by S. E. Lund
"You did the right thing. It was me who did the wrong thing by listening to Dawn and not talking to Drake about it."
"The important thing is that you two are together, and in love, and have a life together with a real future. This trial is temporary. Things will eventually come to a new normal."
"I hope so," I said.
He gave me an update on Heath and then we said goodbye.
I sat on the sofa and watched Sophie chattering away with her toys while I muted the news report. I needed something to divert my mind from the trial. I hadn't been at my studio for several days, not wanting to leave Drake to care for Sophie in case she was difficult and he was stressed following the preparation for the trial. I could call Karen Mills and see if she could come by, but hoped that Drake wouldn't mind. My canvas and paints were at the studio in Chelsea so I couldn't work on them at home.
I called Karen, but her phone went right to voice mail, so I left a message asking if she would be available later today to take Sophie to her place so Drake could have the afternoon to himself. We had a portable playpen with a soft cushioned bottom and it could double as a bed.
Then I waited for Drake to come home, my gut in a knot about how the questioning would go and whether Drake would be overly stressed about it. Drake's neurologist warned him not to do anything that caused too much stress or his blood pressure to rise too much. Of course, as a neurosurgeon, Drake already knew that, but apparently, the judge didn't care that the courtroom might be stressful. I felt like I was going to go crazy waiting to find out how things were going, so I texted Drake to check on him.
KATE: How are you? What are you doing?
DRAKE: I'm on my way to Lara's office to meet with her.
KATE: You never said you were going to Lara's. Isn't that too much stress? I'm worried about you.
DRAKE: I'm fine, my love. Don't worry about me. Lara just wants to go over the questions so we can be prepared.
KATE: That damn judge should have let you do this in private.
DRAKE: This will all be over tomorrow afternoon and we can forget about all of it. Think about Nassau.
KATE: Okay. How long will you be? Are you going to have lunch with Lara?
DRAKE: No. She has a lunch meeting. We're just meeting for fifteen minutes before.
KATE: Okay. I asked Karen Mills to take Sophie for a few hours this afternoon so I can go to the studio. I need to get out of the house because all I can do is think of the trial.
DRAKE: Kate, I'm fine. Sophie can stay with me. Really, I feel great. No headache. I'm totally chill, brah.
KATE: Brah??? Have you been talking to Jules? :)
DRAKE: No, actually. Just a dude who was in the waiting room with me. I asked him if my tie was on straight before I went into the ADA's office and that I was nervous. He said, 'You look totally chill, brah.'
KATE: OMG, that's a keeper. I'm going to use that the next time you look stressed. Chill, brah! Here I thought it was Bro...
DRAKE: Bro is so GenX. Get with it. This is the new Millennium. It's brah.
KATE: Guilty as charged. I'll see you when you get home. We can have lunch and relax, whatever happens. I still want Karen to take Sophie out so you can rest all afternoon.
DRAKE: If she can't, no problem. I'm fine. Really, Kate.
KATE: Okay. See you soon. I love you.
DRAKE: I love you, too.
I put my cell away and tried to push my worries about Drake into the back of my mind, but it was hard. I felt all fidgety, waiting for Karen to call me back with her answer.
Finally, about fifteen minutes later, she did.
"Hi, Kate. I got your message," she said. "I can take Sophie, no problem. I'll come by at about two o'clock and take her for a walk through the park before putting her down for a nap at my place if that works for you. Poor Drake..."
"I know," I said, my sense of relief strong that Drake could spend the afternoon alone. "He says he's okay, but he's such a stoic and rarely lets anything show, but I know this is really upsetting to him. He's paid such a high price."
"Well, don't you worry about it. I'll be happy to take Sophie so you can go to the studio and Drake can rest. His testimony is tomorrow, right?"
I sighed. "Yes, unfortunately. But at least once it's done, we can move on."
"I heard a report on television today. The local station is really running with the salacious content. It's disgusting."
"I know," I said. "I guess it sells ad copy so what can you expect?"
"Exactly. See you around two o'clock?"
"Great."
I hung up, and sighed, happy that I'd be able to go to the studio and escape all the worries for a few hours. I'd be able to concentrate knowing that Drake could just lie on the sofa and sleep if he wanted, recover from the morning. He sounded in good spirits, but you never knew...
Of course, it was then that a news report came on with a breaking news banner. I turned up the volume, only to see the announcer talking about a video that had been released of Drake and some unknown woman that was too violent to put on television, but the announcer said it was available online for anyone who wanted to see it for themselves.
I knew at that moment that the video of Sunita and Drake had been released. Now that was going to make everything harder because there was no way to deny Drake had spanked and caned her and she had the welts on her leg and red ass to prove it.
Now, it was there for all the world to see...
Drake
My morning with Assistant District Attorney Canmore went as well as could be expected. She was sharp as a tack of course, and had won pretty much every case she tried with the exception of a few high-profile murder cases of very wealthy men. Lisa's family had connections in the NYPD, but those couldn't help her deny the evidence, since it was that very police department who provided it. And the evidence was damning. According to Canmore, the evidence was so good, so damning, that it was pretty much an open and shut case.
