Chapter Two
When Lawrence arrived at the Alamain mansion, Ivan greeted him at the door. "Good evening, Sir, and hello again, Dr. Manning," Ivan said politely.
"Who the hell's this guy?" Carly asked Lawrence.
"He's my butler, Ivan Marais," Lawrence replied. "Ivan, I am afraid that Dr. Manning is suffering from temporary amnesia as a result of her car accident. Please fix up a room for her upstairs. She requires peace and privacy so she can get plenty of rest."
"Right away, Sir, but I think you should know, the police were here earlier, asking more questions."
"Questions about what?" Carly asked suspiciously. Exactly what had "her husband" been up to? Why were the police coming around, asking questions?
"My love, you mustn't get all stressed out again. Remember what the doctor said. I can handle everything, let me assure you," Lawrence said to her gently.
"Ivan, you and I can talk... AFTER Dr. Manning is settled."
"Yes, Sir," Ivan said as he headed out of the foyer to make arrangements for Carly's sleeping accommodations.
After the butler's exit, Lawrence turned to Carly and asked, "Would you like anything to eat before bed, my love?"
"No. It's late and I just need some sleep. I have a gruesome headache." She touched her forehead, wincing due to the pain and the fog that had clouded her brain. "I just want to go to bed and get some rest. It's been a really long day."
"Yes, I know it has been. Ivan will have your bedroom ready soon and then you..."
"And just where will you be sleeping? Because if you come anywhere near me, I'll..."
"I'll be just down the hall in the master bedroom. I thought, considering the delicate nature of this situation, you'd like some quiet and time to yourself before we..."
"I'm not sharing a bed with you... not now and not ever!" she cried out.
"Please, you must calm down," he coaxed as though he were trying desperately to shush her.
"Don't tell me to calm down!" she exclaimed. "I am not entirely certain that you ARE my husband and even WHO I am, for that matter. For all I know, you could be lying to me about everything!"
"Stop raising your voice," he insisted. "You'll wake the entire household and that wouldn't be good."
"Why? What is it you're hiding?"
At that moment, they were interrupted when Ivan returned, announcing he had a bedroom prepared upstairs for Dr. Manning. "Come with me. I can take you to your room," the servant offered.
Carly looked over at Lawrence, hesitating for just a second. Was the servant safe? Was ANYONE safe? Why did she feel this frantic urgency that something was wrong - terribly and incredibly WRONG?
"It's okay, Katerina," Lawrence said to her gently. "Go upstairs with Ivan and get some sleep. We'll talk in the morning."
"Alright," she said with a sigh, following Ivan up the staircase toward one of the bedrooms.
After she was out of sight, a woman walked into the room. "Good lord, Lawrence. What in the world was all of that shouting?" asked Vivian. "I got Nicky to bed just about an hour ago. If he wakes up..."
"We can't have Carly seeing Nicholas. Not now. It's too soon and it would be too traumatic for her with her memory loss. I want you to go pack up yours and Nicky's things and go to Paris. Now... Tonight."
"You're joking?! It's passed Nicky's bedtime. He's sound asleep."
"Carly can't see him right now. She gets agitated... and if she sees we have a son, it might be too much for her. Please Vivian, don't argue. Just take Nicholas and go to Paris."
"But what about Ivan?"
"I need him here. As soon as Carly's better, I will send for you and Nicky."
"Alright, Lawrence. I will start packing, but Nicky's going to want to say goodbye to you. He's confused enough as it is."
"I will tell him goodbye right before you leave for the airport. Just hurry, Vivian. Get Nicholas out of this house before Carly sees him."
~*~o~*~
"Is Dr. Manning resting comfortably?" Lawrence asked Ivan when he came downstairs.
"I think so, Sir, but I have concerns. While you were away, the police came over, asking about Dr. Manning. They wanted to search the house and question Nicky."
"You didn't let them?" Lawrence asked in alarm.
"Well, of course not, but they did say they'll be back tomorrow... and with a search warrant."
"Dammit!" Lawrence cursed, knowing that now he'd have to take extreme measures. He didn't want Bo Brady sniffing around, finding Carly's location. "Ivan, Vivian and Nicky are headed to Paris tonight and tomorrow Dr. Manning and I will be going as well."
"You are going to Paris in the morning, Sir?" Ivan asked in surprise.
"Yes, see that my bags are packed and our passports are ready. Ohhh... and pack some clothing for Dr. Manning."
"But, Sir..."
"Don't argue with me, Ivan... just do as I say," Lawrence insisted. "I've got to get Dr. Manning out of Salem and far away from Bo Brady's watchful eye."
