Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 872

After what felt like forever, James finally poked his head out from behind a reef on another deserted island. He sucked in deep breaths, his chest rising and falling, and hurried to find a hidden cave among the rocks where he could take cover.

Blood still trickled from the wound on his arm. The saltwater had only made it worse, sending sharp, throbbing pain up and down his body.

He slumped against the rough stone, forcing himself to ignore the agony. Fumbling through his waterproof backpack, he grabbed the first-aid kit. No hesitation. He twisted open a tiny bottle of alcohol and poured it straight over the raw gash on his arm.

The pain hit him like a wave. His whole body tensed, veins standing out on his forehead as cold sweat dripped down. He pressed his teeth together and didn’t make a sound.

He covered the wound with powder to stop the bleeding, wrapped it tight with gauze, and finished it off with a layer of waterproof tape. When he was finally done, he leaned back and just tried to catch his breath.

He waited until his hands stopped shaking, then peeled off his soaked shirt and checked the other spots where bullets had grazed his arms and legs. The vest had missed those places. Not deadly, but they burned like fire. He cleaned and bandaged them again.

A low buzzing sound started up nearby. He glanced up, spotting a drone flying closer, its red sensor light blinking.

James’s expression turned cold. He pressed himself into the shadows and pulled out his slingshot. He loaded a steel ball, drew back, and waited.

The second the drone hovered overhead, he lunged forward and fired. The steel ball shot through the air and smashed right into the drone’s rotor.

The drone jerked, trailing smoke, then crashed into the jungle with a loud crack.

James didn’t waste a second. He packed up his gear and moved deeper into the island, searching for an even safer hiding spot. He finally found one under a giant banyan tree and took out his satellite phone. He sent Will his location and a quick message: My vest won’t hold out much longer. Need supplies.

Will answered almost immediately. James, the supply plan changed. Teresa and Mr. Aldridge are in Fiji. They’ll bring the gear to you.

James stared at the screen, his eyes going dark.

Almost as if Will could sense his worry, another message popped up. Mr. Aldridge just landed the “Blue Reef National Grid” project in Fiji. The local military’s with him the whole time. It’s totally safe.

Now, seeing him up close, she finally understood just how deadly “hunted” could be.

She also got why he couldn’t look for Emmy as Mr. Nelson. If he showed up using his real name, he’d be a walking target. He wouldn’t make it a mile in these waters.

He was risking more than she’d ever imagined, all for Emmy.

Teresa turned away, quickly wiping her eyes. When she faced him again, she held out a food container, her voice steady but gentle.

“Come on, you need to eat something.”

She opened it up. Inside was a bowl of steaming rice and three big dishes. Sweet and sour ribs, braised pork, and caramelized pork belly. All his favorite meals from home.