by Tia Lewis
There it was again. That feeling of power and control. It was so new to me, and yet, it felt so good. If only I knew what to do with it, I mused to myself.
Just being in a five-star hotel was enough to make me feel empowered. I’d spent so many years stuck at what I thought would equate to a dead-end job. Forced to live on the bottom rung of society just to stay afloat in New York. I didn’t have to worry about that here. This is the real place where dreams come true.
The colorful buildings caught my eye immediately as I practically skipped down the street. Just looking at them filled me with energy I hadn’t felt in years. They were crammed together, structured in an odd slant, but it made them stand out in my eyes. I was so used to the gray, bleak buildings that New York had to offer. Seeing what color could do for a city opened my eyes, breathing new life into me.
Though there were sidewalks, the majority of the people didn’t seem interested in using them. The worn roads at the center of the streets, whether made by cobblestone or asphalt, were the main attraction of pedestrians and drivers alike. Merchants parked right beside the driving cars and mopeds skirting between everyone. A part of me wanted to inquire a merchant, but I figured that they had an eye for tourists and would be quick to sell me something I didn’t need.
I wandered the streets for a while. Eventually, I found myself in an odd part of the area. Everything seemed a little dimmer, but that was mostly due to the evening setting in just as I turned a corner to an alleyway. The buildings were becoming a little sparse and weren’t in as good of shape as the others I’d passed along the way. Thankfully, I had my phone with me to keep from getting lost, but I knew I’d have to head back soon.
Finding the alleyway led to a dead-end I started to turn around, but a sound coming from behind a stack of boxes caught my attention. I paused, frozen in fear as to what it could be. Cautiously, I peered over the boxes to hear a young woman crying out, “Harder, baby! Harder!”
My face flushed.
Just an arm’s length away from me was something I’d never see back at home. An older gentleman had his woman in a position facing away from him. He held her at the waist, his hands firmly planted on her hips. She cried out again for him, arching her back as her eyes glazed over. I stood there in shock, unsure of what to do.
I could feel the heat coming off of them.
The woman was a short blonde with bright green eyes. It was evident the lust had overtaken her as she backed into her man’s cock again and again, while he liberally slammed into her—slapping her on the ass when he wanted. Her ass was red with palm markings and looking at them was enough to make me squirm.
My heart raced and standing so close to them only made me want to get closer. A part of me wanting to reach out to them and ask them what it was like. Such pure passion for each other. To take someone in the open without a care. A crude cover to keep onlookers out was hardly enough to keep them safe.
No, no… I shouldn’t be looking! I turned away, biting down on my lip to hold back a squeak. “Take it, bitch,” growled the man. From the corner of my eye, I looked over again to see him pushing her harder against the wall. “Fuck, I can’t get in deep enough… Bend over, baby. I wanna get in balls deep when I cum…”
Oh, my God… Despite myself, I could feel some warmth traveling down between my legs. The sensations only got stronger as I watched the blonde bend over, her face against the wall as she backed her ass up against the man, his thrusting becoming more vigorous.
A hand draped down, poking two fingers out to caress my inner thighs. Oh, God… Do I really like this…? I wondered, hoping that I’d come up with an answer. “Oh…! Oh, babe…!” the girl cried, her legs trembling and voice shaky.
“God damn are you tight! Mmm…” he growled, leaning over her back to lick her ear.
I couldn’t hold it back anymore—I gasped, the arousal becoming too much for me to handle.
“Wait… Who said that?”
They looked right at me.
Dustin
“Tsk, tsk. Seems I was off by a little,” I mumbled, eyeing the time on my phone. I rolled my eyes, stuffing my phone back into my pocket. Trying to lose the car following me before I got here, caused my delay. “All she had to do was wait here for me. The last thing I need is another incompetent…”
Something running into my backside made me turn around. When I looked downward, I was surprised to see a fragile-looking woman with flushed cheeks. Her auburn hair, fair skin, and attire meant one thing to me: she was an outsider. A tourist? No, she doesn’t look like she’s here to relax. I wonder…
“Oh, I’m sorry, sir!” she nearly shrieked, holding her hands out as if to see if she’d injured me.
Hoping to calm her down I grinned a little, shaking my head. “Don’t worry about it,” I said, raising a hand up. “I’m more worried about you. Looks like you just saw a ghost or something.”
“Well, I…” She seemed to lose her train of thought as she looked at me. I’d seen that look before. She knew me. “Hey, are you by chance…?”
“Hmm?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. She took some time with answering, most likely debating whether to ask it or not.
“Are you Dustin Baldwin?”
“Certainly am. Let me guess you’re…”
“Bianca! Your attorney.”
I coughed up a dry chuckle. “You know, I was going to say that.”
“Oh… Sorry…” She shied away from me a little.
God, I love it when they do that. This is going to be way too easy for me… “Again, don’t worry. I’m not going to bite, you know?” She nodded, looking up at me again. “Anyway, I came to pick you up. You got the call from Calvin, right?”
“Yeah, I was just looking around. Guess I lost track of time…” I looked her over again and again as she spoke. Her body told me more than her words ever could. Every uneasy jitter or adjustment she made. Other men wouldn’t notice—they couldn’t. But I would. I always saw that in women.
