Page 75 of Her Nightshade

“This is how it’s going to work from now on, Ana. The more you resist, the harder I’ll make this for you,” he said into my ear before thrusting into me hard and unrelentingly.

“Oh, fuck, Ana,” he growled, lifting my shirt to reveal my breasts, then gripped them tight. “I bet he doesn’t fuck you like this, does he? I bet he lets you pretend you’re the little dominatrix he wants. But that’s not you, baby. Not at all,” he went on breathlessly. “You’re such a good little slut, taking it hard for papa.”

He reached down, thumbing my clit as tears spilled down the sides of my cheeks. He was going to make me come again, whether I wanted it or not.

“Come on, Ana. Let me feel your pussy squeeze my cock. Let me see that pretty face come for me, just like you always do.”

The pressure built in my core once again, and I squeezed my eyes shut tight, turning my face to not give him the satisfaction.

“Look at me, Ana!” he yelled, twisting the fear in my chest, but I refused. “Look at me, or I’m fucking killing Charlie myself,” he snapped.

I turned my head sharply, forcing myself to meet his gaze. Jake was now someone desperate—desperate to reclaim what little control he could, no matter the cost.

“Now come like a good fucking girl, Ana,” he demanded, furiously rubbing my clit as he pounded into me hard.

I let go, my release crashing over me, tainted by a flood of guilt and seething hatred. His smirk widened as he laughed triumphantly, reveling in my humiliation.

He pulled out abruptly, roughly flipping me onto my stomach, my restraints twisting and tightening further. Gripping my hips, he forced himself back into me, wild and relentless. I clenched my teeth, silently begging for him to come quickly, for the torture to be over.

Then, with a loud, guttural grunt, he pulled out, his cum spilling across my back. The sensation turned my stomach, a wave of nausea rolling through me, but I stayed perfectly still, swallowing the sobs threatening to escape.

I lay there, my eyes squeezed shut, every muscle in my body tense. My wrists throbbed from the strain, my skin stung where the restraints had bitten into me, but none of it compared to the fire raging inside—an all-consuming hatred that burned brighter with every passing second.

You think you’ve won, Jake.But this isn’t over. I’ll make sure you pay for every second of this. Every single one.

* * *

I sat in the bath, hugging my body tightly, my arms wrapped around my knees pulled to my chest. My mind raced, circling the same questions with no answers.How am I going to get out of this?I needed to know how Jake had found out about Charlie, about Sarah—about everything. Revenge simmered in my body, but it was eclipsed by a heavier ache: my longing for Charlie.

He hadn’t tried to contact me during the night, and though it was a relief since Jake checked my phone every time it buzzed, I now found myself wishing he would. Anything to break the suffocating silence. Anything to make me feel less hopeless.

The bathroom door swung open, making me flinch. Jake stood there, holding my phone, his expression urgent.

“Sloane is calling you,” he said, his tone clipped. “Pick it up.”

Why does he care?But I didn’t question him; I quickly stood, drying my hands on a towel hanging nearby. Before I could reach for the phone, Jake answered it himself and put it on speaker.

“Hi, baby,” I said, forcing warmth into my voice despite the cold dread gripping me. I had to be strong for her.

On the other end, I heard crying. My heart plummeted. I glanced at Jake, and for the first time, worry mirrored on both our faces.

“¿Qué tienes, estás bien?” I asked, stepping out of the tub and wrapping the towel around me.

“Callan…Callan and I got into a fight, Mom,” Sloane sobbed, her voice trembling. “He’s been drinking again. He was hiding it from me.”

The pain in her voice was gut-wrenching. I looked back at Jake, only to find a cruel smirk creeping across his face.¡Hijo de puta!

“Ay, mi amor, pobrecita,” I said gently, taking the phone from Jake’s hand. “Are you okay?”

“No,” she cried. “I need you, Mom. I can’t stay here right now. He’s just…he’s not himself right now. It’s like he doesn’t even care.”

I glanced at Jake nervously, unsure of what to say.Do I tell her I’m here with him? Do I lie?

“I understand, baby,” I said softly. “I know it’s really hard right now. But…” I trailed off, searching for words.

Jake’s voice broke through, uncharacteristically soft and warm. “Hey, honey.”

There was a pause. “Dad?” she asked, disbelief clear in her tone.

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