Anatomy of a Nightmare, M J Marlow [best romance books of all time .TXT] 📗

in the Study pretending to be interested in what the Senator was talking about. He wondered if the doctor had seen anything to make him suspicious, but he couldn’t walk out on the Senator. Or could he? Geoffrey nodded to him from where he and Evelyn sat on the couch going over photo albums and Gregory knew he had to go.
“Excuse me, sir,” he said politely. “I’d like to speak to the doctor before he leaves and see how he thinks Lily is doing.”
“Of course,” William nodded. “It’s only right for you to be concerned about your friend.” The way he said ‘friend’ made it sound like he thought Lily was sleeping with Gregory. “We’ll continue our discussion later.”
Gregory nodded and hurried out of the house. He caught the doctor as the man was putting his bag in the trunk. The man turned and Gregory knew he hadn’t needed to worry; he knew this man. He had patched up more of Gregory’s wounds than he cared to remember. Leave it to Dave to think this far ahead, he smiled to himself.
“Doctor,” he said as he shook the man’s hand, “how is Lily doing?”
“That pretty child upstairs is seriously ill.” He saw William coming and spoke louder. “If that fever doesn’t come down soon, we may have to hospitalize her.”
“What can I do for her?”
“Plenty of rest, good food, and a lot of pampering,” the man smiled at him and patted him on the shoulder. “She’s not going to die on you, Gregory; she has just driven herself into the ground. She should be ready and able to take part in her sister’s wedding as long as she rests.” He shook his head. “If it wasn’t for the hair, I would swear she was Evelyn.”
“That’s good to hear,” William said from the stoop behind Gregory. “The girl will get the best of care here. We’ll have to find ways to amuse Gregory while his little friend is recuperating.”
“Right,” the doctor smiled. “I’m off then. Have more patients to see in my office.” He nodded to William. “I’ll see you at the wedding on Tuesday.”
“Looking forward to it,” William replied. He put his hand on Gregory’s shoulder. “How about a few hands of poker, Gregory, my boy. There’s a game at the club tonight.”
“I’ll think about it, William,” Gregory nodded. “I know you said she’ll be fine, Doctor, but I worry about my friend.”
“The mark of a good friend,” the doctor nodded in approval. “I’ll send over some vitamins and iron tablets, as well as something to ease the congestion; but, as I said, rest is the best thing for her.” He shook Gregory’s hand and Gregory felt the paper the doctor had passed him. “I’ll check in on her tomorrow. If her condition worsens, call me immediately and head to the hospital.”
Gregory nodded and watched the man drive away. There was obviously some change in the situation he needed to be aware of. He set aside his worry about Lily and followed William back into the house. He went up to the bedroom and sent the maid out so he could be ‘alone with his friend’. The look the woman gave him told him people in this house had very dirty minds. Once the door had closed, he opened the note.
“Drop scheduled at wedding,” it read. “Imperative you stick to Grey and tag his drop item.”
He crumpled the note and took it to the sink in the bathroom. He set it alight and washed the ashes down the drain. He heard Lily talking in her sleep and he got a wet washcloth. He stroked her face gently as she relived the rape and he wanted to rip the man’s head off. How could he have done such a heinous thing? Lily opened her eyes and he shook his head and kissed her gently.
“Hush now, angel,” he said gently as she stroked her cheek. “You’re safe with me. Close those pretty eyes and go back to sleep.”
“Safe.” Lily smiled and closed her eyes. He started to get up and she grabbed his hand. “No,” she shook her head. “Don’t go.”
Gregory choked as she put her arms around his waist and cuddled up against him. Did this girl realize what she was waking up in him? Not her, he told himself. She was ill and looking for someone to make her feel better. So he moved in next to her and put his arm around her. When he felt her relax and fall back asleep, he remained where he was. Having her in his arms was a very pleasant experience. He could see himself falling hard for this little innocent and it scared him.
“Damn!” he hissed as his cell phone went off. He slid out of bed and heard her murmur a protest. He moved away from her and went out on the balcony. “Talk,” he barked out. He listened to the report and his scowl deepened. He looked back towards the bed. “Yes, I got the note.” He nodded as Dave went over the specifics of the drop. “You’ll be ready to pull Lily out if this all goes sour? Good.”
He hung up and leaned on the railing for a moment. How could he be more worried about the girl than he was about his work? He’d just met her and he was thinking about things he had told himself he didn’t have the time or the desire for. Suddenly he understood why his twin had resigned and begun his own business so he could get married. A consultant was a far less risky husband than a field agent. For the first time he wished it was really their wedding happening.
