Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 1281

A shot rang out, sharp and heavy, startling everyone into silence.

The mercenary lunging at Steve with a knife never made it. His head burst in a spray of blood, the ugly sneer still frozen on his lips as he dropped straight back, dead weight. The blade only managed to nick Steve’s neck, leaving a thin red line just below his jaw.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

Three more shots came in quick. The guy pinning Steve down, trying to drive a bayonet into his chest, suddenly slumped with a hole clean through his head. Blood and brain sprayed out over the sand.

The last two mercenaries froze, wide-eyed, before their knees exploded in bloom of red. They collapsed, faces twisted in agony, their screams piercing the beach.

They barely had time to process before three sleek black choppers thundered in over the water, rotors pounding the air so hard it sent sand and leaves flying. The noise was deafening.

Both mercenaries tried to crawl away, clutching their bleeding legs, just hoping to disappear into the jungle. Maybe if they could just make it to the trees, there’d be a chance...

Bang. Bang.

Two more shots. Their other legs shattered. Now all they could do was sprawl useless on the sand, sobbing and howling in pain as the helicopters circled overhead, kicking up chaos.

One by one, soldiers in dark gear dropped from the choppers, landing fast and smooth. One sprinted for Steve, who was sprawled in a growing puddle of blood.

Steve looked like he was hanging on by a thread. Blood everywhere, the bayonet still jammed between his ribs. His eyes were losing focus, breath coming in ragged bursts.

But the part that stuck in her mind — the only reason Steve was bleeding in some ER right now was because he protected her, taking on those four killers alone.

The thought clenched something deep in Sylvia’s chest until breathing hurt. Steve drove her insane, always teasing, always finding ways to get under her skin. He was infuriating. And yet, he’d put his life on the line to save her.

She couldn’t tell if she was more terrified for him, or scared he’d die out here because of her.

Sylvia stared at the racing waves, eyes stinging, and whispered a prayer into the wind.

Steve, you absolute jerk… don’t you dare die on me. You have to come back.