2019-07-26 - Hiring Bonus

It's the day before the Platinum Cabaret's official grand opening, but the establishment has already opened its doors. There are a couple middle-aged men seated at the stage rail, each nursing domestic drafts with a modest stack of one-dollar bills set in front of them. At the bar, a burly and tattooed man gruffly slings drinks. The sound system is blasting a classic rock ballad, but the stage itself is empty -- for now.

Antonio is seated at the bar, with his attention divided between an iPad and a dirty martini. Taking a sip from the beverage, the club owner's green eyes scan the main floor as a slight smirk plays at his lips.

The roar of a motorcycle can be heard outside, and then some shouted words back and forth. Doesn't seem all that troublesome, the noise quieting quickly. The door is pushed open and Zoiya struts in like she owns the place. She pauses, glancing from the middle aged men to Antonio, she silently weighs her options and then makes her way to the bar. She sets a twenty on the bar. "Shot of whatever is cheap and the name of the owner, yeah?" She flashes a very brief smile at the bartender and then shrugs out of her coat, taking a seat. She glances from the iPad on the surface to the man drinking the dirty martini.

"Come here often? Most people have their eyes up there, and not on things like this." An inked finger reaches out to tap the iPad, a smirk forming on Zoiya's lips.

"Well, I don't see any booty shaking up on the stage, do you?" Antonio retorts with a laugh, winking to the younger woman as he nudges his iPad over on the bartop to give her a clearer view -- it appears to be pointed to the club's website. "Antonio Williams, owner and operator, at your service. Do you always stake out the newest gentlemen's clubs around? We've got our grand opening party tomorrow, y'know." There's a confident grin to accompany the man's words as he sips from his drink.

The barman sets a tumbler down, then quickly grabs a bottle of rail whiskey. He pours what's easily a double portion, and pushes it unceremoniously toward the newcomer without a word.

"Gonna miss her entrance, whoever she is." Zoiya leans to the side, gazing down at the iPad for a few seconds before she drags her gaze back to Antonio. "I don't stake out any place, but I am looking for a job. Mae Molinari." She holds out a hand in his direction, turning on the charm a little bit now that she realizes he isn't just a techie nerd shy-ass customer. "Grand opening, so you're new. That means you're hiring, right?" She gives him a pretty smile, canting her head slightly as she pushes inked fingers through her hair to try to make it presentable.

She doesn't even look at the bartender when the whiskey is pushed in her direction. She stops the glass, wraps her fingers around it, nodding at the twenty. "Keep the change." Her attention swings back to Antonio. "How about it?"

"Pleasure to meet you, Mae. I'd say you're the best-looking customer in here." Antonio winks once before taking the woman's hand for a light shake, then bringing his fingers to his glass and raising it to take a sip. "Of course, we're hiring. You got experience? This isn't exactly Vegas, so, y'know, it takes a certain personality to work at a place like this." The man's eyes track the overpayment of twenty bucks with some interest, his eyebrows raised as he returns his gaze to the prospective applicant.

"I aim to be the best looking dancer in here." Zoiya states, her grin getting wider as Antonio winks at her. "Been dancing since I was eighteen. Worked in places in New York, Chicago and Seattle. Came here to settle some shit, saw this place. Why not? Better to be making money. A girl has got to eat." A wicked smile curves her lips when he mentions personality and she gets out of her seat, picks up her drink and downs it, a slight wince the only reaction she shows. "I'm a little full to bursting when it comes to personality, Boss." She walks around him, a finger trailing over his shoulders as she looks down at the iPad again. "This going to be all class and a little ass, or.." She trails off, leaving that open ended to see what he might say.

"Worked in all those places, huh?" Antonio challenges her with a smirk, cocking his head to the club's relatively small stage and solitary pole. "My little joint might be a little bit modest for you. But I imagine you could make some good money here, with all of that ass and sass." Antonio drinks to that, chuckling lightly under his breath.

"This'll be a low-cover place, relatively cheap drinks. We'll go up to fully-nude, although I don't care what each dancer personally does, so long as she's bringing in the money. You'd charge at least ten bucks per song for table dances out here in the main area, and at least twenty bucks per song for private dances in the VIP Lounge." He extends his martini glass to indicate the velvet curtains just off the stage. "Don't care if you charge more, so long as you get away with it, but don't want anyone charging less. You'd keep all of your tips and half of your dance fees. That sound reasonable so far, Mae?" The club boss's eyebrows arch as he prompts her.

"Worked em right into a frenzy." Zoiya leans against the bar, her eyes on Antonio. "It's modest anywhere you go unless you get discovered, and honestly, I'm not working in a place like this to find a rich old man to trick into marriage. I'll make good money for me, and good money for you, and it will all work out, pretty as a picture."

She listens to the rest, a slight smirk at the price for dances, glancing around to try to spot the VIP Lounge. She taps her fingers on her thigh and when she looks back at Antonio, she measures him with her eyes for a few brief moments and then she nods. "Sounds reasonable. I like reasonable." Her throat clears and she leans in slightly. "I bring my own costumes or do you provide funds to get the girls to dress a certain way that you expect?"

