Her Double Punishment Read online

  Her Double Punishment

  Daniella Wright

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Epilogue

  More By Dany

  Auctioned To The Armitage Brothers

  Four Daddies’ Secret Twins

  Copyright

  Chapter 1

  Did you see who’s playing in the Sundome tonight?

  I can barely tear my eyes from the poster on the cafeteria wall to text my friends properly.

  Ingemar, only the hottest grunge band on the entire Western Sea Border, if not the whole of the United States of America, if not the world! is performing a concert of their last ever world tour at the Yakima Sundome tonight.

  How on earth did I miss this?

  My phone vibrates, sending out that short little tingle to indicate I’ve got a reply.

  It’s Amaya. She’s always the first to respond to texts. She almost has her phone glued to her hand.

  Don’t you have a huge exam to study for?

  I frown. Since when has Amaya been so concerned about my studies?

  It’s Ingemar! I’ve missed every tour over the last three years because of studies.

  As I finish that reply my phone tingles again. This time it’s Jace.

  INGEMAR ROCKS! But u know they sold out weeks ago?

  My heart drops. Of course. The only band I’ve ever loved, and I’ve missed every live performance because I’ve been stuck doing what my father wants me to do with my life, instead of what I want to do. Not that I know what I want to do, but that’s beside the point.

  It’s enough to make a person cry.

  Brylee is next, and I am so grateful someone invented group texting, because it makes the whole world so much easier.

  I have tix. Uncle bought them for my b’day. Have four spare…

  U R the best Bryl! I text back. Meet for drinks beforehand?

  Sure. My place 6:30.

  Done!

  Woah! Savannah may have forgotten, but she promised her dad she’d study hard this year.

  I frown at the phone, my thumbs smashing against the screen. What the hell, Amaya? Since when are you on my dad’s side?

  You have best chance of any of us to do something amazing with your life. Wish my dad would pay to send me to Uni. I roll my eyes. Typical Amaya. Her dad might not pay for her college tuition, but at least he doesn’t force her to study boring shit.

  Before I can respond there’s another text.

  And pay to keep her there! Neveah, always the last to join the conversation. She’s probably been reading or something.

  I want to defend myself, but really, Neveah’s right. I haven’t had the marks to stay at college by myself, and my father is so insistent I finish this degree.

  “It’s what’s best for you,” he says, every time I try to talk my way out of it. “A good education, and solid qualification and career will set you up for life.”

  Yeah, maybe. Or else send me to an early grave with the stress of it all. If only he’d give me the chance to take a step back and figure out exactly what it is I want to do with my life, instead of insisting that this is the best path for me. I’m sure I’d be happy to study, if it was something I was actually interested in.

  A group of other students from my class stand up, en masse, and file out of the cafeteria. Guess it must mean the next lecture is about to start.

  I glance at the time on my phone, and then at the timetable. Law 101.

  My shoulders slump. I’m only still here because my father donates huge amounts of money to the college every year, providing scholarships for those less fortunate. He’s argued that if his money can pay those with the brains but without the funds to go to Uni, then it should also pay for me to attend.

  And I know I’m not the only student here because of their super rich parents. But I’m pretty certain I’m the only student on who the Dean has imposed the condition that I repeat this class until I pass it.

  I don’t belong here. I don’t want to study law, and I don’t want to become a lawyer, or a conveyancer, or a solicitor or a barrister, or any of the other possible things I might be once I have this qualification.

  I’ve failed this one class, Law 101, four times already.

  Repeating it hasn’t helped me learn the lessons any better. All it’s done is reinforced the notion that if I graduate, this is what I will be stuck doing for the rest of my life, and that thought almost gives me an anxiety attack each and every time.

  I slump down at the nearest table, taking slow deep breaths to calm my racing heart.

  I can’t do this. I can’t study law, and I can’t be a lawyer.

  For my whole life I’ve been a good student, the teacher’s pet, daddy’s little girl. I’ve only ever wanted to please him. But now I realize that pleasing my father will mean losing my future, and the thought terrifies me.

  Another message comes in and I glance at my phone. It’s Brylee.

  So. Who’s in?

  I’m five minutes late for class now, and super stressed as it is. Arriving late, and having everyone’s eyes on me, it’s not going to help matters.

  I send a text back to Brylee herself, not a group text.

  I’m in. You free this afternoon? Might head over now?

  She replies straight away. Hell yeah! Been too long. See you soon xxx

  Breathing a sigh of relief, I grab my bag, and leave the dining hall, turning left, instead of right to go to my class.

  Outside the sun is beaming, the soft warm breeze bringing with it the smells of summer, sun lotion, and ice cream, and swimming pools.

  It feels like the world is telling this is the right thing to do.

  Who wants to be stuck inside all day, when there’s so much to do outdoors?

  I have no idea what I want to do with my life, but one thing I know for certain, it can’t be found in that course of study.

