The room was spinning, my cheek throbbing in time with my racing heart. I touched my face, my fingers coming away warm.

"You hit me," I said, my voice trembling not with fear, but with a cold, shaking rage.

"You deserved it!" Thomas bellowed, his chest heaving. "And more! You insolent brat! After everything we did for you? We took you in! We fed you! And this is how you repay us?"

"That's enough!" Mom stood up, smoothing her skirt as if someone had just spilled a drink rather than assaulted ...