FIRST DATE

DIEGO'S POV

Three days.

Three days of Avani texting me every four hours asking if I'd called him yet.

“Have you reached out?”

“Diego, what are you waiting for?”

“The longer you wait, the less interested he'll be.”

“Please. I need this.”

I stared at Felton's number that I'd gotten from Sienna who'd gotten it from God knows where.

Maybe I should delete it then I'd tell Avani this was insane and I wasn't doing it.

Should—

My phone rang, it was sienna.

"Hey," I answered.

"Diego. Listen. I need to tell you something about Felton D'Angelo."

"What about him?"

"Be careful. He's not—he's not what he seems."

"What does that mean?"

"It means he's dangerous. It means people who get close to him tend to disappear. It means—" She stopped. "Just be careful. Okay?"

"Sienna, what are you talking about?"

"I can't explain but you should trust me. Stay away from him." She hung up, leavinge not only confused but scared at the same time.

Why would Sienna call to warn me about her own boss? Whatever she had said had to be true or else she'd never have called.

I pushed the thought away. Matteo's disappearance had nothing to do with Felton D'Angelo. That was paranoia. That was grief making connections that didn't exist.

My phone buzzed. Avani again.

“Diego please. I'm dying here.

I looked at Felton's number as I thought of Avani’s face and my determination to make her happy.

Before I could stop myself, I dialed before I could stop myself. One ring, Two rings and he answered.

"I was starting to think you'd chickened out."

His voice was exactly like I remembered. "I've been busy," I said.

"Liar. But I like that you tried."

"How do you know I'm lying?"

"Because if you were actually busy, you wouldn't have run out of my club like I was on fire. So, what changed?"

"Maybe I reconsidered."

"Reconsidered what? Hating everything about Sinners or hating everything about me?"

"I don't hate you."

"You barely know me."

"Exactly," I said.

He laughed."Dinner. Tomorrow night. I'll pick you up at seven."

"I didn't agree to dinner."

"You called me. That's enough agreement. Text me your address."

"What if I'm busy tomorrow?"

"You're not."

"You don't know that."

"Diego." The way he said my name made something in my stomach flip. "Text me your address. Wear something nice and don't run away this time." He hung up.

I stared at my phone. What the fuck had I just done?

---

The next evening I stood in Kevin's apartment borrowing clothes because everything I owned looked like I'd bought it at a thrift store.

Which I had.

"This is insane," I said, looking at myself in the mirror.

Black shirt, dark jeans and Kevin's leather jacket that fit perfectly.

"You look hot," Kevin said. "He's going to die."

"That's the goal."

Kevin looked at me. "You don't have to do this. You know that, right? Avani's asking too much."

"She's heartbroken."

"She's using you."

"She's my best friend."

"She's been using you since high school and you know it." I looked at him. Kevin was the only person who knew about my feelings for Avani and the lie I'd been living. About everything.

"What if this time is different?" I said quietly.

"It won't be."

"You don't know that."

"Yeah. I do." He put his hand on my shoulder. "But you're going to do this anyway. So at least try not to get hurt."

My phone buzzed. Text from an unknown number.

“Outside.”

I looked out the window. Black car looked expensive with Felton leaning against it looking like sex and money had a baby.

"Fuck," I said.

"Good luck," Kevin said.

I went downstairs. Felton smiled when he saw me. He opened the passenger door. I got in. The car smelled like leather and his cologne and money. 

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Somewhere you can't afford."

"Charming."

"I'm not trying to be charming. I'm being honest."

"Honesty is overrated."

"Is it?" He glanced at me. "What are you being dishonest about, Diego?"

Everything, I thought. "Nothing."

"Liar."

We pulled up to a restaurant I'd only seen in magazines. Inside was worse. Everyone looked at Felton like he was famous.

We sat and he ordered for both of us without asking.

"I can order for myself," I said.

"You were staring at the menu like it was in another language."

"It is in another language. Half of it's in French."

"Then it's good I ordered." He leaned back. "Tell me about yourself."

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything. Start with why you were at my club looking like you'd rather be anywhere else."

"My friend's girlfriend works there."

"Kevin's girlfriend. Sienna. I know." He smiled. "I also know that's not why you were there."

"Then why was I there?"

"You tell me."

I looked at him. At those blue eyes that saw too much. "I was curious," I shrugged.

"About the club or about me?"

"Both."

"And?"

"And the club is exactly what I thought it would be. You, however—"

"I'm what?"

"Different," I said. "Than I expected."

"Good different or bad different?"

"I haven't decided yet."

He smiled. "Fair enough."

The food came. It was incredible. I tried not to show how good it was but Felton noticed anyway.

"You like it."

"It's fine."

"You're a terrible liar."

"I'm an excellent liar."

"Prove it. Tell me something true."

I looked at him. "What?"

"Tell me one true thing about yourself. Something real. Then I'll tell you if you're actually good at lying or just think you are."

I thought about it. "I've been in love with the same person since I was thirteen," I revealed.

"And?"

"And they don't love me back."

Felton was quiet for a moment. "That's not a lie. That's just sad."

"You asked for the truth."

"I did." He leaned forward. "My turn. I knew who you were before you walked into my club. I know your last name. I know where you work. I know—" He stopped. "I know more than I should. And I don't care."

My heart was pounding. "Why would you know who I am?"

"Because I make it my business to know things. Especially about people who interest me."

"I don't interest you."

"Liar," he said again. "You interest me very much. Which is a problem because I don't usually get interested in people. I fuck them and forget them. But you—" He reached across the table and touched my hand. "You I want to remember."

I pulled my hand back. "I should go."

"We haven't even finished dinner."

"I'm not hungry anymore."

"You're scared."

"I'm not—"

"Diego." He stood,walked around the table and leaned down close enough I could feel his breath. "I'm going to kiss you right now in front of everyone. Unless you tell me no."

"No," I said.

"Liar."

"I said no."

"Your mouth said no. Your body said yes. Which one should I believe?"

I stood, pushed past him and walked to the exit. He followed, catching my arm in the parking lot.

"What are you running from?"

"You."

"Why?"

"Because this is—this is wrong. I shouldn't be here. You shouldn't—I don't—"

He backed me against his car. "You don't what?"

"I don't want this."

"Another lie." His hand cupped my face. "You want this so badly you're shaking. The question is whether you're brave enough to admit it."

"I'm not brave."

"No," he said quietly. "You're terrified of me. Of yourself. Of what it means if you let yourself feel this."

"You don't know what I feel."

"Don't I?" He leaned closer. "I'm going to kiss you now."

"Don't—"

But I turned my head and his lips landed on my cheek.

He laughed. "Playing hard to get. I love a challenge."

"This isn't a game."

"Everything's a game. The question is whether you know the rules."

He drove me home in silence and walked me to my door. "Same time next week?" he asked.

"No."

He smiled. "I'll text you." With that he left and I went inside, sat on my couch shaking and called Avani.

"How did it go?"

"Fine," I said. "It was fine."

"Did he kiss you?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I didn't let him."

"Diego—"

"I need to go. I'll call you tomorrow."

I hung up.

My phone buzzed. “Next time I won't miss it.”

I stared at it, deleted it and went to bed, dreaming about blue eyes and dangerous smiles and the feeling of falling off a cliff.