An untrained eye wouldn’t be able to catch the little gleam reflecting off her little brown spheres as she spoke. The way she used her hands to talk, how they waved around. I already knew she would be an easy target, but something about her had me…interested. What else are you telling me?
“Well, luckily I came a little early, so we’re still on schedule. How does dinner sound? I just want to talk about the case and such.”
“I’d love to.” I could see the fires in her eyes light up. How adorable. I wonder what else I could get her to agree to. I need to get this damn heat off my back.
I smiled and gestured toward the entry way. “Right this way, my dear. We’ll be taking one of my limousines. Don’t mind the bodyguards they won’t give you any trouble.” I covered my mouth with my hand and said, “About you bumping into me by the way? Our little secret.”
The ride to the restaurant was brief as it was across from the hotel. Its quality was equal to the hotel’s, but the one thing it had over it was the décor. Live lobsters stationed at the front, a live band performing classical music, and a large champagne fountain were only a few of the perks. There wasn’t a woman that wasn’t won over the instant I brought them here.
“I need you to be straight with me, Bianca. How many years am I facing?” The steak on my plate was starting to get cold. While Bianca enjoyed her roast chicken, my mind wouldn’t stop pestering me with questions. I kept firm constraint on myself, not to let my impatience get to me, but as the night continued to crawl into the later hours, I could feel myself starting to slip.
For too long, I’d been bombarded with questions about everything regarding myself. The relentless interviews while I was still in New York seemed to be at every turn. It was nice to be the one asking questions again. I could be silent. I could let my mind settle the new information given to it and slowly dismantle it.
“In the worst case, you’ll have around twelve years in prison.”
“Damn,” I groaned. So much wasted time. No one’s g
oing to be around by the time I’m out. “And on the other end?”
“Probation. Nothing else.”
I stroked my chin thoughtfully for a few moments. “Interesting… What will it take to make sure that nothing gets pinned to me?”
“It all comes down to the evidence. Tell me everything you know and…”
“That’s just it, Bianca. I don’t. I don’t know anything.” Look at her fall instantly. It’s precious.
Surprisingly, she reached out to me and put her hand over mine. She looked me in the eyes, nodding slowly. “I know. I’m going to get you out of this, okay? There’s no way a guy like you would do this kind of thing. I’ve been looking through your file and…”
“File? I have a file?” This could be useful.
“Yeah, of course, you do. So, as I was saying… It seems you have really good business sense and know how to run a company efficiently. Well, multiple companies, but you know what I mean.”
I brought a hand up to my chest and feigned a heartfelt, “Thank you.” I’ll get my hands on that file, Bianca. Even if you don’t know it yet. “You know, we’ve been talking about me for a while. Why don’t we talk about you instead?”
“Me? What about me?” Her eyes widened.
“Anything, really. How are you finding Brazil?” Let’s see what makes you tick.
“Oh, it’s great! A lot more interesting than New York, that’s for sure.”
“Hmm… And you’ve only been here for, what, a day? That’s just a mere taste of what the country has to offer.”
“Well, I’d love to experience as much as possible if I could.”
I raised my eyebrow. “Is that so? Hmm… Tell me, have you ever danced before?”
“Once at prom, I think…”
Her answer got me to snicker. “Oh, come now. I’m sure you’ve gone out once or twice, haven’t you? Perhaps for your twenty-first birthday?” I toyed with the straw in my water.
“Maybe…” She looked away from me, her cheeks already showing a light shade of pink.
Under the table, I slowly moved my hand a little past my thigh, the fingertips lightly brushing her knee. “How did it feel? Did you feel him? Did you feel like it was just you two dancing together?”
“How did you know? We were surrounded by people, but it was just him and me. I was a little buzzed by then, and I remember things got kind of…” She took a sip of her wine. “It got interesting to say the least.”
“That’s always a pleasant feeling. When it’s just you and your partner on the dance floor, nothing else matters. The heat you two feel together…” My fingers inched higher up her quivering leg, but she hadn’t protested. “That passion is what I truly like seeing in the dancers here. They’re so honest. I’m sure you enjoy being as honest with those around you, correct?”
“Um… I’m not sure what you mean…”
Easy… Easy… Don’t want to scare her off too soon. I withdrew my fingers, and she relaxed, but I could still tell she was flustered. “I could show you tonight. I was about to head to a party, and if you came along, I wouldn’t have to ask the limo driver to be my date again.” I winked at her to ease the tension, and she let out a content sigh.
“That sounds great. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a party of…this kind before.”
“Don’t worry. Not many people have.”
Got her.
Bianca
The night had turned into something I’d never seen before. There I was in a crowded room full of partiers. I sat as close as I could to Dustin so I could feel safe, but I was thankful the lights were dimmed so that no one could see me shaking. The entire room seemed to shake as the booming music forced out any thought I tried to have.
People came up to Dustin, shook hands with him, and they exchanged a few words. After a short while, they would leave. “Who was that?” I’d ask him.
