by Nathan Allen
Gregor went to reach for Aimee’s hand, but had second thoughts and pulled away. “Well, as someone who’s a bit more experienced than you, I can tell you that it’s okay to be different,” he said. “Your quirks and idiosyncrasies are the things that make you interesting. I know that might be difficult for you to appreciate, but trust me on that. You don’t have to pretend to be anything you’re not. If I could go back in time and give my younger self some advice, it would be to stop worrying about what everyone else thinks and have the confidence to just be yourself.”
A tiny smile appeared on Aimee’s face. Gregor noticed that one of her front teeth, her left lateral incisor, was slightly crooked. It was the kind of imperfection that only seemed to make her more perfect.
“It’s good to finally have someone to talk to about this stuff,” she said.
Gregor smiled back. He caught himself staring a little too long. Aimee looked away and giggled nervously.
“Sorry,” he said. “I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable. It’s just that you’re ... well, you’re really beautiful. I hope it’s okay for me to say that.”
“Oh, shut up,” Aimee laughed. “I know you’re only saying that to be nice.”
“No, really. You’re, like, phenomenally jaw-droppingly stunning. Surely I’m not the first guy who’s ever told you that?”
Aimee’s eyes met Gregor’s. “Do you really mean that?”
“Of course I do.”
“No one has ever said anything like that before.” She looked away, then back to Gregor. “I keep waiting for the punchline.”
“No punchline,” he said, moving his hand to her cheek. “Just calling it as I see it.”
He leaned in to kiss her. Aimee didn’t move forward, but she didn’t recoil either. She just allowed it to happen.
A euphoric sensation shot through Gregor’s body the instant their lips met. It was a rush unlike anything he had ever experienced. The illicit nature of their union only amplified the thrill. Forbidden fruit was always the sweetest.
As much as he wanted to enjoy the moment as it was happening, he couldn’t stop his brain from convulsing as he tried to figure out where this was all going to lead. If he was to pursue this he would have to exercise extreme caution. Waiting for Aimee would be tough, but she would be worth it. His patience would ultimately be rewarded. They could still see each other, but they would have to sneak around until she was older. Even when she was legal people would no doubt pass judgment due to their age gap, but that was of no real concern to him. Anyone who sticks their nose into anyone else’s business was just jealous, and probably living miserable lives of their own. Some people hated to see others happy. Besides, he still felt young, even if his biological age presented evidence to the contrary. He was healthy, he took good care of himself, and most people were surprised when they discovered he was four months shy of his thirty-ninth birthday. He related more to younger people than to anyone in his own age bracket. They had a similar energy, the same desire to live in the moment and not think too much about tomorrow. Like them, he was someone who preferred to seek out new experiences rather than wallowing in the nostalgia of yesteryear.
He could be a positive influence on her. He could provide her with the kinds of opportunities she might not otherwise have, and he could give her the love and support missing from her life. He could stop her from making any more bad decisions and help her reach her full potential. Ultimately, he was doing a good thing by coming here tonight. He was saving her.
His hand moved across to her knee. Aimee did nothing to indicate this was something she did not want.
In the back of his mind he knew what he was doing was technically wrong. He knew his actions would have far-reaching consequences if he was caught. But the way he felt at that moment, he was beyond caring. This was a risk worth taking. When it came to matters of the heart, sometimes you just had to disregard what society dictated and do what felt right.
The car’s doors opened behind him, and their moment together was shattered.
Gregor broke away from Aimee in time to see two shadowy figures climb into the back of his Lexus.
“Don’t turn around,” a voice ordered. “Keep looking straight ahead.”
“Who ... what are you doing?” Gregor spluttered.
“We’re Aimee’s brothers,” one of them said.
Gregor caught a quick glimpse in the rear view mirror. He saw no more than a dark outline. “But how did you–”
“No talking,” the other said. Both doors slammed shut. “Just start the car and drive.”
Gregor’s heart kicked harder and harder the further he drove. His palms were wrapped white-knuckle tight around the steering wheel like he was holding on for dear life. Patches of sweat dampened his clothes. The worst part was the silence. Other than to dictate directions – take a left here, go straight ahead there – not a single word had been spoken since the two strangers had climbed into his car.
The bilious taste of nervousness filled his mouth. He felt a suffocating tightness pressing against his chest. His mind went into overdrive as he searched for a way out of such a hopeless situation. The thought of planting his foot to the floor and not caring about the consequences crossed his mind more than once.
One of the brothers, the one sitting directly behind him, leaned forward. “Pull over next to that no parking sign,” he said. Gregor did as he was told.
The engine was shut off, and the four sat in darkness. An unbearably loud silence followed.
A wave of heat rose from the pit of Gregor’s stomach, burning up his face. He wasn’t sure if they were waiting for him to speak, or if they were deliberately and sadistically prolonging his suffering.
The interior light came on. Gregor’s eyes moved to the rear view mirror. He saw the two strangers in the back seat. Young men, probably in their early twenties.
