Defended

by Golden Angel

  Black Light: Defended

  Golden Angel

  ©2019 by Golden Angel

  All rights reserved.

  No part of the book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  Published by Black Collar Press

  Black Light: Defended

  by Golden Angel

  e-book ISBN: 978-1-947559-15-8

  Print ISBN: 978-1-947559-16-5

  Cover Art by Eris Adderly, http://erisadderly.com/

  Editor: Maggie Ryan

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  First Electronic Publish Date, September 2019

  First Print Publish Date, September 2019

  Thank Yous!

  I have a lot of people to thank for helping me with this book:

  My amazing beta readers, who are invaluable in helping me catch mistakes, continuity issues, and working through problems with me. Katherine, Nick, Marie, Karen, Marta, Annie, and Jessie – you all make these books so much better! Thank you for being such great cheerleaders, helping me with mistakes, continuity issues, and constantly asking questions.

  Eris Adderly for the absolutely stunning cover.

  A special thank you to Ellery and Lisa, who were happy to answer all my many texts and emails about being a lawyer and a PhD student.

  Livia and Jen for taking a chance on me and including me in Black Light.

  My husband for his continued loved and support.

  And, as always, a big thank you to all of you for buying and reading my work… if you love it, please leave a review!

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  About the Author

  Other Titles by Golden Angel

  There’s more to discover in the world of Black Light!

  Black Collar Press

  Chapter 1

  Melody Williams was in so much trouble.

  The judge presiding over her case sent her a dirty look as she started to sink down in her seat, and she quickly straightened up again, trying to appear responsible and innocent. Because she was both. She was also a victim of circumstances, not that she'd been able to convince the police of that.

  Her attorney, Mr. Park, glanced over his shoulder to see what the judge was looking at. Melody tried to give him a smile back, but she was pretty sure it came out more like a grimace. He turned back to the officer he was questioning.

  "At any time, did Ms. Williams indicate that the drugs were hers?" Mr. Park asked the cop on the stand. The same cop who had searched her bag and found the drugs before arresting her.

  "Well, no, but—"

  "And she did admit that she had left the bag unattended?"

  "Well, yes, but—"

  "Did she show any indication of being high?"

  "Well..." The cop's voice trailed off as his cheeks reddened and he glanced at her. Melody immediately dropped her gaze, not wanting to face him. She still felt the shame and fear from having her hands cuffed behind her, all while she protested that she didn't know how the drugs had gotten into her purse. A little tendril of anger curled in her stomach when she remembered his mocking disbelief. She'd been tipsy, not high and he knew it. The cop coughed. "No, she did not appear to be high."

  Watching Mr. Park tear the case apart using the cop's own testimony was more than a little satisfying.

  Somehow she'd gotten an attorney who looked more like he belonged on screen in Crazy Rich Asians than here in this small courtroom, arguing that her case should be dismissed. She was pretty sure that being totally turned on by her lawyer had to be breaking some kind of rule.

  Weren't lawyers supposed to be sleazy slimeballs? She was willing to bet they weren't supposed to be six feet of pure muscle packed into a gray suit, have jet black hair that waved away from a movie-star handsome face, and a deep voice that sent all sorts of reverberations through her lower body. Her first lawyer hadn't been sleazy really, but he hadn't seemed particularly competent or interested in her case.

  Actually, until Mr. Park had shown up this morning in his tailored suit and told her that her lawyer was no longer available and that he'd be defending her in court today, she'd been convinced that she was going to jail.

  From the moment he’d introduced himself and told her that he was taking her case, she’d been an uncomfortable mix of anxious and aroused. Strangely, something about him had also made her feel protected, like everything was going to work out, even though he’d made no such promises. Or maybe she was just fooling herself because she was so desperate for some kind of reassurance, any reassurance, that she hadn’t irrevocably ruined her life.

  Her life had spiraled pretty wildly out of control since the night when she'd been at a party that had been busted up by the cops. Some asshole had gotten high out of his mind and then run out into the front yard and peed in the middle of the street right as the cops had shown up thanks to a noise complaint. What was supposed to be a much needed night off, a break from the stress and pressures of trying to earn her PhD, had turned into the most stressful situation of her life so far.

  All because she'd been dumb enough to set her purse behind the couch and someone had tucked a bag of drugs into it, presumably to hide them when the cops showed up. She hadn't checked it when she'd tried to leave and had willingly handed the bag over to be searched.

  Mistake... mistake... mistake...

  Never willingly hand anything over to be searched. Never say anything once you've been arrested. She knew that now, thanks to her incredibly attractive lawyer.

