Truth or Dare (3 page)

The music was loud and raucous. Just the way she liked it. She felt the beat of the music in her chest and started to sway her hips. Even with the storm and the music, inside she still felt hollow. Hopefully, there was a distraction waiting on the other side of the door. 

Fake it till you make it. 

She made eye contact with an attractive guy. When his gaze raked over her curves, Luna turned away to talk to her sister. No need to pick anyone this early. Might be something more appealing waiting inside. After the last disaster she had to choose wiser.

The bar was shoulder to shoulder with bodies. Lots of regulars. Luna cast her gaze around, already looking for her meal of choice for the evening. Lots of potentials. Living in a military town certainly had its perks. She left the others and sauntered up to the bar; the seas parted, as usual. Men were such suckers for a chick in a short skirt. It was sorta pathetic, but also fun and empowering … most days.

A warm hand splayed against her lower back, immediately annoying her. When she turned, her breasts pressed firmly against someone’s broad chest and her skin tingled beneath his touch. Her annoyance was quickly forgotten. She couldn’t recall the last time a guy had that kind of affect over her. If ever.

He leaned down and yelled over the music, “There you are.” 

Luna scanned the length of his body: tall, muscular, strong face, arms covered in ink, light eyes, and slightly tousled dark hair, longer than the military cut. Despite his disheveled look, he was smoking hot and definitely in good shape, with a slender waist and broad shoulders. She always noticed the important details. 

Her eyes slid down to check his ring finger. Ringless. 

When her eyes finally met his, he smiled as if knowing he’d met her approval.

Sorta ticked her off. And really, that was his pick up line?
There you are?

She preferred to be the one to make the first move. It annoyed her when men thought they had the right to just slither into her personal space. She had to admit he was sexy, but too sure of himself. Even his stance was arrogant. She’d have to pass.

She didn’t know how long they were staring at each other before she finally spoke. 

“I think you have me mistaken for someone else. My twin sister perhaps?” Luna stepped to the side to walk forward, but he moved, not allowing her to pass. His warm hand grasped her upper arm, keeping her in place. Yet another strike against him. 

It was unnerving the way her body reacted to his even in her agitated state. 

She saw surprise register on his face. He gave her a crooked grin that would melt most hearts, but she was not most girls. “There’s two of you?”

Luna rolled her eyes. What was it with guys and twin fantasies? She wasn’t in the mood for this shit tonight. She was there to have fun. Forget about life for a while.

 “Get your hands off me,” Luna snapped, raising her chin a fraction. 

His smile quickly disappeared. He looked down at her and held her gaze. In the dim light his face went still and his eyes went cold. He released his grip on her arm and raised his hands, backing away. “You’re not that fucking hot.”

Luna glared at him and sucked in a breath, wanting to scream. Narrowing her eyes, Luna practically hissed, “Neither are you, dickwad. I don’t take kindly to barbarians thinking they have a right to my body.” She spun on her heels and stalked toward the bathroom. 

Furious, she pushed through the bathroom door and walked toward the sink. Placing her hands on the sides, she leaned in and stared at herself.
What the hell just happened? 

Usually, she would have played coy and have that man wrapped around her little finger. Not act like a raving lunatic. 

Obviously, today’s anniversary of her loss bothered her more than she’d like to admit. Closing her eyes, she swallowed hard, trying to erase the memory from her mind. Unconsciously, she laid her hand on her stomach. As if she’d touched fire, she yanked her hand back. She felt a pang of sorrow so deep that tears welled in her eyes. Quickly, she blinked them away.
Pull yourself together,
she scolded herself. Her nerves were frayed, not a feeling she liked to experience.

After washing her hands, she made her way to the bar and ordered a double; the guy next to her paid. Luna clanked her glass with his beer bottle and downed it. The familiar warmth spread through her chest. The band started playing one of her favorite songs. Just what she needed, to get lost in the music. 

Hands in the air, she weaved through the crowd of bodies grinding on the dance floor. Luna twirled around and caught the tattooed guy from earlier watching her from one of the pool tables. The white shirt she wore rode up, exposing her flat stomach. 

