Page 1 of Defended
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 inCrazy Rich Asiansthan 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 shefeltit.
"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."