"Usually, I don't like to say that because it sounds arrogant and circumstances can always change on a moment's notice, but if there was ever one, this case is. We have emails, we have bank records, we have forensic evidence, we have a body, and we have the confession of one of the two suspects. The only thing the defense has is mitigating circumstances that might reduce her sentence, but she won't get off. No way."
"I hope so," I said, wanting to believe she was right but still having this low-level sense of doom hanging over me.
"Trust me," she said and waved her hand dismissively. "I've been doing this for years. The jury will convict on the evidence. She'll either spend 10 extra years or the rest of her life in jail. There's no way she'll be found innocent."
We spent the hour allotted to us going over the questions she would be asking and potential cross-examination questions the defense lawyer might ask. Of course, at the top of the list were questions about my relationship with Derek Richardson, how I met Lisa and how we became involved. She focused a lot on my refusal to continue the relationship because I didn't really enjoy exhibitionism and found a new submissive. I then talked about the next time I saw Lisa at NYU and recounted our meetings, how I had sought advice from Derek and how I had tried to withdraw from the fellowship program because of her attempts to force a relationship on me.
"Much of this was covered in her earlier trial," I said.
"This is a whole new case. The jury hasn't heard this testimony, or if they have read about it, they need to hear it again coming from you. You're a very believable witness, from what I saw of the videos of Lisa's earlier trial. Once the jury sees the evidence about Lisa and Jones, their plotting together to kill Richardson, they'll never trust a word that comes out of her mouth about your relationship."
"I hope so. She's pretty charismatic."
"All sociopaths are. Or in her case, psychopaths."
"Do you think she's a psychopath?"
"I do," she said. "Psychopath, sociopath, however you define it, she's on the far end
of the spectrum, willing to kill or have others kill to achieve her goals. She belongs behind bars and I have every confidence that a jury will want to keep her there for as long as possible. Her story about past abuse, and her claim that she was merely defending herself against a violent lover who was jealous are laughable on its face."
I shrugged, willing to let the expert draw conclusions about the win-ability of the case. I had no idea, having not followed criminal cases at all during my lifetime.
When we were finished, I shook her hand and she led me to the door to the office. "Take the back hallway. Meet your guy outside the rear entrance. There'll be reporters outside hoping to get a look at anyone from the case. Given Monroe's crazy family, who knows what you might face."
"Good idea," I said and took out my cell. "I'll text my security guy to take the car around back."
We said goodbye and I wandered down the hallways outside Canmore's offices and waited out back, peering through a window to watch and see when John arrived with the car. Finally assured that the coast was clear, I got into the car and we drove off. I was planning to go right home but on the way, I got a text from Lara.
LARA: Drake, come over and meet with me for a few minutes this morning when you're done with the ADA.
DRAKE: Sure. I was on my way home but I'll get my driver to swing by your office. What's up?
LARA: Just want to go over things before you go to the courthouse tomorrow.
DRAKE: Okay.
I put my cell away and told John to take me to Lara's offices for a last-minute meeting. We changed course, turning around towards her building, but before we got there, Kate texted me, wondering how things were going. I responded and let her know I was going to Lara's for a meeting, promising to return as soon as I could.
She wanted to go to her studio that afternoon, and had asked Karen Mills to come and pick up Sophia so I could rest all afternoon. I tried to tell her she didn't need Karen -- that I was fine and could care for Sophie on my own, but Kate seemed really determined so I gave in. To be honest, I was starting to feel a little tired, the first buzz of a headache starting, but I didn't want to renege on my meeting with Lara so I pushed on.
Part of me admonished myself for doing so -- if I had been my own patient, I'd give myself hell for trying to do too much. It was probably a good thing that Kate had asked Karen to take Sophie for the afternoon. Kate needed a break and some creative time to lose herself and forget the trial. I needed to sleep.
We arrived at Lara's building and I went inside, riding the elevator up to her floor and saying hello to the receptionist. She stood and led me right into the small boardroom down the hallway.
Lara was already inside, a couple of files opened on the table.
"Drake, there you are, you poor man," she said and came over to me, kissing my cheek and squeezing my shoulder. "You look a bit pasty. Are you sure you're feeling good enough to do this? We won't take long, I promise you."
"I'm fine," I said although I was feeling pretty rough. "What did you want to go over?"
"Have a seat," Lara said and pointed to the chairs. "Can I get Sarah to bring you some coffee or water?"
"No, that's fine," I said, impatient to get this meeting over. Then, I reconsidered. "Actually, can she bring me some water? I need to take a painkiller. I have a headache brewing."
"I'm sorry, Drake," Lara said, shaking her head. "We could have Skyped. I should have realized this would be too much."
"No, no," I said, holding my hand out. "I'll be fine. Just the water would be great."
"Okay," Lara said and used her cell, texting her staff about the water. "We'll be fifteen minutes, no more."
One of Lara's assistants came in and placed a bottle of water in front of me, a cup of coffee in front of Lara, then she closed the door behind her as she left Lara and I alone. I took out a few pills that I'd slipped into my jacket inner pocket, and drank down some water. Hopefully, they'd kick in within the hour and I'd head off a worse headache. I didn't want Kate worrying or changing her plans.
