Chloe had never been so livid in her life. Her boyfriend was blackmailing her with nude photos to help him steal things from a department store. What kind of a sick relationship was she in? How could she get out?
“What can I do to get you to take down those pictures of me and delete them from your phone?”
Eloy cocked his head to the side and looked up at the ceiling, then leveled his gaze at hers. “Um, nothing.”
Her face flushed not only with embarrassment, but also with rage. Glancing around the room for something to throw at him, she realized the futility of that action. Calm down because you’re going to have to play along…at least for a while.
“What do I get for my part in this crime?”
“You can be my girlfriend.”
She had to force herself not to roll her eyes.
“Listen, babe. Whatever is good for me is good for you. We’re partners.”
Yeah. Partners in crime.
“You’ll benefit from the jobs we do,” he said.
“How? I get a cut of the profits?”
He laughed at her. “No.”
Never before had she felt so stupid or so used. Usually, when dealing with guys, she was the one calling the shots. This turn of events was maddening.
He continued. “You won’t get money, but I can buy you sexy little dresses for the times I take you to the clubs. You’ll be my main girl, and we’ll order bottle service and dance till we drop.”
Chloe forced herself to smile, when inside she wanted to puke.
“Well, I should go,” she said.
Eloy shook his head. “Not quite yet. I need to tell you what I want you to do.”
“What more do I need to do besides go to Flair and check out expensive items?”
“I’d like you to take a friend. It would seem more natural. Be sure to look for high-dollar merch, and don’t be afraid to take photos so my people will know what they’re supposed to boost. But…don’t take too many pics. You’ll draw the attention of the store cops.”
“Okay. Anything else?”
He looked uncomfortable. “You might want to consider removing the license plates on your car or smearing them with mud.”
She gasped. “Why? We’re just going shopping.”
“Because we don’t want the cops to ID you and your friend if anything goes sideways on the day of the operation.”
He hurriedly added, “It’s not likely at all that they’d connect you with an event that occurs after you’ve been in the store…but better safe than sorry. That’s why I’ve been doing this for over two years and never got caught.”
He gave her what he likely thought was a reassuring grin. It wasn’t.
Instead, she wondered how in the hell she could get out of this mess.