NOLAN’S POV

I watched as Anastasia strutted out of the ballroom with the hem of her dress trailing behind her. Even in the dim ballroom light, I could see the smile she was trying so hard to suppress.

She enjoyed messing with Rafael Costa whom she has left me to deal with. Rafael was a messy man, his business dealings were always dirty and filled with risks that were best avoided. He thrived in chaos, and I tolerated him only out of necessity.

"So, Nolan," Rafael started, swirling the whiskey in his glass, "word on the street is that you’ve tightened your shipping routes. That’s bad for business, you know."...