide for me then I’m good to go! But it pisses me off because the nigga be trying to act like it’s all about me when he’s out fuckin’ other hoes! But you know what? It’s all good because I’m getting mine in the end. Love should never be in the equation when it comes to a relationship anyway, ’cause once you allow yourself to love that muthafucka, everything in your life becomes about him and eventually you lose yourself!” Staring off into space, Unique knew that her speech was more about her mother than herself.
“Look, when it all boils down to it, you getting paid, so fuck all that other bullshit and continue to get money,” Zoë assured.
“Right, so calm down. You should be used to the shit by now. Y’all been fuckin’ around forever, and he has cheated the whole time. Ain’t none of this shit new to you,” Kiara continued.
“Yeah, just keep on tagging them pockets every time he fuck up,” Kay Kay chimed in.
“Fuck all this bullshit. We gotta hurry and get back to the hotel so we can do this shit,” Unique said, shaking off the whole situation.
“So, what’s the deal wit’ your boy, Nique?” Kiara asked.
“I set it up for him to meet me at The Ivy at eight o’clock. Eric’s gonna have this valet guy named Thomas to park the Murcielago around the back in the far right corner of the parking lot.”
“So, basically all I have to do is get the keys from Eric.”
“Yeah, but I told him that you would give him the other three hundred when you got the keys.”
“Shit, this crackin’ up to be one of our easiest licks ever.” Zoë grinned.
“Don’t get it twisted. You never know what could happen,” Unique cautioned as she eyed a green Foley dress in the Lisa Kline store window.
“Yo, chill, Nique. Don’t nobody want to hear that shit before a lick,” Kiara said, annoyed.
“This real talk. If you don’t like it then don’t listen. Y’all hoes need to realize that we could get knocked at any moment for this shit. Don’t let this money go to yo’ head.” Unique checked her as the wind blew through her hair.
“Yeah, I am feeling myself too much, ain’t I?”
“As usual.”
“Yo, Nique, I just got a text from that nigga Bub up in VA,” Zoë declared, going through her two-way.
“Hit that nigga back and see what’s up,” Unique replied, still entranced by the dress.
“Yeah, that nigga had a bad-ass Mercedes-Benz.” Kay Kay nodded her head.
“Right. We can make at least a fifty Gs off that,” Kiara added.
“I know, right? Let me hit this nigga up right now,” Zoë said, getting excited.
After hitting a couple more stores, Unique and the girls headed back to the hotel to prepare for the heist. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, Unique wondered just how long she could continue stealing cars for a living. She and her cousins had been in the game for three years, but recently the life had begun to take a toll on her soul. Unique’s pockets stayed on swole, but her conscience was eating her up every day.
She constantly wondered if old victims were out to get her. The shit had her paranoid. Something inside told her that something was about to jump off, but she just couldn’t pinpoint it. Money kept on coming in, and her clientele continued to grow, but being the leader of a banging organization didn’t satisfy her anymore. Yeah, Unique had the fringe benefits of clothes, jewelry, and cars, but Cezar, the guy she worked for, was the one who really saw the most dough. He was the real balla.
Two years after meeting Tone, her boyfriend of five years, Unique had linked up with Cezar. He was a good-looking, get-money nigga from the south side of St. Louis. Even though he was fine, Unique didn’t look at him like that. She saw something more in Cezar than just being his girlfriend or chick on the side. Unique needed a side hustle, and Cezar was the perfect nigga to help her get on the grind. Refusing to hit the block, Unique decided to do what she did best—steal.
After a little research, she learned that Cezar already had a sma
ll ring of car thieves on his payroll. The little crew of niggas he had working for him wasn’t really pulling in dough, so Unique, being the chick she was, offered her services. At first, Cezar was a little apprehensive because to him, a chick wouldn’t know anything about stealing cars. Underestimating her talents because of her gender, Cezar slept on Unique’s skills.
After recruiting her cousins to be a part of her crew, Unique hit the ground running. As a test, Cezar gave her and the girls the task of stealing an ’03 Cadillac STS worth sixty grand. He just knew that Unique would be calling him from jail, begging him to bail her out; but he was wrong. Unique and the girls not only copped the STS, but for show they copped a Mercedes-Benz as well. Cezar was dumfounded to say the least. In a matter of months, Unique and Tha Get Money Crew stole over a half million dollars’ worth of cars.
