bChapter /bb294 /b

Jade’s POV:

199

I woke up with a dull ache in my neck. My cheek was pressed against something firm but warm–Ethan’s thigh. I blinked slowly, the events ofst night rushing back in fragmented pieces. The confrontation with Ss. The poison. The rage.

I lifted my head, finding Ethan’s emerald eyes already fixed on me. He’d been watching me sleep, his back against the headboard, one hand resting on the mattress beside me.

“What are you staring at?” I snapped, my voiceing out harsher than I intended.

A hint of amusement flickered across his face. “Finally awake? It’s past three already.” He nced toward the window where afternoon light filtered through the curtains.

I didn’t bother responding, just pushed myself up and slid off the bed. My muscles protested after hours in that awkward position, but I ignored the difort and headed straight for the bathroom.

Cold water sshed against my face, washing away thest traces of sleep. I didn’t bother with a proper face wash, just cupped my hands under the faucet and sshed water haphazardly. As I straightened, I caught sight of Ethan in the mirror, leaning against the doorframe, watching me.

“What?”

He stepped forward, reaching out to wipe a droplet of water clinging to my chin. “Nothing. Just d you’re feeling better.”

I rolled my eyes and pushed past him, heading downstairs. Captain came bounding toward me the moment my feet hit the bottom step. his tail wagging furiously as he circled my legs.

“Hey, buddy,” I murmured, crouching to scratch behind his ears. “Miss me?”

Captain whined, pressing his head into my palm. fnfb48 Discover more novels at find·novel/fnfb48

“Murphy locked him in one of the bedrooms,” Ethan exined,ing down behind me. “Turned off Maxi too.”

I nodded, giving Captain one final pat before straightening. Ethan moved past me to the kitchen, filling a ss with water. I followed, suddenly aware of how parched I was. Instead of waiting for him to pour me my own ss, I leaned in and drank directly from the one in his hand.

Connor stood awkwardly in the doorway, watching our interaction with obvious relief. After a moment’s hesitation, he cleared his throat.

“Mr. Haxton, you and Ms. Morgan… you didn’t really fight, right?”

Ethan drained what was left in the ss, then shot Connor a sidelong nce,

“I’m not insane, Connor.”

Connor’s face broke into a relieved grin. “I knew it! I told you Mr. Haxton couldn’t possibly be stupid enough to—”

b8:19 /bTueb, /bSep b30 /b

The sudden shift in Ethan’s expression cut him short.

:

“I mean,” Connor backpedaled frantically, “my idol would never be so irresponsible, right?”

b99 /b

Ethan’s eyes found mine, a yful gleam recing his mock severity. “Of course. Your idol has always been very responsible. The way he emphasized the word made it sound like an inside joke–or a promise.

For the next two days, I holed up in my vi, skipping school to focus on more important things. My dining table disappeared under ia /icollection of wires, circuit boards, and tiny metalponents as I assembled a series of explosive devices.

Maxi wandered in around noon, moving with that peculiar robot gait that screamed “artificial intelligence.”

“Jade, I brought you tea,” it announced, setting a steaming cup beside my elbow.

I looked up from my work, studying the robot’s movements. Max had been so proud when he showed me his creation, but the programming was rudimentary at best.

“Get myptop,” I instructed.

Maxi whirred. “Right away.”

It returned momentster, extending theputer toward me. “Jade, yourptop. Do you need to search for something? Maxi can help search. Faster thanputer.”

I smirked, fingers already flying over the keyboard. “Good idea.”

Within seconds, I’d bypassed Maxi’s security protocols. The robot’s eyes flickered, random code recing the usual disy. I texted Max: iBorrowing /iiyour /iirobot /iifor /iiupgrades/i. iWill /iireturn /iiimproved/i.

With his enthusiastic permission secured, I dove into Maxi’s operating system. Hourster, I rebooted the system, eager to test my modifications. But as soon as it activated, that same ridiculous voice piped up.

“Jade.”

God, that voice was annoying. After a moment’s consideration, I pulled out my phone and texted Ethan: Send me ia /ivoice message.

He replied almost instantly, a fifteen–second audio clip of his smooth baritone saying, “Whatever you’re nning, I’m both intrigued and slightly concerned.”

Perfect.

Just as I finished uploading the new voice parameters, my phone rang. The caller ID showed Princeton Police Department.

“Ms. Morgan?” The officer’s voice was professionally neutral. “We need you toe in regarding a missing person report. A Ss Murphy? His father ims he wasst seen at your residence.”

Forty minutester, I was sitting in the waiting area of the police station, legs crossed, expression bored.

“He’s arriving now,” the officer informed me.

8:19 Tue, Sep 30

Hank Murphy stumbled through the door, reeking of alcohol at two in the afternoon. His bloodshot eyesnded on me, and he jabbed a finger in my direction.

That’s her! That’s the girl my boy’s been hanging around with. She knows where he is!”

He turned to the officer, slurring bhis /bwords. “My only son, officer. My retirement n. She better tell us where he is.”

The officer ushered us toward an interview room. As we walked, Hank continued rambling.

‘Last time she came to bmy /bhouse, kicked me in the bribs /bfor no reason! Couldn’t stand straight for days. And my face–these bruises? All her. Think I can sue her for damages?”

I could practically see the greedy calctions behind his bleary eyes. Rich bitch, iperfect /itarget.

The officer nced back at me. ‘Did you assault him?”

I shrugged, hands tucked into my jacket pockets. “Sure did.”

Hank’s eyes widened in surprise, then gleamed with triumph. “See? She admitted it!”

“Come with me to file a report, the officer said, gesturing toward a side office.

Hank eagerly followed, already fantasizing aboutpensation. As he stepped through the doorway, I grabbed his shoulder and shoved him deeper into the room, locking the door behind us. Before he could shout, I dragged a fileden desk in front of the door.

His screams echoed through the police station as I methodically broke his arms, his legs, his ribs. I pulled out my phone and casually dialed Ethan’s number.

“Hey, I said when he answered. I’m at the police station. Might need some assistance.”

By the time the officers managed to force the door open, Hank Murphy was barely conscious, blood pooling beneath him.

Seven officers burst in, guns drawn. ‘Don’t move! Hands in the air!”

I calmly wiped blood from my shoe onto a nearby chair, barely acknowledging their presence. Before the situation could escte further, the station chief pushed through the crowd, his eyes widening slightly when he recognized me.

“Ms. Jade Morgan, I presume?‘ He signaled for his officers to lower their weapons.

I nodded toward the bleeding mess on the floor. “Get him to a hospital. Medical expenses will be covered.”

For as long as he needed to stay there–which, given his injuries, might be the rest of his miserable life.