Badass in Disguise (Shadow) novel Chapter 296

Chapter 296

I watched as the tiny mechanical insects flew from the trunk of my car, buzzing toward the mansion. Each carried enough explosive power:

teal insects to bring down a supporting wall. Together, they would reduce the entire structure to rubble, erasing any evidence of what had happened inside.

I walked calmly back to my car as the drones completed their mission. By the time I reached my vehicle, the night sky blazed orange, the shockwave rumbling through Princeton and reaching all the way to New York. The mansion collapsed in on itself, becoming a fiery grave for what remained of Shadow’s east coast operation.

I slid into the driver’s seat, looking at the stupid round–headed robot sitting in the passenger seat. The little LED lights in its eyes Blinked at me, almost expectantly.

Ethan’s voice came through again: “You’re back.”

Something in his voice–even knowing it was just a recording–soothed the savage rage that had been driving me all night.

I studied Maxi’s ridiculous appearance and felt a sudden urge to mess with him. “Call me ‘master,” I ordered.

The robot immediately complied in Ethan’s voice: “Master.”

The incongruity of Ethan’s smooth, authoritative tone coming from this cartoonish machine almost made me smile.

“What else can you call me?” I asked, starting the car.

“I can call you ‘boss,‘ ‘commander,‘ ‘chief,‘ ‘ma’am,‘ ‘honey,‘ ‘darling,‘ ‘sweetheart’-‘

I rolled my eyes. “Shut up.”

As I drove away from the scene, my phone rang. The real Ethan.

“Was that explosion in Princeton’s outskirts your doing?” he asked without preamble.

Of course I’d be his prime suspect. Hearing his actual voice after listening to robot Ethan call me ‘honey made me feel strangely conflicted. A rush of irritation washed over me.

“How is that any of my business?” I snapped, and hung up.

The next morning, I parked my car outside Ethan’s office building and sent him a text. I knew he was in the middle of his quarterly investment meeting–the kind that typically ran for hours with all those Wall Street suits. I figured I’d wait a while, maybe grab coffee across the street if he took too long.

I hadn’t even finished checking my emails when I spotted him pushing through the revolving doors, scanning the street until his eyes locked on my car. Well, that was fast.

He moved with purpose, his expensive suit jacket fluttering in the November wind. I could see the moment he spotted me–his pace quickened, and a barely perceptible smile tugged at his lips.

He slid into my passenger seat, his eyes finding mine Instantly. Without a word, he leaned over and kissed me, his lips firm against mine. I didn’t pull away. In fact, I kissed him back, just slightly, enough to feel the warmth of his mouth against mine.

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8:20 Tue, Sep 30

Chapter 296

When he finally broke the kiss, I said calmly, ‘You can go upstairs now.”

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“You called me down here just for this?” he asked, his green eyes searching my face. There was a hint of confusion in his expression, but

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