“I want the latest collection,” he replies.
The woman behind the counter blinks slowly, reminding me of a sleepy cat. “Which one?”
Garret picks up a black leather boot embossed with two interlocking Cs in white.
“All of it,” he says, as if she’s new and doesn’t understand his language yet.
Her eyes widen slightly before flicking to me. “Are you sure?”
Garret tilts his head and nods. “I’m sure. Also, if she touches it, add it. Spare no expense.”
I swallow thickly. Did he just say he doesn’t care how much everything costs? I lean over a nearby display, running my fingers over a small leather bag—one Amy would love. My eyes flick to the price tag.
Fifty-seven hundred. I snatch my hand back like it burned me.
“Do you like this one?” Joan—the store clerk, according to her name tag—immediately lifts the bag, eyes expectant.
I glance between her and Garret, panicked. “I was looking for a friend, but I changed my mind,” I say quickly, hoping to escape the moment.
“Get a new one. Gift wrap it.”
I snap my gaze to him, stunned. Is he serious?
The corner of his mouth lifts in a slow, knowing smirk, and I swear myheart stops beating altogether.
By the time six rolls around, I want to collapse—preferably into the fountain at the center of the promenade. “How much did you spend?”I ask, panting slightly from exhaustion.
Garret laughs like it’s nothing, but I know it isn’t. His arms areloaded with glossy designer bags, thestrings looped around his wrists like bracelets. Every time I offered to carry something, he refused.
“A lot,” he finally says.
“How much is on that card?” I press.
“There isn’t a limit.”
I stop walking. “What?”
I’ve never heard of a card without a limit.Whenever I tried to buy something and miscalculated in my head, my card would decline. “That’s not possible.”
He shrugs, unbothered. “It’s not going to be a problem for you anymore.”
My stomach clenches. He makes it sound so simple—like I’mhis responsibility now. The moment I’ve been dreading all afternoon finally arrives.
I inhale deeply. “How can I pay you back?”
Every store he walked into, he dragged me along. Every luxury brand, every exclusive collection, he bought it all. Shoes. Clothes. Perfume. Handbags. Silk underwear. His SUV is stuffed to the brim, overflowing with shopping bags.
He spares me a glance, then effortlessly shifts the car into drive. “I want you to smile. That’s how can pay me back.”
My insides melt into liquid fire.
A smile. That’s all he wants in return.
I was so sure he was evil, but now… I hope he’s not.
The next day, the hope doesn’t last long.
I see it before I even step onto campus—the flashing red and blue lights, the cluster of news vans parked in disarray, the yellow crime scene tape stretched across the quad. The main entrance is blocked off. Cops won’t let anyone through.