Page 30 of Obsession on Repeat
I snorted out loud. "Trust me, World News, he prefers brunettes." I tossed the magazine into the trash can and dumped what was left of my coffee in the sink. I was out the door in less than thirty minutes, dressed in comfortable black slacks and a white tank top, my hair slicked back into a high ponytail.
Traffic was typically busy, and I tapped the steering wheel to the beat of the pop song playing on the radio. Sitting at the jammed red light gave me time to think.
In the end, I had decided to finish up my contract at Venom. We had spent every waking hour communicating by phone and email, both of us testing the waters of our new relationship. The long break between Australia and moving in with him had cooled the interest in the media about me, most reporters chalking me up to a fling that he had left behind. We had done well laying low.
Now I was in Los Angeles, and the world was my oyster, so he teased me.
Living with him was an easy adjustment after a few weeks, but it was driving me crazy. I wasn’t the kind of person to lie around and depend on someone else. I missed being a DJ. So far, the clubs I had seen did nothing to capture my attention, and the people were less than friendly until they realized who exactly they were talking to. Word of my arrival in LA had hit the underground running.
When I arrived at a club named Euphoria, it was a struggle to get out of the car instead of doing an illegal U-Turn and returning home. Euphoria was one of the largest clubs I had ever seen from the outside, nothing meeting my gaze but looming dark brick and glass windows. The stone steps lead up to two large wood doors.I nodded at the doorman as he opened one. He eyed me but said nothing.
I put on my best smile at the woman standing behind the hostess podium. "I’m here for an eleven o’clock DJ interview? I’m-"
"DJ Fetish!" She grinned widely, her earrings dangling against her long streaked red and black hair. "I have been waiting forever to meet you. I mean, I totally dig your work. When I heard you were coming, I was—"
"Gina, that’s enough." A tall redhead made her way up to us, and I relaxed at hearing her familiar voice. She smiled, displaying perfect, white teeth. "I’m Vanessa Wexler. We spoke on the phone. Forgive Gina. She can be a bit overwhelming when she’s had too much caffeine."
"It’s nice to meet you, Gina."
"Nice to meet you, too."
Vanessa motioned me to follow her. "I looked over the resume the second you faxed it to me. I’m a bit surprised you don’t already have work lined up."
"I’m picky when it comes to where I work." My eyes flickered over the space, looking around at the multiple floors. The main level was ready for the upcoming crowd, several staff members stocking the bar.
"The doors never open before ten. We close at three." Vanessa walked at a steady pace. "We don’t approve of drugs, solicitation, or sexual activity near the bar area or on the main floor."
"What about the other areas?"
She shot me an amused look from over her shoulder. "Solicitation is never appropriate and carries a heavy penalty that Bruno at the door graciously takes care of."
"You run short hours; how do you keep this place afloat?"
"We’re the hottest nightclub in all of Los Angeles. We have been for the past five years. The line at the door always starts building at eight on the dot." Vanessa laughed at my raised eyebrows. "People want the best, and they’ll do anything to get it. We cater to celebrities and regulars, although we do go the extra mile for celebrities, hence the three floors."
"Considering the area, that’s understandable."
"Main floor is open to anyone. The second floor is for staff, and level three is for VIP only."
I shifted uncomfortably. "To be honest, I didn’t bring my equipment if you’re looking for me to audition. I’m sorry if I’m wasting your time."
"I never waste my time, Ms. Jones. If I had thought that about you, I would have declined our interview by phone instead of canceling a business meeting and making you drive all the way down here."
"You canceled a meeting in order to meet with me?"
Vanessa shrugged nonchalantly. "We do what we have to in this business to stay ahead. I can’t have someone else scooping up the best DJ in the world right now, can I?"
"Do you have an interview with this DJ after me?" I chuckled. "I sure would like to meet them."
"I asked you to come down to talk to you; that’s how I hire people in my line of work. I look for motivation, confidence, how relaxed they are, and how they deal with topics such as the mention of sex and drugs. You can tell a lot about a person’s business persona simply by looking at their personal one."
"And now that you’ve seen mine?"
"I want to offer you the job. Euphoria is open every night except Sundays. The backup DJ will cover your other night off. I require all employees to be here by eight for setup and to attend any meetings. The dress code is strict. You’ll be expected to wear black shorts and a black tank displaying our logo, unless we’re hosting a party or important function."
"How do you pay your employees?"
"You’re paid every Friday through a bank of your choosing. Cash tips are handed out after closing. Upper level employees such as the DJ and the bouncers are given a bonus of a thousand dollars with perfect attendance after six months. Tax taken out, of course."
