The Art of Discipline: Dani’s Discovery (The Mockingbird Chronicles) (18 page)

Emma shook her head. “He was here.”

Dani paled. “Where? Which way did he go? Did you call the police?”

Emma shook her head again. “No, I didn’t even thinking about calling. He was just here, and now he’s gone.”

Dani turned Emma toward her, placing a hand on each arm. “Emma, did you see which way he went?”

Emma didn’t want to say, but her eyes betrayed her as they flicked to the nearby department store. Dani looked over her shoulder before she started to get up. “Call the police.”

“No, Dani, stay here. Please don’t.”

“Emma, call the police. I’m not going to let this bastard get away.”

“Danielle,” Emma voice suddenly switched, getting a deeper tone. “Don’t you dare. He’s gone now anyway. Take me home, please.”

Dani gave in, pulling Emma close for a hug. “If that is what you want, of course I’ll take you home.” Encouraging Emma to stand, Dani took her by the arm and started to escort her out when she noticed Emma wince. “What?”

“Nothing, just my arm…” Emma didn’t finish as Dani grabbed her arm and yanked up the sleeve, gasping as she saw red marks which were already darkening into bruises.

“I’ll kill him,” Dani muttered, her tone as dark as her threat.

Emma shook off Dani’s hold and put a hand on each side of her cheek, forcing their eyes to meet. “No, Danielle. Promise me you won’t confront him. I won’t let you.”

Dani bit her lip but couldn’t resist Emma’s plea. “Alright. This time,” she warned. She then pulled out her phone and started to dial.

“What are you doing?”

“Calling the police. I told you I wouldn’t go after him. Doesn’t mean they can’t. If nothing else, we can at least document this.”

* * *

Entering Dani’s apartment, both women let their purses drop and kicked off their shoes. Dani led Emma to the couch and gently sat down next to her before drawing her into a hug. “Want to talk about it?”

Getting comfortable, Emma laid her head on Dani’s chest and tucked her feet up under her. “I still can’t believe that I had to file assault charges in order to get a restraining order.”

“Well, at least the paper work is in motion now,” Dani began to rub Emma’s back. “If he shows up, we can call police and have him arrested.”

“Yeah, doesn’t really change the fact though. I can’t believe he thinks that I have access to fifty thousand dollars,” Emma said as she absently traced circles on Dani’s leg,

Dani took a deep breath, making a fast decision. “You do.”

“I do what?”

“Have access to fifty thousand dollars,” she answered, pulling Emma into her lap. “I can give you the money if you think it would get him to go away.”

Emma looked up into glacier blue pools. “I can’t let you borrow against your business, and I won’t borrow against the bookstore.”

Dani shook her head. “No, Emma, I would have to shift some funds, but I could have it to you when the bank opens in the morning.”

Emma shifted a bit before looking back into Dani’s face. “Thank you for the offer.” She placed her hand on the side of Dani’s face. “But I won’t be paying off his bribe in any shape or form.”

Leaning into Emma’s caress, Dani reiterated, “I just wanted you to know the offer was there.”

“Thank you,” Emma replied, giving Dani a lingering kiss before snuggling into her once again.

The women relaxed for a while longer before a knock at the door caused Emma to tense. Giving her a gentle kiss on the top of her head, Dani slowly moved her before standing. Looking out the peephole, she smiled and opened the door.

“Delivery for Danielle Ryan,” a wiry teen stated, bringing in four overstuffed bags from the clothing store they had visited earlier in the day.

“Thank you.” Dani handed him a tip before closing the door behind him and locking it. Turning back to Emma, she gave her a shy smile. “I thought you might enjoy having a few more items to pad your wardrobe.”

Emma slowly stood and walked toward the sacks, “You bought me everything I tried on?”

Dani shook her head. “No, I left that green top and brown skirt there, as well as a few other things. I tried to get the stuff you seemed to like—and a couple of things that I liked,” she added with a twinkle.

Emma shook her head in disbelief. “I can’t believe you did this for me.”

“I wanted to do it.”

Emma looked up at Dani and shook her head again. “It’s too much. I want you to return it.”

“It’s not too much. You need the clothes, and I’m giving them to you.”

“Dani, I’ll just have to wait for the insurance check to come. Then I can buy more.”

