Same/Difference (The Depth of Emotion #4) by D.D. Lorenzo Page A

in the mirror, pleased that the dress I’d chosen showed off my assets and hid my deficits. Running my hands over my curves, I checked to make sure I looked as good in the front as I did in the back. I went to the mirror and popped gloss on my lips and combed my lashes with mascara to a killer length. My hair was super shiny and I pulled it to the side. Falcon commented several times that he liked it like that and the style was easy and sexy for me. My earrings and bracelet sparkled. I couldn’t help but remember the first time Falcon made me feel beautiful.
     
    “…I think I’m looking at one of the most beautiful sights Vegas has to offer.”
    “I’m not going to be able to eat if you keep this up.”
    “Why? Because I think you’re beautiful? I thought most women loved compliments.”
    “I’m not most women.”
     
    Like then, this night promised that he would, again, make me feel like a princess—except that the villain in this fairy tale was hidden beneath my clothes. At least, when this was over, he would remember me as beautiful. For me, that really was a happy ending.
     

     
    A lthough Falcon said he would send Jorge with the car, I insisted that Elizabeth and I would meet him. I used the excuse that I wanted to spend a little girl time with her before we met up with him. He didn’t argue the point with me, but I could tell that he wasn’t happy.
    Men!
    Just as I rounded the corner of elevator, Liz met me in the lobby. We had just stepped outside when I noticed a familiar looking man across the street. It took a minute to focus but as I did I recognized him. Mr. Dietz! He was a real estate attorney from back home that I had done some work with. We helped each other out whenever we could through referrals. We had only met in person a few times because most of our business was either conducted over the phone or via messenger. The last clients we had in common were Manny Vallega and his wife Marisol; the owners of The Vencedor Corporation. What a joke that was! Mr. Dietz and I were hired to liquidate all of the real estate holdings that had been procured in the name of that company. Though clients didn’t need to give us a reason why they chose to unload their properties, we were privy to this one. It was Manny’s contention that his wife had purchased the properties during a severe manic episode of a, then undiagnosed, bipolar disorder.
    I didn’t believe that for a minute.
    I was an expert at living through devious and black-hearted plans, but none could compare to the devastation Marisol schemed to perpetrate in the life of my friend Aria. She nearly killed her but, thank God, she didn’t succeed. She was a piranha, ripping and tearing at my social circle bit by bit, and wasn’t happy unless she left them bleeding. Her psychosis penetrated our lives with her depravity—and Mr. Dietz and I couldn’t wait to be clear of her. I had concluded my part of the liquidation in record time, at Mr. Dietz’s insistence. The whole deal left him preoccupied and nervous. I did as he asked without question, listing every property they owned. Many of them sold well below market value, but Mr. Dietz was grateful for my help nonetheless. He confided that Manny presented him with a Power of Attorney for Marisol and he was very anxious for any remnants of that particular time in her life to be put to rest. He was extremely anxious for her to move forward, saying it was necessary for her to heal.
    I felt bad for Mr. Dietz. Manny and Marisol might have been able to dupe most people with that story but I knew better. Marisol had a morbid and unnatural obsession with Declan. She erroneous believed that Aria stole him from her. Of course, she conveniently left out a few facts, the biggest one being that she was married. She’d kept that little secret to herself, and Declan assured all of us that he never led her to believe anything existed between them. There was never any guessing as to who told the truth.
    I never