Darkest Summer

"Valerie," he whispered, his smile fading as he moved closer to me. "I'm sor-"

I cut him off with a hard slap to his left cheek. "How dare you?" I hissed, delivering another slap in the same spot. "How could you do this to me?" I raised my hand to strike again, but he caught my wrist before I could.

"Think very carefully about your next move," he warned in a low, threatening tone, tightening his grip on my wrist, daring me to slap him again. The pain shot through my arm, and tears pricked at the corners of my eyes.

"Or what?" I scowled at him.