Page 59 of Reclaiming Adelaide

“Holeo picked the target. He said this company tested Black Dog’s systems. I didn’t know this company. I didn’t know you or anything about you.”

“So you expect me to believe you hacked my company, talked to me on the internet, and dated me in real life without knowing there was a connection?”

“I never spoke to you on the internet.” She shook her head, her brows drawn together as she chewed on her bottom lip.

“How do you think I found out who you were?”

“I thought you saw the picture on my phone. That’s what I woke up to that night. You screaming in my face about a couple I took a picture of.” She raised her shoulders, her palms upright. “I sent that picture to Monica, by the way. I told her how adorable they were, and I wished you, and I could have that.”

I hung my head and nodded, rubbing my two fingers together. She couldn’t have been so naïve.

“The code used on my server… I got it from someone I thought was my friend.See, she gave it to me when I was working on a project for my company. I never thought she’d use it against me. So imagine my surprise when I see it on my server.”

“I don’t…” She frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“Oh, come on, Pink Reaper.” Her face blanched. “Don’t you recognize your buddy, Merlin?”

16

HewasMerlin?The man I’d developed feelings for before meeting Jake? How was this possible?

How many similarities and coincidences had to occur before someone called it for what it was—divine intervention or someone had a hand in it?

No wonder he hated me.

“Merlin?”

Jake smirked, but it didn’t meet his eyes. “You’re good at that.”

“At what?” I shook my head.

“Acting surprised.”

“But…” My stomach lurched as the plane dropped a short distance.

I threw off my belt and bolted for the bathroom, making it in time to vomit into the stainless-steel toilet. The door banged open behind me, and Jake stood there, his legs spread in a wide stance to help him balance in the door frame as he held on.

“I hate flying.” I grabbed a scrap of toilet paper and wiped my mouth before fully turning in his direction.

“I’m sure that’s it,” he said sardonically. He held his hand out, helping me to my feet. “You should buckle up, otherwise, your ‘fear’ of flying might just become real.”

I snorted and rinsed my mouth out with the travel-size mouthwash from my pack. “My fear of flying is valid.”

“The amount of people that die in plane crashes is negligent to those who die in car crashes.”

“That’s not a fair comparison.”

“I’m not getting into a pissing match with you over statistics. Come sit down.”

I held my stomach and followed him out, my hand sliding against the wall to steady me until I plunked down into my seat.

I’d stay as close as I could to the restroom just so I’d have some semblance of comfort because I refused to puke in a bag.

“Merlin?” I said again, not believing the name I’d spoken out loud.

Well, this wasn’t fair, truly.

“Again, the act is remarkable.”

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