The sight of the pompous heir in his office soured Marcus' mood immediately.
"Jurian," he welcomed, his tone polite. "I wasn't expecting you so soon."
The other man rose to greet him, a grim expression on his face. "Neither did I." He sighed and ran a hand through already disheveled black hair. "However, circumstances have pushed me to seek you out again." Marcus noticed that there were dark bags under Jurian's eyes, his suit rumpled like it had been slept in.
Marcus frowned. "What circumstances?" Jurian gestured to a brown box sitting on his desk. He assumed that Rivington had brought, as it hadn't been there when he left.
Sitting in his chair, he pulled the box towards him and lifted the lid. He raised an eyebrow at Jurian when he saw the letters inside. "What is this?"
Jurian leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs. "These are letters that I have reason to believe have been forged to disguise the true circumstances surrounding Magnolia's disappearance."
Marcus could already feel the tension headache forming behind his eyes. So far, his investigation had turned up two possibilities.
One – Jurian was absolutely the raving lunatic that he had originally assumed he was, seeing ghosts where there were none and the strange information from the dockmaster was meaningless.
Two – Jurian was absolutely right, Magnolia had been a victim of foul play, and there was a strong possibility that Silco was involved in some way.
Forged letters? That was not something he could dismiss as the delusions of a mad man. "What leads you to believe that these letters are forged?" he asked. Unfolding one, he perused it, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. But when his eyes reached the bottom, his stomach gave an unpleasant jump at the single cursive "S" the author had signed off with. It couldn't be…
Jurian was on him like a hawk. "What was that? You saw something, didn't you?" The younger man almost trembled as he stared at Marcus with a frightening intensity.
Marcus realized belatedly that his surprise had bled onto his face and schooled his expression back to neutrality. "Mr. Rivington, I fear you have slept too little and spent too much time obsessing over this. You seem to have begun truly hallucinating."
Jurian scowled. "It is your job to investigate crimes. I have brought you evidence of a crime," he growled. "Now do your job and investigate. Don't expect to see another coin from me without at least some sort of progress."
Marcus rolled his eyes. "I've yet to see anything but a stack of love letters, further proving that Ms. Vanderport took off with her lover on the eve of your wedding. There is nothing here to investigate."
The younger man shot out of his chair and began to pace. The Sherriff listened patiently as he rambled about dates and his journal and things not adding up. Despite himself, Marcus had to admit that if what Jurian was saying was accurate, this was rather compelling evidence. But he couldn't let the other man know that, of course, lest the fool get them both killed sniffing around where his nose didn't belong.
He halted the tirade with a raised hand. "Thank you, Jurian. You've given me lots to work with," he assured. Jurian regarded him with a narrowed gaze. "However, a proper investigation will take time." The other man made as if to argue, so Marcus raised his hand again to interrupt him. "Although I will make this my top most priority."
Jurian didn't look entirely convinced but didn't press the issue. "Thank you, Sherriff," he said tensely, gathering up his jacket to leave. Marcus only nodded as he watched him go, thoughts swirling in his head.
He'd bought himself time, but Jurian would not be kept away for long. There was only one option for him now.
He had to talk to Silco and pray that it brought him a solution and not a premature funeral.
The smoke had almost all cleared by the time Sevika appeared in the kitchen doorway.
"What the hell is going on down here?" she barked at Magnolia. The younger woman looked up sheepishly.
"I'm making cookies," she replied quietly. Sevika threw her an incredulous look, cranking open another window to air out the kitchen.
Magnolia was not a good baker. She knew this. And yet she still wanted to try. The tray of burnt to coal chunks behind her proved that maybe she needed to try other hobbies.
Huffing, she began the long process of scraping burnt cookie off the sheet. Sevika checked out the mess over her shoulder. "Why the sudden attempt at arson?" she asked. Magnolia elbowed her in the ribs at the dig, making the other woman chuckle and dance out of range.
"It's a good skill for a woman of good breeding," she griped. "Every house has its role to play in Piltover. The Vanderports uphold traditions."
Sevika looked unimpressed. "That friend of yours – she a woman of good breeding too, upholding the noble tradition of stealing your fiancé?"
Magnolia frowned, not appreciating the jokes that struck a little too close to fresh wounds. "Corrine is complicated." It hurt to think about her.
The older woman snorted derisively. "We may not have a lot good breeding down here, but we do understand loyalty." Magnolia scowled at her, crossing her arms over her chest.
"There are plenty of loyal people in Piltover."
"Oh yeah? Then why has no one come for you yet?" The words were like a slap to the face, making her flinch. "If there's one thing I know for damn well, it's that we look after our own."
