GHETTO SUPERSTAR (27 page)

After making her rounds on the first floor, Fabiola ascended to the second tier of the four-level building. Upstairs, K-Slay was spinning the records, doing what he did best: turning the party out.

“I'm glad you could make it,” she said to K-Slay after walking over to the booth that he was set up in. She had to shout over the loud music. He embraced her with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

“You know it ain't nothing for you.”

“It would have been blasphemy to ask anyone other than you. You were one of the first to spin my single in New York—even at the expense of pissing off the mighty Johnny Wiz.”

It was too loud in the booth for conversation, so he just nodded and smiled to let her know that he was proud of her.

One thing about Fabiola, the girl knew how to spread the love and show her thanks.

A few moments later, Casino and Johnny Wiz bumped into
each another. It was almost reminiscent of the first time they met at Nathan's party.

“Nice party, Casino.” Johnny Wiz gave Casino dap and a firm handshake, puffing on the cigar clamped between his teeth. “I've gotta give it to you, you did it up … Wizard Style.”

“As I told you before, Fabiola's my heart, and I will do whatever I have to, to keep my heart beating.” Casino noticed an odd look in Johnny's eyes, but whatever it was, Johnny quickly shook it off.

“You gon marry her?” he asked.

“Eventually.” Casino smiled on the outside but he wondered what Johnny was up to.

“She's a pretty special woman.”

“I concur.” There was a long pause, and then Casino asked, “Are you satisfied with the hotel and other arrangements?” Casino had booked Johnny Wiz in the Jefferson Hotel in return for the first-class accommodations his company reserved for Fabiola and himself in New York.

“Wonderful,” Johnny gushed in approval, using his thumb and index finger to form a circle. “And the champagne selection was superb.”

“That's the way we do it over at Ghetto Superstar Entertainment. Glad you like it.”

Johnny seemed a little distracted. Casino turned and discovered the newfound source of Johnny's attention. The woman was meticulous about her looks. At five foot eleven with almond-shaped eyes and high cheekbones, she could have been a high-fashion model if she had chosen to pursue the profession, but she hadn't. Instead, the curling irons were her calling. There was no denying that she was looking delectable. She always sported a polished look even when she was just kicking around in one of her cute little sweatsuits, making sure that every single
one of Fabiola's hairs were always in place. However, this night Sheena was dressed to the nines for the occasion, with thin penciled-in eyebrows and a long thirty-inch Asian mink straight weave resting on her white halter dress. She looked like a million bucks.

“You like what you see?” Casino asked Johnny.

“Aw, man, she's gorgeous!” Johnny practically had his tongue hanging out his mouth.

“I could introduce you to her and see if maybe she can show you a nice time in my city.”

“This is something you can arrange?” Johnny Wiz was practically salivating.

“My present to you, friend.” Casino smiled and winked.

“That simple, huh?”

“When you're a man with power, everything is simple. You should know that firsthand.”

Johnny Wiz watched Casino walk over and whisper something in Sheena's ear. Sheena then shook her head up and down, apparently in agreement to whatever it was he had said to her.

Sheena glided across the floor, stopping next to Johnny. “I'm ready whenever you are.” The words blew from her mouth like soft wind.

“This is a wonderful party, but I would rather have a personal celebration with just you and me,” Johnny stated, not taking his eyes off Sheena.

Both Sheena and Johnny went over to say their good-byes and give their best wishes to Fabiola. Before Sheena and Johnny were out and en route to the hotel, Fabiola knew what time it was and looked at Johnny. “Make sure you take care of my girl.” Sheena just smiled.

“Don't worry; I am sure she will fill you in on all the details.”
He winked at Fabiola. “Again, congrats! You deserve it, I really mean it,” Johnny tried to say as sincerely as he could.

“Thanks so much.”

He then placed a small peck on Fabiola's cheek. He grabbed Sheena's hand and walked away.

Fabiola watched Sheena and Johnny exit the club. Shug asked, “She's gonna really take one for the team, huh?”

“Yup. She's a warrior for real.”