Stepping out of the bathroom, she asked, “How do I look?”
“You look fly as hell, ma,” Zoë replied.
“Yeah, even with that ugly-ass wig you got on, you look good,” Kiara joked.
“Fuck you.” Unique smirked, putting her middle finger up.
“That dress is bad. You gon’ have to let me borrow that when we go out.”
“That’s cool, but look, I’m running late, so give me a hug.” Standing in a circle, they all wrapped their arms around one another and hugged. “Y’all know that we gotta be safe and discreet. I love you, and I’ll meet you at the airport.”
“A’ight, we love you too,” Kay Kay replied.
“A’ight then, I’m up,” Unique said as she left out the door with her bags in tow.
* * *
Pulling up to The Ivy, Unique searched for Rico’s car, but she didn’t spot him. She then looked for Eric. He was right in place. After she smoothed her dress down, she stepped out of her rented Lexus SC 430 and handed him the keys. Unique turned her attention to the busy intersection as she heard a loud engine soaring up the street.
Spotting Rico, she smiled. His yellow Lamborghini stood out among the sea of conservative vehicles. Waving at him, she caught his attention. As he got out, Unique couldn’t help but be attracted to him. Tall, handsome, and muscular were the only words to describe him.
“You take this one. I’m tired,” Eric said to Thomas, baiting him.
“You look beautiful.” Rico kissed Unique’s left cheek.
“Thank you. You look nice as well.”
“Can I take your keys, sir?” Thomas, the anxious valet driver, asked.
“I’m not sure if I want to do the valet thing tonight.”
“I promise that your car will be returned to you in tip-top shape, sir. I’m the best valet driver here,” Thomas boasted. Looking at him, Unique saw that Eric was right—Thomas was a suck-up.
“Sweetie, this is a very nice restaurant. Your car will be safe,” Unique added as she put her hand on his shoulder for reassurance.
“I don’t think you understand, Lisa. This is a Murcielago. This car is worth ten of their yearly salaries,” Rico said, calling Unique by one of her many aliases and not even knowing it. Wanting to smack the holy shit out of him for being so rude but holding her tongue, Unique tried to reason with him.
“Baby, trust me. Everything will be fine,” she spoke seductively into his ear.
“I don’t know, Lisa. I’d rather park it myself,” he said, confused and turned on at the same time.
“If you let them park the car for you, I promise I will give you a very special treat tonight,” Unique purred, massaging his dick.
“Um, sir, have you made up your mind? We have other people waiting,” Thomas asked, eying Unique’s hand moving in a circular motion.
“All right, but make sure you keep a close eye on my baby,” Rico instructed, throwing Thomas the keys.
“Yes, sir. I will.”
Forty-five minutes later, Unique and Rico sat gazing into each other’s eyes as they ate lobster and steak. Slow, tranquil music played in the background as Rico became lost in her eyes while he thought about the promise she had made to him earlier. Already bored, Unique stared off into space, ignoring his every word.
“Lisa, did you hear me? I said dessert just arrived.”
“I’m sorry, baby. My mind was somewhere else.” Checking her watch, Unique excused herself from the table and went into the restroom. Pulling out her cell, she called Zoë.
“Y’all there yet?” she asked.
“Yeah, we just pulled up.”
“A’ight.”
“A’ight then, one,” Zoë said, hanging up.
Flipping her phone closed, Unique took one last look in the mirror and walked back into the restaurant. Rico smiled when he saw her walking toward him. Once she got near the table, he got up and pulled her seat out for her, wanting to be a gentleman.
“How about after dinner we head over to this nice little jazz club that I know about around the corner?” Rico suggested.
“That sounds nice,” Unique said, giving her best fake smile. Sensing that he was a little on edge, she asked, “What’s wrong?”
“You know, I’m kinda worried about leaving my keys with the valet. There have been a lot of auto thefts in this area the last couple of months.”
“Rico, stop worrying about that car and let’s just enjoy the evening,” she said, rubbing his hand and trying to ease his worries.
