Viya's POV
I froze at Caesar's question.
Who told me he was acting on a sudden whim? His words hung in the air between us, loaded with unspoken meaning.
I wasn't stupid. I understood perfectly what he was suggesting. If I played nice now—if I showed just enough submission and sweetness—I could briefly return to being his treasured little sister again. He would protect me, just like he had for those nine years.
But then what? When would the next abandonment come? If I gave in now, I'd probably lie awake every night waiting for it, wondering when he'd toss me aside again.
I pressed my lips together and took a step back, deliberately putting distance between us. "You must be joking, Alpha Blackwood."
Great job, Viya. I was probably the only person in New York who dared to
