Badass in Disguise Chapter 97

Ethan's lips curved into a slight smile as he looked at me. "I'm relieved to see you're not overly distressed by it," he replied smoothly.

I shrugged, watching Cloud City's shabby buildings disappear as Connor drove us away. "Linda has always been Linda. Nothing new there."

Ethan nodded, then suggested we stop for dinner before the long drive back to Princeton. An hour later, we were seated in a restaurant so fancy the menu didn't even have prices listed. Max sat beside me, his face still drawn and pale from everything that had happened.

"You should try the lobster bisque," Ethan suggested, glancing at me over his menu. "It's excellent here."

I nodded absently, more focused on Max than the food. He was staring blankly at his menu, clearly overwhelmed by both the options and the events of the day.

"You don't have to order anything complicated," I told him quietly. "Just get whatever sounds good."

The waiter approached, and Ethan ordered for himself before looking expectantly at us. I chose a simple pasta dish, and Max mumbled something about a steak.

"Are you okay?" I asked Max once the waiter had left.

He nodded stiffly. "I'm fine."

"I'm glad you decided to come with me," I said, reaching over to squeeze his hand. "It was the right choice."

When our food arrived, I noticed Max wasn't eating. He just pushed his steak around the plate with his fork.

"You need to eat something," I said, scooping some vegetables onto his plate. "Even if you're not hungry."

Max sighed but speared a piece of broccoli with his fork.

Ethan ladled some soup into a bowl and passed it to me. "Try this. It might help warm you up."

I hadn't realized I was cold until he mentioned it. The soup was rich and creamy, warming me from the inside out. "It's good," I admitted.

Max managed to eat about half his meal before putting his fork down. "I think I'm done."

"That's fine," I said. "We should probably get going anyway. It's a long drive back to Princeton."

---

The night air was cool as we walked to the car. Connor stood by the Maybach, opening the doors as we approached. Max immediately claimed the front passenger seat, leaving me to sit in the back with Ethan.

"I can drive if you're tired," I offered, noticing the fatigue in Connor's eyes and the bandage still visible on his arm.

Connor looked touched by my offer, but before he could respond, Ethan spoke up.

"That won't be necessary. I can take over if Connor needs a break."

Connor's expression shifted to something between amusement and disbelief, as if the thought of either Ethan or me taking the wheel was equally outlandish.

"I'm fine, sir," Connor assured him, sliding behind the wheel.

We drove in silence for the first hour. Max eventually fell asleep, his head lolling to one side. I reached forward from the back seat and gently adjusted his position so he wouldn't wake up with a stiff neck.

Ethan watched me with interest. "You two are close," he observed.

"He's a good kid," I said, sitting back. "Smart. Quiet. Sweet. He doesn't talk much, but when he does, it's usually worth listening to."

"Unlike most people," Ethan agreed with a small smile.

I nodded, staring out the window at the darkened landscape rushing by.

The rhythmic hum of the tires on pavement was hypnotic. I closed my eyes, not intending to sleep, just to rest for a moment. The car hit a bump, and I felt myself swaying sideways.

Before I could correct myself, a warm hand cupped my chin, gently guiding my head to rest against a firm shoulder. Ethan's cologne filled my senses—subtle notes of sandalwood and something uniquely him.

"Rest," he said softly, close to my ear. Then, in a lower voice to Connor: "Drive carefully. Mind the road conditions."

I should have pulled away. Should have sat up straight and maintained my space. But exhaustion won out, and his shoulder was surprisingly comfortable. I let myself drift, not quite asleep but not fully awake either.

---

I woke to the soft glow of dawn breaking over the horizon. The car was still moving, but Connor was no longer driving. Ethan sat behind the wheel, his profile lit by the early morning light. Max was now in the back seat beside me, still fast asleep.

"You drove?" I asked, my voice raspy from sleep.

Ethan glanced at me in the rearview mirror. "Connor needed rest. I took over about three hours ago."

I looked around, realizing we were already approaching Princeton. The university's gothic spires were silhouetted against the brightening sky.

"You should have woken me. I could have taken a turn."

"You needed the rest," he said simply. "Besides, I enjoy driving. It gives me time to think."

As we pulled into Princeton, the campus was quiet, most students still asleep. Ethan navigated through the empty streets with the ease of someone familiar with the area.

"I've made arrangements for Max's transfer to Princeton High School," Ethan said as we drove. "He'll meet with the school administrators tomorrow morning."

"That fast?" I asked, surprised.

Max stirred beside me, blinking sleepily. "Where are we?

"Princeton," I told him. "We just arrived."

Ethan pulled up to a luxury hotel near campus. "I thought we could stay here tonight. It would be more comfortable than trying to arrange other accommodations on such short notice."

"I'll stay with you too," he added casually. "It will make it easier to take you to the school in the morning."

We got out of the car, and Connor handed our bags to the bellhop. Ethan spoke briefly with the front desk staff, and moments later, we were being escorted to our rooms.

"I've booked four suites," Ethan explained as we rode the elevator. "One for each of us."

The suites were adjacent to each other on the top floor. Mine was decorated in soothing blues and creams, with a king-sized bed and a view of the campus.

Max followed me into my suite after dropping his bags in his own room. He waited until the bellhop had left before speaking.

"Is he into you?" he asked bluntly.

"What?" I turned to him, genuinely surprised by the question.

"Ethan Haxton," Max clarified, as if I might be confused about which 'he' he meant. "Is he interested in you? Romantically?"

I stared at my brother. "What would make you think that?"

Max gave me a look that suggested I was being deliberately obtuse. "It's pretty obvious, Jade."

"I don't know what his intentions are, Max. And frankly, I've got more important things to worry about right now."

Max nodded, seeming satisfied with my answer for the moment. "I'm going to try to get some more sleep," he said, heading for the door. "It's been a long night."

---

The next morning, I was awakened by a knock on my door. Still half-asleep, I mumbled something that might have been "Come in" or might have been "Go away." Either way, the door opened, and Ethan stepped inside.

"Good morning," he said, looking annoyingly fresh and alert in a crisp suit. "It's time to get up. Max is already awake and having breakfast downstairs."

I groaned and pulled the pillow over my head. "Five more minutes."

"The admissions committee is expecting us at nine," he reminded me, his voice laced with amusement.

"Fine," I grumbled, tossing the pillow aside. "I'll be ready in twenty minutes."

Ethan nodded and retreated to the sitting area of my suite, giving me privacy to get ready. I dragged myself to the bathroom, splashing cold water on my face to wake up properly.

When I emerged, dressed and marginally more alert, Ethan was still waiting patiently, scrolling through something on his phone.

"Let's go," I said, grabbing my purse.