Sex and Trouble
Authors: Marilu Mann
Sex and Trouble
Marielle has just learned she’s a hereditary witch whose inheritance comes with a creepy house and a hot butler who is really a trapped sex demon. Mari doesn’t believe in magick or demons. But once she sees her butler’s—ahem—horns, she has to face the facts. And, he can only be released through mutual sexual pleasure.
Although Mari’s sexier than anyone he’s ever known, Rosier wants to go home. If that means making Mari scream in ecstasy, he’ll just have to deal. It’s simple. They have to unlock her powers, defeat her father’s enemy and have mind-blowing sex…in the next two weeks or he’s trapped forever. What’s a girl to do when her inheritance leads to Sex and Trouble? Enjoy it!
An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication
Sex and Trouble
ISBN 9781419927195
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Sex and Trouble Copyright © 2010 Marilu Mann
Edited by Briana St. James
Cover art by Syneca
Electronic book publication March 2010
The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing.
With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502.
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This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.
SEX AND TROUBLE
Marilu Mann
To all who have lost loved ones and all who have found love.
Trademarks Acknowledgement
The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction: Aerosmith: Rag Doll Merchandising, Inc.
Popsicle: Unilever
Yellow Pages: Telstra
Author Note
I’ve always had a fascination for the work of Shakespeare, and having done some community theater, the usual respect for “the Scottish play”. Opening with three witches and having them appear again to tell MacBeth of his own downfall is one of the most interesting things about the play…and the most misquoted. From the speech of the witches, comes the title of this story. Not really misquoted, but freely borrowed from…instead of “toil and trouble”, I bring you “sex and trouble”. Enjoy!
Marilu Mann
“He comes with the house? How is that possible?”
Mari flicked her hair over one shoulder, glancing from her father’s lawyer in his drab black suit to the silent man standing at his side. It had been an extremely long day and her brain didn’t seem to be processing all the information the attorney had tossed at her. After a phone call from his office two days ago, she had driven from Boise, Idaho to Austin, Texas only to find out her estranged father had died, leaving everything to his children. Since her brother had disappeared almost four years ago, this massive Victorian house along with who-knew-what all inside it belonged to her. The final straw on this god-forsaken day had been the attorney telling her that included the hot guy who had opened the door to her new house.
The non-speaking gorgeous one had intense, very eerie eyes. She couldn’t be sure if they were simply green or shimmering silver over green. In the dim light of the hallway, Mari knew she imagined the flicker of inner fire illuminating eyes that so rudely stared at her. He stood with his arms crossed over his chest. He wore a black t-shirt and jeans but no shoes. The only jewelry she could see was a thick braided silver chain bracelet adorning one wrist. Neither man responded. Maybe the stranger didn’t speak English.
“Hable Norte Americano?” His answering snort startled her. Was he laughing at her?
“The phrase you’re looking for is ‘
habla Ingles’
, and the answer is yes. Along with Italian, German, French, several dialects of Chinese and many other languages. Your father’s will is very clear, is it not? His attorney has told you the terms of ownership of this house, has he not? What part did you not understand? I come with the house. What other explanation do you need?”
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Sex and Trouble
Well who pissed in his cereal? The slightly bored tone carried a hint of an accent that Mari decided must be British. Yeah, he was hot with those weird eyes not to mention his shaggy black hair, but his extremely upright stance convinced her that this manservant, butler, housekeeper, whatever-the-hell-he-was, definitely had a stick shoved way up his butt. Who, exactly did this schmuck think he was? Time to introduce him to the way things were done in her world.
“Look, asshole, this isn’t the eighteenth century and people aren’t indentured anymore. I’d like to know,” she punctuated the next word with a sharp scoff, “exactly what your function in this house is and what your relationship was with my deceased father. Is that too much to ask?”
“Miss Greenlea, Rosier’s function in the house is best explained by the video instructions your father left. If you would follow me to the library?” The stodgy lawyer waved toward the room at the end of the hall then turned to the guy with the weird eyes. “Rosier, Miss Greenlea and I will be having tea in the library.”
