Dancing for Dollars

Dancing for Dollars

by Victoria M. Howard
Dancing for Dollars

Dancing for Dollars

by Victoria M. Howard

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Overview

Dancing for Dollars is a raucous, intoxicating novel about four prodigious women who originate from different backgrounds and lifestyles. As fate would have it, they meet at an upscale gentleman’s club in South Florida and develop a strong friendship, peregrinating through the journey called life.

Dancing for Dollars takes you into the exciting and dangerous world of exotic dancers, modeling, Hollywood, and hermaphrodites. This book is a combination of a modern day Valley Of The Dolls, Fifty Shades of Grey and Magical Mike.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781546210849
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Publication date: 10/18/2017
Pages: 372
Product dimensions: 5.00(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.83(d)

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

2010

Miami, Florida

Tony Cataldo couldn't believe his luck. After years of breaking his balls to make ends meet his ship had finally arrived---and it was a mega yacht!

Although his nightclub 7th Heaven had been good to him for the past fifteen years, it wasn't until four young ladies appeared in 2010, almost simultaneously, that business skyrocketed. Three had requested dance auditions and the fourth he personally discovered hosting at a local Chinese restaurant.

The first was a petite Japanese girl named Mika, who would become known as Jade to her customers. Besides being one of the club's star dancers, the dark haired beauty quickly evolved into being Tony's main squeeze.

He met Mika at Chin's Chinese Café. Being a naïve neophyte to the area, she was quickly captivated with Tony's flashy and confident charm.

Next was the exotic café au lait six-foot Abigail, known as Candy, who instantly morphed into a man magnet. Although there was something mysterious and unconventional about her, Candy became one of the club's top earners, raking in thousands of dollars by performing her specialty 'behind the curtain'.

Several weeks later, Bella, a statuesque Scandinavian beauty appeared. Resembling a real-life Barbie doll (thus her stage name), the Swedish belle worked the pole like an extension of her exquisite dimensions. While performing prodigious, intricate acrobatics with her mile long legs on the vertical pole, Barbie bewitched her audience.

And last, but not least, was a sultry stunner named Francesca---stage name Angel. Ironically, she would become Tony's Angel — "the" angel of 7th Heaven.

The minute she appeared Tony could barely believe his generally caustic eyes. He thought this girl was the most beautiful female he had ever laid eyes on — and being the proprietor of a gentlemen's club in South Florida, he was no stranger to seeing plus ten's.

The very first thing he noticed was her violet colored eyes — that unparalleled shade of icon Elizabeth Taylor. Her eyes radiated warmth, while her short straight nose seemed almost child-like. She had perfect white teeth and little-girl dimples deeply imbedded in each cheek.

But the young woman's face was what really grabbed Tony's attention, despite the voluptuous natural breasts he knew lie under the tank top.

It was a perfect face — if there is indeed one. It was a face that DaVinci or Van Gogh would love to memorialize on canvas as it took everything in with wonder, breathless and trustworthy excitement, while demurely unaware of the commotion the body beneath may have caused.

Frankie had a square jaw, high cheekbones and an intelligent brow. Her long dark hair hung loose — blue black with highlights of mahogany. She projected a so rare naïve quality that Tony often commented she "was a little girl trapped in a big girl's body." Her innocence was authentic, and her body--- well her body was 'perfection personified'.

Stuttering he asked, "Wh-wh ... why do you want this job, Miss???"

For some odd reason the hardcore wise guy was nervous, but also curious, as to why she would demean herself by showing what God gave her to a bunch of horny, perverted men.

He thought this woman belonged in Hollywood romancing the camera instead of his sleazy customers. But what the hell, here she is and he wasn't about to let her walk out.

"My name is Miss Francesca Falconi, but my friends call me Frankie.

I want--- No, I need this job because I've always wanted to live in Miami, and have no other means to make money," the dark haired beauty replied.

"I don't have a college education or experience in any trade."

Just like that---A straight answer!

But she was just a young woman like thousands of others that came into his club looking for work, so why did she make him feel like he was snooping? After all, he was the boss who signed the checks and was entitled to ask questions.

He sensed that if he were too pushy she might walk out and that would be a big mistake for it would cost him lots of moolah. Letting this rare beauty walk out the door would be stupid, and Tony Cataldo was not stupid.