  "Look at me, not Ms. Williams, please, Officer Linc." The directive was respectful but said in such a firm tone that Melody had to press her thighs together. She'd always had a thing for authority figures. Then again, she'd always thought cops were pretty hot too, until one was ignoring all her protests as he handcuffed her and then shoved her into the back of his car. Definitely not how her cop fantasies had ever played out in her head, and she was pretty sure she was done with those now.

  Lawyer fantasies on the other hand...

  That was another reason she was in trouble.

  "In summary," Mr. Park said, sweeping his hand back at her. Melody started paying attention, sitting up straight and trying to look as earnest as possible as the judge glanced at her again. "Ms. Williams is a model student with no previous record—in fact, she doesn't even have a record of parking tickets. She attended a party where her bag was placed in a manner that anyone could have gained access to it. She immediately offered her purse up for a search when it was requested, was shocked to discover someone had placed drugs inside, and has been consistent in her story throughout. Officer Linc followed procedure, as necessary, but there is not enough evidence to try my client, much less convict her. While she made a mistake in leaving her purse unattended, such mistakes should be learning experiences, not cause
for jail time. I move for immediate dismissal of the charges."

  Judge Kneupper's gaze was indifferent, but not condemning. He turned to look at the prosecutor, who sat there for a long moment, as if thinking about how she wanted to respond, before standing up and nodding.

  “The prosecution agrees and moves for acquittal.”

  Melody's lungs burned, but she couldn't seem to take a breath, waiting for the judge to speak. It felt like every cell in her body was straining in anticipation of his verdict—a physical impossibility, yet she felt it.

  "Motion granted." The judge swung his gavel, the resounding wooden thunk seeming to echo through her brain as Melody sucked in the sweetest lungful of air she'd ever breathed.

  Her head whipped to the right to look at Mr. Park, who was turning back to her with a slight smile on his face, confirming that she hadn't misheard... the case was dismissed. Walking back to where she was sitting behind the table, he didn't exactly loom over her, but he certainly cut an imposing figure. Especially as his lips curved down to a more serious expression.

  "Congratulations, Ms. Williams," he said in a low voice.

  "Thank you," she whispered and then cleared her throat, because she hadn't actually meant to whisper, her voice had just caught. "Thank you so much, Mr. Park."

  "I hope you've learned your lesson about leaving your belongings unattended," he said, giving her a stern look that made her want to melt into the floor... and it made other parts of her feel all melty too.

  "Yes, Sir," she said, answering his admonishment, her cheeks blooming with color as she answered in a higher voice than normal. Her tone was almost girlish and he bit back a groan. The combination of her submissive, repentant answer and embarrassed, little girl tone was like something straight out of his fantasies. “I won’t do it again.”

  Little Miss Doe-Eyes was killing him.

  She's not a sub, she's not a baby girl, stop wishing she were...

  No, she was just an embarrassed woman, relieved to no longer be facing drug possession charges.

  He cleared his throat, trying to settle into his normal post-trial client routine. “It was very nice to meet you,” he said, holding out his hand to help her up. “Although, if we ever cross paths again, hopefully it will be under better circumstances.”

  “Um, yes, um… yes.” She blushed. She was staring at him like he’d hung the moon, her lips slightly parted and her soft brown eyes so wide that she almost resembled an anime character. Kawan's brain supplied him with a mental image of her dressed up in something soft and ruffled instead of the navy dress suit she was currently wearing, and he shoved it away.

  Seeming to realize that she was still holding his hand, she blushed even more brightly and abruptly stood without giving him time to step back, and for one long moment they were nearly chest to breast. Her breath hitched and her head tilted back again to look up at him. The attraction between them was hard to deny, but Kawan made himself step back.

  Technically she was no longer his client, but he had a strict rule about playing with vanillas—he wasn't allowed to. It never ended well. But he shoved that thought away too because it reminded him of everything he’d lost.

  He wasn't even supposed to be here today.

  But Paul Standish, the managing partner from his old firm, had called and begged him to help out. His daughter was Ms. Williams’ mentor in her PhD program and she'd called her father, frantic with worry that her mentee was going to be railroaded in court. She was absolutely certain of Ms. Williams' innocence, but also knew the young woman couldn’t afford anyone other than a public defender.

  Since Kawan had left Standish and Stanton on good terms and wasn't starting his new job until tomorrow, he'd made a few calls and then come in to defend Ms. Williams. Even though he was a civil defense attorney and not criminal, it hadn't taken more than a glance at the report and a quick conversation with her to realize she was innocent.

  Not just innocent. Naïve.

  If she'd been his...

  But she wasn't. And he’d learned his lesson about riding in to be a seemingly innocent woman’s white knight. Hadn’t he?

  “Let me help you with your coat,” he said, giving himself something to do that was professional and distracting from the tension rising between them.

