Mark noticed the hesitation immediately. His brows furrowed as he glanced at the phone, but the screen was out of view. He looked back at his partner.
"Who is that calling?" he asked.
A sudden wave of panic washed over Charles, his grip tightening around the phone. He swallowed hard, dread pooling in his stomach. But he knew he couldn't lie. If Mark found out the truth later, it would only make things worse.
Meeting Mark's gaze, Charles answered in a near whisper,
"It's Daniel."
Mark's expression hardened instantly, the warmth from moments before completely evaporating.
"Not again," Mark snapped, his jaw clenching. "I thought we talked about this. I told you explicitly that I do not want you texting or talking to any of your exes, especially him. He's your ex. Someone you used to sleep with. So tell me, why the hell is he calling you?"
