The apartment buzzed with tension as the doorbell rang at 7:00 p.m. sharp, a harsh chime that jolted Ryan from the couch. Megan smoothed her black two-piece dress, the short skirt hugging her thighs, the bikini style top snug against her chest, her nipples outlined in the thin fabric. She flashed him a tight smile, her resigned effort for his supposed kink etched in her posture, and padded to the door. Ryan trailed behind, heart pounding, the plastic grocery bags still unpacked on the counter a mute witness to the day's unraveling.
She swung the door open, and Carson strode in, all six-foot-two of him, his broad and built frame filling the cramped space. JP followed, lean and grinning, then Cory, his 340-pound bulk wheezing as he squeezed through. Carson's gray eyes landed on Megan, raking over her outfit with a slow, approving smirk. "Well, damn," he said, clapping Ryan on the shoulder, too hard as always. "She is as you described, man. Fucking hot."
Megan shifted, tugging the skirt down an inch, her voice small but polite. "Thanks, I guess. Ryan picked it out." She glanced at him, seeking his nod, and he forced one, his stomach a knot of dread.
"Smart guy," JP chimed in, flopping onto a chair at the rickety kitchen table, his dark eyes glinting. "Knew you'd come through."
Cory lumbered over, plopping down with a grunt, his sweaty palms leaving smears on the wood. "Yeah, looks like a good night already," he said, his voice greasy, staring at her chest a second too long.
Ryan hovered by the counter, grabbing a six-pack of beers from the fridge, anything to keep his hands busy. "Let's drink," he muttered, popping cans and passing them out. The guys cracked theirs open, the hiss of carbonation cutting the air, and Megan poured herself a mix drink, sipping tentatively as she settled into a chair between Carson and JP.
They bullshitted for a while, Carson dominating with loud tales of a client's deposition screw-up, JP tossing in jabs, Cory laughing too loud. Megan nursed her drink quicker than usual, loosening up as the alcohol hit, her third solo cup empty by 7:45 p.m. Her cheeks flushed pink, her posture slumping, tipsy giggles slipping out as Carson leaned closer, voice dropping conspiratorially.
"Alright, let's shatter the ice with a game from our younger and more innocent years," he said, setting his can down with a clink. "Truth or dare, each time it's your turn to ask, you drink. Each time you get asked, you drink. Who's first?"
"Me," Megan piped up, swaying slightly, her gullibility primed by the buzz. "Sounds fun."
"Sweet," Carson said, grinning like a wolf. "Truth or dare?"
"Truth," she replied, giggling, oblivious to the trap.
He leaned back, crossing his arms, and testing the waters. "Tell us the most risque thing you have done?"
Megan blinked, then glanced at Ryan, her eyes seeking his okay. He shrugged stiffly, the video's shadow forcing his hand, and she turned back, shrugging. "Not much to tell, really. Just dumb stuff from when I was younger that just kind of happened to me. Like, on spring break, my friend said there was a bug in my bikini top, so I yanked it off right on the beach. My boobs were out, and I just ran around yelling about the bug while people pointed their phones at me."
JP snorted, leaning in. "Details, girl. How'd they react?"
"They laughed," she said, sipping her beer, "and whistled. Kept saying 'nice tits.' I was so embarrassed, but I hate bugs."
"Classic," Carson said, smirking. "What else? How about actually WITH a guy."
Megan glanced at Ryan again, who knew what was coming and braced for it. His nod mechanical now, and continued, tipsy enough to ramble. "Well this guy after school, he said a snake bit his, uh, his penis. And I had to suck out the venom I guess? To save him. I did it, kind of felt like a blowjob really. He wouldn't let my head up until I got it all out. That was the first time I saw a penis and ya I know how it sounds but, it was legit."
The guys erupted, Carson slapping the table, JP howling, Cory choking on his beer. "You sucked him off?" Carson asked, incredulous. "How long?"
"I sucked the venom, it took a couple minutes," she said, shrugging. "I felt proud, like I did something. Part of the reason I become a nurse." Ryan's face burned, but he kept nodding, the room spinning as her naive confession illuminated her dangerous gullibility.
The round circled back, truths bouncing around--JP admitting a bar hookup, Cory confessing his OnlyFans obsession--until Carson's phone light up in his hand. He typed quick, and Ryan's buzzed a second later. He fished it out, the text glaring: DARES ONLY NOW. MAKE IT STICK. Ryan swallowed, pocketing it, and cleared his throat.
"Alright, this is boring, dares only from here on out," he said, voice flat, avoiding Megan's eyes. "Let's ramp it up."
"Fuck yeah," JP said, cracking his knuckles. " My turn. Megan, I dare you to kiss Carson."
She hesitated, glancing at Ryan, her tipsy haze sharpening with unease. "Um, is that ok?" she asked Ryan, and he nodded, jaw tight, the lie a reflex now. "Okay," she said, leaning over, pecking Carson's lips quick and chaste, pulling back with a grimace she hid behind a sip of beer.