“Nah, I think I need to go out and check on my baby.” He eased up out of his chair.
“No!” Unique blurted louder than she should have. Giving her a suspicious look, Rico stopped dead in his tracks.
“I’m sorry for yelling. It’s just that I came to enjoy myself, not babysit your car. The car is insured, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay then, there’s no reason to worry,” she assured, walking behind him and pushing his seat back up to the table so that he wouldn’t go anywhere.
Sitting back down, Unique took his hand, gazed into his eyes, and whispered, “I promise, if you be a good little boy, you’ll have a night that you will never forget.” She smiled as she played footsies with his dick under the table.
“Girl, you gon’ be the death of me.” He smiled back gullibly.
“You just don’t know,” she whispered underneath her breath while checking her watch once more.
* * *
“You got the keys?” Kiara asked Eric in a low voice outside of the restaurant.
“Right here. You got my money?”
“Yeah, I got yo’ money, nigga. Here,” she said, placing three crisp, new hundred-dollar bills in his hand.
“You know that I could get fired for this.”
“Nigga, quit whining and give me the keys so I can bounce,” Kiara said, surveying her surroundings and making sure no one was looking.
Quietly passing the keys to her, Eric went back to work as usual. Dressed like she was out having a good time, Kiara headed around back to the parking area. Cool, calm, and collected, she played the role perfectly while putting on a pair of black gloves. Knowing that the restaurant didn’t have any security cameras in the parking lot, she deactivated the alarm and got in without leaving a trace behind. The valet driver, Thomas, never even saw her pull off the lot.
* * *
Skipping dessert, Unique informed Rico that she was ready to leave so that they could get the festivities started.
“Baby, while you pay the check, I’m gonna go freshen up.” She kissed his cheek.
“A’ight, baby. I’m gon’ be outside waiting,” Rico said while eyeing her ass.
Once in the bathroom, Unique dialed Kay Kay’s cell phone number.
“It’s here,” Kay Kay replied without saying hello.
“A’ight. I’ll meet you at LAX in about an hour.”
“One,” Kay Kay said, hanging up.
Checking her reflection in the mirror, Unique saw that her eyes were red. Going through her purse she found a tiny bottle of Visine. The blue contacts in her eyes were irritating the hell out of her. After dropping a few drops in each
eye, she fingered through her black wig and touched up her makeup. The contacts and wig were all a part of her disguise. None of Unique’s victims really knew how she looked.
Meeting Rico back outside, Unique saw him in a heated argument with the valet driver.
“I swear, sir, I don’t know what happened,” Thomas tried to explain.
“I trusted you with my car, man! Where the fuck is it?” Rico yelled.
“What’s wrong, sweetie?” Unique asked, pretending to be concerned.
“My car is gone! I told you we couldn’t trust these muthafuckas. You betta hope yo’ shit is still here.” Giving Eric her valet ticket, Unique listened to Rico’s whining until her car pulled around the corner.
“My car is here,” she replied.
“What am I gon’ do without my baby?” Rico cried.
“I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have suggested that you leave your car with them,” Unique said, conjuring up some fake tears.
“Baby, don’t cry. This is not your fault.” Rico hugged her. “It’s this idiot’s fault,” he said, pointing to Thomas. “Not yours.”
“So, what do you want to do?” Unique questioned, dabbing tears from her eyes.
“I’m gonna stay here and fill out a police report. You go on back to the hotel. I’ll call you later.”
“Okay,” she said, kissing and hugging him good-bye.
Securely in the rental car, Unique gave Rico another wave while thinking, Good riddance, you stupid fuck. Whipping the car out into the busy intersection, she never looked back.
A couple of blocks away, parked and relieved that the job was almost over, she pulled off the wig and exhaled a sigh of relief. Changing into a wife beater and jeans, she placed another wig on her head and drove to the rental place. Since everything was cool with the car, it only took her a total of fifteen minutes to drop it off.
After taking a shuttle bus to the airport, she checked her luggage in and headed for Gate 16. Once she reached the gate, she saw all three girls laughing and talking as if they hadn’t just committed a crime.
“Y’all hoes sure do look cool, calm, and collected.”
“What up, dawg?” Kay Kay smiled.
For the Strength of You Page 14