“My name is Travis,” the older and more talkative of the two said. “My brother’s name is Blair. Before we go any further, I just want to put you at ease over a few things. First of all, none of us are armed. We’re not here to cause you any harm, just so long as you don’t try anything. We also want you to know that we are not holding you against your will. If you want us to leave at any point you only have to ask.”
Gregor was thrown by the relaxed and conversational nature of how this guy spoke. He came across as almost genial. He wasn’t sure if this comforted him, or if it made the situation appear even more threatening.
“And we will be one hundred percent upfront and honest with you,” Travis continued. “That’s the only way this can work. We’ve told you who we are. We’re not hiding our faces, and we’re using our real names. All we ask in return is that you be honest with us.”
Gregor gave a slight nod to indicate that he understood.
“Great. Now that the formalities have been taken care of, let me explain the situation as it presently stands.” Travis’s tone had turned businesslike. Gregor got the impression this wasn’t the first time he had done this. “We have the transcript of a Tinder conversation where you agree to meet up with a girl you know to be underage. We also have video and audio recordings of this meeting. Aimee has recorded everything on her phone, and Blair and I were filming from across the road. In our possession is enough evidence to destroy your life as you know it. Right now you are standing at a crossroad, and what happens in the next ten minutes will affect the rest of your life. Whether that is for better or for worse is entirely up to you.”
“I ... I just want you to know ... I’ve never done anything like this before.” Gregor’s words came out in a croak, his throat unexpectedly parched. He forced himself to swallow. “I promise it will never happen–”
“Please, Gregor,” Travis interrupted. “Let me finish. We don’t want this to go on any longer than it has to.”
“It’s just that I’m under a lot of stress. A lot of stress. You have no idea what I’ve been through. I’m having financial difficulties. I’m in a lot of debt. I
was drinking too much. And I’m lonely.” His voice dropped several decibels. He sounded on the verge of tears. “I don’t have anyone in my life. And then out of nowhere I meet this beautiful girl who, for some inexplicable reason, appears to show an interest in me. Nothing like that has ever happened before, and I didn’t know how to handle it. I just wasn’t thinking straight.”
A comforting hand landed on Gregor’s shoulder. “You don’t have anything to worry about,” Travis said. “Do the right thing by us and this will all be behind you soon enough.”
Gregor was silent for a moment. “I know it looks bad, but I haven’t done anything wrong,” he said. “Not yet. I haven’t broken any laws.”
The other brother, Blair, spoke up for the first time. “Well, you did arrange to meet our fifteen year old sister for what we can only assume were impure reasons.”
“But ... it was her idea to meet up. She wanted to do it. All I did was agree to it.”
“Come on, Gregor,” Travis said. “That excuse isn’t going to cut it. Blaming the girl when you’re caught grooming a minor is like blaming your hand when you’re caught masturbating.”
“It wasn’t anything like that, I promise. She just seemed like someone who could use a friend.”
“You know your behavior was inappropriate. I think we all know what you were hoping for when you turned up tonight.”
“Hey, you know what?” Gregor turned around to face the back seat. “This is entrapment. Call the police if you want, but the charges will never stick. The case will be thrown out before it even makes it to trial.”
“You’re probably right,” Travis said with a shrug. “But you won’t be tried in a court of law. Your trial will take place in the court of public opinion.”
Gregor looked across to Aimee, who had been mute ever since her brothers gatecrashed their party. Her gaze was fixed straight ahead. She appeared almost as uncomfortable about this whole saga as he was. He wondered how complicit she was in all of this. Was she a willing participant, or had they pressured her into doing it? It was hard to tell.
“This is what’s likely to happen,” Travis said. “Once this becomes public, you will lose your job. And I’m guessing it’s a job that pays well, if this car of yours is anything to go by. Not having a job means you won’t be able to keep up your mortgage repayments, and your house will be next to go. You’ll learn who your real friends are – or more to the point, you’ll learn that most of your friends weren’t really friends in the first place, once they stop speaking to you and start gossiping behind your back. A few family members may stick by you, but you’ll always be thought of as that creepy uncle. The one everyone knows not to leave the children alone with. Your life as you know it will be over, all thanks to this one error of judgment.”
“Or you can be smart about it and do exactly what we tell you to,” Blair said. “We’ll disappear, and you’ll never see or hear from us again.”
Gregor could only sit there and take it as he was slowly and painfully eviscerated by these two punk kids barely out of their teens. They had him right where they wanted him. These guys weren’t idiots. They had laid a trap for him, and he had stumbled straight into it. Every base was covered. They held all the cards.
“Look, we get it,” Travis said, reverting back to his good cop persona. “We don’t believe you’re a creep or a bad guy. Not at all. All you’ve done is respond to your natural biological urges. Every straight guy on the planet is attracted to beautiful young females. It’s hardwired into our DNA. Society tells us we should be ashamed of these urges, but it’s a simple fact of life.”
“But you have been more than a little careless,” Blair said. “And so now you have to pay a penalty.”
Gregor let out a small laugh, more a nervous reflex action than any genuine amusement. “How did I know this would all come down to money?”
“You didn’t think we were going to let you leave with just a stern warning, did you?” Blair said.
