“Ms. Rogers, life isn’t a novel. Those heirs and heiresses raised in the world of luxury—steeped in intrigue and power struggles since birth—very few of them are simple-minded.” Neil’s expression was sharp, his voice measured. “Brittany, coming from a family like that, probably doesn’t even have much say in her own marriage. Maverick? He’s not even in the same stratosphere as the Jackson family. Brittany must know that.”

It was true. A merger between the ...