CHAPTER 2
For a second, Michael could not understand what he was seeing.
The silver dog bowl sat on the marble floor beside Lily’s knees.
Food was spilled around it.
Not dog food.
Leftover pasta. Bread crusts. Bits of chicken cut too small and too cold.
Lily’s little hands were curled in her lap as if she had been caught doing something shameful.
Her pale yellow T-shirt was wrinkled under her denim overalls. Her blonde hair hung unevenly around her wet face. The bandage on her forehead looked fresh.
Michael’s chest tightened so hard it hurt.
“Lily,” he whispered.
She looked up.
Her eyes were huge.
Afraid.
Not of him.
Never of him.
That made it worse.
“Daddy…” Her voice broke. “I’m sorry.”
Michael dropped to one knee so fast his hand hit the cabinet.
“No,” he said, reaching for her carefully. “No, baby. Don’t say sorry.”
Vanessa took one step back.
Michael looked at the bowl again.
Then at the crumbs on Lily’s mouth.
May you like
Then at Vanessa.
“What happened?”
