Badass in Disguise


    <b>Chapter </b><b>210 </b>


    Jade sighed heavily. “…You really had to go there.”


    :


    A


    <b>86 </b>


    Richards went silent. H finally remembered. At Philip’s birthday party, Ethan had leaned in close enough that people mistook it for an attempted kiss. He’d personally poured her a drink, something he rarely did for anyone.


    “A–Astor,” Richards finally stammered. “This is a misunderstanding. A terrible misunderstanding.”


    “If you don’t want to die,” Chase said cheerfully, “I suggest you go crawling to Haxton on your knees.”


    The line went dead.


    The assistant stood frozen, his face ashen. The name “Ethan Haxton” had clearly short–circuited whatever remaining courage he possessed.


    “You should go,” Chase said, tossing the phone back to the assistant. “Hurry back and help your pathetic boss prepare for his funeral.”


    The assistant didn’t need to be told twice. He scrambled back to his feet, gesturing frantically for his team to retreat. They practically fell over each other in their haste to escape, piling into their vehicles and speeding away.


    Chase turned to Jade with a triumphant grin. “Jade, problem solved! I just handed it over to Ethan Haxton.”


    “Thanks so much,” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.


    “Hey, Haxton’s been chasing you, right? He should do something useful. Bankruptingpanies, running people out of the country–that’s his specialty.” Chase seemed genuinely pleased with himself.


    Jade cut him off. “Zach, get in the car.”


    Chase’s eyes followed Zach as he walked around to the driver’s side. “Can Ie with you guys?” he asked Jade, though his eyes remained fixed on Zach as he slid behind the wheel. The admiration in Chase’s gaze was painfully obvious.


    ‘We’re going to get our nails done and talk about boys,” Jade deadpanned. “Not really your scene.”


    ‘I’ll have you know I give excellent manicure advice,” Chase protested, but Jade was already sliding into the passenger seat.


    As they pulled away, they could hear the whispers of students who had gathered to watch the confrontation.


    “Was that really Jade Morgan in that car?”


    “Isn’t that the vic–looking guy’s car? And who were those men? They looked like mobsters.”


    <b>8:00 </b>Fri<b>, </b>Sep 26 T


    …


    :


    ‘Did you hear what Chase said? Mr. Haxton is chasing Jade, and apparently not catching her…”


    “Shh! Are you crazy? Don’t repeat that!”


    “Chase said it, not me…”


    Their voices faded as the car turned onto the main road. Zach nced at Jade. “We’re just letting them go?”


    She smiled, a cold expression that didn’t reach her eyes. “Not quite. Take the next right.”


    Fifteen minutester, they were parked on a quiet side street, waiting as Richards‘ assistant made a frantic phone call from his car.


    “No, sir, I swear we’reing right back. Yes, I understand how serious—”


    The car door was suddenly yanked open. The assistant looked up in shock to find Jade standing there, with Zach right behind her.


    “Out,” she ordered.


    86


    The assistant’s eyes widened in terror. “They’re here!” he screamed into the phone before Jade knocked it from his hand.


    Zach stepped forward. “Let me handle this.”


    She shook her head. “These scumbags? I can take care of them with one hand.”


    And she did. One by one, Jade methodically worked through the two dozen security personnel. Some tried to pull weapons–those ended up in worse shape than the others. By the time she finished, the ground was littered with groaning bodies.


    ‘Feel better now?” she asked Zach, who had simply watched with professional appreciation.


    “That old bastard,” Zach muttered. “Who knows how many people he’s hurt before. If I’d run into him earlier…” He didn’t finish the thought, but the dangerous glint in his eyes said enough.


    Jade nodded toward the car. “Let’s go.”


    ‘Where to?” Zach asked as he started the engine.


    “Back to school,” she replied.