He hired her on the spot and thanked the dancing Gods every night for sending him this Goddess.

*
Ever since the quartet signed on, business boomed. At first Tony was concerned there would be some cattiness between them as to which one would be the "queen bee". Unlike most dancers who are jealous of one another the women bonded.

In fact, they were so close that three of them shared a bachelorette pad uptown in Surfside. That is, everyone except Mika, as Tony had the Shojo under lock and key where he could keep a close eye on her.

As far as dancing techniques, each was diametrically different, replete with their own specialty. Mika, aka/ Jade, hypnotized the customers by dancing softly to sensual Japanese songs. Appearing onstage in a satin Japanese kimono, by the song's end she was completely bare--down to her birthday suit.

Although the geisha was tiny in stature measuring only 5'2" (which is tiny for a dancer) her diminutive breasts comprised of arresting buds--- exhibiting nipples the size one sees on a baby's Playtex bottle. It was a sight to be seen for her mammary glands were captivating — regressing more than one customer to infancy simulating breastfeeding. As the Japanese beauty danced and her tiny breasts bounced to the beat, some were drawn to her impressive buds.

Because of these prodigious attributes, Jade had more than her share of customers, but Tony let one and all know that this little lady was "hands off."

Next is Bella, known by her adoring patrons as Barbie. The real-life Barbie doll with her long blond hair, sparkling blue eyes, and hourglass figure, performed acrobatic maneuvers on the pole.

Quite a contortionist, the Swede literally seduced the stainless steel staff in front of her appreciative audience. As her long legs entwined the pole, Bella seductively gyrates with her tight ass and six-pack abs.

Ironically, unlike other dancers, Barbie lured a smattering of females to the male dominated 7th Heaven as her vibrations and moves seemed alluring to similarly inclined females.

Even though Tony couldn't put his finger on it, there was something off-kilter yet mysterious about Abigail--the six-foot Brown Sugar that became famous for her antics "behind the curtains." Each night Abby was booked solid with guys anxiously waiting to experience what had come known as 'Candy's specialty.'

The normal going rate for time with a dancer behind the curtain is $100 an hour, but Abigail — stage name Candy — demands $500 for 30 minutes, and gets it.

Last, but not least, was Francesca — stage name Angel. Angel dances with ostrich feather angel wings--mirroring a Victoria's Secret Angel as she bumps and grinds to Jule Styne's, "Let me entertain you."

Emulating Gypsy Rose Lee she seductively removes first her long satin gloves and then her feathery wings. Next, her sequin bra comes off freeing her natural luscious 38 CC's--- but that's all, for she never removed her G-string.

Angel made it quite clear that the tiny panties remain on, for she believed in leaving imagination run rampant as to what might lie underneath. That was something her mother lectured in her now distant childhood.

"Yes, this one is a needle in the haystack-- class all the way," Tony thought.

As she nervously waited to see if she got the job, Angel began chewing her bottom lip--a habit she acquired as a child when she became frightened or anxious. But now an adult, the addiction was seductively luring.

*
Things are looking up for Tony and his baby, 7th Heaven. Lately, even the cops have been leaving him alone, probably due to Candy's performance behind the curtains, for a couple of local beat cop bluecoats utilized her services in plain clothes — and on the house, of course.

And just last week News Week Magazine, in their national expose on gentlemen's clubs, listed 7th Heaven as #1 in the entire state of Florida.

Tony knew there would always be opposition from the moral conservatives seeking to abolish strip clubs, but the Sicilian learned early on, "not to sweat the small stuff".

Yes sir, somebody up there is definitely watching out for good ole' Tony Cataldo--- the boy who came from notorious 183rd street in the Bronx.

*
When he was twenty-one he left Arthur Avenue for Art Deco Collins Avenue. Talk about culture shock!

He was a true survivor who worked his way to the top the hard way. Nobody ever gave him a dime — he was a self-made man and proud of it---maybe a little too proud!

Of course it hadn't all been smooth sailing. For the first two years he lived in the back of the club, sleeping on a soiled mattress on the cold, cement floor.

He quickly learned about the nightclub business and certain tricks such as replacing name brand liquors with cheaper brands, since after the first drink most buzzed customers couldn't taste the difference. Besides, the men were too busy ogling the scantily clad dancers to worry about what was in their glass.

