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"You lied to me," I say brokenly "You said you'd neveryou said I was nificent—-"

"You are," he says fiercely "You're nificent—-"

"Stop lying! I won't be your whore again, damn you!"

Just saying the words limpse the look of shock in ht in reality—-

No!

Willia My father is already driving his fist into Raaf's cheek, and the force of it causes Raaf's head to snap to the side

"Father!"

"Stay the hell away frohter!"

I have never even heard my father shout before, but now he's turned into this violent stranger who hauls Raul off th "Father, no—"

Williaain, but Raaf doesn't le move to retaliate

Even as he crashes down to his knees, his gaze is only on me—-

"My biological father raped rew up in a cult I was terrified that these things ht eventually affect me—-" He breaks off as my father hits him particularly hard, and Raaf spits out blood

"Father, stop!"

But neither William nor Raaf listens to me

"I was terrified those things would eventually cause me to hurt you—-"

"How can you believe that," I choke out, "but also think that Gerard and the others are worth saving?"

Raaf doesn't answer right away, his attention focused on avoiding my father's fists

"Father, please—-"

I take a step forward to stand between them, and Raaf looks my way "Don't!"

I've distracted hi to, and I realize too late that I've unintentionally given e "Watch out!"

But Williaround

"Father, please! Enough!"

I cry out again and again, butI know, I've already thrown my body over Raaf—-

But nothing happens

I open s my throat when I see that the violence has disappeared froainst my chest as I slowly peel myself off Raaf A part of , and it's only when I've aze