The Last Time I Cried Your Name novel Chapter 349

Jay wasn’t here.

He’d probably stayed back in Cabinda to stall Aaron and his crew. Even Aaron admitted that Jay was terrifying in a fight, so Franco would definitely feel safest leaving Jay there to block Aaron and look after Laura.

***

The Green Estate.

Aaron was on his way to see Hans when he spotted Parrish coming out the main gate, fixing his cufflinks.

“Parrish.”

Parrish gave a brief, quiet sound of acknowledgment. He stopped walking, and Aaron matched his pace, stopping right in front of him.

“Hans sent you after Laura last night?”

“Yeah,” Aaron answered.

“So where is she?” Parrish’s tone was calm, almost bored.

Aaron felt his temper spike, but under Parrish’s steady gaze, he forced himself to cool down and told him roughly what happened at the hospital side door the night before.

“So it was Jay—Franco’s guy—who said all that?” As he spoke, Parrish smoothed out his coat collar. “Are any of Franco’s men still keeping watch at The Glades?”

Aaron shook his head. “No. But we can’t get close. If we even get within two blocks, Jay cuts us off.”

Honestly, Aaron just thought Jay was some big, emotionless idiot looking for a fight.

Parrish glanced at a white magnolia blossom drifting onto the steps. “And what about Petty?”

“Franco took her. No one knows where. But Hans got a message—Franco said Petty will be back in two days.”

Aaron was torn. Hans was in a terrible mood, frustrated about missing Laura, and now even more wound up because Petty was gone too.

“Parrish, I really think we should send more people. I don’t believe we can’t catch Laura.”

“It’s 8:13,” Franco said, completely matter of fact.

Petty paused. How did he know? He’d been eating the entire time, never once looked her way, not even when she was sneaking glances at him.

She wasn’t about to let him see she was surprised, though.

Trying to look casual, she shot back, “Who says you can’t finish breakfast at 8:13?”

Franco’s hand hesitated for a moment, his lips pulling into a faint, almost hidden smile. He set down his cup and watched as she stood up to leave, his gaze following her slender back as she shrugged off her jacket.

Petty stepped out onto the porch and stared at the endless ocean. She thought she might feel empty. Oddly, she didn’t. There was something about this island—an unexpected calm that seemed to soak right into her bones. Since stepping off the plane, all the anxiety from the last couple of days felt like it had melted away.

Behind her, Franco’s voice broke the quiet. It was cool, rich, steady.

“My relationship with that informant was strictly business. I never had any special feelings for her.”