The Last Time I Cried Your Name novel Chapter 529

The ocean breeze swayed the string lights on the deck, while The Amoret Cluster twinkled brilliantly in the northern sky.

Franco kept a firm hand on the back of Petty's head, leaning in to kiss her softly, trailing from the corner of her mouth to her lips.

But just as he was about to part her lips and deepen the kiss, he stopped, though he didn't pull away.

He let out a soft sigh, defeated by her absolute indifference.

She hadn't put up any fight, but he knew damn well that a lack of resistance didn't mean acceptance.

He rested the bridge of his nose against hers, lingering intimately like they were madly in love.

He didn't speak again. He simply kept his arms around her waist, desperately clinging to the moment.

Her long hair blew across his neck and slid over his collarbone, carrying her subtle, intoxicating scent before the wind tore it away.

Franco instinctively reached out to catch the loose strands, but the wind was too fierce. His hand closed around empty air, unable to hold onto her hair or her scent.

A man who had always prided himself on total self-control was rarely this frantic, but right now, he crushed Petty against him like he was drowning.

He held her so tightly that her face was buried in his neck.

He held her as if she were a priceless treasure he had almost lost forever.

When he found himself overwhelmed by desire and tried to kiss her again, Petty finally turned her head, evading his mouth.

Franco didn't force the issue.

"We never finished our game of truth or drink last time. Let's finish it today."

When Petty had stepped onto the deck, she hadn't noticed the crate of alcohol sitting off to the side.

Franco set a few bottles on the table. The string lights illuminated the pale yellow glass, casting vibrant halos across the tabletop.

Petty quietly stared at the halos, catching sight of Franco pulling out a food storage container from the corner of her eye.

Inside was a batch of fried peanuts.

An unfinished game eventually had to end.

"They still count," she agreed.

Seeing that she hadn't touched the food, Franco nudged the container a little closer to her. "We each asked three questions, and I used one of my passes. That leaves us with seven questions each. You still have all three of your passes."

Petty had been a little drunk that night, so her memory of the conversation was fuzzy, but she generally recalled the questions asked.

She had asked the last question.

She had asked Franco if he ever missed "that child."

At the time, she didn't know Abacus was alive, and Franco hadn't been ready to tell her the truth. When he chose to drink instead of answering, she had also taken a drink, signaling she was satisfied with his silence.

Now, it was Franco's turn to ask.

He looked at Petty, his gaze as murky as the mist drifting over the ocean. "Do you really not want me anymore?"