The truth tasted bitter in her mouth and there was nothing Magnolia could say in rebuttal. Why hadn't anyone come looking for her? She'd been out plenty and not a single enforcer had so much as blinked an eye at her. Clearly, there were no alarm bells going off Topside.
"I don't know what kinda deal you got worked out with Silco, but I do know you're better off down here," Sevika continued. "All being a good little Piltie ever got you is a backstabbing."
Magnolia shot her a glare. "I had plenty of good things in my life before you lot got involved."
"Oh yeah? Name one," she challenged.
Feeling childlishly stubborn, Magnolia didn't back down. "I was engaged."
"Arranged and loveless, doesn't count."
"I was heiress to a wealthy house."
"Gilded cage is still a cage. Try again."
"I had plenty of friends who loved me."
Sevika rolled her eyes. "We've already established that you have shit taste in friends."
"I had…hobbies, passions. I did charity work." She sounded pathetic even to her own ears at this point, truly scraping the bottom of the barrel.
Seeing her put out expression, Sevika's tone softened. "I have all those things too, sweet cheeks. Difference is, I do what I do because I want to, not because some tradition or uptight relative or prick council decided I should."
Magnolia had no rebuttal for that. "Loosen up a little, sweet cheeks. Might find something real to live for." With that, she gave Magnolia a rib breaking pat on the back and disappeared through the kitchen door.
Magnolia watched the door long after Sevika left, feeling completely discombobulated. She'd been fine. Completely fine in her life. She could be fine again. Content. Nothing had changed. She just needed to wait out her deal with Silco and everything would be fine again.
Tossing the wrecked tray down angrily, she scrubbed her hands through her hair.
Why did fine not feel like enough anymore?
Cursing Sevika and her wicked words, Magnolia decided she needed a distraction. Luckily, she was just one floor away from someone who was perfect for the job.
It had been a long day. Long enough that Silco's shoulders cramped and the whiskey just wasn't taking off the edge like he needed it to.
His head shot up irritably at the knock on his door. "What?" he barked.
Without hesitation, Magnolia slipped in with a sly look on her face. She shut the door and leaned against it, biting her lip. Silco gave her an annoyed look. "Did you need something?"
She nodded, but didn't elaborate, instead flipping the deadbolt and sauntering over to him with a mischievous look in her eye. Silco pinched the bridge of his nose. "If you're drunk, I do not have the patience to deal with you right now."
Magnolia giggled and shook her head. "Stone cold sober," she reassured him. She wound her way to his side, but he refused to turn his chair to face her, keeping his elbows planted on his desk.
"I'm busy," he grumbled. It would've sent anyone else scrambling out of his office, but the little blonde just leaned a hip against the desk, cocking her head.
"You look tense," she mused running a hand from his wrist up to his shoulder, the soft touch making him shiver. That same hand pressed into the tight knot of tension there, kneading it with just enough force to make him groan despite himself. He was wound tighter than a coil today.
"It has been a trying day." While he was distracted, Magnolia used her other hand to pull the chair from beneath his desk and turn it to face her. Silco threw her a dangerous look, warning her with his eyes that she was toeing a line. He had limits, even with her.
She leaned over him, planting her hands on the arm rests. "Maybe I can help with that?" She bit her lip again, drawing his gaze, and lowered her lashes. It immediately had an effect on him, his cock twitching to life in his slacks, with thoughts of what she seemed to be implying. Damn this infernal woman and the hold she had on him.
"And how, exactly, do you propose to do that?" he asked, his tone coming out rougher than he intended.
With no further warning, Magnolia dropped to her knees and Silco swore his heart stopped beating. "By trying something I've never tried before," she murmured, voice rolling over him like a caress. Her hands travelled from the arm rests to his thighs, fingers feather light as she traced down to his knees, before grasping them and shoving his legs apart. Silco jolted, surprised by her assertiveness but not entirely opposed to it.
Especially not when she scooted forward, the warmth of her torso pressing against the insides of his thighs. She reached up a hand and grabbed his tie, pulling him down to press a hungry kiss to his mouth. Both of his hands wound into her hair, taking his fill of her. She moaned into his mouth when he scraped his blunt nails over her scalp, her hand winding up to grab the back of his neck.
Silco's whole body jerked when a bold hand palmed him through his pants, his half hard cock savouring the attention. It wasn't nearly enough contact and he couldn't help it when his hips jerked up to seek out more pressure. He had no idea what had gotten into her but he knew he wanted more of it.
She didn't stop kissing him as she used both hands to undo the buttons of his pants. They both gasped when her warm hand made contact with the bare skin beneath.
Magnolia pulled back just enough to quirk an amused brow at him. "No undergarments? How very naughty of you, Silco."
