POV: Sofia

Finally… Liv is rising up to the challenge and standing up to me, just like I’ve always wanted. I lean back in my chair, letting that thought settle in my chest, slow and warm, like the first sip of expensive wine. For once, she didn’t shrink. For once, she looked at me like I was something to fight, not something to fear. And I love it.

I have always hated how boring she is. Always quiet, always careful, always acting like she is better than everyone just because she reads books and keeps to herself. It irritates me. It always has. The way she avoids conflict, the way...