Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 1116

James paused, something flickering in those deep eyes of his.

He wasn’t badly hurt, not really, but his body was covered in cuts and scrapes. He didn’t want to scare her with the details.

So he leaned back against the metal locker, a teasing smile playing at his lips. “What’s this about? It’s only been three months. Miss me that much already?”

“Mrs. Nelson, can you try to act a little more proper?” He leaned closer to the camera, his voice dropping to a low, playful whisper. “Relax, everything’s still here. Nothing’s missing.”

“I’ll come find you as soon as things are settled here. You can look all you want then, okay?”

Emmy felt her patience snap, just a bit. She glared at him, eyes red, but her words came out softer than she meant. “James, stop joking around. Are you hurt or not?”

“If you’re fine, why are you wrapped up like that?”

James knew he couldn’t dodge her forever. He let out a long sigh and sat down on the edge of the single bed, stretching his legs out, looking tired as he leaned against the headboard.

“It’s nothing. Just some cuts, nothing serious. I promise.” He tried to sound light, like it was no big deal. “And anyway, I’ve told you before. No one out there can really get to me.”

Emmy bit her lip, frustrated. She knew he was set on not letting her see. He always kept the worst to himself, stubborn as ever. There wasn’t much she could do except give in.

“Fine. I won’t ask anymore.” She hesitated, then pressed him, her voice gentle. “But tell me honestly, are your teammates alright?”

James went quiet for a moment. Pain flashed in his eyes, even if he tried to hide it.

“Everyone’s okay. Except Will.”

Emmy’s heart jumped. “What happened to Will?”

James’s voice was rough. “He took a hit for me. Saved my life.”

Emmy frowned. “You have to go back?”

James reached up, as if he could touch her face through the screen, his fingers tracing the air by her cheek. “Don’t worry. We’ve already cleared out the main bases along the border. What’s left is just cleanup. Nothing too dangerous.”

“I need to finish this, tie up every last loose end, so I can finally walk away with peace of mind.”

He paused, his eyes soft, steady. “If things go smoothly, I should be back before New Year’s.”

“When it’s over, I’ll fly straight to Boston to see you. We’ll spend New Year’s together. Sound good?”

Emmy stared at him, eyes shining with tears. She knew she couldn’t stop him. This was his responsibility, his calling.

All she could do was swallow her fear and ask quietly, “Can you tell me more? About what happened out there? I want to know everything.”