MARIA POV
As I sat across from James, sharing a moment that was surprisingly light-hearted given the earlier events, my phone buzzed for what felt like the hundredth time that night. I tried to ignore it, letting it vibrate against the table before finally grabbing it and glancing at the screen. **Henry and Daxton.** Of course. Their names flashed repeatedly, missed calls and unread texts piling up, but I shoved the phone back in my bag, not ready to deal with their possessive antics.
James, with his easy smile, noticed and raised an eyebrow. "Everything okay?"
I forced a smile, pushing down the tension gnawing at my stomach. "Yeah, just… nothing important," I muttered, turning the phone on silent and setting it aside. The last thing I wanted was for Henry and Dax to ruin this moment, t
