"You were raised by a man so bitter and twisted that there was no room left in his heart for love, Star. The way he raised you, it wasn't right. And every child needs love. Every single one. To be denied that . . . you lashed out. You were angry. You can't scare me with your past. I know you too well. I understand you too well, and do you have any idea how hard it is to hate somebody once you truly understand them."

Was he going to justify my every bad deed? I hadn't even told him what I had done to the kid. For all he...