Truth or Dare (2 page)

Luna grunted under her breath, dropped the chair back till it was flat, and rolled over onto her stomach. “Can you put some more lotion on me?” She held the bottle of sunscreen up. She didn’t tan, but she enjoyed being in the sun. It was relaxing, and vitamin D was good for the soul, at least that’s what her fruity mother claimed.

“You’re a cruel woman, you know that, right?” Marcus laughed, sitting up and grabbing the bottle. 

“I aim to please.” Luna wiggled her ass and batted her eyes. She knew Marcus was attracted to her and he did have that sexy military vibe going for him, but she enjoyed having a platonic male friend for once. They’d become friends since Derrick and Grayson became fused at the hip after Derrick’s near death experience. Her first male friend since she was like four years old. 

Luna wrinkled her brow. Now that she thought of it, she hadn’t had any friends besides her sister since god knows when. Girls hated her and guys wanted to screw her. The story of her life. 

She wasn’t about to lose her sister to another guy, so she adapted and made friends with Derrick’s friends. The other guys on the team were good guys, but she found she had the most fun with Marcus. He seemed to
get
her, which was refreshing. He didn’t judge her carefree lifestyle. 

Still lost in thought about her sister, Luna frowned. “Boggles the mind. I mean, I get Grayson, that girl was born to be monogamous, but Derrick, he’s a puzzle.” He was cut from the same cloth as Luna, gypsy souls. Not the type to settle down—ever. And yet there it was right before her very eyes. Derrick madly in love, with her sister of all people. What. The. Hell.

There’s even been talk of marriage. Just thinking the word made her shudder. 

“It’s not
that
unusual. You’re just cynical. Who jaded you anyway?” Marcus rubbed the lotion together in his hands to warm it up before rubbing the SPF 50 into her pale skin. 

Luna stiffened. “No one jaded me, I just never got the whole settling down with one person. Too much out there to experience. You know what I mean?” She wasn’t about to spill her guts, no matter how good of a friend Marcus was. Hell, even her own sister didn’t know about Trevor. The one man she’d ever let get close to her and he ripped her soul straight from her chest. To this day she couldn’t think about him without her stomach clenching. 

Marcus’s large hands massaged the lotion in, lingering a little too long on her thighs, but Luna didn’t mind. He was harmless. “I don’t know, I think we all secretly wish for that happy ever after. Even you.” 

Luna huffed. “Why is it automatically assumed you need someone else to make you happy? I think it’s bullshit, I’m perfectly happy on my own.” Luna set the bottle under her chair and forced herself to relax. She’d been in love once, the biggest mistake of her life, and she didn’t intend on ever going through that heartache again. She had to consciously push the dark thoughts away. It still hurt too much to think about.  

“Uh huh. You don’t fool me, girl. You’re jealous as hell that your sister found someone that makes her happy.” 

Pushing her sunglasses back on her nose, Luna said, “That’s where you’re wrong, my friend. If I envy anyone, it’s Derrick.”

Marcus paused before making his way down her arms. “Derrick?” 

She turned and smiled at him, glad for the glasses, because she knew the smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Yes, Derrick.” 

“Expand on that thought,” Marcus said with a hint of curiosity in his deep voice. 

Luna shrugged. “I didn’t think a leopard could change its spots.”

She pulled the beer bottle to her lips and took another long drink. And if Derrick could, what about her? Could she one day fall in love again and settle down? Her mind rebelled against the thought.
Impossible.
Never,
ever
gonna happen. She enjoyed the freedom and the power of being single far too much. She wasn’t going to open herself to the pain. 

“You guys ready to eat?” Derrick yelled over his arm, which was draped around Grayson’s shoulder. 

“In a minute. I’m a little busy.” Marcus grinned. 

Luna rolled her eyes. “You know you can’t stand between me and food.” 

“Just gotta get a few more spots. Can’t have that beautiful skin of yours being burned.”

Luna sighed and relaxed her body while Marcus’s hands made quick work lathering up her shoulders and arms. “There ya go. Protected from the harmful rays.” 