“And anyway, doesn’t everything come down to money in the end?” Travis said.
Gregor inhaled deeply. He stared out into the empty street in front of him. “What do you want me to do?”
Travis and Blair exchanged a quick look. A look of triumph. It was only brief, but Gregor still caught it.
“There’s an ATM across the road,” Travis said. “We’ll wait here while you make the withdrawal.”
Chapter 10
Aimee had been rehearsing her Oscar acceptance speech in front of the mirror since the age of nine. She had always dreamed of becoming a world-famous actress; walking red carpets in fabulous designer gowns, traversing the globe by private jet, being fawned over by millions of adoring fans. Every spare moment of her childhood was spent in acting classes and auditions, and she was always putting on performances for her friends and family. But her career never really progressed much further than those amateur productions. The handful of acting jobs she managed to land were minor one- or two-line roles in television shows that nobody ever saw. She realized a new strategy was in order if she was to have any chance at all of success.
She turned her attention to Instagram after noticing a growing number of aspiring starlets using the platform to further their own careers. She hoped that by building up a profile and getting her name out there she could facilitate a smooth transition into the world of acting. And it began promisingly enough, too. By posting nothing more than a few highly-stylized selfies every couple of days, along with the occasional bikini shot, she was able to attract over ten thousand followers in just a few short months.
It didn’t take her long to become hooked on the rush of instant gratification that came with all this attention. Every image she uploaded brought with it an intoxicating stream of positive reinforcement. It also played a part in altering her career ambitions. Her dream of becoming an actress quietly faded away, and her sights were now set on the much more attainable goal of becoming a social media influencer. Instafame would deliver many of the benefits of being a successful actress – the parties, the glamour, the free clothes, the worldwide adulation – but without having to endure the endless grind of demoralizing auditions and constant rejection. Besides, if her former neighbor Kimberly Hogg could become a huge star simply by documenting her life online there was no reason why Aimee couldn’t do the same. Kimberly was certainly no marketing genius, and all it took for her to become a household name was $50,000 worth of cosmetic surgery, a salacious Bieber rumor, and a name-change to Krystal Blayze.
But the buzz soon wore off and harsh reality set in. Becoming an Instababe turned out to be even more competitive than the world of acting. It was open to everybody the world over, absolutely no talent or skills were required, and there were always girls with more determination and less shame willing to give their fans exactly what they wanted. Hot girls flaunting their flawless bodies and envious lifestyles were a dime a dozen online.
Her followers stalled at around the twenty thousand mark. To the uninitiated that may have seemed like a huge figure, but in the context of the social media microcosm she was a minnow swimming among the marlin. Twenty thousand was something of a ceiling for an ordinary, anonymous civilian. Unless you had a significant chunk of fame to begin with – if you had a famous parent, were part of a celebrity’s posse, had dated a celebrity, or had appeared on reality TV – you wouldn’t come anywhere near the magic half-million mark required to turn your hobby into a viable career. Aimee had to face up to the fact that there was nothing to set her apart from the thousands upon thousands of fame-hungry girls sharing their bubble bath selfies and shots of their nail art and avocado toast with the world.
And then there were the perverts. She was forced to contend with the many negative aspects of being an online star – the daily onslaught of sleazy propositioning, inappropriate comments and outright threats – without enjoying any of the material rewards (although she did receive plenty of dubious offers for all-expenses paid trips to Dubai). Her initial response was to block
the men making the obscene comments, but she soon learned these creeps represented a sizable proportion of her fan base. She didn’t have the luxury of being able to alienate too many of her followers, and if she blocked them they would simply turn their attention to some other girl. She needed to find a way of making lemonade from these lemons.
It was whilst dealing with a particularly persistent “fan” called Glen that she hit upon a novel way of monetizing her online following. Glen had let it be known, in quite graphic and unambiguous terms, just how enamored he was with her. He also let her know the exact dollar amount he was prepared to part with in order to make his lurid fantasies a reality. A short period of communication and negotiation followed whereby Aimee agreed to Glen’s terms, and she arranged a time and place for them to meet.
She then turned up to Glen’s motel room, along with Travis and Blair, and watched on as they forcibly relieved him of all his money.
This soon became a regular thing. Aimee would arrange the “dates” with her online suitors, her boyfriend and his brother would appear instead armed with knives and baseball bats, and the three would divide the takings between them.
The first few attempts went smooth enough. The victims gave up the cash without too much resistance, and they quickly scattered as soon as Travis and Blair ordered them to run along. But it didn’t take long to identify a number of flaws in this scheme of theirs. On one occasion the target, confronted by two masked and armed thugs, simply jumped through an open window and ran away. Travis and Blair could have given chase, but then what? Even if they had caught up with him, they would have drawn far too much attention to themselves. It wasn’t worth the risk. They ransacked the motel room, but left when they found nothing of value.
Of greater concern were the men who fought back. The fact that Travis and Blair were both armed was no guarantee of their safety. If the target somehow managed to force one of the weapons from them, or if Travis or Blair panicked and did something rash in the heat of the moment, the whole thing could spiral out of control very quickly.