Viya's POV
"Practice?"
He looked like I'd slapped him. His voice went cold and sharp. "If I wanted practice, why the hell would I choose you? I could find anyone."
My mind was simultaneously racing and completely blank.
When it came to other situations, I was usually quick. But with emotional matters—especially anything involving Caesar—I apparently lost all sense of direction.
*Practice.* God, where had that even come from?
I looked toward Caesar, but he only showed me his profile.
The elevator chimed. Doors sliding open saved me from having to respond.
Marcus appeared to take my car keys, as usual, to drive my vehicle back to Willowbrook separately.
Once we were in Caesar's car, even Jackson seemed to sense the tension. He raised the privacy partition without