The way her heartbeat sped up was unsettling. 

One guy sidled up behind her, dancing, and another in front of her, but Luna’s eyes never left the man’s at the pool table. Her body pulsed to the music. He’d handed off his pool stick to someone and leaned against the wall, watching her. 

She put a little extra swing in her hips.

One of the guys tried to pull her off the dance floor. Luna yanked her arm back. 

She noticed the guy from the pool area took a step forward, but once the guy walked away he settled back against the wall.

Really, she should be creeped out by the way he was watching her, but something about him made her think he was being protective—not stalkerish. 

Of course, she’s been known to be wrong before. 

She debated going over to him and asking what the hell his problem was, but decided a better course of action would be to get another drink. After all, he had said she wasn’t
that
hot.

Screw him. 

***

Hours later, Luna slowly ran the tip of her finger around the top of her glass. The bar was so loud she couldn’t hear the annoying, high-pitched hum. Her head was woozy and her hands felt heavy. She was drunk off her ass. It took a lot to get her drunk, and was something she seldom did, because she didn’t like losing control. She knew her limit and usually teetered on the edge, but never went over. Drunk and in a bad mood was not a good thing.

Why had she allowed that jackass to rattle her earlier? Narrowing her eyes, she scanned the hazy bar to see if he was still around. Where was that fucker? How dare he say she wasn’t
that
hot. 

She was hotter than a firecracker on the Fourth of July. 

A few minutes later she spotted him talking to a couple of girls near the pool table. Quickly, she rose to her feet. The ground spun beneath her and she held out her hand, grasping the table to steady herself. 

A large hand grabbed her elbow. “Hey, girl, you’re not looking so hot.” 

Luna blinked, surprised for a moment, and then turned toward the familiar voice.
Marcus.
“If one more person says that to me tonight I’m going to knock them on their ass.” 

He threw back his head and laughed. “I’m sure that’s not something you hear very often. Sit back down before you make a fool of yourself and end up on the floor.”

Annoyed, she sat back down. He was right. A waitress came and brought another drink, paid for by a gentleman at the bar. Luna didn’t bother to look for who sent it; instead, she reached for the glass, but Marcus beat her to it. “I think you’ve had enough.” 

Luna shook her head and straightened her back, as if willing herself to sober up. 

“When did you get here?” she slurred. 

Marcus shook his head and laughed. “My, my, this is a first. Luna Alexander shit faced. I came with you, remember? I’ve been keeping an eye on you.”

Luna let out a deep breath. “I was just messing with you. Of course I remember.”

“Sure you were. Can’t take you anywhere,” he teased. “Let me get you some coffee.”

She didn’t even know they served coffee at the bar. You learn something new every day. 

When he stood up and made his way toward the bar, Luna’s eyes went back to the pool table. The guy seemed to be looking her way, but she couldn’t be certain, her vision was a little blurry. He probably hadn’t given her a second thought after the bimbos surrounded him.  

To her surprise, he strode over to her table, reaching her in several long strides. She couldn’t take her eyes off his tall, powerful body. 

“Didn’t I already tell you once to buzz off?” Luna glared at him. 

Rather than getting pissed off, he seemed amused. The smug look on his face irritated her ... even if it was a face that looked as though it was a masterpiece carved in stone. She noticed a jagged scar above his left eyebrow. It only added to his perfection.

He draped his arm across the chair next to her, the casual posture only ticking her off more. At least he could act a little bit apprehensive.

His cool gaze dropped from her eyes to her mouth. She saw his lips twitch and she wondered what he was thinking. Of course he didn’t stop there, his gaze continued downward and blatantly stared at the top of her breasts, which skimmed over her tank top. 

“Like what you see?”

He glanced up, his eyes locking on hers. “Me and every other asshole in this bar with a pulse.”

Luna shrugged. Guys liked chicks, period. She wasn’t the only one in the bar, and most of the jackasses couldn’t care less which one they took home. She doubted anyone in the joint was looking for a life partner. 

