(Brad)
My face hurt before I even opened my eyes.
The ache sat deep along my jaw and cheek, heavier than it had been before, like the bruising had settled further overnight. I stayed still for a second, staring at the ceiling while the pressure spread again the moment I moved my mouth. Dorian hadn’t held back when he hit me, and my body was making sure I remembered it.
I pushed myself out of bed and headed straight for the bathroom.
The mirror made the damage look worse than I expected. Dark bruising had spread lower along my cheek now, and the swelling near my jaw pulled tighter when I turned my head slightly. I looked at it for another second before turning away because staring at it wasn’t going to change anything.
What irritated me wasn’t even the punch anymore.
It was everything
