The Naughty Corner by Jasmine Haynes Read Free Book Online

sauce, bits of pineapple, and stringy cheese. One lone piece of pizza was left to congeal on the tray.
    Lola’s stomach rumbled. She’d powered down a bowl of cereal, that was all, before she’d headed out. But though the pizza called to her, she wasn’t going to eat it. As objectifying as it sounded, when you met a new man, you had to start counting every calorie.
    On the big screen, a girl dressed in a violet miniskirt tossed a spear through a bad guy.
    She gasped. “Oh my God, you’re watching Kick-Ass .”
    Charlotte glanced up, smiled. “I love this movie.”
    But it was violent. And the girl doing all the damage—not to mention the bad language—was only twelve or so. Maybe she was even younger; Lola had never been sure.
    “They can’t watch this.” Wasn’t it R-rated? “That kid kills people.”
    “Only bad guys,” William said, his gaze glued to the TV screen.
    “Yes, but—Charlotte,” she hissed. “Violence.”
    “Everything has violence these days. Kids are used to it.”
    “Yeah, Aunt Lola,” Harry chimed in. “And we know it’s just fake. It’s not like we’re suddenly going to put on superhero suits and start killing people.”
    “Or jump off skyscrapers,” William added, “because we think we can fly.” He glanced up at her. “We’re not stupid. We understand the difference between reality and fantasy.”
    “At least there’s a message in Kick-Ass ,” Charlotte said, siding with the boys. How could she, for God’s sake? She was a guidance counselor and a therapist.
    “What message?” Lola demanded.
    “That you have to stand up for weaker people who can’t stand up for themselves,” Harry said. “Even if you could get hurt yourself.”
    Right. So that’s why they’d been picking on Stinky Stu.
    Harry rolled onto his stomach and looked at her. “If the movie is so bad, why do you have it in your collection?”
    Because, well, she loved the movie, too. But it wasn’t a kids’ movie. Or maybe she was just afraid that Andrea would hear about it and have another hissy fit. “Do not tell your mother when you talk to her tomorrow.” Andrea insisted on Skyping the boys every morning, and Lola usually managed to be absent. Though sometimes she was dragged in. Maybe tomorrow she’d have to listen just to make sure.
    “Come on,” Charlotte murmured—like a devil on her shoulder—“have that last piece of pizza and enjoy the movie.”
    Lola gave in, grabbing a paper plate and flopping down in the one vacant chair, her bottom tingling in a delicious reminder. Why not add pizza and a violent movie to all the other naughty things she’d done this evening?
    Charlotte nudged her foot when the credits finally started rolling. “It’s time for a nice glass of wine out on the deck.”
    Lola knew what that meant. Charlotte wanted her payback: details.
    Harry rolled to look at her. “Thanks, but Mom’s totally against us drinking until we’re twenty-one.”
    Charlotte kicked him lightly as she walked by. “You poor kids, you’re so deprived.”
    In the kitchen, Lola pulled the bottle of wine from the fridge. “Don’t encourage them,” she said softly. They liked Charlotte, a hell of lot more than they liked Lola.
    “They’d probably be a lot better if Andrea would lighten up a little,” Charlotte whispered back as she got down the glasses.
    Lola poured. “It’s too late for that.”
    Harry and William were playing video games as Lola and Charlotte crossed to the sliding glass door. Her deck wasn’t large, more like a balcony, but had enough room for plants and a couple of chairs. Her condo was along the back of the last row of buildings and overlooked the canyon below. The forest lay in darkness, but on the far side, another housing development lit up the crest of the opposite hill.
    They propped their feet on the railing, sat back in the chairs, and gazed up at the stars.
    “Dish,” Charlotte said. “Every naughty detail.”
    “He’s kinky,” Lola said,