Page 33 of Her Nightshade

She nodded but I caught the faint hesitation in her eyes, the way her gaze drifted for a moment, like she was already bracing herself. “It’ll be you and me,” she murmured, her voice softening as if to remind herself. “But…everything changes once we’re out there, Charlie.”

I leaned in, taking her hand and pressing it to my chest where my heart was beating wildly. “All I want is for us to be real—out in the open, together. I’m not worried about the rest.”

She gave me a small smile but I could see the weight of her thoughts still there. “I know. I know you’re ready. I just…need a moment to let it sink in.” She took a deep breath. “Because once we do this, there’s no taking it back.”

I squeezed her hand, unwavering. “I don’t want to take it back, Ana. I’ve been waiting for this.”

She nodded again, her fingers tightening around mine. “Then…let’s do it,” she said, as if trying to push through that last thread of uncertainty.

I wrapped her in my arms, her hesitation only fueling my resolve. “We’ll face it together,” I whispered.

She pulled back slightly, her eyes searching mine, her voice soft but serious. “Are you sure you’re ready to deal with everything that comes with this? People will question us—the age difference, our lives, everything.”

I didn’t hesitate. “Let them question it. Let them talk. I don’t care, Ana.”

She looked down, biting her lip, and I could see the concern still flickering in her gaze. “People can be cruel, you know. I’ll need you every step of the way. I’ve dealt with scrutiny before and it almost broke me.”

I tightened my grip on her. “I know it won’t be easy. But you mean more to me than anything they could say or do. Let them try. We’ll show them that nothing they do can touch what we have.”

She exhaled, nodding slowly as if she was letting my words sink in, her eyes glistening with a mix of fear and resolve. She held my gaze for a moment, then leaned into me, surrendering to the moment as if releasing the last of her doubts. Her head found its place against my chest and her shoulders softened. I held her tight, feeling a mix of exhilaration and defiance, finding the thrill of stepping into something unknown.

And though a pang of guilt tugged at my chest, whispering of my own selfishness, I smothered it without mercy. Because soon, the world would know she was mine—a truth that no amount of judgment or scrutiny could tarnish.

15

Ana

Maybe it was the wine loosening my grip on caution, or maybe I’d abandoned reason long before tonight, somewhere around the time Charlie claimed us, deciding for both of us that we belonged together, bound by something neither of us would let go.

His marriage proposal was absurd, yet a strange thrill shot through me at the thought. His obsession with me wasn’t some passing impulse; it was fierce, consuming, a desire to bind us in a way meant to be unbreakable. But I knew better than most that marriages could crumble, their promises left hollow. We didn’t need that. I knew, with a certainty that ran deeper than anything I’d felt with Jake, that I loved Charlie in a way that went beyond vows or titles. It was a love that felt more real, more consuming, than anything that came before.

And even though I told Charlie to respect my boundaries only hours before, here I was, watching them crumble with everyword, every touch. He broke down every wall, shattered every reservation I tried to cling to. I hated the way he unraveled me so completely but,mierda, I loved it too.

I knew we had to go through with it before I changed my mind. I’d never been the impulsive type, but Charlie pulled qualities from me I barely recognized, qualities I wasn’t proud of. But I was ignoring that, pushing away the warning signs as usual.

Sloane wanted to go to lunch before she and Callan flew back to LA that evening. We had missed them the night before, getting back to my apartment far later than they had, and I found myself wanting just a little more time with her before she left.

We chose a quiet spot in the West Village for lunch. I knew what could happen if we were all seen together in public but Sloane insisted. And Charlie—he was thrilled at the idea, of course. He was less thrilled, however, about Miles tagging along, hovering in the background, keeping a close watch from the shadows.

We settled into a cozy corner booth, surrounded by an abundance of vegetarian options that suited all four of us. Charlie had his arm casually draped over my shoulder as we chatted and thankfully, the tension that had lingered the past few days seemed to ease.

On the sidewalk afterwards, Sloane hugged me tightly, her voice soft in my ear. “I’m really happy for you, Mom,” she whispered, the black car idling nearby, ready to take her and Callan to the airport.

“Gracias, pequeña. Te amo,” I whispered back.

“También te amo,” she replied with a warm smile as she pulled away.

“See you later, Sloane,” Charlie said, offering her a quick hug. “It was a pleasure meeting you.”

Callan reached out, placing a stern hand on Charlie’s shoulder. “Charlie.” He turned to me, pulling me in for a warmer embrace. “Be careful, Ana,” he murmured softly, his voice low in my ear.

As he pulled back, I forced a small, uneasy smile, unsettled by his quiet warning, especially with Charlie only inches away. I could sense the shift in Charlie beside me, his arm sliding around my waist as his possessiveness took hold, pulling me firmly to his side. “Safe travels,” he said, voice light, almost sarcastic.

Sloane, blissfully unaware, waved happily to Charlie and me as Callan slid in the seat beside her. We waved back, watching their car pull away, and then Charlie slipped his hand into mine, his dimpled smile sending a swarm of butterflies through me.

“Shall we?” he asked lightly.

I nodded, bracing myself for whatever he had planned. I didn’t want to know. If it was some grand gesture, I wouldn’t put it past him to officially out us to the world in his own dramatic way. But instead, we found ourselves on the subway, heading towards Midtown.

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