Page 72 of Her Nightshade

“Just hear me out,” Sloane said, holding up her hands. “If I tell her I found out about you, that I’m upset and don’t know what to do, my dad might overhear. He’d want to swoop in and play the hero. That could be our opening.”

“It’s too risky,” Callan shot back. “If Jake catches on that it’s a setup, you’ll put her, and yourself, in even more danger.”

“I’m not saying we tell her everything,” Sloane argued. “Just enough to make her believe I’m upset. She won’t question it.”

Callan crossed his arms, shaking his head. “And if Jake doesn’t take the bait?”

“He will,” Sloane said confidently. “You said so yourself—he’s been watching. He’ll think it’s the perfect chance to drive a wedge between us. It’s exactly the kind of move he’d make. Hehatesus together, Cal.”

Callan’s jaw tightened and for a moment, it seemed like he might shut the idea down. But then he sighed, shaking his head. “Fine. But you need to be convincing, Sloane. If this goes sideways—”

“It won’t,” she interrupted. “We don’t have time to second-guess everything. We need to move…soon.”

Callan nodded reluctantly, his gaze still wary. “Alright. But we stay close. If anything feels off, we pull the plug.”

“Deal,” Sloane said, pulling her phone from her pocket.

“Not yet,” Callan said, resting his hand lightly on hers. “Tomorrow. If you call tonight, it’ll look too obvious. Jake’s probably paranoid and he’ll see through it.”

Sloane hesitated, then nodded. “Okay, yeah. You’re right.”

I let out a heavy sigh, sinking back into the chair. Tomorrow felt like an eternity away. My thoughts spiraled, twisting into dark places I didn’t want to go.What was she enduring right now? What sick games was he playing?

The questions burned, flashing unwelcome images in my mind. Him touching her. Him fucking her. Whispering things in her ear.Did she like it?

I gritted my teeth, biting my lower lip so hard it started to bleed.

“Charlie,” Callan said sharply, snapping me out of my spiraling thoughts. “Stop panicking. You’re no good to her if you’re losing it.”

I blinked, forcing a shaky exhale as I dragged my focus back to the room. “I know,” I muttered, though my voice lacked conviction. Even I didn’t believe it.

“She’s strong,” Sloane said quietly, her voice softer than I expected. “She’s been through worse than this. If anyone can hold her own, it’s my mom.”

I nodded stiffly, the words meant to comfort me falling flat. Sheshouldn’thave to hold her own. That was on me.Ishould’ve kept her safe.

But my thoughts betrayed me, circling back to the darkest places. She’d told me she wouldn’t let him touch her. She’d said it with such conviction, and I wanted to believe her. But what lengths would she go to if it meant protecting me? Protecting Sloane?

The questions tore at me, leaving no room for rest. I didn’t sleep. Instead, I spent the night pacing the images of my mind, replaying every possibility, every horrible scenario. Each one only made my decision clearer.

I didn’t care what it would take.

I’m going to kill him.

27

Ana

Icouldn’t sleep. What Jake had done—whatIhad done—haunted every corner of my mind. The images wouldn’t stop. I could see Charlie’s face, the betrayal that would carve through him when he found out.He can’t find out.

I kept going back and forth, the weight of each possibility crushing me a little more every time. My chest ached, my head spun, and no matter which way I turned, the pain only deepened.

What am I going to do now?

Jake wouldn’t let me go without a fight; that much was clear. I’d never seen him like this—so menacing, so cunning. The Jake I once knew, the one who could fake charm and wield influence like a weapon, was gone. Something had snapped in him and there was no coming back.

I lay next to him in the dark room that we once shared as a happy couple. I could only taste the bitterness of what our current reality was.Think. There has to be a way out of this.

And then, it hit me—a spark of an idea so risky that I almost dismissed it completely.

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