“Phoenix isn’t part of Sharp Objects anymore.”
I jump up so fast I get light-headed and have to sit back down. “What?”
“I mean technically he is…but he won’t be.”
“What do you mean he won’t be?” I gasp when I realize. “Vic fired him?”
“Almost.”
It’s like she’s speaking in riddles.
“I need you to give it to me straight, Skylar. Right freaking now.”
Another heavy exhale leaves her. “Okay, so from what Chandler—and Storm—have told me, Vic is livid about Phoenix canceling the tour and outing himself as a thief just because he stuck his dick in some small-town pussy from back home—those are his words, not mine.”
“Duly noted.”
“Bottom line? Vic doesn’t like his money being fucked with and from what Chandler disclosed to me the other night, he makes a lot of money. Like a lot.”
Not surprising, since Phoenix and the rest of the guys make a lot of money as well.
“Anyway,” she continues. “Vic was ready to drop Phoenix, but Chandler convinced him not to and promised he’d turn this whole thing around. That’s why he approached you at the funeral and asked you to do an interview. Even though he had no right to.”
It makes me hate Chandler less now. But only by a little bit.
“After my Gwen and Memphis strategy went into effect, Vic was a little calmer because sales went up and he started focusing on the upcoming album. However, when he mentioned moving up the scheduled studio time since they’re no longer in Europe, Chandler had no choice but to tell him that Phoenix declared he was taking a hiatus and he didn’t know when—or if—he’d be back.”
Uh-oh. “Shit.”
“It gets worse.” She audibly swallows. “Vic called Memphis and Storm and reminded them that they had all signed a contract for a five-album commitment and if they didn’t want him to sue the shit out of them, they needed to either convince Phoenix to get on board…or he’d be replaced.”
I’d almost laugh if it wasn’t so serious. “There’s no replacing Phoenix.”
“That’s exactly what they told him, but evidently Vic’s got some guy in the works. Chandler showed me a pic and let me hear a demo tonight. He’s cute, and he has a good voice, but not a Phoenix voice. I think that’s why Vic’s so livid and on a power trip. Deep down he knows no matter how many pretty-boy singers he finds, they’ll never be Phoenix. Same with Memphis and Storm. They’re all diamonds in the rough, you know? That’s what makes Sharp Objects incomparable to any other band out there.”
She’s right. “Agreed.” I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “But Storm and Memphis have nothing to worry about because Phoenix would never let Vic replace him.”
Not without one hell of a fight.
“Actually,” she says. “Phoenix encouraged the guys to have a meeting with Vic’s new protégé to see if they have chemistry.”
My stomach drops. “He can’t…they’re not…”
Holy fucking shit.
“They don’t want to,” Skylar says. “But Vic will sue them for breach of contract too if the next album isn’t made. Their hands are tied.”
As scary as that sounds, there’s something even more alarming in that statement.
“What do you mean sue them, too?”
If Vic wants to replace Phoenix so bad it’s not a breach of contract.
“Please don’t repeat this to anyone because Chandler will kill me, but today he told me that Vic’s planning on taking Phoenix to court in February. Not only for breach of contract in regard to the albums, but for every cent they made off Sharp Objects…the song.”
My heart folds in on itself and my chest knots. That’s insane.
“He can’t do that.” My shock quickly morphs into outrage. “For fuck’s sake, it’s not even his. It’s mine.”
“I know, but Phoenix publicly admitted that he lied about writing it and Vic signed and financed them based off that song. It’s his reputation and label at stake. Chandler’s hoping Phoenix will agree to come back and they can work something out and do damage control, but Phoenix doesn’t want to.”
“I’ll convince him.”
Hell, at this point, he doesn’t have a choice.
“I don’t think you’ll be able to, either. Storm called him yesterday and flat out begged. Then Memphis got on the phone and they tag teamed him. They were hoping to make him cave, but it didn’t work. Phoenix doesn’t want anything to do with Sharp Objects or music anymore.”