Always You (Adair Family 3)

“Because we are all giving you space to figure out what you want. Though nosy busybodies”—she gestured to herself—“are extremely interested to know where you’re leaning on the whole Mac thing. Personally, I think you guys are great together.”

“Regan,” I pleaded.

“Sorry, sorry.” She pretended to zip her lips shut. “Not another word.” Then, “Though I agree with you about Brodan and Eredine. But I’m not sure she has anything romantic in mind with Arran. They argue a lot.”

“It’s called verbal foreplay, Regan. And a sure sign that something is going on. Eredine is usually shy with men, including Brodan. With Arran, she’s … sassy. Like she’s comfortable with him or something.”

“You sound worried.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time my brothers have fought over a woman. The two of them are best buddies, and when they were sex-mad, moronic teenagers, they shared everything, including women. It was never a problem for them, the scoundrels, until Arran slept with …” I realized I was about to divulge information I was pretty certain neither of my brothers would want me sharing. “Let’s just say someone he shouldn’t have. It caused a rift, and even though those two can never stay mad at each other, I do not want history repeating itself with Eredine. She’s …”

“A complicated mystery,” Regan finished my sentence.

“Even to me, and I’ve known her almost as long as Lachlan and Mac have.”

Regan looked pensive as she stared out at the garden. “Can I tell you something?”

“Of course.”

“I recognized Eredine when I first met her.”

I jerked in shock. “What do you mean?”

“I thought I recognized her as this social media influencer and dancer from YouTube. She had a few million followers, millions more views on her videos. Her name was Cadenza. And I am ninety percent positive she was the spitting image of Eredine. She stopped posting years ago. I mean, I was only a teen when I followed her videos. I guess I forgot about her after a while because there’s always someone new to follow, right? Anyway, here’s the strange part.”

Regan leaned into me again, her voice low. “I tried to find those videos, and they were gone. Completely wiped off the internet. I tried googling Cadenza, and nothing. So, I set a Google Alert last year for her, and a few weeks ago, this conspiracy theorist had written an article about this group he thinks exists similar to the Illuminati. He mentioned all these people who had mysteriously disappeared, and he mentioned Cadenza. I don’t believe the creepy omniscient global power group theory, but I was relieved because for a second there, I thought maybe I had imagined it all. When I went back to look at the article, it was gone.”

A sense of dread, of something ominous looming over us, caused goose bumps to prickle my skin. “Have you tried googling Eredine?”

“Yeah, but we all know that’s not her real name.”

True enough.

“I googled her, her profession, where she works, and there is zero mention of her on the web. Don’t you think that’s weird?”

“There wouldn’t be.” I shook my head. “Lachlan doesn’t advertise anything about the estate. In fact …” I narrowed my eyes. “They use an ethical hacker to test their security systems for flaws, and she built a program that alerts them to online articles about the club. Mac’s team sifts through them and asks his hacker to delete any that mention details they don’t want known.”

“Isn’t that illegal?” Regan smirked. “I thought you said she was an ethical hacker?”

“Not my point. She removes posts and articles off the web for them.”

Regan’s eyes widened before her gaze flew out toward the garden. “They’re protecting her?”

It would appear so. Not that I was surprised. Deep down, I’d known that all along.

“But from what?” Regan whispered.

I looked out and watched Eredine shove Arran with a mischievous laugh as she commandeered the ball. “Leave it alone, Regan,” I ordered sternly. “If she’s hiding here, then there’s a good reason, and it’s our job as the people who love her to let sleeping dogs lie.”

Regan nodded determinedly and promised, “I’ll let it go.”

24

Mac

“It’s been a tough week.”

Iona tilted her head to study me. “Why is that?”