“And what are you supposed to do in the meantime, walk around naked or in the same outfits all the time?” Dani shook her head again. “No, the clothes are yours.” Picking up the sacks, she headed to the bedroom. “In fact, it’s about time we cleared out the closets anyways. I’ve been meaning to donate Uncle Sean’s things, and this gives me the excuse.”

“Danielle,” Emma tried.

Dani ignored her and kept walking to the bedroom. Putting the sacks down on the bed, she opened the closet and began pulling out handfuls of her uncle’s clothing. She hadn’t given it much thought and had just pushed them to the side, but in a strange way, it felt good. It was time.

“Danielle Elizabeth Ryan,” Emma entered the room, hands on hips.

Dani turned and looked at her hard. “No, that isn’t going to work this time. You are keeping the clothes, even if I can’t sit for a month of Sundays.”

Emma couldn’t help the smirk forming on her lips. “A month of Sundays, huh?”

Dani pausing as she pulled out a well-worn blue shirt and smiled slightly at the memories it held. “Yep, Uncle Sean once told me if I did anything as stupid as trying to jump off the old water tower again, he’d paddle me so hard I wouldn’t be able to sit for a month of Sundays.”

“You jumped off the old water tower?”

“We had a bungee cord,” Dani protested.

Emma began laughing as she walked toward Dani, taking the pile of clothes out her hand and laying them with the rest on the bed. She then pulled Dani into a hug, before quickly turning her and giving her a hard swat.

“Hey, what was that for?” Dani asked, rubbing her backside and sticking her lip out in a little pout.

“For being your wonderful self, Danielle Ryan,” Emma replied as she reached up and gently nipped her lip with her teeth. Then, with a smirk she began to help organize the closet.

* * *

“I still can’t believe you told the waitress you’d rather have water instead of the soda I ordered you,” Emma commented as she looked over her menu.

“I just don’t want one,” Dani replied in a hiss of a whisper.

“Since when do you turn down soda, Dani?” Emma asked, looking over her menu at her dining companion.

“Since now,” Dani explained, burying her nose in her own menu.

“I thought you always had soda with dinner,” Emma pressed.

“I did, until you told me I had to have water with my meals. I’m just trying to be a good little girl and do what you’ve told me,” Dani said sarcastically.

“Danielle.”

“What?” Dani put down her menu and glared at Emma. “I get bitched at if I want the soda and bitched at if I don’t. What do you want from me?”

Emma leaned back in her chair, lowering her menu as well. Crossing her arms in front of her, she merely stared at Dani. The waitress chose that moment to reappear, order pad in hand, but then slowly moved away when she realized that the diners weren’t quite ready to order yet.

“I want to know what is going on, Danielle,” Emma said.

Dani refused to meet Emma’s eyes, merely shrugging her answer.

“Danielle,” Emma warned.

“I-can’t-drink-another-diet-soda-because-I’ve-already-had-three-today,” Dani said in a rush.

“Wait, slow down and tell me again.”

Dani took a deep breath. “I said that I can’t have a soda because I’ve already had three today.”

“Is that all? Dani, I’m proud of you for sticking to our agreement. It’s nothing to get upset about.”

“But I snuck the other one at the mall. When you went to the bathroom, I refilled my cup.”

“I know.”

Dani’s eyebrows shot up. “You knew?”

“Yes. I told you, Dani, it’s up to you when you choose to drink the sodas, not me. You chose to have the two at the mall; it’s not a big deal.”

“But I let you think I’d only had one,” Dani stammered.

Emma grinned. “Yes, you did, and perhaps we can discuss later. Now though, we need to decide what to order so we don’t scare the waitress off a second time.”

Giving Emma a small nod, Dani looked once more at her menu. “Emma? Can I have French fries?”

Emma laughed. “Yes, Danielle, you may have French fries tonight, as long as you promise to try some type of vegetable too.”

Grumbling, Dani nodded before returning to her menu.

The rest of the meal was pleasant. They made small talk, avoiding the topic of Sampson like the plague, and tried to just enjoy each other’s company.

* * *

“I’m very proud of you tonight, Dani,” Emma began. “Not only did you drink water, you ate half an order of cooked carrots without complaint.”

Dani shrugged. “They weren’t that bad, but the fries were better.”

Laughing, Emma stopped walking before reaching up to give Dani a kiss. “I’m still proud of you.”

“Thanks,” Dani mumbled shyly as she unlocked the door to her apartment. Kicking off her shoes, she bent down to kiss Emma. “Nightcap?”

