"Cath, you lied to me."
Mike's remarks struck me more forcefully than any yell could. He spoke in a low, unidentifiable voice that was icy and full of pain that cut through the atmosphere like a razor.
I grabbed the edge of the frame for support as I stood in the doorway of his study. With his back to me, he gazed out the rain-streaked window with stiff shoulders.
I murmured softly, my throat dry, "I didn't lie." "I simply delayed telling you. There is a distinction.
His expression was a whirlwind of incredulity and rage as he turned abruptly. "Avoid making things seem less serious than it actually is. You were aware. You concealed the fact that Mia was my daughter from me. I told you the truth about my own child, but you didn't trust me!
"I wanted to keep you safe!" Desperate, the wo
