6.

Loren walked to the stage and Eddie held out his hand to help her back up. Then he led her back to the dressing room not letting her hand go. When he first took her hand it was like an electrical current shot through him. He heard his name being called and he turned to the voice.

"Please Eddie let me explain."

"Chloe I said we are done. Get the hell out of here."

Max heard the commotion and ran back to them he quickly led Chloe out the door.

"If you need time to talk to her that's fine. I can wait." Loren said.

"If I wanted to talk to her it wouldn't be up to you. Now this is how everything is going to go. We will work on the songs. There will be no intimate touching. I don't want to hear how you love me or my music. Just work hard so we can get this album out. Is that understood?" he said angrily letting his hate for Chloe ring out.

Loren looked up at him shell shocked. She was beside herself with the emotions she was feeling right now. Hurt, anger, distraught. She had lived her whole life all about Eddie and he was a complete ass.

"Sure. Understood." she said then turned and walked away.

Eddie could see the hurt in her eyes and he wanted to correct himself but he also felt that maybe he should just let this stand. He didn't want to feel any emotions. So he let her leave and then he turned running his hand through his hair. He turned to go find Ian. Maybe they could just go and get drunk together.

He saw Ian but he didn't pay attention to the people with him. He walked over to him and sat on the stool next to him.

"So, I'm done here. You want to go get heavily drunk my friend?"

"Well, I was just entertaining my new friends. In fact I was making a date for a photo of someone so that you could sing to her photo in your bedroom as she does your photo in her bedroom."

"Who would I want to sing to in my bedroom?: he asked laughing. He looked to where Ian was pointing and he got quiet.

"Fuck." he muttered under his breath. "I have to go. See you at the Penthouse?"

"Sure." he said looking strangely at his mate. He watched him walk off.

He turned to the people standing there talking. "I'm sorry I was going to introduce the real Eddie Duran to you guys."
"It's okay. He showed me the real Eddie Duran back stage." Loren said sarcastically.

Ian thought that was strange the way she said it and it bothered him.

"What exactly do you mean?" Ian asked.

"That he is a complete ass." Loren said and turned and walked away.

"Um.. what just happened?" Melissa asked.

"I don't know Sprite. Can you find out for me and call me. I think that Eddie is having a difficult time right now and he might have taken things out on your dear friend. Here is my number and just so you know, I would like you to call me with or without news." he said leaning toward her and giving her a peck on the lips.

Ian made it back to Eddie's penthouse. When he walked in he saw Eddie drinking up a storm sitting on the couch.

"You gonna pour me one before you drain the bottle mate?"

"Sure." Eddie said as he pulled another glass over and filled it up.

"What are we drinking to?"

"To the most stupid and biggest ass in Los Angeles. Eddie Duran." Eddie said raising his drink up and gulping it down.

"What happened?"

Eddie told him what happened with Chloe and how he took it out on Loren Tate.

"I don't know why I did that. Wait yeah I do. I did it, because there is something about Loren Tate that draws me in and I can't do this again. I am trying my best to hang on to who I am with this Chloe shit going on. "

"You can't be an ass to someone because of Chloe, that's not you mate."

"Maybe I need it to be me."

"No, you can do this without hurting other people. You are only going to drown in guilt if you hurt someone else because Chloe hurt you. From what I understand she is a very sweet girl, who thinks or at least thought you hung the moon. Hurting her is not going to make you feel better, it's only going to hurt you more."
"Look at this, great advise from a master heart breaker." Eddie said smiling softly.

"Yeah, I told you, that's not me anymore. In fact I met the most interesting woman tonight. She was such a pleasure. Someone I would really like to get to know better and see what comes of it."

"That little brunette you sat with all night?"

"Yeah, her name is Melissa, but I call her Sprite. She is actually best friends with Loren." Ian said.

"Be careful Ian. As you keep telling me not to hurt Loren, try not to do the same with her friend."

"You need to do something to apologize to her." Ian said.

"Yeah, I do." he said picking up his phone.