“I beg your pardon?”
We rarely get along, but Chandler knows me. He knows I don’t do relationships.
I stab his chest with my finger. “You knew she wasn’t just some chick I screwed. You knew we had a past and bringing her here would stir up old feelings. What the fuck did you expect?”
The prick has the audacity to look me in the eyes when he says his next words. “I expected her to be more intelligent.”
And that’s his third mistake.
My knuckles crunch against his nose. The back of his head hits the wall so hard the people in the hotel lobby probably heard it.
“Fuck!”
“Are you putting two and two together yet, asshole? Or do I need to continue spelling it out with my fists?”
Glaring, he holds his now bleeding nose. “I won’t insult your girlfriend anymore, okay? Still doesn’t change the fact that she’s fired.”
It takes every ounce of willpower not to punch him again.
“Why? You hired her to take care of me, and that’s exactly what she did.”
“No, she took care of your—” He cowers when I raise my fist. “She broke the most important rule.”
That shit doesn’t make any sense.
“If you hired her to look after me, shouldn’t that be the most important rule? Who cares what we did behind closed doors. I’m a fuck of a lot better than I was before she got here.”
The girl I ruined saved me. How’s that for irony?
He laughs bitterly. “Yes. So much better. You’re beating up band members, missing concerts, arguing with Vic about song choices, assaulting me. And that’s just in the last two weeks.”
Adrenaline surges through my bloodstream.
“First of all, George wasn’t a band member. And me missing the concert that night wasn’t Lennon’s fault. Hell, she’s the one who talked me off the fucking ledge. And you’re goddamn right I’m arguing with Vic because I’m tired of him making all the decisions. I’m the lead singer. It’s my voice people come to hear. My voice lining his, yours, and everyone else’s pockets.”
A frown bends his lips. “And it’s your voice that will be forgotten and your career that will go up in smoke if you don’t pull your damn head out of your ass. You think you would have learned your lesson after the accident, but no. Here you go, following someone else blindly down whatever path they steer you.”
And that’s when it clicks. “You’re threatened by Lennon.”
He doesn’t like that she’s urging me to call the shots and take control of my life and career.
He doesn’t like that she’s encouraging me to sing the music I believe in.
He doesn’t like that with Lennon by my side, I remember my value. My voice.
“I’m threatened by anyone who has the power to influence you to the point you can no longer decipher between what’s right and what’s wrong.” He punches his chest. “I’m the manager. It’s my job to look out for you all and make sure this band doesn’t turn into a steaming pile of shit. Josh died on my watch, at my party, in my fucking car.” He thrusts a finger in the air. “I will not let it happen again. She needs to go.”
I take a step back and then another. It feels like a pile of bricks just got dumped on me.
“The accident wasn’t your fault. However, I know better than anyone that me saying that won’t do shit to alleviate your guilt.” I hold his stare. “I’m sorry you’re going to spend the rest of your life feeling responsible because of my actions that night. Trust me, I wish I could go back and change it…but I can’t.”
Anger rises in my chest, burning my throat. “You don’t have to be scared of Lennon, though.”
I’ve allowed my guilt to destroy me, but I’m not going to let it or him destroy what little time we have together. She’s too important.
“You have to be scared of me.” I move closer. “Because if you don’t hire Lennon back, I’m done with this tour and the next one, and the next.”
His mouth drops open in shock before his expression turns hard. “I will not.”
I dig my cell out of my pocket and hand it to him. “You want to make the phone call to Vic then, or should I?”
He looks at me like I’m a stranger. “You’re not serious.”
His shirt rips as I lug him toward me. “Do I look like I’m kidding?” I bring my lips to his ear because I want this dickhead to hear me loud and clear. “Don’t fuck with me, Chandler. Hire her back, or I will not only end your career, I will end you.”
Despite looking like he wants to argue, he’s too petrified to call my bluff. “Fine. But I hope you know what you’re doing. Relationships based on sex and volatile emotions rarely work out. It’s not healthy to be so preoccupied with another person.”
My laughter is mocking as I release him. “That’s awfully hypocritical coming from you, don’t you think?”
He bristles. “What on earth are you talking about?”
Firing Lennon was the equivalent of getting kicked in the nuts right before you’re about to bust one. It’s only fair I return the favor.
“You might be upset about the accident, but you sure as fuck aren’t broken up about losing Josh. I wonder why that is.”
I might not be able to read or write well, but I’m not dumb. I know and observe a lot more than I let on.
Sizing him up, I take a cigarette out of my pack and light one. “Probably the same reason I heard you on the phone with the Barclay’s PR person the other night, hinting that Memphis and Gwen should get married.”
I know I’ve got him because he looks like a deer caught in headlights before he recovers.
“Yes, I suggested they get married, but it was simply from a PR standpoint. Nothing more.”
Bull-fucking-shit.
“PR is Skylar’s department.” Studying him, I rub my chin. “Then again, we both know why she’d never go for that.” My eyes narrow. “But you, on the other hand. It works out real well for you, doesn’t it?”
His face turns red with irritation and what looks a whole lot like embarrassment. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Oh, but he does.
“One brother was already eliminated, so all you had to do was get rid of the second one.” I take a long drag of my cigarette. “Now that you’ve lined your shot up, I’d tell you to man up and shoot it, but we both know Skylar would turn your ass down in a heartbeat.”
“The baby is his,” Chandler bites out. “Married or not, they are still tied together forever. Besides, Memphis is in agreement. He wants to do what’s best for his child.”
He’s right about that. Storm and I tried to convince him that marrying Gwen would be a big mistake, but he doesn’t want to hear it.
He wants to give his kid everything…because he had nothing.
“I know. Which is the only reason I’m not telling him about the convo I overheard.”
Not only would Memphis shrug it off, it wouldn’t change anything. His mind is already made up.
Chandler’s relief is tangible. “I appreciate that. And really, Phoenix, I’m simply doing what’s necessary. Josh already did a number on Skylar. She shouldn’t have to play second fiddle to another woman and child. You may not agree with my methods, but I promise I’m doing what’s best for both of them. Sometimes applying pressure isn’t enough to stop the bleed…you have to cauterize the wound.”