"I can advance you a few hundred for outfits if you need it, sweetie. Assuming you get the job, that is." The man's comment hangs in the air for a moment before he laughs, taking a gulp of his martini. "Discretion is important in a place like this, too. I moved here for this business opportunity, and don't know what the local cops are like. Still, I didn't come all this way to have some undercover asshole blow up my business. So, if anyone starts asking stupid questions or is trying to run some scam, you make sure to direct them straight to me, eh?" The proprietor reveals an e-cigarette from the jacket pocket of his suit, and takes a quick puff.

"As for the outfits, you can build your own style as you like -- or switch it up. Not something I'm gonna dictate for my dancers, so long as they're bringing in the cash." He flashes a wide grin. "I can give you a working audition tomorrow or later this week, unless you feel like previewing your skills for me and those two." He indicates the two assembled men at the rail, one of whom looks quite inebriated despite the early hour.

"I have outfits, I just don't want to shock people. This town seems a little.." Zoiya doesn't want to say podunk, but damn it's not what she's used to. Her focus is on the two men at the rail, listening to Antonio speak of discretion, undercover assholes and local cops. She laughs softly, barely making any noise, her head turning back in his direction. "Someone gets out of hand, I'll send them right to you. How do you handle the handsy ones?" Hazel eyes dip to the e-cig an eyebrow quirked slightly. "I can dance anytime. I love to move. Not dressed for it though, if you don't mind, I don't mind." She gestures down to a loose Metallica tee-shirt and her distressed jeans.

"Like I said, not really Vegas, is it? But you never know, these types of guys might want to come let loose and enjoy themselves with someone of your, uh, shocking sensibility." Antonio smirks broadly, standing from the barstool and circling around the bar to pour himself a double whiskey, refilling hers as well. "It's up to you whether you want to allow any of the customers to touch, y'know? But if anyone gets handsy or grabby, that's why I hire unattractive bouncers to drag 'em out and show 'em the pavement, face-first." He seems fairly confident on that point, raising his tumbler and downing his whiskey.

"Maybe not dressed for it, but doesn't mean you couldn't be undressed for it." The club boss offers the obvious retort with a laugh.

Zoiya aims a look at Antonio, taking the poured whiskey, drinking it down. "I don't miss big cities, if we're honest. Everyone has an agenda there, not saying they don't here, but maybe they'll hide it a little better?" She does laugh softly when he mentions bouncers and touching, nodding as she walks toward the stage. She jerks her chin up. "Give me a remix of Partition by Beyonce." She requests. "Dark low lights, don't flood me up here, especially since I'm not dressed for it."

The music is queued pretty quickly, and she isn't shy. As soon as the bass starts to roll from the speakers, she is as well. One leg out provocatively, a hand sliding down her front as she rolls her body to the bass, her eyes closing. She moves across the stage with fluid motion, staying in beat with the music.

Drop the bass, man the bass get low..

She drops it, her hand slapping the stage, her body bouncing as she moves.

The man ain't never seen a booty like this.

She turns when that part of the song comes on, bouncing her ass as she pulls the shirt over her head. She tosses it to the side, her eyes open now, amusement writ on her features. It's not easy to get out of jeans in a sexy way, especially when you're wearing heavy riding boots. She flicks the button, swaying from side to side as she drags the denim over her hips. It doesn't take much to pool them on the floor, kicking them away.

She keeps eye contact with the two men sitting near the stage, strutting in their direction. A pair of lacy black underwear and a bra are the only things she's still wearing, along with those heavy combat boots. She stops before them, shaking and swaying to the heavy beat that she picked, and when it starts to ebb away, she ends the dance on her knees, making direct eye contact with the two customers.

"You, uh -- do you even work here?" The drunk man, somewhat heavyset man at the rail doesn't seem to care, and forks over five singles from his stack, tossing them haphazardly onto the stage. "You can sure move that ass, anyway. Sweet mercy, ain't seen girls like you in the trailer park." The other denizen of the rail seats is more subdued, and simply tosses a few singles sans commentaire.

Antonio, for his part, watches from the bar for most of Mae's performance. When the remix draws to an end, he approaches the stage and stands between the two men, eyes on the dancer. "Mmhmm. I guess you weren't fibbing about that experience or that ass, huh? Forget what I said about a cash advance -- I'll give you a hiring bonus." The club owner reveals a black leather wallet from his pocket, and peels off three Benjamins. He places the crisp hundred dollar bills on the rail, his satisfaction obvious as he shoots both of the customers a knowing smile. "Hope you come back and see us quite a lot in the future, boys. We're gonna be the best show in town."

Zoiya leans in, picking up the bills, chuckling softly as she does. "I work here now." She is pretty nonplussed about the other man not being into the performance. Might be into guys, might be an off night, who knows. She doesn't move to pick up her clothes right away, her eyes on Antonio when he approaches. "Just imagine me in make up, something that shows more skin.. and no combat boots." She plucks the bills from his fingers, tucking them with the others in her bra.

She gets to her feet, retrieves her shirt and pulls it on, toeing out of her boots so she can pull her jeans on and over her ass. Once she's dressed again she makes her way back to Antonio, holding out a hand. "We're going to make a lot of money, Boss."

"Of course we are. You just let me know whenever you need anything, hmm? I look forward to our success." The boss takes the opportunity to press a business card from his wallet into the dancer's extended his hand, containing his cell phone number and email address. "I'll look forward to seeing you soon, mm? Looking forward to those money-maker outfits." He winks, his smile by now spreading nearly from ear to ear.