Lily woke up several times during the night as the nightmares struck and found Gregory ready to soothe her back to sleep. When the fever broke early the next morning, he called the maid and carried her to the tub as Violet filled it with water. He waited outside as Lily was cleaned up. When she had been put in a dry nightgown and the bed had been changed, he read to her from a book of Romanian poetry he had brought with him. She listened to the language and fell into a restful sleep where she dreamed of gypsy camps and fires where men and women danced and laughed and loved to the sounds of violins and drums.

“Do you have to go?” Lily pouted as Gregory stopped by to see her on his way out to the club later that afternoon. “I might have a relapse and need you.”
“Enough of that you little faker,” Gregory smiled at her gently. “I can see you’re feeling much better today and I need to do this.” He finished with his tie and walked to the bed. “If you promise to behave while I’m gone, I’ll take you somewhere special after this is over.”
“Promise?” Lily wondered when she had fallen so hard for this strange man. Was it wise to indulge this fantasy when he was going to set her back down in her own life in a few days and leave? He ran his fingers along her lips and she knew her answer. “Is this wise?” she asked as he pulled her into his arms.
“No,” Gregory replied, “but it’s what we both want.” He kissed her then and he could feel her melting in his arms. The kiss, meant to be gently affectionate, deepened into something else entirely. He pulled away from her with great reluctance. “I have to go.”
Lily watched him leave and she wanted to tackle him and make him stay. But he had a job to do and she needed to let him do it. As the door closed, she found herself wondering if he was in any danger. What would she do if he was hurt tonight? She didn’t know who to call to come get her. She got up and pulled on her robe and slippers. The fever had broken last night and she was still pretty weak, but she was tired of being in this room. She needed a change of scenery.
“Evelyn!”
Lily sighed as Marina’s voice floated out of the lounge as she was going to the kitchen. She waited but the woman didn’t come out. So she went to the lounge and found the woman entertaining a handsome man with gray eyes and thick gold hair. The man was on his feet and coming towards her. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
“What are you doing?” Lily squeaked as she pushed the man away. “You don’t have any right to kiss me!”
“Oh come on, darling,” the man laughed. “You can’t tell me you actually care about that Romanian half-breed you’re marrying.” He ran his hand along her jaw and she slapped him. “Ooh! Feisty as ever!”
“I’m not Evelyn!” Lily snapped at him and moved to the other side of the room. She looked at Marina who was looking guilty. “You asked him here, didn’t you?”
“He’s a close family friend, Lily,” Marina shrugged. “Quentin Caine, this is Lily Ambrose; Evelyn’s twin sister.” She sighed as she saw Lily’s frown. “When he called and said he needed to talk to your sister, I hadn’t the heart to say no.”
“I don’t think she wants to talk to him!” Lily said coldly. She turned towards Quentin Caine again, her eyes blazing. “Evelyn is getting married tomorrow and I believe she is very happy with her choice. So go away and leave her alone!”
“She’ll be bored with him in a month,” the man laughed. He started towards her and Lily backed away from him. “Until she does,” he smiled at her as he pressed her into the wall, “perhaps you and I can keep each other amused?”
“Get off of me,” Lily spat at him. “I am too ill to deal with you.”
“That’s what it is, Quentin,” Marina said to the young man as she saw him out. “Give her a couple of hours and she’ll be more receptive to your request.” She came back to find Lily stroking the keys of the grand piano. “You were very rude, dear.”
“And he was far too presumptuous,” Lily replied. “How could you sit there and let him paw me like that?” She saw the woman’s hard look. “Evelyn is happy with Geoffrey.”
“He’s just a phase,” Marina said to her. “She’ll get bored with him once she sees what a primitive he is…”
“I will not sit here and listen to you talk about my sister like that,” Lily broke in coldly. She got to her feet and started towards the kitchen. Marina clamped her hand on Lily’s arm and dug in her nails. “You’re hurting me. Let go.”
“You and your sister both need to learn the difference between lust and security, Lily,” Marina said to her. “Do yourself a favor and convince your sister to cancel the wedding now. Your father will give the man a generous settlement and Evelyn can move on to a man who can give her what she’s accustomed to.”
“I’m not talking to you about this,” Lily pulled her arm free. “If you mention this to me again, I will tell Evelyn what you’re up to.”
She left the lounge and sank down on a stool at the kitchen counter, shaken. Was Evelyn aware of what her mother was trying to pull? Lily didn’t know the other girl well, but she was certain Evelyn would never dump a husband for someone with more money at a whim. No, Lily shook her head. Her sister was not like that!
“Oh God,” Lily whimpered as she got up to get herself some juice. “What should I do?” She finished her juice and went upstairs and got dressed.