The Last Time I Cried Your Name novel Chapter 146

The guys were all from the border, and none of them knew Franco. Still, the cold, almost dangerous energy he gave off was impossible to ignore. It was so intense, they all hung back, second-guessing themselves.

Petty’s mask fluttered with every shaky breath she took. She could hear the steady, powerful thump of Franco’s heartbeat, each beat echoing right in her ear, almost painfully loud.

She hated him. She really did. But in this moment, with everything teetering on the edge, she found herself clinging to his authority. The feeling tore her in two. It hurt so much she just wanted to yank her hand away from his and run down the stairs with Aaron.

Before she could even move, Franco let go of her and nudged her behind him.

Her breath came in uneven bursts. Through the clear eyes above her mask, a flicker of something strange passed as she stared at the broad back shielding her.

The group blocking them suddenly shifted, splitting in the middle to open a path.

A man with a refined look walked down the wide hallway, his steps unhurried, a smooth smile on his face. “So, it’s Franco. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Franco’s lips lifted in a half-smile. “Abbot. This is a surprise.”

Abbot. The name hit Petty like a jolt. All at once, she realized the man with that snake-like smile was the Abbot everyone whispered about. He was notorious on the border, the kind of person people ran from, not toward.

More people spilled out from the private room. Suddenly, the hallway that had felt so open was packed, a wall of dark bodies.

Every single one of them was Abbot’s. Petty’s eyes darted down and caught the obvious bulges at their waists—definitely armed.

Franco only had two people with him. There was Jay, who could handle ten men by himself, and then there was her.

Abbot studied Franco, who was several years younger but stood there with an energy that matched his own, maybe even overshadowed it. His tone was warm, almost friendly. “My men are used to the chaos on the border. If they were out of line, Franco, I apologize.”

Franco’s smile was polite, but his eyes were unreadable. “No need. You’re our guest, Abbot.”

Petty couldn’t help but notice how smooth he was. That was the White family head for you—never a crack in the armor.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify