Chapter 1
Zion ‘Steel’ Perkins
UNEXPECTED GUEST
Las Vegas, Nevada
“Knock. Knock. Knock”.
The sound of someone knocking on my hotel door caught my attention. It snapped me out of the vibe that I had going on out here on the balcony. I had a beautiful view of the Las Vegas strip. I was staying at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Any time I was in Vegas, this was the only hotel that I liked to stay in. It had to be a terrace suite with a fountain view. It was also one of the only hotels in Vegas with a private balcony, and as a man that loved to see a nice view, that was important to me.
The shit before me was breathtakingly beautiful, and even though I’ve spent a lot of time in Vegas over the years, especially during my boxing days, this was a view that I would probably never get used to. It was the fountains of Bellagio, mixed with all the hustle, and bustle that was taking place out there on the strip, that had me in a daze.
It was late. After 11:00 P.M., and I had been kicked back, with my feet chilling on the railing in front of me, puffing on a cigar.
This was my 4thday in Vegas. I had two more days to go, and then I could bring my ass home. I’m surprised a nigga is still alive right now because Toni and I were in the middle of planning this big ass wedding, and I knew the last thing that she wanted to hear from me was that I had to leave town for a few days to handle business in Vegas. We had way too much shit going on in Miami for me to be leaving, but I was offered a big ass bag from ESPN, and I couldn’t turn it down.
There was a big fight happening Sunday. With that, there was going to be a full week worth of coverage, so ESPN reached out to me, wanting me to sit at the table, and be one of the guest commentators. At first, I was going to turn the offer down because like I said, it was crunch time for our wedding, and I knew that it wouldn’t have been fair for me to leave Toni in Miami like that. Not only that, but we’ve been filming since Christmas. We signed a deal with BET last year. Once our wedding was over and everything, our reality show was set to release in March.
Our reality show was called ‘Behind the spin’. The plan was to show the world our love story, and all the events that took place leading up to the altar. With all that shit going on, Vegas had come at the wrong time, but when Toni and I saw the contract that ESPN sent over, and the 0’s that were attached to it, she gave me the green light to go and started packing my bags and shit for me.
I was having fun out here, and no lie, being around the boxing atmosphere, it was taking me back to a time when I was in my prime… fighting, beating niggas asses, and continuing in my streak of being undefeated. Even with all the fun that I was having, a nigga was ready to get home to my fiancé, and my kids. Toni was strong for the first two days, but she hit me yesterday, and she was in her feelings badly, telling me how much she was missing me, and how miserable it’s been sleeping without me.Then, my son called me early this morning, as Toni was getting him ready for school, and when he got to telling me that he missed me, and couldn’t wait for me to come home, shit had me ready to cancel all this shit in Vegas and take my ass back home to my family.
Zayne understood what I was out here doing though. When he was home, he would put the TV on ESPN, and send me videos, showing that he was watching me, and telling me how proud he was of me.
Now, Zaylani…. My daughter, man if her little ass could talk, she would have cursed a nigga out a long time ago, telling me to bring my black ass home. She was nothing but eight months old, but she knew she ran shit, especially when it came to me. Toni put me on facetime with our daughter yesterday, and she went to gurgling up a storm, and I knew she was cursing me out. I was so ready to get home in two days, that I just might fly the fuckin plane, so that I could get back to my family even faster.
I stood up from the chair that I was sitting in on the balcony, and slipped my feet inside my slides, so that I could walk through my room, and see who was knocking on the door. I wasn’t expecting anyone, and since it was so late, I really didn’t have any idea who it was.
With the cigar still in my hands, I took my time getting to the door, and without checking the peephole, I just went ahead, and opened the door, and when I saw who was standing on the other side of the door for me, I swear my jaw hit the floor.
I had a little to drink, and I’ve been puffing on this cigar for the past twenty minutes, so with that, I started wondering if my mind was playing tricks on me, but when I shook my head, in an attempt to snap me out of whatever dream that I thought I was having, and her fine ass was still standing there, I knew then that this was happening for real.
There was an ashtray that was sitting right on the table to the side of me, so that’s where I chose to sit the cigar. I was caught off guard, so I had no choice but to put it out, allowing it to extinguish on its own in a few minutes.
“Ummm. Hi, I hope I’m not bothering you,” she started, looking me in my eyes, as I looked down at her, taking in the outfit that she was wearing.
The black dress that she had on was clinging to her body, showing off her tiny waist, and the spread of her hips. I couldn’t see the ass on her because she was rocking a big, oversized fur coat, since it was cold as hell outside. Black stockings were under the dress, and black heels that had her standing up a little taller.
“Can I help you with something?” I asked her, raising a brow.
“I really don’t mean to bother you, but the people have been talking, and I heard that the heavyweight champ was staying here. The undefeated, retired heavyweight champ. We’ve been seeing you on ESPN all week, and I’m almost embarrassed to admit how many times I’ve played it back on my TV, just so that I could see your handsome face over, and over. I’m a really big fan, and I know it’s late, but I was wondering if I could get your autograph,” she said that shit sexy as fuck. Those fuckin eyes of hers were glistening, as she looked up at me.
“How you got up here?” I asked her, not acknowledging anything that she’d said to me.
“I’m known for having my way. So can I get your autograph or not?” she wanted to know.
“Yeah. You got a pen on you or something?” I asked her.
With a smile on her face, seeing that she’d gotten her way, she went over to her Chanel purse that was propped up on her Louis Vuitton carry- on bag.
She searched around her Chanel bag, and moment later, she pulled out a black marker. She stepped closer to me, and I couldfully smell her perfume now. She smelled so fuckin good. Warm, and sweet.
“Where I’m supposed to sign? You don’t have a piece of paper on you?” I wanted to know.
She chuckled at my response, and that oversized fur that she was wearing, that was dragging on the floor, she quickly removed it, sitting it on top of her luggage, and I let out a loud, whistling noise when I saw the fuckin body. The body was banging! She knew that shit too because she stood there proudly, with a smirk on her beautiful face.
“You can sign right here,” she said, picking up her left hand to point to her left breast.
