Free Discipline by Stella Rhys Page A

he didn’t stop there, eventually getting the guy
arrested after digging up outstanding warrants for marijuana
possession.
    My only comfort was that Daniel had nothing
for Ben to use against him.
    Besides me.
    “You still teach at the high school?” Ben
asked Daniel, his eyes bright with curiosity.
    “Yes.”
    “Nice.” Ben nodded, a smile spreading his
lips when he got his answer. And then he turned to Mom with a story
about why he had to suddenly go – some work-related lie that I’d
heard a thousand times. As she protested, I eyed Daniel. He was
already looking at me. I’m so sorry , I mouthed. He simply
shook his head in response, his cold eyes returning to Ben as he
approached me to say goodbye.
    “When’d you say you were coming back to the
city, babe?” His voice dripped with phony sweetness and there was a
smirk in his eye as he brushed hair from my face. I said nothing.
After waiting a few more seconds for my answer, Ben chuckled and
let his hand fall to my backside, giving my ass a hard squeeze
while watching my jaw tighten. Mom’s friends politely averted their
gaze, completely oblivious to my utter revulsion. Avoiding Ben’s
eyes, mine went to Daniel, whose body was rigid as he watched Ben
hold the nape of my neck and pull my face close. He pressed a long,
hard kiss onto my lips before murmuring into my hair. “I know you
hate when I have to leave early, babe. But I’ll see you really
soon.”

CHAPTER 5

    “Okay, we need to talk. I have so many
stories. But first off, why are you wearing that?”
    Kelsey’s silent treatment broke ten minutes
into the bus ride. I had a feeling it would end sometime during the
trip back to the city, and probably so she could ask about the
blouse I was wearing. It was floral with a big, rolled collar that
looked like a cat food bowl around my neck.
    “For a job interview. At some art gallery in
the Upper East Side. I have the job, essentially. I think this is
meeting’s just a formality.”
    “What? You’re quitting Todos Santos again?”
Kelsey pouted. “No more free food? Or parties? Or Aussie Harry and
his gorgeous ass?”
    I shrugged, though I was genuinely sad about
the prospect of quitting again. “My mom wants me to. She set up the
interview and,” I plucked at my truly hideous top, “gave me this to
wear.”
    “When did all this happen?”
    “After Jake’s party.” I’d been so
overwhelmed by the fight between Daniel and Ben that I could hardly
stand up against Mom’s demands. Somehow, I’d promised to quit Todos
Santos and take the gallery internship offered by Mrs. Lockman.
“One of the people from the party owns the place. It apparently
doesn’t pay much and I’ll basically be spackling walls all day, but
I have to check it out.”
    “You have to? Nina, you can disobey
your mom for once in your life,” Kelsey said. “I mean, I’m no
badass but I’d choose this moment to rebel ‘cause I’d much rather make a ton of cash every night while staring at hot Aussie
bartenders instead of get my two hundred dollar paycheck taxed like
crazy, and all for spending my days in a stuffy white room with a
bunch of old people and a bunch of old oil paintings.” She pouted.
“Please don’t leave Todos. Visiting you there is like, the
highlight of my week. Why are you just letting your mom take away
the fun from both our lives?”
    I heaved a sigh. “Because I’m dropping the
bombshell about Ben soon and it’s going to destroy her mood for at
least the next few months. And then Jake and my dad will have to
suffer through her tantrums all summer. So I’m just waiting for the
right time to tell her. Probably sometime next week, when she comes
down from the high of the graduation party.”
    “Oh…” Kelsey squinted and puckered her lips.
“So, pretending to be her good little daughter in the meantime?”
she snorted. “Kidding. You are a good daughter. And a good cousin
for putting up with me when you’re already stressed out.