Lara and I went over my testimony, what Canmore and I discussed in our meeting earlier, and she coached me on how to frame my experiences in the BDSM community.
"You have to know that's all anyone will be able to focus on once it's been brought up. People will be curious and suspicious about it and what you like and why you became involved."
I nodded, for Lara and I had gone over this for the previous trial, but I supposed she was only trying to make sure I was as ready as I could be for this trial. She wanted to make sure that I phrased it right and didn't make myself look bad in the way I described my interest in bondage and dominance.
"The average person on the street knows about kink either through those books or via porn involving spanking or maybe hair pulling, rough sex. That, or they're curious and have seen some more intense porn, illegal porn. We don't want you to get mixed up into that at all. Really focus on how you were focused on the woman's pleasure."
"It's the truth," I said a bit defensively.
"I know it, and you know it, and your past partners know it, but the defense will try to frame it like you were controlling Lisa and she was only doing what you demanded of her."
"In her mind," I said. "There's no evidence. Whatever evidence they had at the start has been discounted."
"A lie gets half way around the world before the truth pulls on its shoes. All they'll remember is reading salacious extracts from the fake letters she and Jones concocted to make it look like you were the one controlling everything."
I sighed heavily and leaned back, closing my eyes and rubbing my temples. The pain killer hadn't yet kicked in and I was feeling pretty brain-fogged from the headache.
I opened my eyes and saw Lara watching me.
"Are you up for this? We could file for a further delay."
I shook my head. "No, that's fine. I'll be better tomorrow after a good night's sleep." I forced a smile and she finally narrowed her eyes.
"Drake Morgan, don't try to be a hero," she said, her voice low. "It will do no one any good if you pass out on the stand."
"You mean, it wouldn't get me any sympathy votes on the jury?" I cracked, grinning at the expression on her face.
"If you were my sub, I'd spank your ass," she replied finally, grinning herself. "Go home. Get some sleep. This will all be over soon and you can move on."
"I hope so," I said and stood, buttoning my jacket. "I'm just about at my wit's end with this trial and the fallout. I was hoping to start back on my Fellowship in January, but with all the publicity, I may put it off until next fall."
Lara stood and took my arm, leading me to the door to her office. "That's too bad, Drake. There will still be a fellowship program next year. There will still be pediatric neurosurgeon patients the following year. Try to keep your mind on the future and soon enough, this will pass and be nothing but a bad memory."
I kissed her cheek lightly and left her office, throwing on my coat and messaging John to come and get me.
* * *
I arrived home just after noon, and trudged up the stairs to the apartment after telling John I wouldn't be going out until tomorrow. He'd likely set up a place to watch the building, coordinating with other members of the security team providing us 24/7 protection. It was probably overkill, but given what happened to both Kate and me, I didn't want to spare any expense.
I opened the door to the apartment to find Kate standing in front of the television in the living room, the remote in her hand, and Sophie at her feet playing with toys. Kate turned to me and raised her eyebrows.
"What?" I asked, hanging up my coat and shucking off my boots. "You look like you've seen a ghost. Something bad on the news?"
"A video."
"Another one? Does this guy have a pot belly and hairy back?"
"No," she said, her voice soft. "This one is you. You and Sunita."
Adrenaline jolted through my body. "What?"
I went to where she was standing and
watched the television screen. On it, a still shot from a grainy video, displaying me with a woman who was obviously Sunita. She was wearing a leather lace up bustier, thin black lace panties, was blindfolded and had her hands tied above her head. On the fronts of her thighs were long red stripes from the cane I had used with her. It was the biggest regret of my life and I knew I'd never live it down. Once the public saw that video, they'd think the worst of me. All the subsequent submissives who swore on a stack of bibles that I wasn't a sadist would be meaningless.
"Fucking great," I said, exasperated. I watched with Kate, seeing myself on the screen, wearing nothing but a pair of low-slung leather pants with a thick black leather belt. My chest was bare and I was holding a cane, which was a common implement of discipline in the BDSM world. Lara had suspected I was a sadist and wanted to give me the opportunity to explore it, but it hadn't done anything sexual for me. In fact, it repulsed me. It turned off my desire rather than inflaming it.
None of that would matter now that this video had been released. Someone was trying their best to help Lisa and harm me. I wasn't sure who, but Sunita must have felt she was doing a good deed by turning that video over to the press. She probably made a pretty penny off it as well. If I had been that kind of person, I might have paid a whole lot more to stop the video from being played, but the station hadn't come to either me or my lawyer to make the offer.
I texted Lara, although I knew she was I a meeting.
DRAKE: The Sunita video is being played on the internet and talked about on a local TV station.
I waited, Kate and I standing there mute while the video of me caning Sunita played in a loop, the camera focusing on her blindfolded and gagged face while I struck her repeatedly.
My cell dinged and I checked my messages.
LARA: Oh, God... Usually, the station would have come to me for comment or the chance to kill the story with a nice juicy payment, but I guess not.