  Brylee and I have the best afternoon. She has a massive pool in her backyard, parents who are away all the time for work, and older siblings who have all moved out of home.

  She lends me a pair of swimmers and we spend the afternoon swimming and sunbaking, all the stresses and worries of the morning melting away as we splash about in the pool or laze about on the deck.

  “God, this is so good.” I roll over onto my stomach, resting my head in my hands. “You have no idea how much I need this.”

  Brylee laughs. “I think I do. You’ve looked awful for ages.”

  “What?” I lift my head to look at her.

  “No offence,” she says. “But anyone with half a brain can see you’re not enjoying yourself. You’ve had bags under your eyes, and you’re thin and pale. You need to find something else to do with your time.”

  “Tell me about it,” I grumble, resting my cheek on my arms. “But my dad says that unless I can name this other thing I’d rather be doing, then I have to stick with law.”

  “How are you supposed to know what else you’d like to do, if you never get the chance to do it?”

  “Exactly! He says if I spent my leisure time, ‘more productively’,” I put on a deep voice to mimic my father, and Brylee laughs. “Then I could find what I want to do after school hours, and when I find that, then, and only then, can I switch courses.” I sigh. “If only there was some sort of job where I could just swim all day. Or, I don’t know. Some sort of outside work with hot sweaty guys.”

  Brylee giggles. “Now that would be perfect. Hmm… I wonder what sort of wo
rk you could find like that?”

  I shake my head. “I don’t know.”

  “I do!” Brylee lifts her head, her eyes shining. “Farming.”

  “Farming?” I frown. “No thank you. I don’t want to get dirty in the process. All that digging about in the dirt, or dealing with animal shit. That’s not for me.”

  “Plenty of hot sweaty men though.”

  I laugh. “Maybe. Too far from here, though. I don’t want to actually leave the city. I’d miss you guys so much.”

  “And your family?”

  I shrug. “I guess, in time, I’d miss them, too. Mom is just as bad as dad though. She might not have come up with these decisions, but she is very strict in making sure they’re followed through.”

  Brylee sighs. “You need to invent a time machine, and go back in time, and make your parents have more kids. Then they’d have other offspring to force their unlived dreams onto, and you wouldn’t be having all this trouble.”

  “Shame I’m no good at science and technology either,” I mutter.

  A car pulls up outside and we hear three doors open and shut.

  “Must be the others,” Brylee says. “Prepare for the onslaught!” She glances at me. I just shrug. I don’t care what anyone says anymore. Going to classes is soul destroying, and I’m not going to do it.

  “Brylee! We’re here.”

  Jace, Amaya and Neveah all tumble through the gate, shopping bags in hand.

  “Savannah! What are you doing here?” Amaya is frowning at me. It’s the same look of disappointment my father gives whenever I get a bad report. It’s funny, I never actually knew my father had a disappointed look until I started consistently failing my subjects.

  I shrug, but Brylee answers first. “She’s having a mental health day. Got a problem with that?”

  It’s my only defense against Amaya’s shock. She’s always talking about the importance of looking after yourself, keeping yourself fit and healthy, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally, too.

  She opens her mouth to reply, and then closes it again.

  “Right.”

  “Anyway,” Brylee says. “Time for us to get changed.” She glances at me. “You can pick something out of my wardrobe. I’ve got plenty.”

  I grin. I was counting on exactly that. There’s no way I was going to go home to find an outfit for tonight, not and risk being caught by either of my parents.

  Dad sometimes works from home, and Mum doesn’t actually have a job, she spends her days drinking with her friends, so far as I can see, anyway. We have a cleaner to clean, and a cook, and a gardener, so it’s not like there’s anything for her to do, anyway.

  Maybe I could have that lifestyle, I muse. Find a rich husband to shower me with gifts and affection, pop out a couple of children—after my experience growing up as an only child, I would insist on at least two—and then spend my days volunteering with the parents and friends’ groups at school, and then, when my children have grown up, I can have all the leisure time I want.

  Easy.

  If only that was something you could be a qualification for.

  “You awake in there?” Brylee snaps her fingers in front of my face, pulling me from my reverie. “You look like you’re dreaming.”

  “I was.” I laugh. “Perfect situation… my mother’s. All she does is socialize. Now that would be ideal.”

  Brylee raises an eyebrow. “What about the kids though?”

  “How hard can it be to raise a couple of kids? Playing all the time, reading stories, visiting the park, and then you send them off to school for the bulk of their childhood anyway.”

  “I don’t think it’s quite that easy.”

  I shrug. “Don’t you start dissing my dreams, too!”

  Brylee laughs. “Hey, it’s your dream. Who am I to say it’s wrong. But for now, how about we find something sexy to wear and go out and party!”

  The night is amazing. Seeing Ingemar live is everything I thought it would be and more, music pounding out through the speakers, the entire crowd up and dancing and singing, propelled by the electric energy of the experience.

