Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
I t was taking everything within Zion not to charge into the room and strangle the man who’d been yelling at Raven. Maximus Osbourne. Her ex. The asshole who must have a death wish considering how crazy he was talking.
Zion moved farther into the room but kept a little distance between him and the guy. He had spotted Maximus a few minutes ago in the hallway and recognized him immediately. Without telling Raven, Zion had done a preliminary search on the guy, wanting to learn a little about the man who was stupid enough to let Raven go.
She hadn’t said much about Maximus lately, but that didn’t mean the jerk wasn’t still harassing her. Now Zion had a feeling he knew why. Well, at least part of the reason why. Maximus was under the impression that the twins were his, but was it an act?
“Who the hell are you?” Maximus barked out, but Zion wasn’t sure he was buying the act. It was the way the guy eyed him, like he recognized him but was trying to play it off as if he didn’t.
Interesting.
“Who are you?” Zion asked, playing along. “Because I know you’re not my kids’ father.”
Outside of the low hum from the television hanging on the wall nearby, silence engulfed the room. Seconds ticked by with Zion staring Maximus down, wondering what the guy would say next.
He didn’t get a chance because Raven spoke up as she glared at her ex. Zion had seen her mad before, hell, he’d been on the receiving end of her anger more than once. But the fury radiating from her, the short distance across the room, could be seen as well as felt.
“ That ,” she said with force while pointing at Zion but glaring at Maximus, “is my kids’ father. You on the other hand are a low-down dirty liar, and I’m so glad I saw through your BS before it was too late. I can’t believe I ever cared anything about you because this sick game you’re playing is showing who you really are. A loser, and I’m beyond done with you.”
Raven shoved past him, heading to Zion, but Maximus grabbed her arm and tugged her back. “Well, I’m not done with you!”
Zion didn’t even feel himself move. He just saw red. One minute he was standing just inside the room. The next, he had Maximus’s arm twisted behind his back and his face slammed up against the wall.
Zion leaned close to the man’s ear. “If you ever put your hands on my woman again,” he said, ignoring the way Maximus twisted back and forth trying to break free of his hold, “I will break every bone in your body, starting with this arm.” Zion jerked the guy’s arm up a bit more, causing Maximus to cry out.
“Zion, please,” Raven said frantically, her hand on his lower back, tugging on his T-shirt. “Not here. Not now.”
The door burst open. “What’s going on in here?” a woman, probably a nurse, said. “Do I need to call security?”
Zion ignored the woman. All he could focus on was the asshole who’d dared to put his hands on Raven. She’d said Maximus had never hurt her physically, but now Zion wondered if that was true. Either way, he needed to make sure this piece of shit understood she was off limits.
“Baby, please let him go,” Raven whispered, her words coming out in a rush.
Zion heard Christopher tell whoever the woman was that everything was under control, and a second later, the woman left.
Raven tugged on his shirt again. “Let him go. He’s not worth it.”
She was right. The last thing Zion needed was security showing up and hauling him off the premises. He jerked Maximus’s arm up a little more, getting pleasure out of hearing the man cry out in pain. Then Zion finally released him and took a step back.
Maximus whirled around quickly, a little unsteady on his feet, and almost bumped into Raven before righting himself. Then he charged toward Zion, but Zion was ready for him. All he needed was an excuse to knock the jerk out. He had a couple of inches on the guy and had no doubt he could take him.
“Maximus, enough!” Christopher’s booming voice seemed to reverberate around the room. “Knock it off now.”
“Come on,” Raven said, trying to push Zion toward the door, but he wasn’t ready to leave. Not before he figured out what Maximus was up to. He did, however, put some space between them and Raven’s ex.
“I don’t know who you think you are, but you’ve messed with the wrong man. I’m coming after your ass for physical assault,” Maximus ground through gritted teeth, his chest heaving as he moved closer to the side of his grandfather’s bed.
“No one’s doing anything,” Christopher said with authority. “You shouldn’t have grabbed Raven like that, and if I ever see you put your hands on another woman, you’re going to have to deal with me.” Then he turned to Raven. “Are you okay, sweetheart?”
“Yes, I’m fine,” she said, sliding her hand into Zion’s.
He squeezed it, hoping it would help settle them both. He hadn’t been thinking straight when he attacked Maximus, but he wasn’t sorry. What he was sorry for was embarrassing her and letting her and Christopher see that side of him. Priding himself on keeping a leveled head, he rarely lost control, but apparently when it came to protecting Raven, he had none. He didn’t want anyone’s hands on her.
“No way, Granddad. I’m not letting this barbarian get away with this.”
“I’ve heard enough,” Christopher said, his eerily calm voice was a big contradiction from the tone he’d used a moment ago. “You claiming to be the father of Raven’s twins is what I want to talk about.”
“You mean our twins. She has you believing that they aren’t mine,” Maximus ground out as his gaze shot daggers at Raven. “But I have proof that they are.”
