Page 17 of Never the Same

“You’re Celeste Hollis,” Green Eyes said, then he added a string of surnames I couldn’t track. “You go by both, and we know who you are—and no, we didn’t abduct you.”

From where I was sitting, they sure as heck did. My chest constricted, frustration piling on top of the anxiety that neither the men nor the names they offered as mine were familiar. “If you didn’t, how’d I get into this bed?” I pointed at Gideon, remembering his big arms wrapped around me on a street somewhere. “Free will wasn’t involved, that much I know.”

Gideon’s haunted eyes slipped to my face, looking at me as if I’d offended him somehow, like I’d alerted him to being knocked down to a lower tax bracket. “We rescued you. Well, after you escaped the monastery where we first tracked you down.” His clean-shaven jaw flexed as he added, “I’m your brother, and he’s your twin.”

I immediately guffawed, a little taken aback by my body’s natural response to fake a laugh at a time like this.

“We are your brothers. We’re in England. More specifically, Surrey. At our family’s estate, Rothvale Park,” Green Eyes said, and his words came off a little too “trust me, bro” for my liking.

It was also irritating that I could spit out slang and random facts without a problem but not know anything about myself. What kind of head trauma would cause that?

“Sure, sure,” I muttered. “You emphasizing words doesn’t make me believe them—you get that, right?”

The two men exchanged looks as if they were uncertain what to do with me.

While they shared a quiet moment, I took one myself to check in on my body, hiding my hands under the covers. I stretched out my fingers, testing their strength for punching. Then I wiggled my toes and shifted around as discreetly as possible to see if my legs were a little less dead in case I needed to run or kick.

My energy was coming back, which meant the sedatives weren’t as potent, so that was a step in the right direction. The fact I was able to mentally map out an exit strategy from the room had to mean something. Whoever I really am, I’m not weak.

“Are you done?” Green Eyes asked. “You know, with devising your escape plan?”

“How’d you—”

“Because you’re one of us, and it’s what I’d do if I woke up in a strange place.” A smile ghosted Green Eyes’s mouth. “Good to know you’re still you, even if you don’t remember that for some reason.”

My body relaxed a little as I processed what he’d said and how he’d spoken. His voice was much more soothing than Gideon’s deep one. He could probably hypnotize me with it, which was no doubt a red flag, given my present state of apparent amnesia. I didn’t need him hijacking what was left of my mind to convince me I was his sister if I really wasn’t.

“I know this must be scary, and you’re not used to being afraid of anything, but—”

“That’s the first thing that’s made sense to me since I woke up in this nightmare,” I said, cutting off Green Eyes just as a thought dawned on me. “Wait, I don’t sound English, and neither do you two.” I brought a hand to my throat, checking if my vocal cords had been damaged at some point.

“We haven’t lived here in over thirty years,” Green Eyes explained. “We only visit from time to time. We grew up in the United States. Are you familiar with—”

“Yes, of course, I even know the name of the US president.” I lifted one shoulder. “Isaiah Bennett. But ask me if I voted for the guy? No clue.” My shoulders fell at the absurdity of all this.

“So you have some memories, just not your own,” Green Eyes said under his breath.

“Yes, but why am I not freaking out?” My voice broke on that question, contradicting what I’d said. “Part of me wants to, since I don’t know you or me. That me wants to act like a hot mess express.” I glanced back and forth between them, my stomach wrenching. “The other half is strong. Stubborn too. Wants to fight you both and run.”

“Any chance you’ll settle somewhere in between?” My alleged twin quirked a brow. “Maybe worry about not remembering anything but believe we’re who we say we are and not swing at us?”

I peeked at Gideon to get a read on him. He was rolling a shirtsleeve to his elbow, exposing a corded forearm. Preparing for a fight, are ya? He paused mid-roll, eyes flicking to mine, offering me that offended look again. “The only time I’ve hit you is when we spar in the fighting ring, and you’re in head-to-toe protective padding.” He moved on to his next sleeve. “I also go easy on you in the ring, by the way, which pisses you off.”

“Pssh.” Green Eyes waved a dismissive hand. “Don’t mind him, he’s just grouchy and unsure how to handle you like this.” His forehead tightened. “Actually, forget what I said. He’s always miserable.”

I didn’t miss the sneer-scowl from Gideon, aimed at my supposed twin.

“Any chance I can get your name so I stop calling you ‘Green Eyes’ or my ‘supposed twin’ in my head?”

“Ah, yeah, of course, that’d help.” He smirked. “Julian William Avery Wyndham d’Aragon.” He rested a hand over his heart and tipped his head in greeting. “Your honest-to-God twin. You’re more of the set-fire-to-it kind of sibling, and I’m the one who hacks the building to get you inside to do it.”

“Prove you are who you say you are, and we can talk without me putting up a fight,” I decided, because what choice did I have?

“I don’t carry an ID. It’s a whole thing. People outside our family and close friends think I’m dead. Prefer to keep it that way. Can’t really go to a DMV, you know?”

“Not the best way to get me to believe you.” I turned to Gideon. “What about me? You?”

“Your purse was stolen from your hotel room before you went missing, so I don’t have your ID.” Gideon produced his license. He walked around the bed alongside Julian and offered it to me.