Page 65 of My Five Daddies

“I think you were amazing.” I sit down on a stool across from him. “Seriously, Dustin. You owned thatroom.”

He shakes his head, looking away, “I think Isucked.”

“Really? You were great. Seriously. We were all really happy withit.”

“I missed a few notes. And fucking Ethan.” He stands up suddenly and starts pacing. “He was off on like three songs. Just not in time at all. And missed somechords.”

“Nobody noticed any of that,” I tell him, getting nervous. I’m worried he’s about to have a full-on meltdown. “Seriously. You weregreat.”

“Fucking hell, I wasn’t. It was garbage. And those songs? They’re pathetic.” His pacing gets faster and I can tell he’s about to loseit.

I stand up and step toward him, ready to try and talk him down. “Dustin, I’m not lying to you. We have a lot invested and if you weren’t amazing, we’d tellyou.”

He stops and looks at me for a second. “You’d be honest with me,” he saysfinally.

“I would be,” I say, nodding. “I care about you, Dustin. I wouldn’t lie toyou.”

I watch his face for a second, and it’s like he suddenly comes to a decision. He steps toward me, eyes locked on mine. Before I can say a word, he tries to kissme.

It takes me by surprise. He comes at me fast, grabbing my hips and shoving his face against mine. His nose bashes into my cheek and as soon as his lips touch mine, I recoil and pullback.

“Dustin!” Isay.

“What?” he lets me go and I step away from him. “You wanted that,right?”

“No, shit,” I say, backing off. “I’m sorry. But we work together. We can’t dothat.”

“You just said you care about me.” He steps closer to meagain.

“Dustin,” I warn him. “Stop.”

He listens, but I can see it in his eyes. The desire’s still there, burning hot and intense. “You’re always nearby, Tori, always telling me how great I am. Always trying to help. You really don’t wantme?”

“You’re fifteen,” I say. “You realize that, right? You’re way too young forme.”

“So what? Age is just a number. I have an oldsoul.”

I groan at that one. “Dustin, stop. Okay? We’re just coworkers. We’re professionals. I’m not interested in you likethat.”

He stares at me for a second and I can see the anger slowly replacing the desire as he realizes that I’m telling thetruth.

“This is bullshit,” he says. “Fuckingbullshit.”

I can only watch in horror as he picks up the stool I was just siting on and smashes it against the ground. It happens in slow motion: his arms swinging down, the stool breaking intosplinters.

He stands there breathing fast. “Guys!” I yell out, suddenly terrified. “Ethan!Hunter!”

“You want to see them over me?” Dustin growls. “Those old fucks? I’m the famous one! I’m the one thatmatters!”

I back up against the far wall as he grabs the biggest piece of the stool, one of the legs. As the door swings open and Ethan and Hunter run inside, Dustin swings the leg against a mirror hanging over a vanity, smashing it. Glass pours down all over the vanity and thefloor.

Hunter and Ethan jump on Dustin instantly. They wrestle the leg from his hands and throw him down onto the couch. Ethan pins him there as he struggles for a second, finally calmingdown.

“Are you okay?” Hunter asksme.

“I’m fine,” I say. “Really, I’mokay.”

“What the fuck happened?” Ethan asks. “Calm the fuck down,Dustin.”

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