The Last Time I Cried Your Name novel Chapter 282

Two hours ago

Petty held General in her arms, his eyes catching the faintest bit of light. That small glimmer triggered the idea. Suddenly, she knew how to escape.

In the study, both computers were unplugged from the internet. Franco wouldn't give her any chance to reach out for help online.

She figured that Hans would definitely call if he woke up and found her gone. He’d notice her phone rang out. He’d come looking for her. But waiting for someone else to rescue her? Petty was tired of feeling helpless. She wanted to take control, to get herself out, no matter what it took.

She couldn’t stomach the thought of spending another day trapped in this place.

The plan she came up with wasn’t exactly simple. If things went wrong, even the tiniest mistake could ruin everything and make things even worse.

Misty Vale was huge. There was no way she could make it out on foot. She needed a car if she had any hope of getting past the guards at the checkpoint. Otherwise, she’d never even make it off the property.

But every set of car keys in Misty Vale was locked away—Jay always kept them safe and nobody could get anything past him.

Luckily for her, Franco had gone out earlier, taking three cars. She had no idea if he’d come home tonight, or what time he might walk in the door, but she didn’t have to figure that out just yet. First, she had to get everything else ready.

Petty went to the place where Franco kept his lighters—a drawer she knew all too well. She opened it and, in the darkness, grabbed one without thinking.

What she didn’t see was the lighter sitting right next to it. It was an old one, black with a thin scratch on the side. She’d made that mark herself last Christmas Eve, the night they’d set off sky lanterns. She hadn’t thought about that night in a long time.

She squeezed the lighter and paused, thinking it all through one more time.

She couldn’t set the fire too soon. If she did, the bodyguards would put it out before Franco ever got back. But if she waited too long, the fire would hardly spread at all and she wouldn’t have enough time to escape before somebody noticed.

One week, she went days without seeing Franco. She climbed into the attic again and waited by the window. That night, she fell asleep on the floor and woke, sore and cold, the next morning. After that, she never came back.

Now, a year later, here she was, sitting at the same window, watching for Franco again. This time, Petty wasn’t waiting for his return because she missed him. This time, she needed him to come back so she could make her escape.

A thick fog pressed against the glass, swirling and silent. Then, finally, she saw them: beams of headlights breaking through the gray.

Petty snapped to attention. She leaned down, gently ruffling the fur on General’s head. Taking a steady breath, she whispered, “General, it’s time. Let’s go.”

Everything went according to plan.

After lighting the fire, Petty quickly splashed water over General’s coat so he wouldn’t get burned. By the time he reached the first floor, his fur had dried and no one would suspect a thing.