Unease clawed through Zion, and Raven stiffened next to him. He was fairly sure she didn’t realize just how hard she was squeezing his hand while looking like she wanted to murder her ex.
“You’re lying you worthless piece of—”
“Careful, Raven,” Maximus sneered. “Otherwise, my grandfather will see the real you. You make everyone think you’re some kind of good girl ,” he said with air quotes, “but I know differently. You are a conniving little gold-digger who’s been trying to turn my grandfather against me since I introduced you to him.”
She gasped, her free hand going to her chest. “You. Are. A. Liar! Everything you’ve said from the moment you walked in here is a lie.” She turned to face Christopher. “I have never lied to you, and I’m not going to start now. Zion is the father of my children. Not Maximus.”
“I can prove I’m the father,” Maximus said, holding up his phone.
Zion knew the man was lying, but if he hadn’t taken a paternity test and saw his own face whenever he looked at Andrew, he might believe Maximus. That’s just how believing he sounded. Clearly the man was delusional, but Zion wanted to see this proof he claimed to have.
“I had a paternity test done a month after the twins were born.”
“How? How’d you get my kids’ DNA?” Raven snapped, her body trembling with anger. One of them needed to remain calm. Otherwise, they wouldn’t get the answers they needed.
“The paternity tests say I’m the father,” Maximus said as if Raven hadn’t spoken, and the smug look on the man’s face was grating on Zion’s nerves.
Raven released Zion’s hand before he realized what she was doing. She approached Maximus. “Let me see this proof,” she demanded.
“No. You can see it when I take you to court for full custody. I’m done with you trying to keep my kids away from me.”
Zion growled under his breath and balled his fists at his sides. He didn’t know what type of proof this guy thought he had, but the guy was in for the fight of his life if he thought he would ever have access to Drew and NayNay.
“Give me the phone so I can see this proof,” Christopher said.
Maximus hesitated, and surprise showed on his face at his grandfather’s request, but then he schooled his features. “I already know you care about Raven more than you care about me, and there’s nothing you can say that’ll change my mind about me taking her to court. I’ve asked her to marry me more than once, and I’ve done everything I can to be in my kids’ life. She’s kept them away from me long enough, and I’m done trying to reason with her.”
“Give. Me. The. Phone,” Christopher said again with more force as he put his glasses on.
Maximus shook his head. “Granddad, I’m not letting you talk me out of this. I have every right to—”
“Boy, pull up the document and give me the damn phone. Now! ”
To Zion’s surprise, Maximus obeyed and shoved his phone at his grandfather.
“Those are the results of the paternity tests,” Maximus said, still looking sure of himself. “That’s all the proof I need.”
“Whatever you have is a fake because you’re not their father!” Raven shot back and rejoined Zion who was standing near the foot of the bed.
When she started to say more, Zion squeezed her hand, and Raven glanced at him. He gave a slight shake of his head. They knew the truth, and it would all come out soon. In the meantime, they needed to find out how Maximus got the tests done. The documents had to be fake.
Zion’s attention settled on Christopher as the man studied the cell phone screen. Every so often, he’d scroll up and keep reading. His facial expression gave nothing away, and that made Zion a little uneasy. Whatever was in the document was enough to keep the old man’s attention, and that wasn’t good.
Christopher eventually looked up and his gaze zoned in on Raven. “These results are from a clinic here in Houston. The documents are dated for two months ago, and it says the probability of Maximus being the father is 99.9%.”
Zion remained silent. He sure as hell didn’t trust Maximus, and he was still feeling out Christopher. Right now, his only concern was Raven and how her face had turned ashen at the news. She was squeezing his hand hard enough to break it, but in a flash, she charged toward Maximus. Zion barely caught her around the waist before she could attack. He practically had to lift her off the ground to keep her from breaking free from him.
“I hate you!” she cried and shook her fist at Maximus. “I hate you! Whatever sick mind-games you’re playing, you’re not going to get away with it! I will kill you before I ever let you near my babies again.”
“Hey, hey,” Zion said, setting her down and turning her to face him. He cupped her face between his hands, and it twisted him up inside at the hurt in her teary eyes. “Just calm down,” he said only loud enough for her to hear, then he pulled her to his chest, and wrapped his arms around her.
When she started sobbing, he wanted to strangle Maximus for hurting her.
Zion glanced over Raven’s head at Christopher, who looked more tired than he had when they first arrived.
“I have a feeling you already know your grandson is a lying piece of shit.”
Without waiting for a response, Zion looked at Maximus and hoped the man saw all the rage he felt toward him.
“You have fucked with the wrong person,” he growled. “I don’t give a damn what that document says because I know the truth. Soon you and your grandfather will too.
“In the meantime, I suggest you stay far away from my woman and my kids. Otherwise, you’re going to regret ever coming for what’s mine. I promise you that.”