Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 77

When Emmy spotted him, her eyes lit up instantly. She tried to sit up in bed.

“Emmy, take it easy!”

Teresa rushed over to help, but someone beat her to it. A tall shadow moved quickly to Emmy’s side.

James was there in a few long strides, reaching out to steady her back with one strong arm. His hand was warm, the heat seeping right through her thin hospital gown, almost like it was pressed against her skin.

Without thinking, Emmy grabbed his solid forearm, her gaze searching his face for reassurance.

She wanted to ask how he was doing, but what came out instead was a raspy whisper. “The safe...”

James’s dark eyes held hers. He nodded. “It’s with my crew. It’s safe. Once you’re out of here, we’ll go get it together.” His voice was deep and calm, steady enough to settle her nerves.

Finally, Emmy felt like she could breathe again. Relief rushed through her, and that’s when she noticed the thick bandages wrapped around his right arm.

“Are you hurt?”

“Just a scratch. Nothing serious.”

He brushed it off like it was no big deal, but Emmy couldn’t forget how he’d shielded her from all that burning debris, taking the worst of it on his back and arms.

Her eyes burned. She lowered her voice, almost choked up. “Thank you. If you hadn’t been there today, I probably wouldn’t have made it out.”

That’s when she remembered her mom standing nearby. Emmy quickly pulled herself together and made introductions, her voice still rough. “Mom, this is James—he’s the fire chief at South Bay.”

She turned to James. “And this is my mom.”

Teresa’s eyes welled up again as she stepped closer, her gratitude obvious. “Mr. Nelson, thank you so much. Emmy told me you saved her when the bar caught fire, too. I can’t thank you enough!”

Emmy froze, her expression a mix of nerves and protest.

“Mom!”

She sounded flustered and a little desperate.

But Teresa pretended not to notice and turned to James, her voice light and cheerful. “Mr. Nelson, Emmy’s been spoiled by me and her father since she was little. She’s a bit of a princess. She won’t eat fruit unless it’s peeled, pitted, and cut into tiny pieces.”

“She’s picky about her water, too—it has to be exactly thirty degrees. Not too hot, not too cold.”

“And her blanket has to be perfectly smooth when she goes to sleep…”

Teresa rattled off the list, then shot James a look, a playful smile on her lips. “Think you can handle all that?”