15. Eris
The Big Apple.
Seeing Rayzor’s face plastered all over Times Square for his upcoming fight in a couple of days was surreal. That’s something I’d never get used to. He’s been doing press releases, magazine shoots, interviews and so much more.
He fired Morrison, but we still have to deal with him because he had this fight in the making for months. Once this was over, Rayzor’s free to search around. It won’t take long because the people were ringing his phone to make him part of their team.
I was checking my phone for messages from Rhea. She had Levi while we were away because Suki and City were with us as our stylist and his team. Since she was staying back in Atlanta, it made sense to send him with someone he knew.
I ignored the few messages from Phillip because he’s gotten too comfortable with texting me since seeing Rayzor with Levi.
I wasn’t even sure how the hell he got my number.
He didn’t have the balls to text about his son’s well-being before, but since Rayzor stepped into the picture, he’s been trying to be father of the year. Bullshit.
We need to talk.
I don’t like how you’re having that nigga play daddy to my son.
I wanna see my son.
“Everything alright?”
I jumped, putting my phone down.
I glanced up to see my man in a two-piece suit for his cover, and my ovaries danced.
“Yeah.”
He sat down next to me.
“No, it ain’t. You’re still worried about Levi?”
“I’m not really worried,” I lied.
“Rhea looks after him all the time.”
“Not really since we got together.”
“I just miss my baby that’s all. And with Erin being with her friends this weekend, I can’t keep an eye on him like that.”
“They have security detail.”
“Yeah. I know, but with Phillip popping up. You can never be too careful.”
“I think he’s gonna be alright for two days.”
I relaxed under his touch. “Yeah, you’re right. I’m just in my head.”
“Come on. They’re ready for us.”
He grabbed my hand, leading me over to the photographer.
We were taking pictures for a magazine, and I had taken a moment to check my phone.
Maybe it was my nerves about being in front of a camera where our faces were about to be all over the world.
We’ve done a magazine before, but that was so long ago.
Now we were about to showcase our love as husband and wife. I wanted it all to be perfect.
* * *
Fight Night
I sat in the fourth row, ringside, which was Rayzor’s, in a white, floor-length fur with the matching headband. I was living the dream. Rayzor made sure to get me one the day we flew in. As people passed, they either stared, congratulated me on my wedding, or took pictures of me.
“I can’t tell who’s the celebrity now, you or Rayzor,” Suki said.
“Girl, I know,” I replied, remaining calm because life was coming at lightning speed. Not too long ago, I was attending my first fight and found the love of my life. Tonight, I was here by his side at one of the biggest fights of his career.
“I love this for you, E. I say it all the time, but I mean it.”
She sat next to me in indigo colored fur, matching my fly. We came to put on tonight. I was no longer trying to act modest. I came to show up for my man. The one who takes care of my family and me. A man who went at full lengths to assure my happiness.
The lights went dim and the crowd went quiet.
Smog erupted and dissipated through the air.
Bass knocked the walls, moving the seats centimeters when Jeezy’s voice roared around the building.
“Our defending heavyweight champion from Atlanta, Ga, at two-hundred-thirty-four pounds, Courtland ‘Rayzor’ Kirkland.”
The crowd went insane. I mean, I had to stand up and get it on camera.
The amount of signs that were up in the air rooting for my husband, it was surreal.
All these people were here for him. A boy from Atlanta, Georgia with a hidden past, but the most generous heart.
A man that chose me. A man that saw me and my flaws and still decided on me.
All these people were here to celebrate and wanted him to win.
“This is crazy. Rayzor gets love, but this is the whole damn world wanting his win.”
Tears formed as I slowly took it in just as he walked out behind Jeezy in his all-white robe with his matching white silk shorts with Rayzor across the waistline. My heart raced. It’s like I was seeing him for the first time.
When he lifted his head, the crowd combusted.
I grabbed my chest. My heart was full.
He slowly stalked his way through the tunnel, and my insides, along with my baby went crazy as well.
He entered the ring, turned towards his team, and they revealed him as they slowly took off his robe. When he turned around, the scowl on his face– locked in, ready to take on the world. His eyes slowly scanned the room as he ignored the screams, and he found me.
He winked.
“That man loves you real bad.”
“I love you, baby!” I shouted.
He mouthed, ‘I love you too’.
“This one’s for you,” he told me just before turning around.
The bell rang.
The arena awaited in anticipation.
Rayzor watched his opponent like his life depended on it. Every move was precise.
He landed a punch to Rayzor’s face, and I looked away. I didn’t want to see him get hurt, although it’s part of the sport. That doesn’t mean I have to like it.
“Girl, he’s got it. That was a love tap for him,” Suki encouraged.
Then Rayzor threw one of the meanest uppercuts, knocking his opponent off his square. He went in for a quick two-piece before the ref broke it up.
They separated and went to their corners before returning.
The opponent came back too confident and swung wild. I noticed how confident and quiet Rayzor was, which wasn’t out of the ordinary. He allowed dude to wind himself, throwing loose jabs, stepping out too widely.
He threw one final hit when Rayzor went in, tucked tight and sent the meanest body hit.
His opponent couldn’t contain the hurt. His face scrunched up as he tried to catch his wind, but Rayzor wouldn’t let him. He sent another, then one more to his other side, followed by a back shot then a clean uppercut.
He fell to the canvas with a thud.
“Ouuu!” the crowd erupted.
I was on my feet with praying hands, hoping he didn’t get up.
He tried crawling to his feet but collapsed again.
Everyone held their breath.
I grabbed Suki’s hand.
“Don’t get up. Don’t get up,” I repeated.
Rayzor waited by to take him down again if he got up.
The ref slid in.
Everyone held their breath.