“Thank you, I don’t know what I would do without you.” Luna grinned as she pushed herself up to sitting. She briefly debated throwing on a cover up, but decided against it. The summer had been hot as hell. She looked over at the glistening swimming pool. It was tempting, but she was hungry. Derrick’s and Grayson’s apartment complex was nice and they regularly took advantage of the pool. Much better than the crappy hole in the wall she was living in.

Marcus handed her a towel, but she shook her head. 

“Girl you are pure evil and ya
know
it!” He threw a shirt over his broad, muscular chest and slipped his long feet into his flip flops. 

“You want to go out tonight?” Luna asked as they crossed the grass to the pavilion area. 

“Where are you thinking?” Marcus readjusted his hat, his dark brown eyes bore into hers. 

“We could go to The Trap? I haven’t been there in a while.” 

Marcus shrugged. “We’ll see. No offense, but watching you hook up with guys isn’t really my idea of a good time.” He clasped a fist and put it to his chest. “Hurts the heart a little, ya know what I’m saying?” 

Luna gave him a shove. “It’s not like you couldn’t hook up yourself. You’ve always got women throwing themselves at you.” Luna laced her arm through his and squeezed his thick bicep. “Tall, dark, and oozing sex appeal. You drive the ladies crazy.” 

“This is true,” Marcus said ruefully. 

Luna stopped short when they reached the picnic area. “What about you guys, want to go out tonight?”

Grayson and Derrick exchanged a glance. The way couples do, speaking without words. It really irked Luna, because that was her and Grayson’s thing. The twin thing. 

Grace shrugged and Derrick raised an eyebrow. 

“Sure,” Grayson said. Luna knew she’d much rather stay home, curled up and watching a movie, but that’s what sisters were for, right?

“I’ll be the designated driver. What about you, Marcus?” Derrick asked. 

“I guess so. It’s not like I’ve got anything better to do.”

Luna asked the other guys on Derrick’s team if they wanted to join them. Half agreed and the other half had places to be. It didn’t escape Luna that it was the single guys that agreed, and the married or involved guys that were stuck home. She wouldn’t even bother to ask her brother. He was on their Special Forces team, too, but he rarely went out anymore. He seemed to enjoy the sedate family life. 

How incredibly boring. 

Luna stuffed her face with hotdogs, hamburgers, and potato salad. She’d have to spend extra time on the treadmill, but it was well worth it. 

Food and sex made the world go round.

 ***

Turning side to side, Luna took in her reflection in the mirror. Her skirt was black, short, and tight enough that it took a few moments for her to wriggle into it. She’d paired it with an off the shoulder white top. After pulling her wavy, strawberry-blonde hair up and down several times, she decided to leave it down. Men loved long hair. There were times she’d debated taking clippers to her head and going Sinéad O’Connor out of curiosity, but vanity always won over. 

With one last glance in the mirror, she smiled; she looked hot and she knew it. Conceited? Sure. But she also knew genetics had been good to her. Just because she was pretty on the outside didn’t mean she wasn’t ugly on the inside.

She made her way to the kitchen, padding across the worn carpet of her crappy studio apartment. She needed a better job, working at the mall wasn’t exactly bringing in the big bucks. She could go back to school, but she’d have to get heaps of student loans. Just what she needed, more debt.

A quick glance at the clock told her she had a few moments to spare. 

Since Derrick was driving, she took advantage and poured herself a shot of whiskey. Might as well get the party started early. She swirled the amber liquid in the glass before throwing her head back, not even wincing when it went down. The liquid felt warm and smooth, just the way she liked it. 

Fuck, she was bored. Even the thought of going out dancing her ass off, getting drunk, and grabbing some hot ass guy to screw didn’t sound appealing. What the hell was wrong with her lately? 

She poured another shot, downed it, and slammed the glass on the counter. She looked around her tiny studio apartment with the peeling paint, uncomfortable futon, and small television her mother had given her. Jesus, there had to be more to life than this. Wasn’t there?

No time to get deep, Luna,
she scolded herself. She knew what was really bothering her, but it hurt too much to think about.

Leaning forward, she ran her finger over the date on her calendar that hung on the wall. June 24
^th
—a year to the date of the day she’d lost her baby—Trevor’s baby.

