Page 67 of My Five Daddies

I glance away from him. “What if he’s not the one that needs toapologize?”

Chris pauses a second before pushing against my door. I’m surprised as he moves me back into my room. “What the hell are youdoing?”

“You forgot already,” he growls at me. “You have five Daddies now. And we take care ofyou.”

Chris stands in my doorway, muscular arms crossed. I’m so angry I could hit him. “Get out,” Isay.

“No. You think we wanted to keep that form you? We decided it was just a childish thing and we didn’t want to make youuncomfortable.”

“You lied tome.”

“We didn’t lie. We just didn’t tell you something we thought might make your job more difficult than it needs tobe.”

“Yeah, well, you were wrong.” I glare athim.

“You’re right,” he says softly. “I’m sorry for that. I really am. We should have toldyou.”

I look away, frowning. “Yeah, you’re right. You shouldhave.”

“Tori.” He steps toward me. I don’t move away as he lifts my chin toward him. “You know us. You know we’re here to keep yousafe.”

“I know,” I say, sighing. The anger is slowly draining from me. Truthfully, as soon as I got home after that show, I wasn’t really upsetanymore.

I get why they wouldn’t tell me. Dustin’s still a fifteen-year-old kid, and they just didn’t want to make things awkward. They were wrong, they should have told me. I could have avoided this. But I get it, I reallydo.

“He wants to apologize,” Chrissays.

“Does he meanit?”

He shrugs. “Hard to say.” He smiles softly and kisses me. “Weokay?”

“We’re okay,” Isay.

“Good. Come here.” He pulls me against him, hugging me close. “I won’t let something like that happen everagain.”

“I know,” I say, sighing. “And I’ll talk toDustin.”

“Good. That means a lot to me. To all ofus.”

I nod against his strong chest and he kisses me one moretime.

“Let’s get it over with,” I say, and he grins atme.

We head out of my apartment, back toward the studio. Apparently Dustin’s been asking for me all day, wondering when I’ll show up, saying he wants to make things right. I don’t really believe him, but I do believeChris.

I don’t think they’ll let anything bad happen to me again. I’m sure they all feel like shit aboutthis.

We get to the studio not long later. Ethan and Jordan are in the booth watching Dustin put down a vocal track when Chris and I walkin.

“There she is,” Jordan says, lighting up. “Are youokay?”

“I’m okay.” He comes up and kisses me on thelips.

“Sorry,” he whispers in myear.

I smile at him as he steps aside. Ethan comes up next and kissesme.

“Sorry,” he whispers in myear.

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