The next morning, I fluttered my eyes open, taking in my surroundings. The weight of reality flooded back into my mind. I suddenly realized what I had done—how I had slept next to Dustin, how we cuddled all throughout the night, how I had reflected on my feeling for him as I drifted off to sleep. It was all bad; very, very bad. I pulled away from him, lifting his heavy arm off of my stomach as I rolled away. I sat up in bed, wiping my eyes as I tried to piece the night together. I wasn’t even drunk, how did I let this happen? How could I let my emotions get in the way of my logic? All I needed was to feel threatened by one woman to allow myself to fall for Dustin? Why had I let my guard down so much, why was I so comfortable building something with a man that was supposed to be my client—a criminal that I was supposed to help defend!

I had really let myself down. I knew I was happy the night before, I knew I only did all of those things because they felt really good and comfortable. But it was the wrong decision, I couldn’t allow myself to be foolish anymore. The intimacy we shared last night, was so much more than our sexual encounter from before.

I packed my belongings and had Dustin’s limo driver take me back to the hotel while Dustin was still asleep. I didn’t care if some weird man was watching me or tracking my every move. I was feeling too conflicted to stay near Dustin any longer. Once I was back at the hotel, I ordered room service and ate breakfast while I caught up on a few emails. I opened a message from my boss. In the email, he had attached a file that provided new information on the case. I didn’t even want to open the attachment yet. I knew it was my job, but I wasn’t mentally ready to find out that Dustin was definitely guilty. For all I knew, the file could’ve been proving his innocence, but I wasn’t willing to take the risk at the time.

I decided to close my computer and head to the beach. I had reached my final days in Brazil and wanted to take the time to relax in the sun while I could. Everything had gotten really messy, I had become tangled in Dustin’s web. It was hard to separate how I felt toward him romantically and how I felt toward him as a client. I wondered if he had intended for me to fall for him. It was very important for me to like him and understand him, perhaps he had done everything just so that I would like him more. I didn’t want to underestimate Dustin anymore. He was a very powerful man and, even though I didn’t want to admit it, he was dangerous. I had told myself this so many times but this time I had to take it seriously—I had to remove my feelings from the equation and focus on doing my job. That was the most important thing in my life, and I had to stop pretending otherwise.

I had always been told I was a good legal intern, but lately, I hadn’t been feeling that way. I felt like I was watching my efforts slip through my fingertips and the scary thing was, lately, I didn’t care that much. I was happy running off with Dustin and letting him distract us from reality. I shouldn’t let my desires distract me from the fact that he is my client. I had said that so many times, why did I need to keep repeating that to myself? Was he really so great in bed that he could’ve my mind so twisted around? I couldn’t think straight. I thought of going to a local bar to drink on the matter, a few margaritas always make decisions easier. But I knew the best idea was to go back to the hotel and really think about the case.

I got back to the hotel, showered, and straightened my belongings. A few times I passed by the window and could’ve sworn I saw a man standing outside, looking up at the building; every time I went to check, I didn’t see anything. I was feeling rather paranoid now. The initial urgency to run away from Dustin’s house that morning was wearing off, and I was becoming more aware that I could’ve put myself in danger.

I picked up my phone, realizing it was still on “Do Not Disturb” mode from the night before. I looked at my phone to see Dustin had been texting me for the last few hours. He was asking where I had gone and if everything was okay. I knew I should have responded immediately to let him know I was alright but I figured his driver would let him know where I was. I needed some space to get my head straight. I couldn’t let him get to me again. I looked through my phone little more. There was also another email from my boss asking about the case. I wondered if he was starting to doubt my ability to complete this job, he was contacting me more than ever. I was doubting my own abilities, so I couldn’t blame him for it. But I knew I needed to pull through and show him that I was capable of handling this big of an assignment.

I picked up some of the files on the ground and placed them on the bed next to my computer. I stared at them, thinking through every scenario that I had played over and over in my mind. Every single one leads to Dustin being guilty. I just couldn’t possibly see a way where he could be innocent. I had no idea how I was going to defend him in court if I couldn’t find one single piece of information that showed he still had a chance.

I grabbed my phone and called Dustin. I thought he was going to sound casual and relaxed, but instead, he sounded desperate and anxious. I assured him I was alright and asked if he could come pick me up for dinner. Dustin agreed and was waiting outside my hotel within an hour.

When I got into the car, I saw him in the back of the limo with both of his arms spread out on the seat. He looked like he had been drinking. His mouth curled into a big smile.

His head sloppily fell to the side when he saw me, “Bianca! Come here, you sexy woman, I’ve been waiting to see you all day. Come here, come here.”

I gave him a kiss on the cheek and sat on the seat next to him. He held his cheek where I had kissed it as if it had hurt. He looked somewhat confused and tried to reach out to me.

“Dustin, please. Don’t. Have you been drinking?”

“Only a little,” he said with a smile. “Do you want a glass of champagne?”

“No, I don’t think that’s a good idea. In fact, I think you shouldn’t have a glass either. I’m worried.”

