“Tessa,” she finally answered. “Your name is Tessa.”
“Tessa,” I repeated, getting a feel for the name. I nodded. It sounded no worse or better than any other name. “Tessa, okay. Right, sure.”
Alizé tittered. “Don’t go wild on my account.”
I settled back against the pillow that had lumped down to my neck and upper back. None of this made sense. How could she know me when her brother didn’t? And trusting her? My skin was crawling against that. She didn’t sound mercenary or hostile. In fact, I liked how strong she was and how she had handled her brother, but if she knew me, why hadn’t she told him?
“This just seems…”
“Unreal?”
“Yeah. How did I end up here? How do we know each other? Where exactly are we?”
“Let’s start with what you remember.”
I bit my lip, then decided what the heck. It didn’t do me any good to hide what little I knew. Alizé listened as I spilled my debacle on the boat. She gave me time as I hesitated on certain points and squeezed my hand when I droned on about almost giving up floating at sea until I heard the voices from Adrien’s yacht and climbed aboard.
“Nothing else?” she asked, reverting back to French. I gently shook my head. “Bon, pas de problème.” Alright, not a problem. “That will make this easier.”
“You’ve lost me. How?”
The sheets rustled as Alizé’s weight shifted on the bed. Then her nails were gently sifting through my hair not trapped in my eye bandages. I flinched away, but she wasn’t discouraged. Her fingers trailed down my face and bandages, her nails marking their passage.
“You’re here for my brother.”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
I balked. “Yeah, no. Having amnesia and being blind doesn’t make me stupid and naïve. I’m not a toy.”
Her laugh was hearty and almost devilish. “No, you aren’t. We’d both lose respect for you if you were.”
“I don’t think your brother respects me as it is.” I could still feel the lingering touch of his rough palms against my neck.
“Adrien is a powerful man who does not trust easily. He can’t in his position.”
“And you want me to what? Befriend him? Seduce him? You do realize I might be into women for all I know.”
“With the chemistry that was zinging between you two earlier? Doubtful.”
My cheeks heated. I opened my mouth to argue, but a sharp pinch to the top of my hand cut me off.
“Certain opinions are best left unsaid. My point is you remind me of someone. Whether or not you are her is irrelevant. He needs someone, a woman, a softer touch, let’s say, and I think you’d be a good fit.”
What, like a shoe?
“Though I didn’t think you were quite this incapacitated. Can’t you try and get up?”
“Not a toy,” I muttered with aggravation.
She sighed heavily. “You will have to do.”
And wasn’t that just a ringing endorsement. I wanted to scream to the high heavens. This was all so confusing.
“So I could be anyone, and it wouldn’t matter? You just need someone to fill a role? What the hell is wrong with all of you? Am I even Tessa or not?”
“Perhaps. Perhaps not. Like I said, I hope you are, but if not, you are already here. Make the best of it. Squeeze this circumstance for all its worth. Lemons, lemonade, and everything.”