Why did she allow herself to get inebriated? She couldn’t even think of a smartass comeback. 

“Do you have a ride home?”

“Yep. What are you, like a dark knight in shining armor?”

Another half smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Apparently it would kill him to give a full-blown smile.

 “I don’t rate a white knight?”

Luna shook her head. “Nope, you’re like me. All darkness.”

Just then, Marcus came back with a steaming mug of coffee. 

The stranger pushed off the chair, glancing between Luna and Marcus.

“My ride,” Luna said as an explanation. 

He nodded his head toward Marcus and strolled out the front door. 

Marcus let out a dramatic sigh. “That’s all I am to you, huh? A ride?”

“Of course not. You’re a good friend. The best friend I have.” Luna raised the mug to her lips and cursed under her breath when it burnt the top of her mouth. 

Marcus chuckled. “Yeah, it’s hot, Einstein.” 

She briefly wondered if she’d ever see her dark knight again. 

“Where’s Grace and Derrick? I haven’t seen them all night.” 

“They left for a while, said they’d be back in a couple of hours.” 

“Figures,” Luna mumbled. 

“Now, now, Luna, none of that. We all know that when we go out with you, we’re not really
with
you. You find yourself someone to entertain you and the rest of us are forgotten. And you know Derrick hates this place.” 

Did she do that? Abandon them?
Yeah, she did. 

She shrugged. Her head throbbed.

Marcus watched her steadily. “Talk to me. What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours? You’re drunk and alone. Something’s gotta be up.” 

 Luna’s head wobbled, she placed her elbow on the table and rested her forehead against her hand. “I’m lonely,” she mumbled, thankful for the loud music. She knew the words were muffled, and hopefully drowned out. 

Chapter Four 

Next thing she knew she woke up in Derrick’s SUV, her head laying against her sister’s shoulder. The windshield wipers swished back and forth loudly as the rain spattered on the glass.

She lifted her head, but the motion made her nauseated so she put it back down. Groggy and disoriented, she asked, “How’d I get here?”

Grayson ran her hands through her sister’s hair. “I’m worried about you, Luna.”

Luna rolled her eyes and pulled her head up, ignoring the pain. “Don’t be. I’m fine. I must have lost count of my drinks.”

“That’s what worries me.” Grayson’s voice was solemn and it irked Luna. 

Just because her sister had a perfect life, it didn’t mean everyone else did, too. So, she got drunk, who gave a flying fuck. 

“Where’s Marcus?”

“We already dropped him off.”

Derrick rolled to a stop at the front of her apartment building. Pushing the door open, Luna scrambled out of the vehicle. Jumping down she landed in a puddle. The night just kept getting better. 

Grayson got out and ran with her through the rain to the front door, as if she couldn’t make it there herself. By the time they got to her door they were soaked.

Luna wanted to scream at her and tell her to leave her alone, she was fine, but she knew that would just make her sister even more worried. So she held her tongue. The fact that she didn’t want her sister worried meant there was something to be worried about. Was she finally cracking?

Reaching into her purse, she yanked out her keys and her makeup went flying. Luna groaned. Her and Grace gathered up the items that had rolled in every direction. The rain was really coming down and by now they were drenched. 

She fumbled with the keys. Once she finally got in, she practically pushed her sister back out the door, insisting she was fine and just needed to sleep it off. She wasn’t fine and she knew it. She’d been falling apart on the inside for some time, but now it was showing on the outside.
Not good. 

She really hated not feeling like herself. 

Once the door closed, Luna stood with her back against it before she slid to the ground and pulled her knees up to her chest, trying to fight the sadness plaguing her insides. Jesus, she had to get it together. It’d been a year since Trevor had walked out of her life, she was over it. She’d put the past behind her when she moved to Tennessee, why was it suddenly rearing its ugly head? Why did a date have to have such a huge impact on her psyche? 

And when did being the good-time-girl become not enough to keep her entertained? Maybe she should have took that jackass up on his lame pick up attempt. Or any of the other countless guys that tried to get into her panties that evening. At least then she would have something to keep her mind off the pain.