The Last Time I Cried Your Name novel Chapter 583

Manley didn't understand a word his mother just said, but he caught the end of her sentence and parroted happily, "Tential!"

Franco wrapped a hand around his son's tiny fist, the faintest, almost imperceptible smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

It was hard to tell if he was amused by Manley's babbling or Petty's bold declaration.

Tail wagging, General padded over to Petty and looked up at the little bowl of baby noodles. His nose twitched as he sniffed the air, as if trying to verify the threat level.

Petty suddenly remembered that disastrous meal from years ago. She couldn't believe the dog still held a grudge!

Now she understood why he had dashed out the door the second he heard the car engine.

General wasn't just any dog. He had spent a lot of time at the military compound, trained personally by Franco and Jay. He was sharper and smarter than most police dogs.

He hadn't just been barking—he had gone to call for backup.

Petty rolled her eyes, meeting the dog's bright, fiercely righteous gaze. "You're seriously judging me, aren't you? Wow. After all the trust I put in you, you can't even give me the benefit of the doubt."

General let out a soft whine, lowering his head to nudge her knee with his nose.

"Hmph."

Petty shifted her knee to tease him. "Don't think playing cute is going to earn my forgiveness."

Franco lowered his gaze, turning his head slightly to gesture for the small crowd of spectators to disperse.

Petty carried the little bowl over to Manley. As she looked up, her gaze landed squarely on her son's face, not sparing a single glance for anyone else.

"Time to eat, baby!"

"Food! Eat!" Manley clapped his hands, nearly throwing himself out of Franco's arms toward her.

"Careful, it's hot," Franco warned, his reflexes kicking in as he pulled the boy back safely against his chest. It wasn't entirely clear who the warning was meant for.

He held Manley's hands gently. "Daddy's going to wash your hands first," he murmured.

As he turned, his peripheral vision caught Petty's hand gripping the bowl.

She had luminous skin, making the red, scalded mark on her right index finger glaringly obvious, though it looked like she had already run it under cold water.

"What are you—"

"Don't move," his deep, commanding voice interrupted her attempt to pull away.

Using a clean finger, he squeezed out a dab of ointment and gently smoothed it over the angry red burn on her finger.

When she tried to tug free again, he murmured, "I'm just putting some medicine on it. Please, just let me do this."

The ointment melted against her skin under the warmth of his thumb, providing a soothing, cooling relief over the burn.

Petty blinked, turning her head to look away. She completely missed their intertwined reflection in the dark, unlit glass window down the hall, their silhouettes overlapping into one seamless shadow.

Franco's gaze swept over her profile, dark and intense, before he looked back down to finish applying the medicine.

"I gave you my word that we would co-parent Manley together," his deep, magnetic voice spoke with quiet patience. "If you want to return to your job at the network, I won't interfere. Jay has already made the calls to ensure it goes smoothly. While you're in Cabinda, you don't need to worry about my presence. Do whatever you want to do."

"Just don't take him away from me."

His Adam's apple bobbed as his voice grew hoarse. "Unless absolutely necessary, I will stay out of your sight."