“Get it yourself, you right old sot. I’m no one’s butler.” With that, the stranger turned and took the stairs two at a time up to the second floor. He didn’t look back.
That was probably a good thing or he’d have seen Mari staring at his butt. Stick or no stick, it was a very nice butt. Shaking her head, she followed Mr. Burns into the library.
As a child, this had been her favorite room in this house. She’d loved sprawling on the rug by the fireplace while her father studied some obscure text at his massive desk.
A sharp pain lanced through her. Though she hadn’t seen or heard from her father in nearly twenty years, she still felt a pang at the thought that she’d never be able to see or talk to him again.
Anger kept pace with the sorrow. Her father should have made more of an effort to be a part of her life. His indifference to her attempts to contact him when she’d turned eighteen still stung.
Taking a deep breath, she entered the familiar room to see that not much had changed. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves covered two walls while two windows flanked 7
Marilu Mann
the fireplace, both with cushioned window seats at their base. The fieldstone-fronted fireplace, the big oak desk, some chairs grouped around the fireplace and more in front of the desk with her father’s favorite chair still behind the desk. There was a globe in an antique stand to one side of the desk and an old cabinet on the other side. She’d never seen that cabinet unlocked, so it surprised her to find the doors flung wide.
Before she could explore further, the lawyer cleared his throat. “If you’ll come over here, Miss Greenlea? We’ve taken the liberty of setting up a television here so you can watch the video your father left. His instructions were that I leave you alone in the room, so I will be waiting in the hallway.” With a slight nod her way, Mr. Burns left.
Mari moved toward the indicated area and saw a remote resting in the chair in front of the TV. Sighing, she picked up the control before settling in the chair. She’d had no contact with her father at all since her mother had moved them all away. To come back to this house just because her father had died seemed weird. It wasn’t that she hadn’t tried to keep in touch, but her father hadn’t seemed to be interested in either of his children and certainly he’d had no interest in their mother. Even though her mother had remained single, her father had never contacted any of them.
It seemed that only her father’s death could bring her back to this house. He hadn’t tried to get in touch when her brother had gone missing almost four years ago. Nor had he done anything—not even sending a card—when her mother had died two years ago.
Why hadn’t he gotten in touch with her before now? Why did it have to be his death that brought her back to this house? Angry again, Mari hit the button to start the video.
Figured her father hadn’t even come into the current age to leave her a DVD instead of a damn video. She focused on the minor irritation so she could ignore the tears that threatened. Now that both parents were dead and her brother had disappeared, she was totally alone.
A blank screen greeted her and then her father appeared sitting behind his desk.
Mari blinked rapidly to battle the tears threatening to ruin her carefully applied makeup. In her memory, her father had been frozen in time. Yet seeing him now with 8
Sex and Trouble
salt and pepper hair that seemed wispier than she remembered hurt. He stared straight into the camera and didn’t smile. Her father had always met her and her brother with a smile, even when they interrupted him with guests.
“You must listen carefully. I can only say this once. Marielle, my love, I know this is a shock to you. Especially since if you’re watching this, I’m dead. I have to tell you that I never stopped caring about you or your brother, but your mother and I had an agreement. She would allow you and your brother to come to me when you were adults if I wouldn’t interfere with your youth and allow you to have what she termed a
‘normal’ childhood. I wanted to begin your training once you reached puberty, but she threatened to take the two of you away permanently and to completely cut me off from you if I attempted to contact you before you reached adulthood. I’m sorry for not getting in touch with you sooner, Marielle, but the time just never seemed to be right.
The last time you wrote to me, you were still in school. I didn’t want to interfere with your studies in any way.” Her father stopped and rubbed his head, then stared back at the camera.
“So, here we are. You’re an adult. Marcus, my only son is missing, maybe dead.
Your mother has died and now I’m gone as well. This house and everything it contains are yours. I hope you will consent to live here. There are things you must know, Marielle, things you must know about the house and your heritage. First, you must understand that you come from a long line of witches. From before recorded history, my family has produced many generations of powerful witches. Your psychic abilities come from my side of the family, as do the other powers you will manifest as you learn more about our family. And yes, I mean magick, Mari. Magic with a k.”