Fixing him with a deathly stare, I stood and walked to the back of the plane as it rolled to a stop. I dialed Jaz.
“Zayne, wow, I’m shocked you still have my number.” She laughed after two rings.
“Listen, Jaz,” I skipped the pleasantries. “I need some information about Maddox.”
“Oh. Okay.” I could hear the disappointment in her voice and blew out a frustrated breath.
“Who’s Maddox’s father?”
“Um, I have no idea. My sister came home with a baby one day and said he was left at the shelter she volunteered at. He was a couple of weeks old and not in good health. The mother was shot that morning, so we don’t have any details on him. I’m sorry. Why though? Did something happen? Is he okay?”
I frowned. “He’s not with you?”
“No. He’s with Julian.”
“How the fuck did that happen?” I raked a hand through my hair and paced the floor. “I helped get him back for you—”
“Zayne. Chill, okay. When you headed for the plane and began shouting, Julian raced toward you and before I could stop him, Maddox went after him as well and clung to Julian. Maddox threw a major tantrum. Julian was trying to get the lady that got shot on the plane and some guys were trying to drag you off cause you’d gone ballistic over her. Desperate, Julian grabbed Maddox and said he’d be in touch. We met two weeks later, and Maddox wouldn’t come with me. Julian offered to take care of him and I agreed. Why has this become an issue now, almost five years later?”
“Because someone seems to think he’s my son and familial DNA matched mine,” I muttered.
“Wow. Are you sure it's Maddox? Maybe they picked it up on another kid?”
“It doesn’t make sense, because I’ve never fucked a woman without a condom until very recently, like this year.” I needed to check with Declan, maybe his system was flawed. “Thanks for taking my call, Jaz.”
“Hey, Zayne,” she stopped as I was about to cut the call.
“Yeah.”
“Listen, I figured out why Maddox is attracted to anything on the wrist. A friend of mine who babysat for my sister said that when Maddox was a baby, they weren’t sure why he’d never make a sound, even when crying. Then one day, my sister was changing his nappy and every time her bangles would move, Maddox’s gaze would shift to it. She began shaking her bangles at him every time she wanted his attention. It’s how they communicated when she wanted him to do something and then one day, she noticed he’d perk up at the sound of a piano. The pediatrician seemed to think he was attracted by a certain type of sound.”
“Okay, good to know. Thanks again.” I cut the call and followed the others out of the plane.
68
Gianna (27 Years)
