Page 68 of Sincerely, Secretary of Doom

The sounds of cars passing by filled Violet’s ears as she stood on the front steps of her house, trying to remember to breathe for a moment. The backs of her hands found her hot cheeks, but it did little to cool them down.

“I don’t know why my aunt said those things,” she said. “I don’t have a boyfriend—not that it’s any of your business, technically. And as if she thoughtyouwere my boyfriend. Horrifying.” She choked the last word out.

Mor studied her from where he stood at the bottom of the stairs. He seemed particularly interested in her flushed cheeks, in how she interlocked her fingers, and how she tapped her toes against the top stair. He sauntered up a step, his height bringing him eye-to-eye with her. “Does thinking about me being your lover frazzle you, Human?” he asked.

The simple words sent Violet’s heart into a new tempo.

Mor cracked a smile, making it clear he was both flattered and was messing with her.

Violet released the breath she was holding. Her hands formed fists at her sides as she shooed away her nerves. “Doesn’t the thought of being my boyfriend frazzleyou, Mor? Even a little?”

Two could play this ridiculous game. Violet slid her hands into his hood and deep into his hair, making Mor flinch. She brought her face to his, their lips just a breath apart. She’d hardly been able to go near him when she was taking her iron, so the touch of her palms against his skin startled her more than she expected.

Mor’s lips peeled apart. His throat bobbed. “Violet,” he rasped in a whisper that sounded like a warning, or a plea, or some sort of pain, and her act faltered, her smile wavering.

She almost tore her hands back, almost said she was sorry for being stupid and unprofessional. But Mor grabbed her wrists before she could pull away. Violet held in a gasp as he came to the top step, pinning her wrists up beside her shoulders against the front door and forcing her to lean back. He brought his face in, and he kissed her.

Hekissedher. Gradually. Deliberately.

Mor dropped her wrists and slid his fingers into her loose hair, shifting her hat off balance and sending it tumbling into the garden. He didn’t take his mouth off hers; he didn’t pull his body away. Violet’s chest pounded as she realized he didn’twantto.

She pulled her mouth off his and rasped out, “Mor.”

His body flexed; his hands went still. It was like he’d gotten lost for a moment and had just come slamming back into himself. He pulled his face back, his silver and brown eyes a brilliant shade of wild as he stared at her. She didn’t know the feeling of being looked at in a way that made her feel so… wanted. Loved, maybe. Needed. Like if she woke up in a forest tomorrow with no name and no memories, he would show up to claim her.

Violet was sure she’d lost her voice. His hands were warm where they were tangled into her hair. He looked back and forth between her eyes and inhaled.

“I…” he stuttered. His mouth formed the start of words he didn’t finish. “Queensbane…”

It didn’t seem real. Violet had to ask herself if this was a dream or a cruel joke. But nothing about the way he was looking at her felt pretend.

“Mor… do you want me as more than a secretary?” She somehow found the voice to ask. Her pulse doubled over as she feared the answer—either way. A second of silence passed by, and her knees threatened to tremble.

Mor dropped his hands and took a wide step back, landing halfway down the stairs. “It’s… complicated.”

Violet trotted down after him. “I’m not complicated. I’m as simple as it gets. If you want me as more than a secretary, you can take my heart, Mor.”

His eyes widened. “Stop, Violet.”

She didn’t know what had come over her, or why she was willing to say such things. She’d guarded her heart fiercely for ten years only to offer to toss it away to him now.

“I’ve been on my own for a long time. I haven’t belonged to anyone. I could belong to you.” She surprised herself again, but it was like once she started, she couldn’t stop. “I don’t want you to keep disappearing from me. I want to know what’s going on inside your head when you look at me like you are right now.”

She reached the bottom stair and Mor grabbed her wrist. He tugged her forward and put a hand over her mouth. “Stop, Violet,” he repeated. “I’m not the one you want this with.” He was far too serious to leave any hope behind.

A well emptied in Violet’s chest, draining out fast. She couldn’t look away from him, couldn’t even blink. Strain blanketed his face along with a flicker of fear that went away when he swallowed and composed himself.

“What you need to understand, Violet, is that Mor is not allowed to love. Everything touched by his heart will be destroyed.”Luc’s words in the alley danced through her mind. She wanted to yell at that redhead fairy right now.

Mor hesitated to remove his hand from her mouth, but when Violet said nothing for several seconds, he dropped his arm back to his side. “Let’s get bubble tea,” he said.

They were back in the wind in a heartbeat. Blurred colours turned sharp, and Violet found herself in front of the bubble tea shop. Cars passed where they stood in the parking lot. She looked around, worried people had seen two beings appear from thin air.

“You really shouldn’t teleport like that in public,” she mumbled at Mor. “You’re going to start rumours.”

Mor dug a hand into his pocket, keeping his gaze down. “I’ll get you anything you like. What kind of tea do you want?” he asked, pulling out a wallet that looked made of wood.

“Mor,” Violet whispered. At his name, Mor stopped fidgeting with his pocket change. He didn’t look up. “You can’t possibly believe that you’re not allowed to love,” Violet said. A coin tumbled from Mor’s hand and rolled down the sidewalk.

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