He grunted and threw himself back in his chair when she fully grasped his cock, giving him an experimental stroke. He peered down to find her staring at his erection in wonder, licking her lips as he hardened further under her ministrations. The sight of her, on her knees between his legs, hair disheveled, and her ravenous gaze on him, almost made this a very short and embarrassing encounter.
She continued to watch herself stroke him and Silco's mouth went dry as she pressed a chaste kiss to the underside of his weeping head. Something clicked in that moment. "Something you've never tried before?"
Magnolia gave him a shy smile and nodded. His balls tightened at the thought that he'd be the first in her prim little Piltie mouth. Fuck.
Returning her attention to him, she leaned in and swiped her tongue across the tip making him grunt. She seemed to like that reaction and watched him as she flattened her tongue and licked the underside from balls to tip. Silco's eyes rolled into the back of his head at the sensation.
"That's a good girl," he murmured, his hands returning to her hair and gently tugging her forward. She followed, easing the head of his cock into her mouth. Silco groaned, using every inch of his self control not to thrust up wildly. "That's it, make me feel good with that delicious mouth."
Magnolia moaned at his encouragement and began bobbing her head, taking more and more of his length each time. "Yes, yes, my lovely, just like that," he panted, trembling at the sight of her between his legs. He couldn't help the desperate little twitches of his hips upward, wanting so badly to shove himself down her throat.
She pulled off with a pop, taking a moment to catch her breath as she continued to pump him with her hand. "I want to make you feel as good as you made me feel," she whispered, her pupils blown wide. Silco caressed down the side of her flushed face and pressed his thumb against her plush bottom lip. She pulled the finger into her mouth, giving him a teasing suck that made his cock jump.
Grinning, she pushed his hand away and got back to her task. This time she didn't hesitate to take him as deep as she could, stroking the rest with her hand. She set a pace that had Silco panting and cursing, praising her, begging her not to stop. The warm, wet heat of her mouth wound that delicious heat in his belly tighter and tighter, excruciatingly divine.
As he felt his climax barrelling towards him, pooling like a hot heat at the base of his spine, he tugged her hair to pull her off. "I'm close baby," he ground out.
She pushed away his hands and instead looked up to catch his eye as she picked up her pace to send him over the edge. And fuck if that wasn't the hottest thing she could've done.
His body arched up and out of his chair as he came, a guttural groan tearing out of his chest. Every nerve felt like a livewire, his vision going white as she took everything he gave her. It felt like it went on forever, leaving him a boneless, wreck of a man.
Blearily he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Magnolia so she could dab at the little bit that had spilled down her chin. She sat back on her heels with a satisfied little smile on her face. Setting the soiled cloth on his desk, she rose and pressed a kiss to his forehead. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her into him. She looked down at him with a quirked brow.
He used his other hand to tuck himself back into his pants and button up and then motioned for her to sit in her lap. Looking surprised, she gingerly perched across his legs, hooking her knees over the armrest. He supported her back with one hand, running his knuckles up and down her spine, while the other settled possessively on her hip.
"That was…" Silco considered his words carefully. "..very welcome, but a little out of character," he remarked.
She gave him a shy look from under her lashes and idly played with his tie. "I was feeling a little out of character, I suppose." Silco hummed in acknowledgment.
"What happened?" He continued to rub circles into her back, savouring the way it made her melt into him.
"Sevika said something that made me…" She hesitated, looking for the right word. "Reconsider things."
Silco rumbled a laugh. "I should give Sevika a fat bonus if this is what her talks get me." Magnolia playfully slapped his chest in response and tried to hide her smile.
"Don't be crass," she chastised, not sounding at all put off. Silco chuckled, still basking in the afterglow of his orgasm and the playful ease of the moment.
Using a finger to lift her chin, he met her gaze. "What was it that needed reconsidering?"
Magnolia huffed a humourless laugh. "My duty, my purpose, my, my-my everything." She rubbed her face with her hands, massaging her temples. "It's just been a lot to process. I needed a distraction."
He wanted to push, to prod her in the direction that Sevika had already started but held back. She was fragile right now and any effort to influence her could end up back firing and costing him her trust. Instead, he decided on something more fun.
She yelped when he picked her up and deposited her on his desk, pressing her down with the weight of his body.
"Then please, allow me to distract you," he murmured into her ear, fingers already sneaking their way in between her legs.
And then he fulfilled his promise with his mouth between her legs until there was nothing else she could possibly think of.
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Author's Note: Woof. I can't make eye contact with y'all right now lol.
Crammed in a little plot, a little existential crisis, and a little spice. Also aftercare. Lots of snuggly aftercare.
Next one is gonna be a biggie chapter, so we'll see when I get it done! Let me know what you think so far. I love, love, love to hear your thoughts and predictions! :D