The Last Time I Cried Your Name novel Chapter 239

She shot off a quick message. Not a big deal, really. You focus on your stuff, I can handle it myself.

Malcom answered a few seconds later. Okay.

After putting her phone away, Petty let the warm water run over her fingers. The gentle rush slowly soothed her nerves.

It was Christmas, and Cabinda was way busier than usual. There were crowds everywhere. She had no idea if Abbot’s people would try to sneak in, but just looking at how things were now, she knew staying at Misty Vale was the safest bet before she could leave Cabinda.

She never tried to guess what was on Franco’s mind, not even the real reason he wanted her to stay at Misty Vale.

Back in the dining room, Petty caught Franco’s deep, unreadable stare and instantly looked away. “I’m done eating. I think I’ll go back and sleep.”

Franco’s eyes were impossible to read. He stood up, grabbed her scarf from the back of the chair, and walked over to her. “Let’s go.”

“I haven’t slept in the bed at Misty Vale for a while,” she mumbled. “I might not even be able to fall asleep.”

She reached for her scarf, but Franco wrapped it gently around her neck before she could take it. His voice was cool and steady. “Sleep with me. You slept just fine on the island.”

And just like that, any thought of going back to Belvedere Heights was gone.

Petty said nothing.

The island flashed in her mind, those two days and nights that felt like a dream from another life.

Franco had risked everything to save her then. He’d brought so much firepower, she was sure his grandfather must have noticed. She had no clue what any of it meant to Franco. He never explained, but she still remembered how he’d seemed ready to die with her in that storm.

Once they were back at Misty Vale, Franco meant what he said. He basically dragged her into his room that night, not letting her sleep anywhere else.

At first, she lay on her side, facing away from him. She just couldn’t get comfortable with his arm locked tightly around her waist. There was a faint scent of cedar in the room and, slowly, it helped her relax.

She yawned quietly a few times. Her eyelids started to droop. After a brief struggle, she gave in and let sleep carry her away.

After she was gone, Laura slid her finger across the screen and answered, her voice ice-cold. “I was about to go to sleep. What do you want?”

Owen’s mocking tone drifted through the phone. “You’re really just going to sleep, Laura?”

“If you’ve got something to say, go ahead. Don’t bother being passive-aggressive.”

“Didn’t you say you set up a dinner with Franco tonight?” Owen pressed. “So why is he having dinner at Ephemera with Petty instead?”

Laura’s hand went stiff around her phone. A second later, Owen sent her a photo.

The image was grainy, clearly snapped from far away and zoomed in. It showed Franco and Petty sitting face-to-face on Ephemera’s rooftop, stars overhead, fresh flowers and wine filling the table between them. Not far away, a giant screen on one of the tall buildings flashed a New Year’s greeting for the first day of the year.

It was obviously from tonight.

Laura’s expression shattered. A sharp, vicious hatred burned in her eyes.