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

Nonetheless, he played the part of the professional businessman he was. He wouldn’t let some government over trained gorilla eliminate him from the game, but that was neither the time nor place. He was too busy being cordial with everyone else to play. It was the longest damn weekend of his life, and he wasn’t about to let a soldier boy undo his efforts.
    Blake had been taking his time with Paige. He liked her but she was hesitant, keeping him at a distance. It frustrated the hell out of him. He’d behaved like a gentleman because she didn’t seem interested in anything more than a friendship. But she was as attentive to Falcon as motor oil was to a fast car, and he thought he was slick because of it. What she failed to realize was that Blake hadn’t reached this level in the industry by taking no for an answer. Rejection only made him more insistent. He played the good friend to her for more than two years, and he was sick of it! Blake had to work hard to get her attention, and he never had to work to get a woman to like him. As a modeling agent he was privy to more than enough attractive girls. They were willing to do whatever he wanted in order to get the prime shoots. Only two of the women in his stable had been spared, Aimee because Declan always had an eye on her, and Marisol. He learned how to handle her over the years. She was an easy pastime, and now that Manny was around he left her alone. Marisol threatened to tell Manny that they’d had sex a few times. Normally, he wouldn’t have taken the threat to heart, but Manny excused everything she did, instead placing the blame on those connected and making them pay for her transgressions That was a secret the little bitch had kept for years; that Manny was her husband. He had no idea that her drug connection was affiliated with a drug cartel. There were rumors that Manny was the top guy and Blake didn’t want a reason to find out. He made nice with Marisol and, in turn, Manny and he got along. And he needed Marisol. She acted as liaison between him and the other models she knew who wanted some cocaine. She couldn’t get her hands dirty because she was still closely watched, but it worked out to his advantage. The models had what he wanted, and he wanted what they had. They were more than happy to use other forms of currency as payment for their drug habits. He’d been able to use the term blow in a few contexts where they were concerned. It worked out for everyone except that he had to be nice to Marisol because of Manny. It nauseated him.
    He’d been with both of them when he saw Paige come out of her hotel. He quickly devised a plan to use her to make the trip more interesting, and was about to approach her. That was when he saw Falcon exit the car. Anger rose in him like an approaching storm when he saw Paige with him. She looked relaxed. The muscles in his jaw tensed as they drove away. She wasn’t in a league with Blake by any means, but she could do better than Falcon. Bastard!
    Resentment ate at him like a cancer and he obsessed about seeing them all the way back to his hotel. He could win her over and keep an eye on her at the same time. The Aria was a more contemporary, hip hotel and he could convince her to move over there. He could play the nice guy, picking up the tab for her entire stay. Eventually, he would cash in on her gratitude. It wouldn’t take long to win her over. He would even throw in a few gifts and she would feel obligated to thank him. Then he’d collect on the debt with a pound of flesh, literally. He was an expert at getting women on their knees and she was one he’d spent too much time on. Salivating at the idea of knocking the smug attitude out of her, he was appeased. Timing was everything and he would be vigilant to find the perfect opportunity—when she was alone.
    The distinctive click of stilettos on tile warned him of Marisol’s arrival.
    “Are you ready to go to dinner?”
    He glanced behind her and noticed that