CHAPTER SEVEN

All eyes continued to be on Gabby every weekend. Soon regular customers of the club began telling their friends about the beautiful young woman who stole their hearts with her beautiful voice. Within the month, the club was more than full on Friday nights...soon, Gabby was the talk of the town...

"Girl you're like a superstar in this city!" Patty exclaimed one morning as Gabby returned home from work,

Her face turned a light pink color, "It's nothing really..."

"No girl it's more than nothing! You're so popular at that club that fans of yours have been dropping things off here for you."

Gabby raised her eyebrow as Patty picked up a few bags from the mall, cards, and bouquets of roses. She watched as Gabby's eyes widened in shock.

"This is all for me?" she asked.

"It sure is..." Patty said. "Here, I'll help you take it upstairs."

Gabby smiled and helped Patty with her new gifts. She just couldn't believe she had so many people out there that loved her voice.

Elsewhere, AJ found himself doing intense push-ups while listening to his country music. Sweat trickled down his face, arms, and back as memories raced through his mind. He could see his two friends laughing as they raced through the streets of Columbus, he remembered his heart racing before...SLAM! He stopped mid push-up and fell onto his belly. With a grunt he rolled over onto his back and placed his hands on his forehead. All he wanted was to forget...but for some reason he just couldn't. He would need to think of something else...something positive...that's when he remembered Gabby's voice...

He hadn't been back to the club since her debut, but had heard people speak about her in public. He wasn't sure what it was about the girl, but although he tried to avoid her at all cost she always found a way into his mind. With a deep breath he got himself off of the floor and headed for his bathroom. He turned on his shower and quickly got undressed before getting in and letting the steaming hot water run from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet. It was relaxing, yet not enough to take his mind off of his timid next door neighbor. He pressed his hands against the wall and let the water travel down his spine imagining her singing to him in the shower.

"Damn it..." he whispered to himself as he grabbed his rag from the side of the tub. "Why in the hell is she in my head?"

That weekend

Gabrielle smiled brightly as she smoothed the black dress over her belly. It was a form fitting strapless dress that showed off more leg than she was use to but she loved it nonetheless. She was proud of herself for applying her own make-up. It made her look like a devilish cat who was on the prowl. Long curls hung over her right shoulder as she began humming the song she was set to perform. She sprayed perfume on her neck and wrists before putting on her white fur coat and slipping into her black high heels. This would be the second time she'd been to the club without Patty and for once she wasn't nervous as hell.

"How do I look Simon?" she asked.

Simon meowed and rubbed himself against her ankle. She smiled and rubbed his back before grabbing her purse and heading out for the night. She continued to hum her song as she made her way to the club, making time pass by pretty fast. Upon entering the place, she was greeted not only by Paul, but by Sandy as well.

"How are you doing tonight? You look absolutely stunning." she said.

Gabby sighed with a smirk, "Pretty well actually, you don't look too bad yourself."

Sandy smiled and then gently took Gabby's hand. "Thanks so much. Come on and walk with me...I want to talk to you about something."

She nodded and walked over to the bar with Sandy, who ordered them both drinks upon getting there. Gabrielle had finally tried a drink she liked and was happy that Sandy ordered that particular one.

"So, you've been really bringing in some customers little lady," she said. "How do you like it here?"

Gabby smiled brightly showing off her pearly white teeth. "Its a wonderful establishment. I feel like I can truly be myself here, although I'm still getting use to this make-up and dressing up thing."

Sandy laughed, "Yeah I could tell you weren't really the type who does this often but I wonder why sometimes...you have an amazing voice girly, why haven't you used it before?"

Gabby dropped her gaze, "My mother...she always told me that singing was only meant for the church since God gave me the gift. It wasn't meant to be used in places like this so I never bothered to try."

"Well I'm glad you didn't just confide it in church...I've been looking for someone to replace me in this place."

She glanced at her sternly, "What are you saying?"

Sandy took a huge gulp of her cosmopolitan and then looked at her with tears in her eyes. "You're the perfect woman to take over this place. You bring in so many customers and have such a beautiful heart."

"Are you serious?" Gabby asked with excitement.

