The phone's sudden ringtone made Clara jump. James scooped it up, glanced at the screen with a poker face, and handed it over without a word.
Clara checked the caller ID—Anthony Lancaster. She threw a nervous glance at James and tried to sit up, aiming for the window's privacy, but his iron grip yanked her back. "Take it here."
As the insistent ringing continued, Clara bit her lip. "Then don't you dare interfere," she warned before answering.
James merely pulled her tighter against his chest as she picked up. "Anthony...?"
On the other end, Anthony's grip on his phone turned white-knuckled. "Since when do we stand on formalities?"
"I've... thought this through. We should—"
"Not over the phone." His voice dropped, gravelly with disappointment. Clara swallowed hard. "Alright."
She cou
