Chapter 11

After hesitating for a moment, Stanley dialed the number. "Sorry, the number you've dialed is turned off…" The cold automated voice stabbed at him like a needle, catching him completely off guard. Turned off? She rarely ever turned her phone off. Was it dead, or… was she deliberately avoiding him? At the thought of the latter, his face fell instantly. Was she sulking because he made her cover for Clarissa those three days? Or was it the punishment before, when he had hung her upside down, making her protest and push back in her own way? An anger mixed with that inexplicable unease churned in his chest. He frowned, tossing the phone back into his pocket. "Tessa, you'd better just be sulking. Otherwise…" A faint twitch stirred somewhere deep inside him, but he forced it down immediately, returning his gaze to Clarissa's face. No matter what, Clarissa was his priority. Once she stabilized, he would deal with Tessa. She wouldn't get his attention this way. She had to know he was no