“One… two… three…” he counted and slapped the canvas.
The bell rang, and they called the fight.
“I told you, girl. Rayzor is that nigga,” Suki said.
I screamed as we hugged, jumping up and down.
Rayzor was crowned the winner.
The crowd chanted his name. His theme song went off over the speakers. The announcers showed his face all over the arena. He stood on the ropes and banged his chest. He took it all in and his eyes fell on me.
“You did it.”
“I love you!” he shouted over the crowd.
I pushed my hands into my chest. “I love you more, baby!” I yelled.
Cameras flashed in all directions, catching moments of our interaction. I knew that’ll make headlines, and I’m okay with that. This wasn’t about me. It was about Rayzor. He took home another big win. I’m happy that I could be part of the moment. This would never get old.
* * *
The next morning
After a wild night of celebrating with my husband, Suki and City, I rolled over to check my phone. I had messages, but there were none from Rhea. I called her, and it rang before going to voicemail.
Something about that made me sit all the way up.
Rayzor stirred in his sleep before he groggily asked me what was wrong.
“Rhea hasn’t returned my messages since yesterday.”
“You know how they do when they get together.”
“Yeah, but she got my baby. She can send an emoji, anything as a reply.”
“You gotta calm down. You gon’ upset yourself, and that upsets my baby.” He wrapped his arm around my stomach.
“I don’t like not knowing what’s going on with him.”
“You think something’s wrong?”
I had to think about it. “I mean, no. I don’t know.” I shrugged, being truthful because I didn’t know. Levi’s never been in harm’s way with Rhea or Suki, but since everything with Rayzor’s fame, I had to be careful.
“They got security detail.”
“And that’s good, but still, baby, I wanna know where he is at all times.”
He reached over and grabbed his phone, making a call to security.
“You got eyes on my son?”
“Yes, sir. Him and Ms. Rhea left to go to IHOP early this morning.”
“Tell her to call my wife.”
“Will do, sir.”
Rayzor ended the call and I watched my phone like a hawk. It needed to ring right now, not later.
It rang with Rhea’s contact and my heart immediately released.
“Rhea,” I called out.
“Hey, girl. I’ve been meaning to call you back, but Levi’s been keeping me busy. He had my phone most of the day.”
“Okay.”
“You weren’t worried about him, were you?”
“Honestly, I was.”
“Why?” she asked, and I heard the attitude behind it.
“Because, it’s been a lot going on.”
“But you know he’s fine with me.”
“I know, but I still wanna know his whereabouts, Rhea.”
“Alright, you got that.”
“Let me talk to him and then I’ll let y’all go.”
Shuffling sounded as she passed the phone to Levi. You could hear her telling him I wanted to talk to him.
“Hey, Mommy. Are you having fun?” he asked and I smiled, even let a little tear fall.
“Yes, baby, I’m having fun.”
“Did Daddy win his fight?”
“Yes, he won.”
“Oh yeah, oh yeah,” he sang. I could picture him doing his little dance as it made me laugh.
“Are you alright? You’re being good for Auntie Rhea?”
“Yes. We watched TV last night until I fell asleep. She let me sleep in a long time too. We had ice cream sundaes, popcorn, chicken and nachos.”
“Oh. It sounds like you’re having a ball.”
“A big one.”
“Where’s Daddy?”
I looked over at Rayzor.
“He’s right here.”
“Can I talk to him?”
I gawked. “You don’t wanna talk to mommy?”
“I do, but I wanna talk to Daddy too.”
I handed him the phone.
“What’s going on, lil’ man?” Rayzor asked as my mind started taking me to that nasty place.
His abs flexed as he talked. His tattoos glistened under the morning sun of the penthouse.
He exuded ‘that nigga’ energy, and it was doing something to me.
Now that I knew Levi was safe, I was more than ready to let him turn me every which way but loose.
He had his innocent conversation with Levi as I slipped my hands underneath the covers and grabbed his dick.
“Alright, lil’ man. Make sure you be good for Rhea. We’ll talk to you later. Love you, aiight?”
“Love you too.”
“Love you,” I said in the background.
“Love you too.” Levi ended the call without a second thought. Rayzor tossed my phone to the side and pushed me down. He wanted me to taste him, and I didn’t hesitate as my nervous system regulated.
For the next two hours, Rayzor and I fed and feasted on each other like it was going to be the last time.
We’d already gone well into the morning after his win last night, but that didn’t stop how we performed and pleased one another.
That man did things to my body that I didn’t think were imaginable.
And while he slutted me out at times, he also treated me delicately.
He spoke to our baby, was careful, but also planted more of his seeds within me.
I cried, begged and pleaded for more no matter what my body felt like. It was on fire for him. He passionately carved his name inside my womb. I loved the way he fucked me. There’s nobody that could compare. I wouldn’t dare try.
The next morning
We slept in after all the ripping and running we’d done.
I was soundly asleep with Rayzor wrapped up inside of me. He pulled my ringing phone from the nightstand.
“Get it, baby,” I told him, thinking nothing of it.
“Yo’,” he answered.
I heard something on the other side of the phone but couldn’t make it out because I was still asleep but trying to be nosy.
“Wait, what?” He shot up.
“Is everything alright?” I asked.
“Levi.” He ignored me.
I sat up.
“What about Levi?”
“Wait, slow down.” He ignored me.
I was reaching for the phone, but he was already getting out of bed, and I followed suit, not knowing what was going on. All I knew was my heart wouldn’t slow down, and I felt sick. Rayzor was grabbing whatever was closest to him.
He tossed the phone on the bed.
I grabbed it.
Rhea was hysterical.
“Eris, Levi…”
“Rhea, where’s Levi?”