The Last Time I Cried Your Name novel Chapter 360

Rain pounded against the bathroom window, the wind from the sea carrying a sharp chill that seeped right into Petty’s bones. She paused, fingers still curled around the drawer handle, then closed it with a soft click, her face unreadable.

“Mrs. White, dinner’s ready.”

The maid’s voice echoed from beyond the big, empty bedroom, feeling distant enough to pull her from the fog of her thoughts.

Petty jolted a little, snapped out of her daze. She stepped out of the bathroom, tucking a damp strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m not hungry. And just call me Petty, okay? I’m not your Mrs. White.”

The maid looked surprised at first but remembered Franco’s warning. Whatever Petty wanted, that’s how it would be. She nodded quickly. “Yes, Petty.”

Once the door closed, Petty sank onto the black sofa near the windows. Her fingers idly traced along the armrest. She stilled suddenly, frowning at her own hand. She wasn’t even sure what she was looking for, just reaching for something to distract her tangled thoughts. Instinctively, her hand slipped along the edge, then down… and sure enough, she felt the smooth cover of a magazine tucked neatly in a side pocket.

Petty stared at the magazine she’d pulled out, her mind racing. Why did I even know to look here… Is it just because the sofas at Belvedere Heights have pockets in the same spot? Is my whole body just acting on muscle memory?

She tossed the magazine back onto the seat and wandered to the window. Rain hammered harder now, blurring the view outside. She pressed her forehead to the cool glass, frustration prickling beneath her skin.

***

Outside, the rain came in sheets. Franco moved fast across the yard, his shirt torn and clutched in one hand, rain running down his bare arms. He wiped the water from his face, the feeling dragging him back to his old training days.

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