The Phoenix Returns

Chapter 27 - Can You Help Me With My Zipper?

Elliott, Declan, and I are the only guys that she has ever slept with, she didn't deserve that. Not after everything she has been through in life.

So, the last two weeks of my life have literally been the most tragic of all.

Pulling up to Scarlett's house, I was getting ready to cut my truck when I got a phone call.

I haven't been answering calls because I just don't feel like talking, but today is the funeral, it could be important.

"Hello?" My tone was hard and dry.

"Carter Blackstone." He answered from the other end.

I didn't feel like talking. "Who is this?" I asked, puzzled by the sound of his voice.

"My name is Tom Vaccari." He continued. "I'm the replacement for Mr. Leon."

"Replacement?" I was shocked, I hadn't heard anything about Mr. Leon being replaced nor has Mr. Leon mentioned anything to me about leaving or losing his job. "Wait, so what happened to him?"

Tom chuckled. "Fired."

"Why?" I argued.

"He couldn't get fighters like her used to." Tom informed me. "He was sent to get you, but he lied about not being able to find you."

I shook my head even though he couldn't see me. "I don't understand."

That doesn't make any sense because I never got a call or anything from Mr. Leon. We're close, so he usually calls me or shoots me a text but this time I got nothing.

Mr. Leon knows that I'm here, he knows that Scarlett and I have twins together, he knows the whole situation about my dad.

He knows everything.

I don't understand why he would risk his job for me.

"What's confusing?" Tom responded in a discourteous tone. "Mr. Leon is gone, I'm his replacement." He spoke slowly like I was stupid and couldn't understand him. "Now, how soon can you be back in LA?"

I scrunched my face up. "I don't know."

Tom didn't like that answer. "Well, figure it out because you're under contract. Do you know what that means?"

Fuck.

"Yeah, means that I'm a puppet." I groaned, dragging my hand through my hair. "But I told Mr. Leon that I have shit going on. Didn't you guys talk to him before you fired him?"

Tom chuckled, but it didn't sound light or without humor, it sounded like he didn't care and that he was laughing at me.

"Listen, kid." He began. "I truly don't care what you have going on. I was instructed to reach you and get you back to LA in the next two weeks. Now, you can do that?"

"No, I can't." I spoke. "That's too soon. Mr. Leon understood that I couldn't come back right now. He told me that was okay. Can't you guys wait a few months?" I tried bargaining.

Tom scoffed. "That's exactly why Mr. Leon got fired. He was not delivering on his duties." He explained. "He was warned to get you back here last month."

I scratched my head.

What?

"But that's not what he told me." I countered. "He assured me that everything was okay and that I could take as much time as I need."

"Well, according to my boss, he was making excuses for why you weren't back." Tom's voice turned harsh. "Now, you have two weeks to get your ass back to LA."