Chapter 89

• Matthew sat slouched over, his back against the cold concrete wall, the floor underneath him harsh and relentless. His chest hurled with each breath as he worked through the torment of his wounds, clumsily squeezing a cloth against the cut on his cheek. Blood, warm and sticky, streamed from the wound, blending with the sweat trickling down his face. His head throbbed savagely, each pulse beating behind his eyes, reminding him of the blows he’d taken within the fight.
• Haven had continuously been a solid man, but Matthew hadn't expected the sheer constrain behind those clench hands. The sharp tang of press filled his nose as he wiped more blood from his mouth, his fingers shaking, and a wave of uneasiness rolled over him. His stomach churned, but he groaned in pain, attempting to battle it back. He inclined his head against the wall, closing his eyes as the room spun around him. The migraine was intolerable, the discombobulation a steady reminder of the savage contention that had just unfurled.
• As Matthew tried to focus on the errand of tending to his wounds, his thoughts wandered, back to Haven, back to Alexis, back to the minute everything had begun falling separated. He squeezed the cloth harder against his cheek, recoiling at the sting, but he allowed the torment sink in. It filled him from the enthusiastic turmoil that turned inside him, undermining to spill over.