"I'm dead serious." she said. "I've run my course with this place and you're the perfect woman to keep it all running."

Gabby was elated, she didn't know what to say or what to do. "Wow Sandy, this is amazing...thank you."

"You're welcome, now I'll go over the details with you next weekend, for now...you've got fans crowding in here." she said as she glanced at the people coming into the room.

Gabby nodded and finished her drink before taking the stage once more. She ended up singing six songs that night and even danced with a few of her fans. Before she knew it, the clock was striking 2am...

"Oh my goodness I've got to get home," she thought to herself as she went back to her seat and grabbed her purse. She picked up what was left of her cosmopolitan and chugged it quickly. She nearly coughed it back up after getting a strange taste from it but she thought nothing of it...

"Be careful getting home little missy," Paul told her as he let her out of the place.

"I will," she said as she began to walk home. She was halfway there when she began to feel uneasy. With haste she picked up her pace, trying to get home faster but she found herself growing strangely weak. Her vision began to blur as she got in front of her building and opened the door. She stumbled over to the elevator, forgetting to close the door tightly behind her.

"Oh God...what's happening..." she asked out loud as the elevator opened up. She stepped inside and hit the button for her floor, yawning loudly as the doors shut. Her head was spinning now...she needed to get to her apartment before it was too late.

When the doors opened again, she slowly walked down the hall, keeping her hand against the walls on her way down. She could barely see now...but not too blind to see a man coming from the other end of the hall.

"Gabby?" he called out.

It was a voice she recognized from the club but she couldn't quite put her finger on who it was.

"Gabby it's me, Leo."

She gasped, it was the bartender, but what was he doing here? "U-Uh hi Leo..."

"Are you ok? You look a little out of it." he said as he moved closer to the delirious Gabby.

"I-I don't know...I feel so weak..." she said as she leaned against her door.

Leo cracked a smile, "Well let's get you inside, you might have had too many cosmopolitans..."

Gabby shook her head while gently pushing his hand away, "No I'll be ok..."

"No I don't think you will, you can barely stand...here, let me get your keys." he said.

She shook her head vigerously this time, "No Leo, I'll be fine really,"

He gritted his teeth with frustration, "Look, I've seen the way you look at me and I think it's high time you give me what your body is crying for..."

Gabby's eyes shot open as he grabbed her wrists and pulled her away from the door. He slammed her against the wall across from her door and roughly pressed her hands against the wall.

"S-stop! Please let me go!" she cried. "I don't want this!"

"Sure you do Gabby...why else do you come to the club? It certainly isn't just to sing..." he told her before sliding his knee between her legs.

"STOP PLEASE!" she yelled, stirring AJ who was resting on his couch.

He sat up and turned his TV down to make sure he wasn't imagining things once again.

"Don't play games with me Gabby...you and I both know you're too weak to fight back. Now give me what I want or I'll take it!" Leo threatened as he slammed her to the ground and began to rip open her coat.

"GET OFF OF ME!" She screamed as she tried to fight back but the drugs in her system were slowly over powering her and she was losing consciousness. She screamed as he reached up her dress and tugged at her panties, just before AJ's door swung open. He was in shock at what he saw...but knew he couldn't stand there and watch it happen.

He ran out into the hall and pulled Leo off of the frightened girl. When Leo tried to fight back, AJ mounted him and began pummeling the man.

"You get the hell out of here!" He yelled as he got up and kicked Leo in the ribs. '

Leo coughed up blood before wiping it from his mouth. He got up and ran towards the elevator looking back at AJ as he hit the down button several times. Once he was gone, AJ looked down at the now unconscious woman and was surprised to see his neighbor lying at his feet.

"Damn it..." he whispered before reaching down to check her pulse. He took a deep breath of relief once he felt her pulse beating. He couldn't help but wonder how she got herself into this situation or how someone could prey on a harmless young woman. It angered him seeing her like this...but he was happy to know he had saved her life. He ran his hand through his hair and swiftly picked her up in his arms. Carefully he took her into his bedroom and gently laid her down on his bed. He finished taking her coat off of her and her shoes and then went to the bathroom and wet a warm rag. After placing it on her forehead, he went back out to the hallway for her purse and then got comfortable on his couch.