Badass in Disguise (Shadow) novel Chapter 214

Jade’s phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out to see Chase’s name flashing on the screen. She had been about to respond to Ethan’s message, but Chase’s call interrupted her.

“What?” she answered.

“We’re playing like shit,” Chase said without preamble. “I was hoping you’d still be here. My teammate’s down with a twisted ankle, and we don’t have any substitutes. Do you know how to play basketball?”

“No,” Jade replied flatly, watching Ethan’s message appear on her screen.

“Come on,” he pleaded. “You have perfect aim. Just come down and sink a couple of three–pointers. We might not win, but at least we won’t embarrass ourselves completely. It’s a matter of Princeton pride.”

Before Jade could respond, a tall guy with perfect teeth approached Chase on the court. Even from the bleachers, Jade could see the Randview captain’s condescending smile.

“Need some help, Astor?” Brock Reynolds asked loudly enough for Jade to hear through the phone. “We could lend you a player.”

“Fuck off, Reynolds,” Chase snapped. “Don’t pretend to be a good sport.”

“Just trying to be helpful,” Reynolds shrugged with exaggerated innocence. “But if you’d rather forfeit…”

Jade hung up and made her way down to the court. Julian called after her, but she ignored him, her expression unreadable as she approached the teams. The crowd’s chatter dimmed as people noticed her movement, whispers following her progress down the bleachers.

“I’ll play,” she announced, stepping onto the court.

The gymnasium fell into a shocked silence before erupting into whispers. From the Randview section, voices carried clearly:

“That’s Princeton’s Instagram queen?”

“Way hotter in person than in her photos.”

“Even in that baggy hoodie, you can tell she’s stacked.”

Chase’s teammates exchanged glances, clearly doubting this unexpected development. The coach looked ready to object but remained silent after a warning look from Chase.

Reynolds‘ eyes widened as he took her in, running a hand through his perfectly styled hair. “Jade Morgan, right? I’ve heard a lot about you. Never had the chance to-”

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8:00 Fri, Sep 26 T

Chapter 214

“Have you heard about Ethan Haxton’s interest in her?” Chase interrupted, stepping between them with a provocative smirk.

Reynolds‘ smile faltered. “I just heard you two were acquainted. The age gap seemed… I assumed you were family friends or something.”

Chase held up his phone. “Got that recorded. Sending it to Ethan now.”

“That’s unnecessary,” Reynolds said quickly, his confident demeanor cracking. He glanced nervously at Chase’s phone. “I didn’t mean anything by it.”

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“You should return to your team,” Jade said coolly, her eyes holding a warning. “And remind your players that court injuries go both ways.”

Reynolds retreated, but not before adding, “If you’re playing, I’ll make sure my team goes easy on you.”

“How about a wager?” Jade suggested, surprising both Chase and Reynolds. “Losing team runs around campus shirtless.”

Brock agreed.

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