  My heart is pounding the whole way through, and this time it’s not from worry, but from pure adrenalin.

  To think I’ve missed experiencing this at least three other times, just because I’ve been the good girl and been studying.

  Not anymore. This is the start of a new life, where I decide my future.

  If only I could figure out exactly where to start with that.

  We’re all so hyped up after the concert, so we grab a taxi back to Brylee’s place. Her parents are both away for a few days, so there’s plenty of space for us to sleep.

  Brylee makes up beds in the spare room, and on the floor in the living room, though we all huddle in there, most of us still with an alcoholic drink in their hand.

  “That was incredible,” Jace says. “They’re absolutely the best band ever in the existence of the universe.”

  “I’ll say.” I clink beer necks with Jace, and we take a mouthful.

  “I’m so glad I went,” I say, shaking my head. “To think I could’ve missed out on seeing them live, ever, if I’d not seen that poster in the cafeteria.”

  Amaya frowns. “Speaking of which. What are you going to tell your dad when you get home?”

  I hold her gaze. “I’m going to tell him that I’ve tried. I’ve really given it my all, and he can see I’m failing, and surely he can see there’s no point in my keeping on going, and I’m twenty-two now, old enough to make my own decisions about my life.”

  “He’s going to cancel your allowance.” She’s very matter of fact.

  “My dad has never cancelled my allowance.” I scoff. “As if he’d do it now.”

  “You’ve never done anything to have your allowance cancelled for,” Neveah points out. “This is something parents cancel their children’s allowances for. You watch.”

  “This is your last warning, Savannah.” I’m standing in my father’s office, where he’s summoned me after a friend tagged a picture of me on social media having an awesome time at the concert the previous night, which of course he saw. “If you skip any more classes, I’m going to have to cancel your allowance.”

  My mouth drops open. It’s like he and Amaya have been talking or something, though I know that’s not very likely.

  “But Dad, I’ve tried. You’ve seen how much I’ve tried to do this. I just can’t. Law is not for me. Studying isn’t for me.”

  He slams his coffee mug down on his desk. “Studying is for everyone. You have the brains, Savannah, just not the motivation.” He shakes his head. “I’ve been too lenient on you. I should’ve done this years ago.”

  “But I do study.” I can feel the tears building behind my eyes and I will them away. I won’t cry in front of my father. “You’ve seen me study.”

  “Like last night?” He shakes his head. “Something as difficult as law requires commitment. Head down, rear in chair, for the entire term of your course. You can’t just head out for a night now and again. And you’ve been doing that far too often over these years.” He looks at me. “No. It’s decided. If you don’t start focusing, I’m going to cut your allowance.”

  “Fine.” I storm over to the door. “Cut it. I’m not going back to class. Ever!”

  I slam the door behind me, just as the tears overflow, and I race to my bedroom and throw myself on my bed.

  What on earth am I supposed to do now?

  No money means no parties, no shopping, no coffees with friends. It means I’ll have to walk everywhere. I can’t fill my car with petrol if I have no money, and I can’t afford buses or taxis either.

  What a mess.

  I pull out my phone, and text Brylee.

  I’ve just ruined my life.

  What did you do now? :(

  Dad threatened to cut my allowance, if I don’t study. I said cut it, bcoz I’m never going back to class. What do I do now?

  What! Come s
tay at mine for a few days. Parents won’t be home till Thursday; we can entertain ourselves here till then.

  I wipe the tears from my face with the back of a hand, and start pulling clothes into a bag.

  My room has double doors onto a balcony, with stairs leading down to our pool, so I sneak out that way. Better than through the house, where I have to go past my father’s office. He’s sure to hear me, and stop me.

  “Savannah.”

  My shoulders tense. I’m at my car, keys in the door. I’ve never gone against my parents like this in my life, ever. It’s scary, and yet somehow strangely exhilarating too.

  “What?” I don’t turn around.

  “Where are you going?”

  “I’m visiting Brylee.”

  “No you’re not, young lady. You’re coming straight back inside, and you’re getting straight back into those books.”

  I unlock the car, and open the door, only now turning to look at my father, watching me from the balcony off the living room.

  “I’m twenty-two years old, and I am an adult, and I will not follow your every order for as long as I live.”

  My father’s mouth drops open, as I sit in the car and drive away.

  My heart is pounding, but I take a few deep slow breaths to calm it, and realize I feel good about standing up to my father.

  It’s probably guaranteed that I’ll never get another allowance in my life, ever, but for the moment, I’m free.

  After two days at Brylee’s I’m bored.

  We’ve been swimming in the pool, and playing video games, and watching movies in her family’s very own theatre. It was fun for the first day, but now I just want to get outside, go for a run, stretch my legs.

  “You could go to the store for me,” Brylee suggests when I tell her what I’m feeling. “Mom and Dad are due home tomorrow, and I promised I’d at least have milk and bread in the fridge when they get back.”