The commotion killed what was left of Marcus's appetite. He set down his fork and looked at me. "Let's go rest for a bit. We'll head to OrbitTech at two."
I nodded and stood, but my eyes drifted back to the woman across the room. The man had hit her again and she was crying out, hunched over and bracing herself like someone who had spent a very long time learning exactly how to take a blow without falling completely apart.
I truly couldn't understand why no one around us was stepping in. Things had gone well past the point where looking away was even a remotely acceptable response.
Then the man grabbed a glass and drew his arm back sharply. The woman threw both hands over her head and curled tightly into herself. She didn't even scream. She just braced and quietly waited for the impact to come.
Something snapped clean through me. "Stop it!"