Dustin raised an eyebrow and suddenly looked extremely sober. “What? Why are you worried? What did you find out? Was new information uncovered?” He said in a deep, professional voice as he sat up straight and adjusted his tie.

“No, and that’s why I’m worried, Dustin. You’re not telling me everything, there has to be something else that you haven’t admitted yet. It just doesn’t add up,” I put my face into my hands, feeling the heat of my frustration coming off of my body.

“Hey, just relax. Let’s just have a good time tonight, alright?”

“No! No, we are not just going to forget about this and go to another party! We are not just going to forget this and go to the beach or dinner or to a tourist location or to another city or to one of your rich friend’s houses. We are going to deal with this okay. Pull the car over,” I yelled to the front.

The driver slowly pulled over to the side of the road and parked the limo. I moved over to where Dustin was sitting and looked into his eyes.

“When I was 15, all I wanted to do was work at a law firm. I didn’t want to get married and have kids like all of my other classmates, I wanted to study law and social issues. I didn’t aspire to have a house with a big yard, I aspired to uncover justice. Now that I am finally doing that, I really want to be the best I can be. I really want to make my boss proud and move up in my law firm. I have had a great time with you and doing all of the amazing things we have while I have been here. I think you are a really nice and considerate man that has more than most people. That means you have more responsibility than most people, as well as more options than most people. I want to make sure you keep your freedom and your options. This is your last chance, no more games or distractions. We have to stay focused or else you could really lose everything; this could be it for you, Dustin. There isn’t much hope for people who go to prison, especially in places like Brazil. It’s not going to be a fun journey for you. So, this is the last time I am going to ask you—Is there anything you want to tell me?”

“Okay. There is something I need to tell you, and I hope that you will understand my reasoning once I am done explaining it to you. I met a man named Jacque when I was in Grad School. We used to hang around the same social circles, so we got to know each other well over time. A few years down the road, our companies worked together, so we started to connect again. I got to know his family, his wife became good friends with my ex-wife. We had a lot of fun together. He felt like a brother to me—someone I could trust with my life. One night he came to me and said he was in trouble. He said his business was getting audited and he needed to ask for a big favor. He asked if I could hold a large sum of money for him for a few years. After the audit was done, he said I could keep 10% of the total and receive some stock options. So, the answer is yes, yes I was involved in bulk cash smuggling. I deposited the money in an offshore bank account and held it there for him for a few years. It wasn’t until I returned the money that I learned Jacque had gotten all of it from drug trafficking. I didn’t really feel like what I had done was that much of a crime until that point. I figured it would be nearly impossible to find out about my accounts in Europe and South America. I didn’t think that this would ever go to trial and, if it did, Jacque wouldn’t bring me down with him. He told me if he didn’t pass the audit, his wife would leave him and take the kids with her. He said that he would lose the house and his family. He even threatened to take his life if he lost everything. I didn’t know what else I could do, he was my close friend. I thought I was using my power for good but was really using it for evil…”

“Dustin, there’s someone—”

“Wait, hold on, there’s one more thing I need to say. I never really regretted what I did until I met you. You’ve made me realize there is still good in the world. There are still people full of honor and respect. I really have fallen for you.”

“Dustin!”

“What?”

“The car that was following us before just pulled up behind us,” I said, pointing to the black car behind the limo.

Dustin’s eyes widened. “Drive!” Dustin yelled to the driver.

I saw the driver’s eyes peer into the rear-view mirror before slamming his foot on the gas. I fell back against the seat, Dustin held onto me as we sped down the road. He grabbed my seat belt on strapped it across my body. I looked out the back window to see the car speeding after us. We turned onto the highway, bypassing a red light. The driver must have been going over 90 MPH as we hurdled pass other cars on the road. I kept my eyes fixed behind us, watching the black car skipping lanes to keep up with us. As the car inched closer to our bumper, I was able to see the main behind the wheel. Realization made me gasp, as the man behind the wheel was the same man that handed me the red card outside of the club.

We took a last minute turn off the next exit, flying down the ramp onto a back road. The driver flew down the road, taking a few quick turns causing the wheels to screech with each jerk. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I held onto the leather seats, feeling my hands start to shake. I felt like I was going to throw up. I looked over at Dustin, he was staring out the back window too, watching the car keep up with us at every turn.

“Take the next right!” Dustin yelled to the driver, holding onto the ceiling to keep his body from moving as we rounded a sharp turn.

As we took the turn, I saw a train in the distance. The gates began to lower, and yellow lights started to flash as the train started to approach the crossing. I heard the engine roar as the limo driver sped up. I suddenly realized he was going to try to cut in front of the train.

“Dustin!” I yelled in fear. I looked behind us to see the black car tailing the limo. I looked forward again to see the driver speeding toward the closed gate. “Dustin!”

