Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 968

Breakfast was tense. Emmy kept her eyes glued to her soup, pretending hard not to notice James sitting just across from her. She didn’t dare look up, worried that one glance would bring back the memory of what she’d done last night. Just the thought was enough to make her want to vanish into thin air.

As she finished her last spoonful, her phone buzzed. It was Danny, right on time. “I’m leaving,” she said, grabbing her bag and making for the door like she was escaping a crime scene. She didn’t even manage a goodbye to James. The imaginary line she’d drawn between them, the one she swore she’d never cross, was now a joke. She’d been the first to break her own rule, and the embarrassment was almost too much to deal with.

Worse, she worried James might completely misread the situation. What if he thought she was some kind of desperate woman, or imagined that she’d acted the same way when Dean had her locked away? No, she needed to make it clear she wasn’t like that. She had to show him, with every move, that deep down she was reserved and self-controlled.

James sat at the table, watching her bolt from the room. His hand tightened around his coffee cup. She was really going to leave without saying a word? Was she that upset just because he’d held her for a minute last night? If he’d known it would bother her this much, he would have slept on the couch without a second thought.

A helicopter’s roar echoed outside. She was already gone. James closed his eyes and took a long breath, forcing himself not to get lost in his feelings.

Five minutes later, a black helicopter landed on the lawn. James had changed into a sharp black suit, looking every bit as cold and controlled as he felt. He walked straight to the aircraft, slipped on a pair of sunglasses, and hid the icy storm in his eyes. “Take me to Major General Carlos’s private residence in Fiji.”

The plane landed at a transfer stop. Emmy followed Danny out and boarded a bigger private jet. She was halfway up the steps when she stopped short. At the cabin door, six women stood in perfect formation. They wore matching black tactical uniforms, backs straight, eyes sharp and alert.

The woman in front stepped out to greet her. She wore her hair short, her face not exactly beautiful but striking all the same, with a strong, confident vibe that made Emmy take notice. “Ma’am, Mr. Lawrence sent us to protect you. I’m Penny, the team leader. For your trip to Country M, we’ll be by your side at all times, except when you want privacy. If you need anything, just let me know.”

Emmy blinked, surprised. She glanced behind her at Danny’s original group of burly bodyguards. Six men and now six women in tactical gear. She couldn’t help but let out a low whistle. “All these people are following me to the Norton Art Center? Isn’t that a little... much?”