I turn and look over our group around the pool table. It’s a strange mix of personalities that couldn’t be more different. Reid and I come from the wealthy elite, but Mars, Gage, and Torrin come from lesser means. Mars being the worst off. It’s Atlas that brought us together. His strong leadership skills made us click into a group during high school when we all played on the same baseball team. Somehow, his parents sort of adopted us all and pulled us into their family. The Boltons are like no family I have ever known before. Their generosity and kindness wrapped us all up and filled a need none of us knew was necessary and made us all a part of that family. Now, I couldn’t imagine not being a part of it.
My cell dings with a text message so I drag it from my back pocket and my eyebrows shoot up when I see it’s from Luna.
Atlas’s little sister is a sweet girl. I have a soft spot for her after the way she expertly stepped in and ran interference for Reid at school. She was genuine in wanting to help him and Iknow for a fact Reid’s got a puppy love crush on her. Can’t really blame the guy, she’s gorgeous, inside and out. All that cinnamon colored hair, pretty green eyes, and those sexy little baby doll dresses she always wears with work boots. Even though we all know Luna’s strictly off limits, I enjoy the hell out of the way she’s been cutting her flirting teeth with us lately. She might only be seventeen but I’d be lying if I said I never took an extra-long look at her. She’s going to grow up to be a stunning woman one day.
I thumb open the text and frown at what it says.
Luna: Need a favor, please don’t tell Atlas
Luna: Can you come get me?
What the fuck? Atlas told us earlier it’s her prom night and showed us pictures of her in a pretty green dress, like the proud big brother he is. Why would she need me, of all people, to come get her when she should be dancing her cute little ass off? What could possibly be wrong that…
Julian: Where are you?
Luna: The Marriott
My fingers turn white around my phone. What the fuck is she doing at a hotel? Dark thoughts race through my mind and it doesn’t take me long to put it together. Prom night and a hotel? A surge of anger flashes as I reply.
Julian: OMW be outside when I pull up
Luna: Thx, Jules
I hand off my cue stick to Torrin.
“Swap me out on the next game, man. Turns out there's a pretty girl that needs a ride."
All three of them laugh but when I glance over my shoulder at Reid, Atlas nods.
“No worries, I’ll make sure he gets home.”
It’s a quick ten-minute drive to the hotel Luna said she was at and I spot her as soon as I drive up. She’s wearing a long seafoam green prom dress that looks slightly wrinkled. Her hair and makeup are mussed up. I slam the car in Park and fly out of the door with rage lighting me up.
“What room number is he in? He’s fucking dead!”
Her big green eyes blink a few times at me in shock before crashing down as her pale skin flushes red. Her hands come up in a stop motion as she starts shaking her head.
“No, no, it’s not like that! It was consensual. I promise, I… I wanted to.”
The tears welling up in her eyes tell me that’s not the whole story so I take one of her hands and pull her over against the car and lean in close.
“Tell me why you look like your heart’s breaking, then. What went wrong?”
She lets out the saddest little sigh, making my fingers squeeze hers.
“I… I just thought… I mean…”
“What? You thought what, Luna?”
She finally lifts those green eyes up to meet my gaze and slumps.
“Is that really all it is? I thought sex would be this huge, amazing thing full of feelings and, and, I don’t know! Is that all it really is? I just thought it would be life-altering somehow. Now I just feel stupid for thinking it was going to be a big deal.”
I have to take a minute to sort the thoughts in my head. Luna had sex, it sounds like it was her first time, and it was a letdown. Probably with some loser that didn’t take the time to make sure she enjoyed it. I lean forward and cup her cheek and swipe under her bottom lip to clear the little bit of smeared lipstick there and find my voice.
“You didn’t…?
“Didn’t what?” She asks in confusion.
