Kael's POV

I could have easily avoided the slap, blocked it, or caught her hand, but I just let it happen, like a fool, like I was telling myself I deserved it.

I raised my eyes to her, grinding my tight jaw, the sting of her small palm beating against my cheek. The slap wasn't supposed to be painful. I have taken worse pain than that without batting an eye, yet this one was extremely painful. It felt like she struck something in me with the slap, something closer to my heart.

But even that ...