  “Thank you,” she said softly. His fingers brushed against the back of her neck as she shrugged the coat on, and for a moment he thought about breaking his rules. But no, he’d put them in place for a reason.

  After helping her into her coat, Kawan beat a swift retreat. There was no reason to hang around torturing himself over a woman he'd just met. This weekend he'd be going to Black Light, as a member rather than a guest for the very first time, and there would be plenty of submissive women there who were kinky. Women who would hopefully want what he had to offer. Women who knew what they wanted and wouldn’t… He pushed away that line of thinking again. Krissy had already taken up too much of his thoughts over the past year.

  Besides, he was running late.

  While his official first day at Lambert, Urbanski, and Reed wasn't until tomorrow, he'd been planning on going in and getting the lay of the land. Sure enough, as soon as he checked his phone, three messages from Alexander Reed—a friend from law school and the 'Reed' in the firm's name—popped up on the screen.

  Let me know when you're done being a hero and are coming in.

  Sienna saved you a donut for when you get here. It's chocolate.

  Never mind. I ate the donut.

  Chuckling, Kawan texted back that he was on the way now and immediately got a thumbs up in return from Alexander. He'd be willing to bet that Sienna had another donut tucked away for him somewhere. She was thoughtful like that.

  The two of them were an interesting pair, since Alexander, like Kawan, was a Daddy Dom, whereas Sienna hadn't seen herself as a baby girl at all when they'd first met. They compromised though, switching back and forth between who was taking care of whom, so Sienna's need to submit through service and Alexander's need to take care of her in the manner of a Daddy Dom were both satisfied. They were good for each other and they made it work.

  He wanted something like that. A real relationship. Between two partners who both knew what they wanted.

  Even though he’d been burned, he had to believe it was still possible. Going to Black Light and watching the two of them scene together, watching their relationship grow and progress… well, when Alexander had proposed and Sienna had said yes, Kawan had realized what he needed to do.

  A fresh start. Away from Richmond. Away from Krissy and from everyone who had listened to her bile.

  And straight to unfettered access to Black Light. The fees were expensive but entirely worth it. Alexander had taken him there more than once as his guest, and Kawan had thoroughly enjoyed every visit. Surely he'd be able to find a submissive within the club’s exclusive walls. A baby girl he could have a real relationship with. If not there, then he might visit Overtime as well, and if he found a baby girl there, then he'd bring her to Black Light.

  Kawan made himself focus as he entered the offices of Lambert, Urbanski, and Reed. This was not the place to be thinking about his social life. The receptionist sitting behind the desk, Mrs. Connelly, looked up and smiled at him in welcome.

  "Good afternoon, Mr. Park," she said. "Mr. Reed asked that you go straight back to his office."

  "Thank you," he said, giving her a smile.

  "Also, Ms. Davis asked me to give you this." The older woman's eyes danced with amusement as she held up what looked very much like a donut wrapped up in a napkin.

  Kawan grinned as he took the offering from her. "Thank you very much, Mrs. Connelly."

  “Ah, there’s our resident knight-in-shining armor.” Alexander’s voice preceded him into the lobby. His eyes twinkled with mirth as he shifted the files in his arms so he could hold out his hand in greeting to Kawan. “Walk with me, talk with me. How is the damsel in distress? Did the dragon eat her?”

  Ka
wan scoffed, walking alongside Alexander down the hall toward the other man’s office. “Of course not. The only thing being eaten is this donut.” Holding it up, he took a healthy bite. Mmm. Sugary goodness.

  “I knew she hid one from me,” Alexander muttered, shaking his head. Putting the files down on his desk, he took a seat in the leather chair behind it, leaving Kawan to sit in the comfortable armchair across from him. “I should spank her for lying to me.”

  “I’m sure she’ll enjoy that.” Kawan shook his head, his mind going back to Ms. Williams. “My client this morning could have used one.”

  Alexander shot him a sharp look, and not because he was worried that Kawan might be unprofessional with a client. They knew each other better than that. “Submissive?”

  “No idea,” Kawan said, and even he could hear the wistfulness in his tone.

  Which was why, despite his strong attraction to Ms. Melody Williams, he wasn't truly interested in her. Just because she had instinctively called him 'Sir' didn't mean she was submissive, and it definitely didn't automatically make her a baby girl. And that was what Kawan wanted. He’d learned his lesson with Krissy—he needed a submissive who was also a baby girl, not just someone who enjoyed playing the part every so often. Definitely not someone who would only pretend and use the role to manipulate him.

  He liked fulfilling the Daddy role. Loved the total control it gave him. Loved seeing the woman under his care unwind, relaxing into being able to just enjoy herself while he managed everything. Loved setting down rules and meting out discipline for broken ones. Loved the pretended innocence that usually masked a very horny little girl.