I heard the words leave my mouth right before I heard the crashing sound of the limo hitting the gates. I felt like we were in slow motion as our limo quickly flew over the tracks right before the train was about to hit us. I closed my eyes, clenching my teeth together as I felt the tires pass over the tracks. I finally opened my eyes to see we had made it across alive. As I turned back, I saw the black car wasn’t able to follow us. His view of our limo was blocked by the train. The driver took a few turns before slowly pulling down a winding dirt road that was hidden by canopy trees and bushes. He finally pulled off behind a rock fixture, turning the engine off.

As soon as the car stopped, I got out of the car, slamming the door behind me. Dustin got out and followed after me. He tried to reach out toward me, but I pushed him away.

“What the fuck!!! What the fuck Dustin! Are you fucking kidding me!?”

“Calm down, I know.”

“I can’t fucking believe that. Who was that?! Who is following us?! He’s the same man that gave me a red card outside of the club!” I screamed. I was belligerent. I was finally snapping, all of the pressure had built up to this point.

“What man are you talking about?”

“That man approached me outside of the club when I was waiting for you on the bench and handed me a red card with a ‘J’ on it.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about it before now?”

“I don’t know. I was distracted by the woman you walked away with! Who was that man, Dustin? Stop trying to change the subject!”

“I think that might be someone Jacque sent to follow me, but I am not sure. I think he just wants to keep track of where we are. Apparently, leaving the colored cards wasn’t enough of a reminder that he is watching anymore,” Dustin said, running his hands through his hair.

I brought my hand back and slapped Dustin hard in the face. “I can’t fucking believe you, the nerve! You have been dragging me along behind you this entire time. You didn’t tell me about the cards when I asked! I have been begging for you to be honest with me, it is in your best interest, to be honest with me. But still, you lied to me, withheld information, and made me think you are a completely upfront, ethical person so much that I actually slept with you! I gave you my virginity! I actually started to fall in love with you but this… this is unforgivable. I can’t believe all along you were directly involved in the money laundering, you didn’t even try to hide the deposits. You’ve made my job so much more difficult than it had to be the last few weeks and you could’ve potentially ruined your own future, as well as mine!”

“Bianca, don’t say that. I’m—”

“No, don’t fucking touch me, Dustin. I’m done. I can’t do this anymore. I will try to protect what little credibility you have but everything there was between us is completely over. I am a member of your law firm, you are my client, and once the trial is over, we will never speak again. I promise you that. You have risked my life, my pride, and my career. I have nothing else, I want nothing else. Take me to my hotel.”

“We need to talk about—”

“Take me now!” I yelled. I got back into the limo without a second glance.

I had never been so angry before. I was still shaking from the adrenalin and could feel my heart pounding hard in my chest. I didn’t want to look at Dustin, I didn’t even want to be around him. At that moment, I hated him so much. I felt like he had deceived me for so long for absolutely no reason. I was just trying to help him, but he dragged me along, fucking me as if I was just some other tourist that wanted to suck his dick.

I wanted to get away from him, I wanted to get away from Brazil. I wanted to be done with the case, I never wanted to think about it again. I hate that I got so wrapped up in his life and all of the lies he fed me. I regretted sleeping with him but, more than anything else, I regretted getting my feelings involved.

We sat in silence the entire ride back to the hotel. When we arrived, I heard Dustin try to say something, but I closed the door behind me in his face. I didn’t want to waste any more energy and didn’t care what he had to say. I went to my room, packed my bags, and purchased a plane ticket to JFK for the next morning.

When I woke up the next morning, I thought I would feel a wave of disappointment hit me all over again. Instead, I felt nothing. I wasn’t sad or happy, I just felt empty. I took a taxi to the airport. I wished I could’ve had better memories of Brazil. I wished it was still the bright, shiny, new, and exciting place it was when I first arrived. I remembered how excited I was to be able to go to Brazil for work. I never thought it would turn into such a nightmare.

I checked a bag and got my boarding ticket at the gate. Right before I went to security, I saw Dustin with his driver standing by the wall, carefully scanning every face that passed by. His driver saw me first, quickly pointing toward me when we made eye contact. Dustin started to walk over with a smile on his face. But once he saw my glower, his face dropped.

“I’ve been here all morning. I called the hotel, they said you had checked out. I figured you were going to want to leave as quickly as possible. I know yesterday had to be really shocking. I’m truly sorry for everything—”

“Do us a favor and save both of our time. I’ve had enough of this. I don’t want to hear what you have to say. I don’t want to hear anything else from you. I regret sleeping with you. I regret ever attempting to have a connection outside of a business relationship. I should have been professional the entire time, especially to avoid a situation like… this,” I looked over at the security line getting longer. I grabbed the handle of my suitcase and looked at the longing in Dustin’s eyes.

“Please, there must be something I can do. Please forgive me for what I have done,” Dustin begged.

“Goodbye, Dustin. I’ll email you in a few days after I have finished reviewing your case with the new information you have provided me. Don’t try to call me,” I said sternly.

I turned away without another word. I walked quickly toward security. I thought I would feel a hand on my shoulder or maybe he would call after me, I almost wanted him to a little, but he didn’t. I didn’t even turn around to see if he was watching me walk away. It was over, and there was no turning back.