Thea’s head snapped to the side as Osita’s palm connected with her cheek. The sound was sharp, humiliating, and loud enough to draw attention from people nearby.
She stumbled, her balance giving way for a second, and she bent slightly, one hand instinctively bracing against her thigh to keep herself from falling completely.
The world tilted, not from weakness, but from the shock of how easily he had crossed that line.
For a brief moment, everything went quiet in her head.
Then the pain came, hot and burning, spreading across her cheek and settling deep into her jaw. Her ears rang faintly, but she refused to crouch or cry out.
She straightened slowly, lifting her head inch by inch until she was standing upright again.
“Listen to me,” Osita said, his voice harsh and commanding as he