With a slight tremor in her hand she poured herself another shot. She wondered if she would ever be able to think of him without her stomach twisting. 

That fucking bastard. Closing her eyes, she went back to the day she told him she’d found out she was pregnant. 

They’d been together several months. She would never forget the look on his face: pure, unadulterated panic. 

He’d started rambling about giving her money for an abortion, and Luna had just stared at him. Her mouth dropped open as her heart broke in a million pieces. God knows she hadn’t wanted a baby, but once the shock had worn off, she’d been excited. Wondered if it were twins. Started thinking of names. 

Trevor laid several hundred dollars on the desk and walked out the door. Out of her life for good. To say she was devastated would have been the understatement of the century. She’d been so stressed out and confused. Alone. She could still remember the sound of the door slamming, the hum of the air conditioner, and the faint scent of his cologne that seemed to hover in the air long after he left. In that moment, she had changed forever. 

The only person she’d ever given herself to one hundred percent had left her high and dry when she needed him the most. 

She’d really thought the bastard had loved her, but in the end she was just a piece of ass. If she was going to be used for sex, it was going to be on her terms, not anyone else’s. 

Luna clutched her belly remembering the sharp pains, and the blood, so much blood. She tried to stop the memories, but couldn’t.

Her baby never had a chance. And she’d never told a soul about the loss. It was too personal, too private. Not to mention she’d been so ashamed; embarrassed by her foolishness. She truly believed Trevor had loved her, and would be as excited as she was at the thought of making a life together. 

A part of her blamed Trevor, for the stress he caused her. She lost the baby later that same night. Maybe the baby would have lived otherwise. But mostly she blamed herself. Obviously, she was flawed, not good enough to be a mother. 

She tried to convince herself it was for the best. Babies were a lot of work, and they cried all the time, but it didn’t help. It wasn’t fair. 

It was as if a switch had been flipped that day. Never again would she be used by any man, never again would she give someone her heart. The moment Trevor placed the money down, treating her like a whore, she knew she’d been changed forever. 

Not that she’d ever been good—no, she’d always been the wild child—but after that day, she’d stopped hoping to someday find happily ever after. 

The front door opened and closed. Luna placed the shot glass in the sink, and ran her hands down the front of her skirt.
Get a grip.

Grayson came into the kitchen, looking exactly like herself, only dressed much lamer. She leaned against the doorway and glanced at the bottle of whiskey. 

“Hey,” Luna said, trying to force some cheer into her voice. 

“You okay?” Grayson frowned, her sister’s eyes were serious when they met her’s.

Seeing the look on her sister’s face, Luna forced a smile. “Peachy keen, never been better.” 

Grayson eyed her. Luna could practically see the wheels turning in her head. “You sure? If something’s bothering you, we could stay in and have a girls’ night. Watch chick flicks and stuff our faces.”

Grayson always could read her like a book. The idea of staying in with her sis was much more appealing than going out and pretending like she was having the time of her life. It got exhausting after a while. However, she didn’t want her sister to worry about her. She was just having a rough day, that’s all. So what if it was turning into a rough week. Feeling like a failure did that to you sometimes. Christ, she needed to pull herself together. 

She was getting bitter. 

Luna smiled sardonically. “No way, little sister. There’s a heart out there waiting to be broken by yours truly tonight.” 

Grayson shook her head and laughed. “It amazes me we’re related sometimes.”

“Ditto!” Luna grabbed her purse off the counter and put a little pep in her step as they walked out the apartment into Derrick’s waiting SUV. Lifting her hips, she slid over Marcus and plunked down in the middle. One of the other guys from Derrick’s team sat on the other side; she couldn’t remember his name. Cute, but she was staying away from anyone that worked with her brother.
Unlike her sister. 

Luna leaned between the front seats and turned up the music. She was going to have fun tonight if it killed her. 

Chapter Three

Outside  the bar, patrons milled around talking, drinking, and laughing. Having a grand ole time. 

     Luna inhaled deeply. The night air was warm, but not stifling, and the darkened sky promised a storm. If there was one thing she loved, it was a good thunderstorm. Something about it was soothing to her soul.