Page 35 of Her Nightshade

Charlie suggested a quiet place tucked away in the East Village, a place he swore was private and unnoticed. But as we walked down the street, fingers intertwined, it became clear that “unnoticed” was no longer an option for us.

The flash of cameras began before we even reached the restaurant, quick bursts of white that blinded me momentarily. Voices called our names, more faces than I could count, more lenses than I could imagine. My heart raced and for a split second, I almost pulled my hand from Charlie’s, the urgeto disappear pressing hard against my chest. But his fingers tightened around mine, reminding me that this was a choice we both made.

As we finally made it inside and away from the chaos, I let out a shaky sigh. It was surreal, a reminder that what we shared was no longer just ours. Headlines had already spread across every outlet imaginable:First Lady No More! Ana Del Rosario Seen in Public With Younger Rockstar.Age Gap Romance or Midlife Crisis?andAna Del Rosario’s Scandalous New Love Affair.

Charlie seemed unfazed, grinning at me as if we had just strolled through the park. And as uneasy as I felt about the intrusion, there was also a strange, dark excitement coursing through me. The world was seeing a part of me they’d never known, a side I hadn’t even known myself. They’d talk, speculate, criticize…but none of it mattered, really. I had to keep reminding myself that. Because the only reality that felt tangible was this: Charlie, his hand still in mine, his quiet smile that told me he understood every bit of what I was feeling.

“I love you. Quite the wild start to our night, huh?” he said lightly, pulling me out of my tangled, racing thoughts.

I wanted to take in every detail, to let the moment settle over me—the way his messy brown hair waved over his head, the faint stubble tracing his jaw, and those mesmerizing green eyes, fixed on me with a tenderness that felt like it belonged only to me.

“I love you too. Wild is an understatement,” I replied, leaning closer to him. “I’ve never experienced anything like this…at least not so unexpectedly.”

He laughed softly, squeezing my hand. “It’s been going on for about…ten years for me,” he admitted, his eyes holding a mix of humor and sadness. “Not here quite as much, but in other places I’ve traveled to…it’s intense.”

A pang tugged at my heart as I realized how little I knew of his life, the questions I hadn’t thought to ask while I was sweptup in our passion.What else had he been through that I hadn’t seen?

“Are you close with your family?” I asked gently. “I haven’t heard you talk about them much.”

His gaze flickered away, a shadow of sadness crossing his face before he met my eyes again. “No. My dad left when I was young, as I told you, and I never had much of a relationship with him. My mum…” He hesitated, swallowing. “She passed away about ten years ago, right when the band took off. I’m an only child, so it’s just been me ever since.”

The vulnerability in his eyes was heartbreaking, and I put my other hand atop of our already clasped hands. “I’m so sorry, baby. That sounds so hard. You’ve had to go through all of this—fame, life…all by yourself.”

He smiled faintly but the hurt lingered in his gaze. “It was rough. Sometimes it still is,” he admitted quietly. “But then you came along. And now…it doesn’t feel so hard.”

His words sent a warmth through my chest. I gave his hand a gentle squeeze, a silent promise to be there for him, to help fill the spaces left by everything he lost.

We finished dinner with easy conversation, sharing glances across the table as we made flirtatious banter. By the time we returned to my apartment, there was an ease between us that felt deeper, like every conversation brought us even closer together.

“We’re out of wine,” I said over my shoulder as I glanced in the liquor cabinet. Charlie had suggested we take a bath together and relax with a glass of wine, and that was an offer I couldn’t turn down.

“I’ve started the bath already—why don’t you get in and relax and I’ll run down to the market and grab a bottle?” he suggested.

“Okay, baby. Thank you,” I said with a smile.

He gave me his dimpled grin and was out the door before I knew it. The apartment was quiet, filled only with the faintsound of the running water. I headed to the bedroom to grab an extra towel and stopped when I noticed Charlie’s phone vibrating, the screen lighting up on the nightstand. I glanced over, surprised he left it behind, but curiosity pulled me in.

The message preview showed a text from an unsaved number. Unable to resist, I tapped on the screen and was prompted to put in a password.I shouldn’t do this.I decided to try just once, tapping in my birthday, and sure enough, the screen unlocked. I smiled, but as I tapped on the thread, my heart began racing as I read:

Left the penthouse, Monarch Tower. Black SUV. Only one guard today.

My stomach dropped. Monarch Tower, just outside D.C.—that was where Jake lived.Is someone tracking him?

Returned to Monarch. Elevator straight to top floor. Stayed in for the rest of the afternoon.

The updates went on, each one more chilling than the last, detailing Jake’s movements.

The latest message, from just now, was the worst of all:

Alone today. No additional security. Prime time to send a message whenever you’re ready.

I felt a surge of dread. These weren’t just observations. Whoever was messaging Charlie was not only watching Jake but hinting at something worse.

Just then, the door opened and I quickly placed the phone back on the nightstand, my heart pounding as I tried to make sense of what I just uncovered.

I walked out to the living room as the door closed behind him. Charlie set down the bottle of wine, flashing me a soft smile. But fear suddenly rose from my chest and I found it hard to even return his gaze, knowing what I just read.

I took a slow, steadying breath.You have to ask. There’s no way around it.

---