Rich or Famous...Rich Because You Can Buy Fame (10 page)

“Last week I did allow a new cleaning crew to come in. I’m sorry. They told me the regular company had outsourced them because they needed a fill in. Everything seemed legitimate so I didn’t second guess them. That had to be when they did it. Lorenzo, I’m so sorry.”

“Thank fuckin’ goodness we don’t discuss no real business in that bitch ‘cause the way you just opening doors to mutherfucka’s the feds would be hauling all of us off to jail! Fuuuuck!” I screamed out ready to put a bullet in Tony’s head for being so careless.

“Lorenzo, I….”

“Yo, don’t say shit to me right now. All I want
you to do,” I said pointing towards Brice, “is get the money together and let me know when they contact you. When they do, inform them that you ain’t giving them shit until you get Alexus back alive. Then you find out what the fuck happened to that money Darnell stole and how much he got from them. You also find out who Darnell had partnered up with because after they give us Alexus, we will find them, take my money back and kill ‘em. Now all of you get the fuck out my face.”

** *

“Lorenzo, what are you doing here? I thought you weren’t coming until tomorrow.”

“Can I come in?”

“Of course, I’m sorry, come in.” Lala moved out the way and I came inside. When I left my office I didn’t feel like going home and I found myself driving around thinking. I no longer wanted to think so I decided to come over and see Tania.

“Where’s Tania?”

“Upstairs getting ready for bed.”

“Can I go see her?”

“Yes, she’ll be happy to see you.” I went upstairs and Tania was in her bed, under the covers watching The Princess and the Frog. I sat down beside her and her entire face lit up.

“Uncle Lorenzo, I missed you,” she hugged me and said. When her arms wrapped around me it felt like healing power. Her innocence sent calmness through me that I needed. I knew it would and that’s why I came. In my world, surrounded by hell right here on earth, having a child like Tania share the purity of her love was the only thing that saved me.

“I missed you too but now I’m here and I’m not leaving until you fall asleep.”

“Then I’m never going to fall asleep because I don’t want you to ever leave me.”

“It’s okay for you to go to sleep because I’ll be back again.”

“No you won’t. You’ll leave me like my daddy did and never come back.”

“Tania, I put this on everything, I’ll always come back for you.”

“You promise?”

“I promise.” She held on to me for dear life and I didn’t let her go until she fell asleep in my arms. When I went downstairs Lala was sitting on the couch as if she’d been waiting for me.

“You were up there for a long time.”

“Yeah, I wanted to stay until Tania went to sleep.”

“That was sweet of you to do that.”

“No, it was sweet of her to let me. I needed that time with her more than she probably needed it with me.”

“What’s going on with you?”

“Typical stress from work.”

“There’s nothing typical about your work, Lorenzo. Sit down. Let me get you something to drink.”

“That would be good. And a shot of Hennessy would be even better.”

“You’re in luck.” Lala came back out with a double shot of Hennessy and that shit went down my throat so smoothly.”

“I needed that, thank you.”

“Let me make you feel better, Lorenzo.” Lala was on her knees in front of me. Her face was so angelic as if she had never been through pain but I knew that wasn’t true.

“You’ve already made me feel better.”

“Let me do more,” she said unbuttoning my shirt.

“Don’t do that,” I said grasping her hands.

“Why won’t you let me in?” I moved her hair from her face and glided my finger down her cheek.

“Because I have nothing to give.”

“Well I do.” Lala then pressed her lips against mine and the softness further relaxed me. I pulled her sweater over her head and my hands cupped her breasts as I let my tongue lick her hardened nipples. Lala’s seductive moaning made my dick even harder.

“I want to be inside of you.”

“I’ve always wanted that,” Lala said in a
breathless voice before taking off her jeans and panties. As she stood in front of me I let my hands gently caress the thickness of each curve before I laid her down on the couch. At that moment I was pleased I stayed prepared by always keeping condoms in my wallet because I was ready to go in when she spread her legs open as if begging to let me in. “Ahhhh,” echoed through the room as I filled her insides and her wet juices coated my dick. Her pussy wasn’t too wide or too tight, it was just right. As I went deeper and deeper and Lala’s moans and groans of pleasure grew louder I knew since I went there, I could never turn my back on her.

Dior

All Of The Lights

“Hello,” I answered in a real bad fuckin’ mood. For one I was getting a pedicure that I couldn’t afford and two I didn’t recognize the number and I regretted even taking the call.

“Is this Dior?”

“Who wants to know?”

“This Quinton from King Magazine.” I bit down on my bottom lip trying to gain my composure.

“Hey Quinton, what’s up?” I asked trying to sound real non-pressed.

“Lorenzo gave me your number so we could connect on this magazine shoot.”

“What shoot?”

“For the cover. Lorenzo didn’t tell you?”

“Oh that’s right. I’ve been so busy lately I almost forgot.”

“I understand but do you think we can do this tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow coming up?”

“Yeah, I don’t know another tomorrow. I know it’s short notice but we want you for the issue coming up and we
real real
behind. We need to go to print like yesterday. It’s my fault. I was supposed to get in touch with you a few weeks ago but I got caught up in some other things then I misplaced your number and had to call Lorenzo to get it again. So you think you can come through?”

“I guess I can make it happen,” I said like my calendar was full when I didn’t have shit on it.

“Cool, that’s what’s up. I’ma text you with the time and location information. I appreciate you doing this on such short notice.”

“No problem.”

“So I’ll see you tomorrow but if you have any problems you can hit me back on this number, it’s my cell.”

