The Last Time I Cried Your Name novel Chapter 173

Aaron was stuck behind Jay, forced to watch as Franco carried Petty away. He clenched his jaw, glaring at Jay and silently promising that one day he’d make him pay for this.

The car rolled into Misty Vale.

Susan’s face twisted with worry when she saw how sick Petty looked. “How did her fever get this bad?”

Franco gave her a short look. Susan lowered her voice right away. “The family doctor’s already here.”

The sting of the IV needle made Petty frown before she slowly blinked awake. Her head spun as she watched the IV bag sway above her. Turning her head, she saw a quiet, distant figure standing at her bedside.

She gave a shaky, teasing smile. “Aaron, you don’t have to pretend to be Franco just to cheer me up. It’s really not working.”

Susan gripped Petty’s other hand and smiled gently. “Petty, you’re burning up. Aaron’s not here.”

The fever medicine Franco had made her take was finally working. Sweat broke out on her forehead. Susan dabbed it away with a handkerchief, soft and light.

Only then did Petty really notice her surroundings. The room was elegant and old-fashioned. She knew this place. Misty Vale. But the bed wasn’t hers. It was Franco’s room.

A faint scent of antiseptic hung in the air, mixing with the clean smell of cedarwood. Petty swallowed hard, her chest tight, and turned her face away from everyone.

She heard someone moving around quietly behind her, then the soft sound of a door closing. Everything felt so still.

She realized with a jolt that she hadn’t put on a bra before bed. She’d only meant to call Aaron last night, but after hanging up, she’d scrambled out of bed and put one on in a daze.

Somehow, now, it was all loose and askew. She couldn’t tell if she’d knocked it loose herself, or if someone else had undone the clasp.

Her pajamas felt paper-thin, the loose bra doing nothing to hide the curve of her chest. Just as she started to pull the blanket up, another hand moved quicker, spreading the covers over her.

Right then, Franco’s phone rang from the nightstand. The name on the screen flashed clear: Laura.

Petty shivered, her sweaty skin prickling. She pressed her lips together. “I can take the medicine myself.”