Excerpt:
He didn’t get to finish his sentence, my ring tone breaking the silence with the caller ID displaying an unidentified number.
It was probably Jasper, no doubt pissed I’d hung up on him without letting him get in the last word. Well screw him, and his shady idea.
My chest expanded, the smile on my face not allowing him the courtesy of a greeting. “I’m not sure why you think I’d suddenly want to turn my band into an episode of The Bachelor to boost your ratings, but it ain’t going to happen. So why don’t you save us both the time, because honestly, you asked me twice and I said no and now it’s just embarrassing.”
“Are you done?” A female voice I didn’t recognize responded. “Or do you want to keep going with your one-sided conversation a little longer?”
Wow, what? She didn’t sound mad but she wasn’t amused either. Her voice steady and controlled with so little emotion I had no choice but to pay attention.
“Good, I’ll take your silence as a sign you’re finished. My name is Gillian, and I’m assuming you’re Vaughan Hale.”
“Yeah, I’m Vaughan.”
“Great, nice to know I haven’t wasted a complete morning tracking you down. I’m from Domination Music Group, and we’d like to have a conversation.”
Domination Music Group was a progressive label, who, unless you’d been in a coma for the last ten years, you’d have heard of. While the big boys out of New York were recycling same-ole-same-ole, Domination took chances and signed new acts no one would give a second look to. And a phone call from them was akin to a nod from the capo of “the family.”
No one was ever the same after it.
They either made you. Or broke you.
“You want to have a conversation?” I repeated, stalling while I tried to find something more intelligent to say.
“Yes, other than the one we are currently having on the phone. In person is preferable.”
She was ice cold, almost impersonal and to the point with such a snap that I wasn’t sure if I should be impressed or annoyed she didn’t seem to give a shit. But I wasn’t an idiot either, and while my judgment was still questionable, there wasn’t a chance I was telling Gillian from Domination anything but yes.
“Okay, sure. Where do you want to meet, and when?”
“We have a room at the Westin on Penn, you know where that is? Let’s say two o’clock. We’ll leave your name at the front desk.”
“Downtown? You’re here, in Pittsburgh?”
If it had been any other label I might have been able to hide my surprise, but Domination was like the hot girl in high school. You showed your interest, and if fate was smiling on you and she found you worthy, you were summoned. She never chased, and sure as shit didn’t come down from her ivory tower to slum, or in this case, leave NYC.
“Yes, we’ll expect you at two. Goodbye.” And just like that I was listening to dead air, the call ending almost before it had a chance to start.
Whiplash.
All I could do was stare at the cell in my hand and wonder if I hadn’t hallucinated the whole thing. It had been a strange morning so nothing seemed out of the realm of possibility.
“Who was that?” Nico asked, confirming if nothing else, I had been on the phone with someone. Well, at least I wasn’t totally losing it, always a plus.
“Domination.”
My one-word answer was all I was capable of giving, still not entirely sure what they wanted.
Nico whipped his head around, his face screwed up in confusion. “That bondage shop on South Side?”
“No, the music label, dumbass. They want to meet.”
“Why?”
Well wasn’t that the question of the fucking day.
Who knew why? Considering I no longer had a band, it wasn’t likely to hand over a wad of cash and give me a deal. But then I wasn’t ruling it out either. I was a solid singer, maybe they wanted to see what I could do solo? I had promised to write the most epic music of all mankind.
“Not sure, but I’m going to go and find out.”
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