Page 44 of Her Nightshade

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The after-party was a chaotic blur of champagne flutes, flashing cameras, and endless congratulations. Charlie moved through it all with effortless charm, but his hand never left mine. It wasn’t just possessive—it felt desperate, like he was holding on too tightly, as though I might slip away if he let go for even a moment.

Meanwhile, I could feel every glance, hear every whispered comment aimed at me. The attention was suffocating, the champagne dulling my nerves but doing nothing to ease the tension curling in my chest. By my third glass, I leaned into Charlie and whispered, “We need to leave. I can’t do this anymore.”

He didn’t hesitate. “Okay. One second,” he murmured, brushing a kiss against my temple before excusing himself to sayhis goodbyes. True to his word, he returned almost immediately, his arm slipping around my waist as he guided me out.

The car ride back to the cottage was quiet except for the throbbing of my heartbeat that was magnified by the alcohol. I stared out the window while Charlie’s hand rested on my knee, his thumb drawing slow circles every now and then. Normally, his touch would excite me, but tonight it only amplified the storm building inside me.

When we arrived, the cool night air was a relief against my flushed skin. Inside, I kicked off my heels and sank onto the couch while Charlie disappeared into the kitchen. He returned moments later with a glass of water, crouching in front of me as he pressed it into my hand.

“Drink,” he said softly, his green eyes scanning my face. “It’ll help.”

I took a sip, the cool liquid soothing my throat, but it didn’t do much to ease the tension. “Thanks,” I murmured, setting the glass on the coffee table.

“You’ve been quiet tonight,” he said, sitting beside me. His arm draped across the back of the couch, his eyes locked onto mine. “What’s going on?”

“It’s nothing,” I said sharply, standing up. The room tilted slightly and I steadied myself against the arm of the couch. “Or maybe it’s everything. I don’t know.”

“Ana.” His voice was calm but I could hear the worry in his tone. “Talk to me.”

“I said it’s nothing,” I snapped, the words spilling out too quickly, too angrily. “But fine. You want to know? It’s Sarah. It’s the fact that she’s dead, Charlie. And I can’t stop wondering if you had something to do with it.”

The air in the room shifted and he stayed eerily still beside me. Slowly he stood, his eyes narrowing as he studied me. “Why would you ask me that?”

“Because it makes sense!” I yelled, my hands trembling. “You had Jake followed, you’re always talking about protecting me, about doing whatever it takes. And now Sarah’s gone, just like that? What am I supposed to think?”

He stepped closer slowly, his jaw clenched. “You think I killed her?” His voice was too quiet and the calmness of it made me question myself entirely.

“I don’t know!” I shouted, my voice cracking. “I don’t know what you’re capable of anymore! You’re so fucking intense, Charlie, and it scares me!”

He froze as his gaze softened, then he took a small step back. “I’m scaring you?” he asked, his voice quieter now.

I nodded, my breath shaky. “Yes. You’re scaring me.”

For a moment, he didn’t move, his eyes searching mine. Then he exhaled slowly, his shoulders relaxing as he stepped closer. “Ana, I’d never hurt you,” he said softly. “You have to know that.”

“Then tell me the truth,” I said, my voice trembling. “Did you have something to do with Sarah’s death?”

He clenched his jaw, his gaze dropping for a moment before he looked back at me. “I didn’t mean for it to happen,” he admitted quietly, and my heart dropped. “I just…I wanted her scared. I wanted her to know that she couldn’t hurt you anymore. But it got out of hand. The people in there…they took it too far.”

His words hit me like a punch to the chest and I stumbled back a step, my hand gripping the arm of the couch for support. “You…you had people go after her?” I asked, tears falling down my cheeks.

“I didn’t tell them tokillher,” he said quickly, his voice rising slightly. “I swear, Ana, that wasn’t the plan. I just wanted her shaken up, enough to back off for good. But…it escalated.”

I stared at him, my heart pounding as fear and disbelief collided with something darker—a sick, twisted thrill that I couldn’t ignore. He did this for me. He crossed that line for me. And while part of me was horrified, another part felt flattered. Protected. Desired.

“Do you even hear yourself?” I asked loudly, trying to snap myself out of it. “You can’t just…send people to scare someonein jailand then be surprised when it goes too far!”

“I didn’t know they’d take it that far,” he said, stepping closer again. “But I don’t regret it, Ana. Because now she’s gone, and she can’t hurt you or anyone else anymore.”

“You don’t get to make that decision,” I snapped, my hands shaking as I pointed at him. “You don’t get to decide who lives or dies!”

He stopped in his tracks, his eyes softening as he reached for me. “Ana…I did it because I love you. Because I couldn’t stand the thought of her hurting you again.”

The room was spinning, my emotions a tangled mess as his words sank in. I wanted to push him away, to scream at him, to tell him he’d gone too far. But when he stepped closer, his hand brushing against my cheek, I didn’t move.

“I’ll protect you, Ana,” he whispered. “Always. No matter what it takes.”

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