“Will do, thanks.” When I hung up the phone I wanted to jump up and do a fucking happy dance. I couldn’t believe Lorenzo had really come through. I hadn’t been able to get him on the phone in weeks and I was cussing his ass out every day. Now I felt kinda bad so I called him to let him know how grateful I was that he delivered. But when I dialed his number the shit rang like always and then went to voicemail. I just hung up.

I was not comprehending how a nigga could hook up some major shit for you but then ignore your ass like he didn’t want to be bothered. Trying to figure out this mutherfuckin’ shit was driving me crazy. I mean everybody had a motive for doing something but it was like whatever Lorenzo’s was didn’t include him talking to me. But I refused to let not being able to get him on the phone ruin my high.

I was about to call Brittani and share my news but scratched that. I was going to stick to the original plan. She would see the shit when it came out like everybody which would be soon. I was so damn happy I had been so broke because that meant I couldn’t eat good. With no time to starve myself for the shoot I had already being doing that out of necessity. So tomorrow I would be cover girl ready without even trying.

When I hit the location early the next morning I was ready for them to get me prepared for my close-up. I sat in the chair and let the makeup artist beat my face until you couldn’t see a trace of a blemish. They had a bitch looking so damn polished I wanted to fuck myself.

“For the cover shot we want you to wear the same bra and panty set you wore on Phenomenon’s video, since you know that’s what put you on everybody’s radar,” the stylist informed me when
she walked up.

“That’s cool with me. Did they give it to you?”

“Oh yeah! That was the concept we always planned to go with so we requested it from the stylist that worked on the video weeks ago. The headline on the cover is going to be, ‘Meet The New Phenomenon’ you know a play on words but also incorporating the video.”

“Whatever you wanna do, I’m ready.”

“Great, we’ll see you on the set in a few.”

I was getting anxious waiting for the makeup artist to make his final touches. “What is your name? Because you are fierce with a brush.”

“Cornelius aka Black Glamour.”

“You have to make sure you give me your number before I leave. When I blow up I want you to be my personal makeup artist.”

“No problem, doll,” he said handing me his business card. I gladly took it and went in my dressing room to get ready. I slipped on the gray laced bra and panty set. I looked at myself in the mirror and I was feeling like a superstar although I wasn’t one yet. Right when I was about to walk out I heard my cell ringing and it was Lorenzo.

“Damn, I can’t believe you on the other end of my phone,” I spit in a half joking, half serious voice.

“Don’t start. I was checking to see if Quinton got in touch with you.”

“We so pass the getting in touch phase. My
makeup is done. I’m in my bra and panties about to

hit the set.”

“Right now?”

“Yep, it was some extra last minute shit but that always brings out the best results.”

“I’m glad everything worked out.”

“Me too. But seriously, Lorenzo, thank you for making this happen for me. I ain’t gon’ lie I was doubting you but you came through. I so needed this.”

“If you ever get to know me Dior, you’ll know I ain’t gon’ tell you nothing I can’t deliver on.”

“I’m learning quickly to not be a doubter when it comes to you.”

“Good. Now go out there and give King the best cover they’ve ever seen.”

“Wait,” I called out so he wouldn’t hang up the phone.

“What is it?”

“You have to come to New York so we can celebrate.”

“I’m already in New York.”

“That’s even better. Maybe we can go out tonight or tomorrow. If I should celebrate with anybody it should be you.”

“Thanks for the offer but I got too much business to handle to celebrate anything. But you go out and have a good time. We’ll celebrate in the next couple weeks once I’ve gotten my business under
control.”

“If that works best for you then that’s what we’ll do.”

“Good, now go have some fun and don’t blow it.”

“You don’t have to worry. I was born ready for this opportunity.”

“I know you were, just wanted to hear you say it. Bye, Dior.”

“Bye.” I wasn’t exaggerating when I said I was born ready for this. I had named it a long time ago and now it was time for me to claim it.”

** *

“Hey, Brittani,” I said all extra cheerful on the phone. “I was just about to call you.”

“To what, tell me you’re on the cover of the next issue of King Magazine about to hit stands any day now.”

“You heard about it already?” I asked in an excited voice.

“Yeah, all the blogs posted it.”

“Perfect!”

“When did you shoot it, and why didn’t you tell me?”

“Remember that thing I said I had brewing but I didn’t want to mention it until it actually happened?”

“Clearly it happened and it must have been
awhile ago if it’s already about to drop.”

“I only did it a few weeks ago, it was a rush job. I wanted to share the news when it was actually done and out.”

“You so paranoid. They ain’t gon’ have you show up to shoot the damn thing only to shelve it.”

“Listen, you never know how the cookies will crumble when you dealing with these industry types. I was waiting for everything to be on the up and up.”

“Now you know, so you don’t have to hold back. This really is a great look for you.”

“I know! With all the bullshit I’ve been dealing with lately shit is finally coming together for me. I want you to come out tomorrow. They’re having a party to celebrate my cover. It should be super cute.”

“Wow! You getting the royal treatment.”

“That’s why I want you there so we can both overindulge.”

“Say no more. This my type of shit. Now let me go so I can find an outfit for tomorrow.”

“Awesome, you know you’re more than welcome to raid my closet even though I’m not big on sharing but you’re my bestie.”

“Thanks for the offer, but come on now, you ain’t got no new hot shit I want to wear.”

“Say that now, but give me a couple of months. You’ll be dying to raid my closet and I’ma be like ‘No Mam’.’

“I’ll take my chances.”