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"Spit it out" She snapped
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"There was 58 families who owed that man debt and such, he was trying to break me, and he started talking about how he was going to get paid or kill them." I started, wincing as I shifted. "Then he started saying he was only going to kill the father's and leave the wife and kids alone, I couldn't let him do that." I looked over at Malakai, brows furrowing slightly before I shook my head. "I told him to take it out on me, everything he wanted to do to them. One lash for each family, and countless other things that happened to me instead of innocents." I sighed softly. "He was a man who was angry all the time, just boiled up unrelenting anger. And where did he put it? On me, because I agreed to it."
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"Gale...I can't be mad at you for it but....why?" She asked softly
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"I couldn't let myself not do anything, I kept imagining Kai and you alone, and how he'd have to grow up without a father, and you'd have to take care of him without a husband. I saw Caston and Jace, sick, and unable to get medicine because their mother couldn't afford it, all because I was dead." I sighed, unable to help the tear slip past my eye and down my cheek, dripping onto the cot. "I couldn't let them all die, I couldn't let myself." I whispered, throat tightening before I cleared it, dragging the back of my hand across my cheek.
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She gently leaned forward, kissed his cheek, and set Malakai beside gale far enough away to not bother any wounds but close enough for gale to feel malakai's warmth. "I love you"
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"I love you too," I choked, huffing a laugh as I dragged the back of my hand across my face, drying it. "Sorry, i don't even know why i'm crying. Hard topic, I guess."
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"They were my sons, Caston and Jace. Got a girl pregnant at 14, realized I did, and kindve just stuck with her. Caston and Jace were twins, but then they got sick and died, along with their mother." I sighed
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"That's why I'm so protective over Malakai, I don't want to lose a fourth son." I whispered
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