Page 53 of Fair Trade

I need to set better boundaries around Nick, and I need him to be on board, because my pitiful willpower can only take so much.

“I don’t think I want to know what’s running through that head of yours, Angel,” he whispers softly.

I squeeze my eyes shut and push down my desire to hear him call me Angel while tangled up in bed.

“Nick—”

“I’m sorry, I—wait. Did you just call me Nick?” he asks cautiously.

“That is your name, is it not?”

“You never call me Nick.” He eyes me warily.

“This,” I point between the two of us, “is a dysfunctional—yet enjoyable, at times—workingrelationship. That’s something we both seem to forget every now and then. But this merry-go-round stops here. It’s safer to keep things professional. At least as professional as you and I are capable of being.”

His hand rubs against his clenched jaw. “I know it was fucked what I did, letting you believe—”

“Yes, it was. But it doesn’t matter. We’re both here for the same reason, and that’s to make this the best team the MLB has ever seen. And I personally can’t do that when I don’t know what version of mybossI’m going to get.”

I stand and grab hold of Delilah’s leash, bringing it up and placing it in Nick’s hand. His brief touch has me taking a step back and playing off how affected I am by the brush of his fingers.

He chuckles darkly as he shakes his head. “Of course. As you wish, Luisa.” All traces of vulnerability are locked up tightly behind his impeccable suit when he hits me with that arrogant smirk. “Business as usual is what you can expect from me.” He pulls on Delilah’s leash softly, and this time, she goes with him without any protest.

It’s ridiculous how sad that makes me.

“Enjoy working from home this week, but when we get back, I need a full analysis of the state of our players and any trades you have in mind. Because make no mistake, Luisa, I expect this team to make it all the way to the World Series, and I’m counting on you to make that happen.”

I match his smirk and meet his arrogance head-on.

Now this is a version of Nick I can handle. There is nothing I love more than cutting a man at his knees and proving what I’m made of.

I give Delilah a little wave as I grab my bag and phone and meet Nick by my open door.

“As you wish, boss.”

twenty-four

That little brat.

She has managed to do exactly as I asked, helping craft the perfect team as we head into the playoffs.

She’s also managed to keep me at arm’s length for the past few weeks, which I can respect, since one of us should possess some semblance of self-control.

Time is flying, and we’re only a few games away from qualifying for the World Series. Everything is going according to plan.

And yet, last night, I almost caved.

The whole team, along with their family and friends, were celebrating after we hosted a charity game for hurricane relief in the Caribbean.

I saw all the players pair up with their women, and I somehow found myself holding up two glasses of scotch from my personal stash in my office and was on my way to hand one to Luisa.

I ran into Mateo Martinez, our starting pitcher, on my way to her. I tried to keep up a friendly conversation, but my eyes keptdrifting to my Angel, who was ripping up the dance floor with my sister and the rest of their newly formed girl gang.

It was then that Mateo realized who I couldn’t keep my eyes off.

I’ve always kept my cards close to the vest. It’s helped tremendously in building my empire. Steering my competitors in the wrong direction, never allowing them to predict my next power move.

But when it comes to Luisa, those carefully honed skills are long gone.