“She is that.” Shug looked around and stopped. “Girl, I wonder how in the hell did G.P. get in here?”

“I have no clue, girl, but as long as his ass don't bother me, I'm good.”

“Do you want me to make him leave? You know if you are uncomfortable, I can go get security to get him out.”

“Naw, it isn't worth the hassle.” Fabiola waved her hand, brushing the situation off.

Fabiola looked up and somehow made eye contact with G.P from across the room. He waved, and she waved back to be cordial. Casino walked up and put his arm around Fabiola, and G.P shook his head, acting as if he weren't bothered that Fabiola was in the arms of another man.

Later that night, there was an all-access, totally exclusive VIP meet-and-greet in a separate secure room in the club. A few fans were given the chance to mingle with all the celebs on hand. There were light hip-hop jazz instrumentals being played while the guests nibbled on a lavish seafood buffet. Fabiola mingled, working the crowd, when all of a sudden a loud ruckus erupted from the other side of the door.

“I can't get in?” G.P. was in one of the bouncer's faces. “What the fuck you mean, I can't get in?” He was loud and causing a scene.

“Sir, you don't have a VIP card to swipe at the door,” the bouncer explained, not wanting to rough the much smaller G.P. up.

“Call Fabiola. Ask her. She'll let me in,” G.P. insisted.

“If you were VIP, you'd be in there already.”

“Fabiola … oh, Fabiola, you don't know me no more, huh?” G.P. banged the tinted, glass window on the side of the room. Fabiola could see out of it, but G.P. couldn't see in. He knew she was in there though, and he wanted in.

“You don't know me no more, huh? Why you gon play me? I knew you when nobody believed in you! Who listened to your pipe dreams?
Me!”
He patted his chest. “That's right,
me
. When niggas was trying to kill you, I saved yo ass.”

Adora got up and went outside of the room to try to calm G.P. down before Casino noticed his behavior and ordered someone to take care of him.

“G.P.” Adora put her arm around him, trying to walk him away from the room.

“You know that shit's fucked up, Adora.” Security was on his ass like flies on shit. She tried to convince them that she had him calmed down, but the big burly bodyguards were still on both of their heels prepared to enforce pain to shut G.P. up.

“That shit is real fucked up and that's why I should've just fucked with you.” G.P. would not let up on the verbal rant.

Adora was trying to hush him up, but it was apparent G.P. was drunk. “Please,” she said to the bouncers, “he's drunk, I'm going to drive him home.”

“Don't worry; I am going to make you a star just like I did her. I am. Your pussy better than hers anyway.”

Everyone partied until well into the next morning. Once Casino and Fabiola finally exited the club, Casino took her hand and walked over to a beautiful candy-apple-red Mercedes Benz
convertible fresh off the showroom floor that was parked smack dead in front of the club and handed her the keys. “Happy birthday,” Casino said.

“Thank you, baby. Thank you so much. I love it. This was the best birthday ever.” She gave him a big hug and a kiss.

“You are welcome and you deserve it. But listen up, it's rules to this here shit.” He gave her a stern look.

She got behind the wheel practically bouncing up and down as Casino joined her in the passenger seat. She put the key in the ignition and the engine's purr nearly gave her an orgasm. Fabiola was so excited and high off of the events of the night and having a brand-new car that she didn't really want to hear any rules. As she put the car in drive, she glanced at Casino, taking her eyes off the road for only a split second.

“It's for your own safety. Nothing too excruciating, I promise.” He looked at her.

“First and foremost, this is the first and last time that you will ride with the top down after dark. No exceptions. Secondly, never, under any circumstances, do you ride through the hood with the top down.”

“Damn, baby,” Fabiola said, shaking her head, “it's like my mother always says. Nothing in life is ever free and everything from a man comes with strings attached.”

hat morning Bambi brought over some of the remaining flowers from the party to Casino's house and handed over a package that had come earlier the day before to Fabiola. “I almost forgot about this. This came yesterday to the club. It was a special delivery,” Bambi added.

