Rising from the Ashes (Andrew and Lauren) novel Chapter 1144

Andrew hissed, "This third slap? No reason at all. I just don't like the look of your face and feel like beating you to death. And this fourth one's for your parents—since they clearly failed to raise you, I'll handle it for them."

After the string of brutal slaps, Seth's head was spinning. His ears rang like sirens, and his vision started going black around the edges.

"Andrew… I swear…" he gasped, his voice shaky. "I'll kill you. I'll kill you, you arrogant bastard!"

However, just as he spat out his threat, a blood-curdling scream ripped from his throat—Andrew had suddenly snapped five of his fingers.

"Keep going," Andrew said coldly, his voice like a death sentence.

Seth's mouth bled as he glared up with bloodshot eyes. "You're dead. You're so fucking dead…

"How dare you treat me like this? My family—everyone in the Haywoods—they'll never let this slide!"

His scream pitched into hysteria as Andrew crushed the remaining five fingers on his other hand, rendering both of Seth's hands completely useless.

All ten of his fingers were shattered.

The sight was so horrifying that the rest of the Haywood men stood frozen, faces pale as ash. Some were trembling, and one even pissed himself.

Aspen forgot all about her own fear. She just stared, stunned, as Andrew tore Seth apart like it was nothing.

This version of Andrew was something else entirely—colder, darker, far more terrifying than she had ever imagined.

As she watched Seth's mutilated body twitch on the floor, even her own scalp tingled from the fear crawling down her spine.

"Go on," Andrew said, pressing his hand against Seth's battered face with a cruel smile. "Keep threatening me with the Haywoods. See if I so much as blink."

Seth had no more courage left. All ten of his fingers were gone, and he could not take the pain anymore. He could not even speak properly, let alone throw out more threats.