And he’d reply, “No one important.” His answer was immediate and direct. There wasn’t anything that set me off about his tone or posture, although I couldn’t focus on him as much as I wanted to. My focus jumped from person to person around the room.
They all wore expensive looking masks. The anonymity gave them an obvious sense of freedom. A few of the dancers were scantily clad at the least and finely dressed at best. Tuxedos were acceptable, but so were thongs and speedos. “Dustin, what is this place?” I asked him in a whisper.
“Just a local scene I happened upon in my youth. Been coming back ever since. It’s charming, no?” He smirked a little and threw an arm around me, pulling me closer to him. “Nothing to be afraid of. These people just want to enjoy themselves. Just take a look at those two.”
My eyes followed the direction Dustin pointed to, and I could hardly believe what I was seeing. There on the dance floor, while everyone danced around them, was a couple making love on the floor. In my head, I immediately thought back to the pair I’d seen in the alley earlier, and a hot flame splashed onto my cheeks.
“Dustin…are they…?” The words hardly formed in my mouth and when they did. I looked on in disbelief, unsure of how to react.
He chuckled a little and said, “Isn’t it great? The people here are so honest and free with their expression. Brazilians are erotic and sensual people. It’s infectious in the best kind of way.”
“It’s just so…”
“Hmm? What? You really need to let loose.”
Maybe he’s right. I should try to relax a little. It’s part of their culture, after all. I tried to watch them without wincing at the actions, their moans muffled under the music. Somehow, they managed to match their movements to the rhythm and beat.
Watching them and their sensual “dance” sent shivers up my spine. I could imagine the feelings running through them. A potent mixture of lust and adrenaline that drove them crazy. They had to be crazy to do something like this.
In another life where I was bolder, I could still only hope to do something like this. With the mask on, they could do whatever they wanted without any repercussions. Even if tonight didn’t work out, they wouldn’t have to worry about seeing the person the next day. I’d only been in the club for a short time, but I’d already understood its place. If I could understand what drew Dustin here, I might’ve been able to piece the case together more cohesively.
There was something about this place that held him here. The dark atmosphere and the people made me want to stay. It was so alluring to me. To be able to feel myself, to let go of all the stress that’d been built up over the years of hard work.
The heat wasn’t just between my legs. It traveled all over my body. I couldn’t quite grasp it. What made me want this so badly? Secret desires hidden just under a thin surface. I didn’t know whether to admit them to Dustin or to leave it. Before I knew it, I was losing myself again in the music.
I hadn’t realized that Dustin started brushing his lips past my ear.
“Wouldn’t you love to be a part of that, Bianca? To be one of them?” His question caught me by surprise at first, but when I looked over at him, he was leaning back in his seat again.
I was about to answer him when a few men came up to him and whispered some things into his ear. “Excuse me, Bianca,” he said, getting up. “Don’t get into too much trouble, you hear?”
That’s odd. What could be so important? Maybe it has something to do with one of his companies…
“Hey there, cutie!” asked a man wearing a mask similar to that of a parrot’s beak and feathers. “How would you like to dance?” The space under his eyes was where the mask ended so I could see him grinning. Just from the sound of his voice and his build, I could tell he was an older man.
“No, thank you. I’m not really one for dancing…” I tried to sound polite, but I feared his reaction.
“Nonsense. Everyone can dance, little lady. Here… I can teach you if you’d like…” His voice was strongly insistent.
I looked around for any sign of Dustin, but couldn’t find him anywhere. I didn’t keep
track of where he went, so without him, I was lost. Unfortunately, his bodyguards had also left with him, so I was stuck by myself beside the dance floor.
The man took a few steps closer to me and said, “I saw you lookin’ at them over there. You had a look in your eyes, babe. We could do it right here and right now. That pretty little boyfriend of yours will never know.”
“Boyfriend?” I blurted out the word without realizing it. “Excuse you, but that pretty boy is my client and I...” I looked around, starting to feel dizzy from all the flashing lights and moving bodies. “I need to get out of here.”
I pushed past the parrot-masked man and dozens of dancers until I made my way outside of the club. It was pitch black outside—hardly any street lamps to help light the area. It was no coincidence that I was in another run-down part of the town. Dustin said the place was “exclusive,” but I was starting to think that it was for all the wrong reasons.
Frustrated with how the night turned out, I practically stomped over to the sleeping limo. I was about to tap on the glass when I realized that the driver had also gone inside with Dustin. “Well, I don’t have any other options…”
I pulled out my phone and hastily dialed the cab service to get a ride. The wait was painfully long, leaving me with a sour taste for Dustin the longer the wait went on. If it wasn’t for him, then I wouldn’t have gotten into this horrible situation, and yet, at the same time, I couldn’t help still admiring him. Thinking about him was enough to make my heart flutter. The butterflies in my stomach I felt at the lobby weren’t just a fluke—his blue eyes did something to me.
Client. Client. I reminded myself again and again as if it would do something. In the back of my mind, I thought back to the dancers. Having such a lustful scene on display was a known taboo. It was wrong to openly show your sexuality in that way. The attraction I felt for Dustin was instant, but it might’ve gone deeper than I’d realized.
