Badass in Disguise (Shadow) novel Chapter 207

Roland Richards smiled as he reached for Zach. That smile didn’t last long.

Zach moved with lightning precision, grabbing Roland’s outstretched wrist and twisting it at an unnatural angle. Before the older man could even gasp, Zach delivered a vicious kick to his lower back.

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Roland flew forward, his bodyguards too slow to catch him. They tumbled like bowling pins, expensive suits skidding across the polished floor. A nearby waiter jumped back, nearly dropping his tray of champagne flutes.

“You little shit!” Roland wheezed, struggling to get up. His face had gone from lecherous to livid in seconds.

Zach’s expression changed. The annoyance in his eyes crystallized into something colder, more dangerous. He’d been prepared to walk away, but now he was pissed off.

“Zach…” Ryan’s quiet voice held a warning.

The bodyguards swarmed toward Zach, five men in identical black suits. Their movements screamed “ex–military” – competent enough for regular security work, but nowhere near Zach’s level.

The first guard reached for Zach’s arm. Big mistake. Zach sidestepped, grabbed the man’s extended elbow, and applied precise pressure. The crack of breaking bone echoed through the lobby. The guard hadn’t even hit the floor before Zach was moving to the next one.

“Zach, Ryan said again, louder this time. “No deaths.”

Zach acknowledged the instruction with the slightest nod, then proceeded to systematically dismantle the remaining guards. His movements were economical, almost beautiful in their efficiency. No wasted motion, no flashy kicks – just brutal, effective violence.

Within thirty seconds, all five bodyguards were down. Roland’s friend tried to flee, but Zach caught him by the collar and slammed him against the wall hard enough to knock him unconscious.

Roland backed away, eyes wide with terror. “Y–you don’t know who I am, he stammered. ‘I’m not someone you can mess with. People respect me in New York. You’ll regret this, I swear to God.”

Jade couldn’t help but smile. “Will we?”

Roland glanced at her, confusion momentarily replacing fear. ‘Do I know you from somewhere?”

‘Does it matter?” Jade asked.

Hotel security finally arrived, four men with walkie–talkies and stern expressions.

“Those three,” Roland pointed shakily at them. ‘Arrest them immediately!”

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7:59 Fri, Sep 26

Chapter 207

Ryan calmly set down their luggage and stepped forward to intercept the security team. Jade turned to Zach.

“Want to teach this creep a proper lesson?” she asked quietly.

Zach’s eyes lit up. “What did you have in mind?”

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Five minutes later, Roland found himself stripped naked and zip–tied to one of the decorative columns in the hotel’s entrance. The marker Jade had borrowed from the concierge desk proved useful – “PREDATOR was now written across his chest in bold black letters.

“The mortification might actually kill him,” Ryan observed as Roland lost consciousness, his head slumping forward. “Should we be concerned?”

“About him? Not really.” Jade checked her phone. “Let’s go. Our ride’s outside.”

Outside, Ryan glanced back at the hotel. “That guy does have some connections in New York.”

“Compared to Chase Astor?” Jade asked.

“Not even close,” Ryan admitted. “But still…”

“Then we’re fine,” Jade said, walking toward the sleek sports car parked at the curb. “Chase has our backs.”

She stopped abruptly, realizing the obvious problem. “This only seats two.”

“We could borrow one from the hotel,” she suggested, eyeing the valet stand.

Ryan laughed. “Nobody was just as much of a bandit, huh?”

Jade shot him a look. “You call that being a bandit? Please.” She gestured to Zach. “Come on, Zachie. Let’s go get a

car.”

The drive to Jade’s place was quick. Zach sat silently in the passenger seat of their “borrowed” sedan, watching the passing scenery with disinterest.

“Next time,” Jade said, breaking the silence, “don’t hold back with people like that. You can treat this place just like Venezuela,”

Zach’s eyes shifted to her, something flickering behind them.

“What? Are you touched?” she teased. “Thinking I’m not such a bad boss after all? Ready to forget about Nobody?”

Zach turned away with a dismissive sound. “Hmph.”

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Chapter 207

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Jade’s suburban house looked exactly as she’d left it. She unlocked the front door and flipped on the lights, revealing a modern, minimalist interior.

“Make yourself at home,” she told Zach.

“Where is your brother?” Zach asked. “I want to see him.”

“Later. He’s not here. Went back to our hometown for a few days. He’ll be back after Christmas.” Jade gestured

around. “Pick any room you want. And let Ryan in when he gets here.”

She headed upstairs, leaving Zach to explore. From her bedroom window, Jade watched as Ryan parked the sports car in the garage, then started toward the house.

Downstairs, Zach was examining the cleaning robot in the corner with fascination. When Ryan entered, Zach

immediately dragged him over to look at it.

“It’s just a Roomba,” Ryan said, amused by Zach’s interest.

“But it maps the whole house,” Zach pointed out, crouching to watch it navigate around a table leg.

The doorbell rang again. Ryan went to answer it, then stopped short. “Mr. Haxton. And Connor.”

The realization that Transcendent Military Alliance’s leadership was connected to the powerful Haxton family probably explained his wide eyes.

Connor nodded to Ryan, then spotted Zach coming down the hallway. Connor smiled in recognition – they’d shared the experience of broken legs and being stuffed in a trunk.

‘I’m looking for your boss,” Ethan said simply.

Ryan invited them in. “She’s upstairs. Zach, go get her.”

When Jade came downstairs, Ethan gestured to the case. “All new stock. Thought you might need them.”

Connor opened a sleek metal case he’d been carrying. Zach’s eyes immediately locked onto the contents an array of brand–new weapons.

–

–

Jade examined the collection, a smile spreading across her face. The timing couldn’t have been better she’d been planning to get Ryan and Zach properly equipped.

She handed Zach a matte black pistol. “How’s the grip?”

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