“Thank you,” Fabiola said, admiring the big beautiful box with red hearts on the wrapping paper. For a second she hoped it was from Casino but prayed it wasn't from G.P. “Thank you for everything! Last night was beyond my wildest dreams.”

Bambi smiled. “We aim to please, Fabiola. And we do weddings, too,” she said with a grin. “In fact, I planned my
sister Yarni's wedding and it made all the papers. I'm off to have lunch with her after I leave here.”

“Well, that's not in my immediate future,” Fabiola said, laughing, “but if last night was any indication, you are definitely hired.”

Bambi and Fabiola chatted a few more minutes before Bambi had to leave.

“Hey, sweets?” Casino called out to Fabiola as she was walking back to the great room to join him.

“Yeah, baby?”

“Look and see if Tonk got the grill going.”

Just then Tonk came back in the house. “The steaks still got a few more minutes,” he said. “And it's hot as hell out there.”

“Baby, I am glad that you suggested we barbeque. I can't wait to eat me a rib,” Fabiola said. She had been dieting for a week to get into the skintight dress that Adora practically had to sew onto her last night.

“You ain't lying,” Shug agreed, then told Casino, “You know Fab can eat food off the grill every day.”

“I know she can,” Casino said. “The last time we cooked out I barely got any food,” he joked. Just then he noticed Fabiola carrying a box. “What's in the box, sweets?”

“I don't know yet.” Fabiola looked at Casino. “It's one of the gifts from the party last night. Bambi brought it over, but this one doesn't have a gift tag on it.” Fabiola turned the box over in her hands, examing it from all sides.

“Perhaps your little boyfriend left you a birthday gift?” Casino teased, making note that the gift was wrapped in fire-red paper with silhouettes of hearts all around it.

“Maybe it's that Rolex that the radio stations keep saying Teflon got for you?” Spade joked, raising one eyebrow. He had
joined in on the conversation as he sat down next to the couple after fixing himself a plate of food. He exited the room as fast as he entered to take a phone call in another room.

“Y'all stop messing with that girl. It's probably from some shy fan,” Viola suggested, joining them as she took a bite of corn on the cob.

“Or a stalker,” added Adora, who was sitting next to Casino and Fabiola.

“Oh, stop it.” Viola cut her eyes at Adora. “Just open the thing, chile.”

Fabiola sat down and peeled the beautiful wrapping paper off the package and lifted the top. The foul odor of spoiled raw chicken hit her in the face, almost causing her to gag.

Fabiola screamed and dropped the box. “Oh my God!” She was shaking.

Casino put his arm around her to calm her down while Tonk ran over and scooped up the package. He looked inside and turned his nose up in disgust. “I'm getting this shit out of here.” He walked outside with the package in hand.

They were just getting Fabiola calmed down when Tonk returned holding a pair of plastic handcuffs attached to a set of plastic hands. “I spotted these when I was throwing the package out. And there's a note.”

“Read it,” Casino ordered.

Tonk read, “‘In some countries they cut the hands off of thieves. You better act like a chicken and be scared, bitch!’”

“That damn Royce don't know who she playing with,” Adora said.

“Now, baby, sometimes you have to take the higher road,” Viola suggested. “She's just jealous.”

“That bitch Royce just doesn't know when to let well enough alone. It's fucking on and popping now. Sho as my name is Fabi-fucking-ol-a,
I swear to God I'm going to beat the breaks off this bitch,” Fabiola promised.

“Don't worry about it, sweets, I'll take care of it,” Casino assured Fabiola as he kissed her on the forehead.

“No, baby.” Fabiola was shaking her head. “I have to do this myself.”

“Don't be ridiculous,” Casino said to her. “Baby, the only thing that you have to do is stay beautiful and keep making hit songs. No need to worry about the small things or people, like Royce.”

The fact that she had just thrown the biggest party of the year and was scheduled to make her rounds on all the television music networks did nothing to alter Fabiola's decision. “I can't let you take care of everything for me, Casino. This bitch has crossed the line one time too many and I have to show her that I'm not some weak little Southern girl. Please respect that.” Fabiola looked into her man's eyes with conviction.