The Last Time I Cried Your Name novel Chapter 412

Franco stepped out of the car at the base of the mountain, his bodyguards close behind. The rescue helicopter was still on its way, but time was slipping through his fingers. Abbot had already dragged Petty into the darkness of the mountain.

Petty wasn’t the type to surrender to fate. She’d rather break than bend and would never let Abbot take her quietly. The thought haunted Franco. What if she tried something desperate to escape? The trail was steep and dangerous. One wrong step and she could fall into the abyss below.

The memory of her last kidnapping flashed across his mind—the way she tumbled from the cliff—making Franco’s expression turn cold and hard.

He had changed on the drive over, swapping his clothes for a windbreaker and sturdy hiking boots. Night-vision goggles slipped over his eyes, and he checked his rifle, magazine loaded to full. The sharp clicks of the weapon in his hands filled the silent night.

“Let’s move,” Franco ordered, voice low and steady.

***

Clouds rolled in and swallowed the moon, erasing the light and making the mountain path even harder to navigate.

Petty was slowly adjusting to the rocky trail, though she carefully acted like every step was a new challenge. She paused often, slipping on loose stones and making it look like she could barely manage.

Suddenly, something icy wrapped around her wrist. She jerked in surprise, only for Abbot’s grip to tighten painfully, his hold so strong it felt like he might snap her bones.

“It’s dark, Petty. Let me guide you,” Abbot said, his voice cool. “If you fell now, where would I find another of Franco’s precious treasures?”

The word “treasure” dripped with mockery, but Petty didn’t have the energy to fight back. His grip meant escape was impossible, so instead, she tried another tactic.

“I need to use the bathroom,” she said, keeping her face blank.

One of Abbot’s men muttered under his breath, “Women are such a pain.”

Abbot just shrugged, releasing her wrist. “Go right here. Nobody can see anything in this darkness.”

“Go on then, over that way,” he said.

To his men, he added, “Spread out. Keep an eye on the foot of the mountain, see if there’s any movement.”

A vibration buzzed on his wrist—his watch signaling something was approaching. Laura and Ned were getting closer. He glanced at Petty, saw her stumbling toward a big rock, almost tripping on the uneven ground in the pitch black.

Abbot looked away, pulling out his satellite phone. “How long for the helicopter?” he asked quietly.

“About ten minutes, Abbot,” someone replied.

He stared back toward the base of the mountain. It had taken them over half an hour to get this far with Petty in tow. If it were just trained fighters, they’d make it in half the time—maybe even less.