Page 40 of Her Nightshade

I slid the suit jacket off his shoulders, leaning forward to bite him back hard, my teeth sinking into his skin as that same heat and aggression took over. He groaned deeply, his body responding with a fevered energy that matched my own. As Ipulled back to meet his gaze, our bodies tensed and we came together, the intensity of our love-making leaving me breathless and deeply satisfied in a way words couldn’t touch.

* * *

We slipped out through a private exit and hurried into the same sleek black car that had brought us to the event. My body was spent, the adrenaline of the night and the intensity of what had happened at the party leaving me drained. Charlie rested his hand on my thigh, a satisfied smile on his lips as he leaned back, his head against the headrest.

“I didn’t get to ask you…” he began, his words trailing off, but I knew what he wanted to say. His eyes held a flicker of hesitation, a need for reassurance.

“Charlie,” I said, smiling softly. “That was the most amazing thing anyone’s ever done for me. I loved it.”

He exhaled, his grin widening and his teeth biting his bottom lip. He looked like he was about to say something when my phone vibrated in my hand. I glanced down, my heart dropping when I saw Jake’s name on the screen. When I looked up, I caught the shift in Charlie’s expression, his gaze flicking from my phone to my eyes, his jealousy and anger unmistakable.

“Why would he be calling you, Ana?” he asked, his voice low, almost accusatory.

I was immediately defensive. “I haven’t spoken to him in months, Charlie. It must be important. I’m answering it.” Before he could respond, I swiped right and lifted the phone to my ear.

“Jacob,” I greeted, not masking the irritation in my voice.

“Ana, hey…” he replied hesitantly. “I’ll just get straight to the point. Sarah was murdered in jail.”

My mouth dropped open as I turned to Charlie, his eyes widening.

“Are you serious?” I asked, my gaze locked on Charlie, searching his expression.

“Yeah. It happened about an hour ago. A group ganged up on her and…” Jake trailed off, a heavy sigh filling the silence. “I just thought you should know.”

A sudden unease crept over me. A thought struck—a suspicion that maybe…no, I can’t think that way.

I hung up slowly, my heart pounding with disbelief as Jake’s words echoed in my mind. Charlie’s gaze remained locked on me, his brows lifting slightly as he noticed my expression.

“What happened?” he asked, his voice soft with concern.

I swallowed hard, choosing my words carefully. “Jake just told me that…Sarah was killed in jail.”

For a brief moment, Charlie’s eyes widened in surprise, his lips slightly parted. But then, something changed. It was fleeting—a faint, almost imperceptible shift in his expression, a hint of something dark and satisfied that he couldn’t entirely hide.

“Wow,” he murmured, looking away as if to compose himself. “I mean…I know she did horrible things, but…that’s still a bit shocking.” His words sounded sincere enough, yet there was a glint in his eye, something cold and almost relieved that set off an uneasy feeling in my chest.

“Yeah, it is,” I replied, studying his face, feeling an inexplicable chill. “Jake said it happened an hour ago. She was attacked by a group in her cell.”

Charlie nodded slowly, his gaze still a little too intent. “Guess there’s some sense of justice in the world then. She can’t hurt you or anyone else anymore.”

I nodded, though my mind kept circling back to his reaction. His initial surprise had seemed genuine, but now…something felt off.

As silence settled between us, Charlie’s fingers brushed along my arm, his touch warm. “You know, you don’t have to worryabout anyone ever hurting you again,” he murmured. “Not while I’m here.”

I leaned into him, feeling an unexpected tension build. I wanted to feel comforted, to let myself believe his words, but a tiny voice in the back of my mind kept whispering that maybe Charlie’s protective instincts ran deeper and darker than I ever realized.

18

Charlie

Ihadn’t intended for them to go that far. My plan had been simple: just a scare, something to leave her with bruises and maybe a few broken bones, enough to make her pay for what she did to Sloane, but most of all, to Ana. Jake was untouchable, per Ana’s orders, but Sarah…Sarah was exposed and vulnerable. She was the perfect place to start.

Ana hadn’t asked menotto do anything. She knew how much it tore me apart to see her hurt, to know Jake had caused so much pain. And while I didn’t exactly tell her what I planned, it wasn’t like I promised to sit idly by.

But death hadn’t been my goal.

I replayed Ana’s reaction in the car, her expression shifting from shock to cautious, almost suspicious, and that tiny shift bothered me. I didn’t want her to know. I didn’t want her to guess that my reach extended into darkness she might never approve of. But I needed to act, to make sure no one would everharm her again, even if it meant doing things she’d struggle to understand.

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