Chapter 24

Leaving Phoebe with Carly, Olivia rode into town. Carly didn't approve of the bike at all; more so after discovering who had given it to her in the first place and made her promise to ride safely and keep her helmet on.

Pulling up in front of the Brady Pub- Olivia took off the helmet; shaking out her curls- not noticing someone intently taking in her figure emphasized by the tight leather pants she had on.

Glad her leather jacket was warding off the December chill; Olivia spotted a news stand and walked to it.

'I don't believe we've met.' a deep voice came from behind as she made her selection.

Turning round, she regarded the stranger with mild curiosity, not sure she'd seen him around town before. He was very handsome; clean-cut in appearance, probably in his early thirties and he spoke in an English accent, slightly thicker than hers.

'You live here?' she asked, wondering who on earth he could be.

'I do actually; I just got back from a business trip, yesterday. But I've seen you around before, Miss...' he held out a gloved hand.

'Alamain. Olivia Alamain.' She shook his hand.

He smiled wider, his eyes warm. 'It would have been my last guess, but it really suits such a beautiful woman like you.'

Olivia's been told, more than once, that she could pass for 19 but she hadn't thought it would attract male attention all of a sudden and she was yet to know and master the art of flirting.

'Thank you, I suppose.' The vendor gave her her change and she picked up her magazines. 'If you'll excuse me...'

'Olivia, please.' The stranger said urgently, taking her arm. 'I've wanted to meet you for a long time and ask you...'

He was cut short by the sudden appearance of Shawn Douglas, whose face was contorted with rage. 'Just what the hell do you think you're doing?'

'Mind your own business, Shawn Douglas; I'm trying to have a conversation.' was the cold reply.

'You know each other?' Olivia asked, baffled at the look of hostility on the young men's faces.

'Move along, scum.'

'Watch yourself!'

'What the bloody hell's going on?' Olivia snapped, completely confused.

Shawn Douglas pulled her to his side, his black eyes not leaving the face of the man in front of him. 'I'll only say this once; stay away from my sister. I should think it should have dawned on you that the Brady women are OFF LIMITS to the likes of you!'

Grabbing Olivia by the arm, he led her away from E.J DiMera, who was wearing a look of stunned disbelief on his face.

E.J felt like a sledge hammer had suddenly hit him on the chest. She's a Brady... he moaned, bitter disappointment following shock. Of all the families in Salem, she had to be related to them.

He frowned. He had no idea Bo Brady had another daughter and from her accent, she hadn't been raised in the States either. Also, Alamain... the name was familiar. Walking back to his car, E.J was unable to get Olivia's image out of his mind. Unconventional fashion wise, but it only added to her wholesome uniqueness. And those simmering eyes... he could lose himself gazing at them all day. He hadn't felt this way for a long, long time.

It's always been a bitter joke between him and his father; the DiMera men having an almost fatal attraction for the Brady women. For his grandfather Santo, it had been Colleen Brady, which had actually caused the feud between the Bradys and the DiMera; the result being John Black. For him, it had been Samantha Brady- the result his children Johnny and Sydney. Now he was strongly drawn to that lovely girl and he was yet to figure out how to win her over in spite of what her family would probably tell her about him. Right now, he had to go see Stefano and ask him or Kate if they had an idea who Olivia's mother was.

'NOT EVER! You MUST never talk to that jerk again; he's a poisonous snake- you hear me?' Shawn Douglas was still ranting as they entered the Pub.

'You've said that more than once, what's the problem? You know very well I can handle myself!' Olivia fired back, still baffled at her brother's strange behaviour.

'Trust me, with that guy; you'll also need to arm yourself with an automatic!'

'What's going on?' Belle asked, astonished, coming from the back with Caroline and Claire.

'I caught Pretty Boy E.J hitting on Olivia! I'll kill him if he dares try that again!' Shawn Douglas snarled.

'So who is he exactly, Freddy bloody Krueger or what?' Olivia asked irritably, taking off her jacket. 'What were you afraid he'll do, hack me into pieces and stick me into the boot of his car?'

Caroline shook her head firmly. 'Your brother's right darling, you must NEVER have anything to do with E.J DiMera- he and his family have caused nothing but misery to us for years.'

Olivia stared at her and Shawn Douglas. 'This is a Montague/Capulet sort of thing? A feud?'

'In a matter of speaking, yes.' replied Caroline. 'But there's more to it than that. E.J is your cousin Sami's ex-husband and just you hear what he did...'

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'She's Carly Manning's daughter? You're sure about this, Kate?' Stefano exclaimed incredulously. How is this possible?'

Kate revealed what she'd gotten from Will and Stefano whistled after hearing the whole story.

'Ah, Lawrence Alamain; so that's how he met his end at last.' He shook his head. 'He never forgave Bo Brady for the lovely doctor's preference to him... of course he and Vivian carried out that outrageous scheme. '

Like you're as white as snow yourself, thought E.J coldly. He'd been sickened at the tale of Olivia being abused.

'So... Olivia Alamain is here in Salem and she's the Commissioner's daughter.' Stefano said, very interested. 'I read in the business papers that Frank Leuschner was now running the Alamain Conglomerate but I got confused over the connection after she was mentioned as his niece. But what about his son...Nicholas?'

Kate shook her head. 'Will said Nicky was killed in Iraq.'

'And now, his rival's child owns it all!' Stefano couldn't help but laugh at the sheer irony. 'A classic case of poetic justice.'

'I hardly find it amusing, she and her mother suffered under that swine!' E.J said coolly.

'And came out smelling like a rose in the end. Why are you being so concerned?'

E.J raised his chin. 'Because, I'm attracted to Olivia Alamain. Very attracted.'

Stefano stopped laughing immediately and Kate stared at him, stunned. 'Please tell me you're joking.'

'It's not a joke; I like that girl very much...'

'HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND COMPLETELY?' his step mother cut in angrily, rising from her seat. 'She's barely sixteen years old... she's a child; Bo Brady will arrest you for statutory rape, that is if he doesn't kill you first! Besides that, do you honestly think that the Bradys will actually accept another alliance?'

'She's more than enough woman for me.' E.J insisted. 'And it's not like I'm so itching to have my way with her; naturally I'll wait...'

'Just hold it right there!' Kate raised her hand. 'The whole idea is ridiculous... Olivia is Sami's cousin, she's too young for you - Stefano, will you please talk to him?'

'Leave us for a while, my dear,' Stefano said, his eyes fixed on his son's face. Kate obeyed, her heels clicking angrily.

'Now that we're alone...'

'I'm dead serious.' E.J looked at his father in the eye.

'You certainly have a knack of making trouble for yourself, my boy. Samantha, Nicole, Samantha again; now you think you're in love with Bo Brady's daughter.'

'Is it because she's young or because she's a Brady, father?'

Stefano waved his hand impatiently. 'Her age is of no consequence; in Sicily she would be betrothed by now. However, she's of noble blood, even if half of it is Kiriakis.'

'I'm not interested in her lineage... or her fortune!' snapped E.J, angered at his father's point of view of the situation.

'Spare me your drama. If you want this girl that badly, you would have to do some damage control; naturally the Bradys, especially your ex-wife would have exposed your crimes to her by now. And you'd better pray that she has a very strong will.'

'So you approve?'

Stefano shrugged, inwardly thinking about the advantages. At least this one has money and isn't white trash like Nicole Walker. And surely a girl who was able to end Lawrence Alamain's miserable life could scale through her family's objections towards his son if he's lucky enough to win her. Most especially her father, Bo Brady.