sat.
“Well, my dear. I do hope you are okay. I got worried when you were gone for so long.”
Mari gave a mental snort. He thought that was long? He hadn’t met her girlfriends who could turn a five-minute potty break into a twenty-minute gabfest. She didn’t even give him the courtesy of a response. After Rosier’s interruption, her shoulders were tense and her guard was up.
“James, your personal story has been so interesting.” Mari hoped she wasn’t laying it on too thick. “I do have one question though. How did you find my father after your parents died? I mean—you were only sixteen.”
LaPierre leaned back in his chair for a moment then rocked forward with a solid thump. The unexpected sound made Mari jerk just a bit. His slight chuckle told her she might have just failed a test.
“Marielle? Why are you afraid of me?” He took her hand in his again. “There is no need. I am just a man whose parents were slaughtered by a demon. Your father actually found me. You see, demons leave an energy trail that an experienced witch can pick up on.”
45
Marilu Mann
The pause he allowed gave Mari just enough time to wonder if he could trace Ros’
mirror visit. He confirmed it with a small chuckle. “Even when they travel via mirrors to the ladies’ room.”
At her small gasp, he jerked his head in what might pass for a nod in some places.
He squeezed her hand to the point of pain. “Oh yes. I know he was in the restroom with you. What did he tell you? What lies did he weave around you?”
Mari tugged fruitlessly at her hand. “You’re hurting me. Let go.”
James frowned down at their joined palms. “I’m sorry, Marielle. I am not hurting you nearly as much as keeping that vile creature living in that house will. You must relinquish him to me. Now.”
The whip of urgency he threaded into that last word came across as a command.
Mari again found herself fighting the urge to say yes. She snatched her hand back when he eased his grip. Rubbing her wrist, she toyed with her locket under her shirt. The unfamiliar lump on the chain caused her a moment of confusion. Then she remembered it was her father’s ring. She’d found a picture of the stone on the Internet and now knew it to be a red tiger’s eye. Because it was too and very masculine—a very simple square stone in a silver band—she’d hung it on the same slender chain that held her locket. Until now it had been tucked under her shirt. As she touched it, she lost the desire to agree with James.
His eyes narrowed as he focused on that piece of jewelry. She watched as his lips pressed together into a pencil-thin line. His nostrils flared as he took a deep breath.
When he spoke, anger roiled off him like thunderclouds before a nasty summer storm.
“I see you are already wearing your father’s device.” His voice crackled with rage.
“As that was supposed to come to me on his death, I hope you will understand why I need to end this dinner. I find looking at it brings back unwelcome memories.”
He stood holding his hand out for her. The trip back mirrored the trip out with opera swelling from the car stereo, but James remained silent for the majority of the 46
Sex and Trouble
journey. When they pulled into the driveway, James reached out with one hand to gently touch her shoulder.
“Marielle, please forgive me.” He sounded tired but sincere. “You have to know that I only want to help you. I am sorry for my loss of temper over your father’s ring.”
Cautiously, she nodded at him. She had not forgotten how he had hurt her when he’d held her wrist. “I can understand being upset about that.”
His smile did not reach his eyes. “Thank you. I’ll be honest with you.”
He sighed. It was a deep weary sound. “Yes, I want Rosier so I can avenge my parents’ death but I also know that you are not strong enough to control him. If you do not relinquish him to me, I fear you too will die like your father.”
“Like my
“Well, my dear. I do hope you are okay. I got worried when you were gone for so long.”
Mari gave a mental snort. He thought that was long? He hadn’t met her girlfriends who could turn a five-minute potty break into a twenty-minute gabfest. She didn’t even give him the courtesy of a response. After Rosier’s interruption, her shoulders were tense and her guard was up.
“James, your personal story has been so interesting.” Mari hoped she wasn’t laying it on too thick. “I do have one question though. How did you find my father after your parents died? I mean—you were only sixteen.”
LaPierre leaned back in his chair for a moment then rocked forward with a solid thump. The unexpected sound made Mari jerk just a bit. His slight chuckle told her she might have just failed a test.
“Marielle? Why are you afraid of me?” He took her hand in his again. “There is no need. I am just a man whose parents were slaughtered by a demon. Your father actually found me. You see, demons leave an energy trail that an experienced witch can pick up on.”
45
Marilu Mann
The pause he allowed gave Mari just enough time to wonder if he could trace Ros’
mirror visit. He confirmed it with a small chuckle. “Even when they travel via mirrors to the ladies’ room.”
At her small gasp, he jerked his head in what might pass for a nod in some places.
He squeezed her hand to the point of pain. “Oh yes. I know he was in the restroom with you. What did he tell you? What lies did he weave around you?”
Mari tugged fruitlessly at her hand. “You’re hurting me. Let go.”
James frowned down at their joined palms. “I’m sorry, Marielle. I am not hurting you nearly as much as keeping that vile creature living in that house will. You must relinquish him to me. Now.”
The whip of urgency he threaded into that last word came across as a command.
Mari again found herself fighting the urge to say yes. She snatched her hand back when he eased his grip. Rubbing her wrist, she toyed with her locket under her shirt. The unfamiliar lump on the chain caused her a moment of confusion. Then she remembered it was her father’s ring. She’d found a picture of the stone on the Internet and now knew it to be a red tiger’s eye. Because it was too and very masculine—a very simple square stone in a silver band—she’d hung it on the same slender chain that held her locket. Until now it had been tucked under her shirt. As she touched it, she lost the desire to agree with James.
His eyes narrowed as he focused on that piece of jewelry. She watched as his lips pressed together into a pencil-thin line. His nostrils flared as he took a deep breath.
When he spoke, anger roiled off him like thunderclouds before a nasty summer storm.
“I see you are already wearing your father’s device.” His voice crackled with rage.
“As that was supposed to come to me on his death, I hope you will understand why I need to end this dinner. I find looking at it brings back unwelcome memories.”
He stood holding his hand out for her. The trip back mirrored the trip out with opera swelling from the car stereo, but James remained silent for the majority of the 46
Sex and Trouble
journey. When they pulled into the driveway, James reached out with one hand to gently touch her shoulder.
“Marielle, please forgive me.” He sounded tired but sincere. “You have to know that I only want to help you. I am sorry for my loss of temper over your father’s ring.”
Cautiously, she nodded at him. She had not forgotten how he had hurt her when he’d held her wrist. “I can understand being upset about that.”
His smile did not reach his eyes. “Thank you. I’ll be honest with you.”
He sighed. It was a deep weary sound. “Yes, I want Rosier so I can avenge my parents’ death but I also know that you are not strong enough to control him. If you do not relinquish him to me, I fear you too will die like your father.”
“Like my
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