Emma shook her head. “No, I’m too tired. Besides, you and I need to have that chat.”

Dani froze midstride. “Chat?”

“Uh-huh. Go put on one of your new pairs of pajamas and wait for me in the corner.”

“Emma,” Dani whined.

“Right now, Danielle,” Emma commanded, pleased when Dani didn’t argue further and slowly dragged herself down the hall.

Walking into the bedroom, Emma removed a pair of her own pajamas from the dresser before disappearing into the bathroom and re-emerging a few moments later much more comfortable. Sitting on the bed, she watched as Dani fidgeted in the corner.

Standing, she walked over to Dani and gently patted her bottom. “So, why are you standing in the corner tonight, Danielle?

Dani shifted and sniffled. “Because I made you believe I had only had two sodas today and that’s like lying, and because if I hadn’t had the second soda, you wouldn’t have been left alone, and Sampson couldn’t have hurt you.”

“Oh, Dani,” Emma breathed, turning her from the corner. “That’s not true. There is no way you could have predicted that.”

Dani sniffled once more. “It was my fault. I left you alone, and I shouldn’t have.”

Emma sighed, both relieved and disturbed by Dani’s confession. “Come on, let’s sit down.” Taking Dani’s hand and leading her to the bed, Emma couldn’t help the small smile as Dani instantly curled into her, resting her head on Emma’s shoulder. “Dani, I don’t want you blaming yourself for what happened with Sampson today.”

“But if I hadn’t snuck that second soda, I wouldn’t have had to go to the bathroom and would have been there with you.”

“Maybe, maybe not. The point is, you can’t control Patrick Sampson or his actions. You didn’t do anything to hurt me today, Dani. He did.”

“But I lied to you,” Dani slowly drew a pattern on Emma’s leg. “I told you I was going to the bathroom the first time, but I didn’t. I bought your clothes instead and then met up with you.”

“I see.” Emma’s voice was suddenly serious. “So, is this why you think you’re to blame for what happened to me today?”

Dani winced. “I shouldn’t have lied, Emma.”

“You’re right, you shouldn’t have, but you were lying for a good reason, Dani. You wanted to do something nice for me and did it the only way you could.”

Dani shook her head stubbornly. “I shouldn’t have lied, and I shouldn’t have had that second soda.”

Sighing, Emma shifted and tapped Dani’s leg. “I can see we need to take care of this now. Stand up.”

Tears already falling down her face, Dani stood and waited. Emma quickly pulled down her pajama bottoms before escorting Dani over her lap.

“Okay, Danielle, why are you in this position again?”

“Because I lied and tried to trick you about the soda.”

Smiling, Emma raised her hand. “Good girl,” she said before allowing it to fall with no force.

Dani looked up in confusion as Emma winked at her. Patting Dani’s bottom gently, she helped her up and righted her pajama bottoms before patting the bed next to her. “Sit down, sweetie.”

Scooting back on the bed, Emma crossed her legs and waited for Dani to do the same. Taking Dani’s hands into her own, Emma smiled. “I will never spank you for being honest with me, Danielle Ryan. I told you that I was proud of you today, and I meant that.” She looked into her blue eyes. “I will also not spank you for something that is not your fault.”

“But I tried to trick you,” Dani protested. “I lied to you.”

“Danielle,” Emma’s voice was stern once again. “Remember, it’s my decision to decide when, where, and how you are punished. This time, I decided that you’ve done nothing wrong.”

“But…”

“Did you really try to trick me, or did you just not tell me that you’d gotten a refill?” Emma interrupted.

Dani shrugged, purposely avoiding her green eyes.

“Tricking me would have been going ahead and having that soda at the restaurant and trying to convince me that it was your third soda. Did you do that?”

“No, but if you knew I already had my limit, why did you tell the waitress to bring me one?”

“We both had a long day. I just thought you could use a little treat. Dani, you don’t have to hide your drinking or eating from me. I only ask that you’re honest with me when we make a plan about something, okay?” Letting go of Dani’s hand, she reached up and placed her fingers under Dani’s chin, forcing the woman to look at her. “Do you understand, Danielle?”

“I guess so. So, I don’t have to tell you every time I drink a soda or have some chips?”

Emma shook her head. “No. I may occasionally make an exception, like I was going to today, but normally I expect you to not drink more than three a day or do something like eat an entire bag of chips as a meal.”