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“Because I knew there was nothing you could do You kneho Darren’s faotten hies We were nobody’s, while his dad owned half the town I couldn’t take the chance he’d come after Nina”

“I’d have killed his scrawny little ass Then ouldn’t have had to worry about his dad getting hi,” my dad fumes

I look to him I’ve never seen that look in my dad’s eyes before He really looks like he wants to commit murder And I have no doubt he would Even now, years later, I know if given the chance, my dad would hunt Darren down and kill hiht there beside them

“And that would have left us without you,” I tell hiht at the time”

By the clenching of his fists, my answer doesn’t satisfy him

I get up fro aro around his waist

“My baby was being abused,” his voice cracks “And I never knew”

“Dad,” Iin two at the pain in his voice

“For months that shit went on, and for years you’ve been forced to go through what you have alone”

His ar hirip

“I’m so sorry, Daddy”

“Don’t ever apologize, baby What happened to you…” He stops and clears his throat “We should have known so,” he finishes on a whisper

“I didn’t want you to know” I look down at the buttons on his shirt, not able to look into his eyes “And I was so ashamed at what it did to e , I felt so dirty I couldn’t take the chance that any of you would look at me—”

“Stop,” lance up at hi my heart here”

I look to my mom, then to Nina, then back to my dad