Page 11 of Sorcia's Heart
Her bed became a battleground, the space that had once been a haven of comfort now a place of torment.She would lie awake for hours, haunted by the memory of his betrayal, the ache in her chest so sharp it felt like a blade.
She had retreated into herself, her once fierce energy drained, her laughter silenced.Even her magic faltered, her connection to thesphaeradulled by the relentless ache of betrayal gnawing at her soul.She had trusted him, given him her heart, hereverything—and he had shattered it without a second thought.
And now he was back, tearing through the fragile peace she’d fought so hard to rebuild.The memory of his arms around her, of the way her body had responded to his touch, only deepened her fury.How could she have let him in again?How could she have allowed herself even a moment of weakness?
Sorcia clenched her fists as she walked, her nails biting into her palms.She hated herself for still feelinganythingfor him, for still longing for the man who had destroyed her.But more than that, she hated him for making her believe—for one perfect, fleeting moment—that she could feel whole again.
She wouldn’t let it happen again.Shecouldn’tlet it happen.No matter how much her heart ached or how desperately her body betrayed her, she would never let Marcus break her again.
It had taken every ounce of strength Sorcia possessed to claw her way back from the abyss, to pick up the shattered pieces of her life and begin the arduous journey of healing.With the support of her coven and the sheer force of her determination, she had rebuilt herself, brick by painstaking brick, until she’d emerged stronger, more resilient, and more guarded than before.
And now he was back.
“Damn it!”she hissed under her breath, shoving through the glass doors of her building.Her mind raced, her emotions tangled in a storm of frustration, embarrassment, and longing she refused to acknowledge.“I need coffee,” she muttered, turning towards the coffee shop around the corner.The coffee was good—almost as good as the excuse it gave her to take a moment, pull herself together, and fortify herself before facing the other witches at the office.
But she didn’t make it three steps down the sidewalk before she saw him.
Marcus stood a few feet ahead, casually leaning against a lamppost.He held a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and another in his outstretched hand, clearly intended for her.The sight stopped her in her tracks, memories flooding back like a tidal wave.
Mornings like this—happier mornings—when he’d brought her coffee as they walked to her office together.Mornings after nights when he’d held her, made love to her until they were both breathless, and whispered promises against her skin that she’d once believed with her whole heart.
“Cappuccino with skim milk and sugar-free chocolate syrup,” he said, his voice steady but softer than usual, as if he knew she was on the verge of bolting.
Sorcia hesitated, considering rejecting the offering out of sheer stubbornness.But damn him, he’d remembered the chocolate syrup—exactly how she liked it.Her favorite drink.And shehadbeen heading to the coffee shop to order the very same thing.
“Thank you,” she replied stiffly, taking the cup from him.She was careful not to let their fingers touch, the memory of last night still fresh, her body betraying her even now with a warmth that had nothing to do with the coffee.
“You’re welcome.”His voice was gentle, but she could feel his eyes on her, watching her every move, gauging her mood.
She turned sharply, heading back towards her office without waiting for him to follow.“Did you call a meeting?”
“Yes,” he replied simply, falling into step beside her.
They walked in tense silence for a moment, the unspoken weight of last night pressing heavily between them.Finally, Marcus broke the quiet.“Sorcia…”
“What?”she snapped, her fingers tightening around the cup.
“I’m not going to pretend last night didn’t happen,” he said, his tone calm but firm.“And I’m not going to apologize for it, either.”
She stopped abruptly, her head snapping up to meet his gaze.“You should,” she said sharply, her voice trembling with suppressed emotion.“It never should have happened.”
His expression softened, the usual edge of arrogance giving way to something more tender.“You don’t mean that.”
“Yes, I do,” she lied, her green eyes flashing with defiance.“We can’t—I won’t—let it happen again.”
Marcus held her gaze, his own eyes searching hers.“If that’s what you really want,” he said quietly, though the rough challenge in his tone was unmistakable, “then say it.Say you regret it.Say it meant nothing.”
Sorcia opened her mouth, ready to fire back with a cutting retort, but the words wouldn’t come.The truth lodged itself in her throat, refusing to be denied.
Instead, she turned on her heel and strode back towards her office, her pulse racing.“I have a meeting in an hour,” she called over her shoulder, her voice tight.
Marcus didn’t follow immediately.He just stood there for a long moment, watching her walk away.For a moment, she panicked, thinking he was going to leave her.Again.But she breathed a secret sigh of relief when he finally, he moved forward.
“What’s the code?”Marcus asked, his tone casual but curious as they walked side by side.
Every coven leader had a code they sent out to their council members.The code signaled an urgent meeting, and leadership members were expected to drop whatever they were doing to attend.
“Shopping,” Sorcia admitted after a brief pause, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.It wasn’t a major secret—meeting codes rarely were.Other messages carried more sensitive information, but this wasn’t one of them.