~*~o~*~
Bo felt a lot better after Billie made him a grilled cheese sandwich and some delicious tomato soup. He hadn't been eating well... not since Carly's odd disappearance. "I am going over the Alamain mansion tomorrow and I'm searching that creepy house from top to bottom. There's something there that will help me find Carly; I just know it," Bo proclaimed.
Billie was seated at the table across from Bo, watching as he was eating his soup. "I hope you find something," Billie said. "What I can't understand is how could Carly have left her little boy behind. I saw him at the mall yesterday with Vivian."
"Yeah, she loves Nicky so much. I don't see how she could have left Nicky or Shawn Douglas either for that matter. Larry just HAS to have something to do with it. He's been obsessed with her since... well, for ages..."
"You'll find her, Bo. I know you'll find her... but for now, you have to stop worrying. It's bad for you. Too much stress can take days... even years off your life. Why don't you go take a nice hot shower... and then I'll give you a massage," Billie suggested.
"But I have nothing clean to wear after a shower."
"My brother Austin leaves his stuff over here all the time. In fact, I always do his laundry for him. There's some sweats and a t-shirt in the hall closet."
"Thanks, Billie," said Bo as he had just finished his meal. He stood up and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. She was really taking care of him. He was glad he had agreed to go with her back to her place. "I'll go take that shower now."
"That's great, Bo," she said. It was apparent that he hadn't trimmed his beard or showered much since Carly had gone missing. "Help yourself to anything you might need."
"I will," he responded as he headed down the hallway toward the bathroom.
A few minutes later, Billie heard the shower running. Imagining Bo in the hot and steamy shower, soaping his magnificent body made Billie half crazy with lust. And after he came out, she was going to give him a massage. What a dream come true! She couldn't wait to put her hands all over his luscious flesh.
~*~o~*~
Carly awakened in the middle of the night, frozen with fear. She'd had a dream... a terrible, awful dream. Her heart was beating so fiercely that it nearly pounded right out of her chest.
Tears streaked her cheeks as she sat up in bed. A soft light came on and Lawrence appeared at her side. "Katerina, I heard you cry out," he said with tenderness as he knelt at her bedside. "Are you alright?"
"No, I'm not alright. I had this dream..."
"What was it?"
"It was you. I was dreaming about you..." she said as she looked at him.
"What happened?" he asked, almost afraid to ask.
"I needed you... and you weren't there. I was looking for you everywhere."
She started crying, softly sobbing. He leaned in closer, helping her to lie down as he tucked the covers around her. "It was all just a dream. I am here... and I'd never leave you. I love you, Katerina."
"Don't say that. Don't you EVER say that," she said, her words full of sudden animosity.
"But it's true. I LOVE you... and I am going to keep you safe and protect you," he swore. "Tomorrow we are going on a trip."
"A trip?" she said, her eyes widening. "Where? What sort of a trip?"
"We are going to Paris," he announced.
"No... no! I don't want to go to Paris... I need to-.."
"You need to what?" he asked.
*Escape you,* she almost said as those were the first words that had popped into her head. Strongly, she knew she belonged somewhere else and possibly TO someone else, but unfortunately, she couldn't recover her memories and had no idea why she was thinking those particular thoughts.
"Are you really my husband?"
"Really and truly," he said as he lightly caressed her hand. "We belong together, Katerina. You'll come to know it in time."
At his touch, her pulse quickened. She had the urge to pull him into bed with her, despite the mixed signals that were floating through her brain. "Let me sleep," she insisted, pulling her hand away and turning over on her side away from him.
"Alright then, get some rest. We are about to have an eventful morning."
~*~o~*~
Bo's dark hair was damp and his skin was dotted with beads of moisture as he emerged from Billie's bathroom, wearing a t-shirt and sweats that belonged to Austin. Billie felt her mouth begin to water as he stepped back into the room.
"Thanks for the shower, Lady. I really needed that."
Billie smiled, then lightly bit her lower lip. "How about a massage?" she offered.
"My muscles are so tense. Boy, do I ever need a massage," Bo agreed.
"Then go lie down on my bed," Billie suggested.
She about lost it when she followed Bo into her room and saw him lying across her bed. Bo Brady was IN her bed. She applied some light scented oil to her hands, then she lay her palms upon the firm flesh of Bo's broad back. She began to gently massage the oil into his stiff, aching muscles.
"Ohhh God, Billie, that feel sooo damn good," he said in a groan.
She sucked in her breath, rubbing out the tight knots and pressing down against his tense pressure points. He was practically purring, but then he went completely silent. Billie realized that he had fallen asleep. Her tender touch had relaxed him so much as he'd been exhausted.
Curling up next to him, Billie pulled a blanket over them both. She was going to sleep in bed next to Bo Brady tonight. Where else would she sleep... the lumpy couch? She'd enjoy every second of lying next to the most handsome guy in Salem. With a smile on her lips, Billie too drifted off into dreamland.