THE PLAN

FELTON'S POV

The man's name was David Torres.

He'd been skimming from my casinos for six months. Three hundred thousand dollars. He thought I wouldn't notice.

I noticed everything.

"Mr. D'Angelo," he said, sitting across from me in the warehouse. "I can explain—"

"I'm sure you can. The question is whether I care about your explanation."

"It was a mistake. I'll pay it back. Every cent. Please—"

"David." I leaned forward. "Do you know what I do to people who steal from me?"

"I wasn't stealing. I was borrowing—"

"You were stealing and now you're lying about it which makes this worse."

"Please," David said again. "I have a family. Kids. I need—"

"You needed three hundred thousand dollars? For what?"

"Gambling debts."

"You stole from me to pay gambling debts to someone else." I smiled. "That's almost impressive."

"I'll get you the money—"

"You will but first you're going to do something for me."

His face went pale. "What?"

"You're going to tell me exactly who you owe money to and then you're going to help me collect from them. With interest."

"I can't—"

"You can or Marco breaks your hands and then you really can't work. You can't steal or do anything. So choose."

He chose his life so he gave me three names, Addresses and details.

I nodded to Marco. "Let him go but keep someone on him. If he runs, bring him back without his kneecaps."

David scrambled out. There was no blood tonight but I knew it wouldn't take long before I had to get my hands dirty.

Back at my penthouse……

I picked up my phone, scrolled through my contacts and stopped at Victor then I called.

"How's our project?" he answered.

"Progressing. He's perfect."

"Good, keep him wanting. Keep him confused and when Ashton makes his move, Diego will be exactly where we need him."

"Why are you so interested in Diego Vaughn?”

"Because his brother found things he shouldn't have found and Diego's been looking in the same places. We need to control him before he discovers something that puts all of us at risk."

"You could just kill him." I shrugged. “Makes it easier for us.”

"Where's the fun in that?" Victor laughed. "Besides, this way is more useful. He seduces you. He falls for you and then when the truth comes out, he's too devastated to function. Too destroyed to be credible. Problem solved."

“Okay, whatever it is you want it'll be done.”

“Good.” And he hung up.

Diego Vaughn was going to get hurt badly and I was going to be the one who did it because that was the plan.

My phone was still in my hand.

I opened a new message and started typing before I could stop myself but instead of texting Diego, I did something else.

Arranged deliveries.

First: The art book. Limited edition. Diego had mentioned it once in an interview I'd read. He said it was his dream to own it.

Second: Custom sculpture tools. His initials engraved. Top of the line.

Third: Tickets to a gallery opening he'd never get access to. Then I went to my bathroom, drew a bath and set up my phone before hitting the record.

"Diego," I said, looking at the camera. "I've been thinking about you. About that dinner. About the way you looked at me when you thought I wasn't watching." I paused, then smiled. "You want me. I can see it. You're just too scared to admit it. So I'm going to make this easy for you." I leaned closer to the camera. 

"Next time we meet, I'm not asking permission. I'm taking what I want and what I want is you, all of you. Until you stop lying to yourself about what this is."

I hit send before I could reconsider.

Then I lay back in the water and thought about the fact that I was supposed to be toying with him.

Not actually wanting him.

The plan was simple; seduce him, make him fall then destroy him when the truth came out.

But somewhere between the club and the dinner and watching him run away from something he desperately wanted—

I'd started wanting him too.

Not just his body or the chase, him. The way he looked at the art he made passionately and how he talked about his brother without saying he was looking for him. The way he lied to himself and everyone else about who he was.

I recognized it because I'd been doing the same thing my entire life. Pretending to be someone I wasn't. Performing for my father, for Victor and for everyone who expected me to be the perfect D'Angelo heir.

Diego and I were the same. We were both liars but the only difference was I knew I was lying and he was still pretending he wasn't.