His hand cracked across her face—once. Twice. Thrice. Each slap harder than the last, open-palmed but with the force of a closed fist. The world tilted violently, sound muffling to a high, piercing whine.
Five seconds stretched into eternity—nothing but white noise, ringing, stars exploding behind her eyelids. Her lip split wide, copper flooding her mouth, mixing with the metallic tang of fear.
Cheekbone throbbed, swelling instantly; one eye watered uncontrollably, vision blurring.
"Fucking bitch—" Anderson snarled, words she couldn't fully hear over the roaring in her ears, spit flecking her cheek as he leaned in again, grabbing her jaw with bruising force, forcing her to look at him.
"You think you can hit me? I'll make you beg for mercy, you worthless cunt. We're just getting started." He squeezed harder, nails digging into her skin, drawing pinpricks of blood, while the room erupted in more cruel laughter, the circle closing in tighter, hungry for more.