He also learned never to fully trust employees. Over the years Tony caught several of the waiters, bartenders, and kitchen workers helping themselves to whatever they could get their greasy hands on — but he concluded that as long as it wasn't excessive it was better to let it go than to hire a whole new crew and start all over again.

Of course there were a few things in his life he regretted-- like walking out on his high-school sweetheart, Gina, when she told him she was pregnant with their child. Although he loved her---assuming he was capable of loving anyone other then himself--- there was no way he was going to be a father at such a young age.

That would mean him staying in the Bronx delivering Luigi's Old World Pizza, or being a delivery driver for Scavello's, like his old man had done for the past thirty years.

And if he married Gina he would never see his dream come true at owning the largest titty bar in south Florida. No---fatherhood was not for Tony Cataldo.

Because of his cowardly action Gina had an abortion, killing their unborn son. At times — especially when he had a 'moment' like when he was drunk, he wondered what life would have been like if he married Gina and they had the baby. But that was the past and today is now.

*
His thoughts were disrupted when Jade walked in the room. "Tony, baby, there's a stranger here demanding to talk to you from the IRS."

"Oh shit! Now what?"

CHAPTER 2

Thank God he was smart enough not only to have a shrewd bookkeeper on staff, but a prestigious though somewhat unethical accounting firm balance the books.

After all, nightclubs, whether a gentlemen's club, disco or a sophisticated supper club can be fronts for illegal ventures and money laundering.

The I.R.S. agent replete with cheap toupee, bifocals, and off the rack ill-fitting suit from J.C. Penney arrived to audit the clubs books to ensure all was kosher--- as they say in the trade.

After several days of examining the receipts and bills the agent determined that 7th Heaven legally profited $2 million in 2009 and the 25% substantial increase from the year before was totally legitimate. So that shelved the investigation--- for the time being.

*
"Let's pop a few bottles of Cristal," Tony told Jade with a grin. "Go get the others and let's celebrate."

It had been a year since the four girls signed on and business was flourishing. Living in their small condo, Angel, Barbie, and Candy saved quite a bit. By the end of the year, Barbie stashed away $50,000 — Candy $100,000, and Angel the thriftiest of all saved a whopping $150,000.

Each month Barbie and Candy sent money back to their families. Neither Angel or Jade had talked to their parents since leaving their homes — Jade ceremoniously evicted as a teenager and Frankie left after discovering she had been adopted.

Shortly after Candy left Jamaica and moved to the United States, his sister wrote telling of their fathers passing. Candy knew he should have felt a little remorse, but his dad, Jacques, was a low-life drunk who often beat his wife and occasionally sexually molested his older sister, Ida.

Jacques, a sailor that was often away at sea impregnated his mother, Ana, at the ripe age of sixteen while on leave. Naïve and in love, she was kept virtually barefoot and pregnant for the next five years. The first two children were daughters, Ida and Ana, born eighteen months apart--- and then came Abigail, their son.

When Abigail was born he was petite with soft feminine features and had a high-pitched voice. In his mother's eyes he was absolutely gorgeous and perfect — except for unusually large ears.

As a young boy Abby played with his sisters dolls and wore dresses instead of pants. This infuriated his father to where he would call his son fag, sissy and inferred he was no child of his.

When he was five years old Abby's mother took him to the village clinic for he had not been acting right. After examination, the doctor informed the mother her son was a true hermaphrodite.

The naïve woman had no idea what he meant so the doctor illustrated photos of an androgyne. He explained that Abby possessed tissues of both male and female gonads, and in her son's case they were separate and not combined in the same organ.

Still not grasping what the surgeon meant she asked, "So my son has a small penis, is that right?"

He explained that while it's rare, it is possible for a human being to possess both male and female reproductive organs inside and outside the body.

"It's believed that a DNA disorder called Chimerism is the source of this condition. The first publicized case goes back to 1860 when a baby boy like Abby was born with both female and male organs.

In Abby's case, the female organ was located inside, as were the ovaries and uterus; and the male organ, his penis, was on the outside, although it was quite miniscule," he said.

Finally comprehending what the doctor meant the mother broke down in tears.

"Oh Bondye mwen! My boy is a freak! Why him? He will have to go through life laughed at and bullied," she sobbed.

The doctor consoled her by saying, "There have been many famous people who have been hermaphrodites. Sarah Gronert, the tennis star, David Palmer, the former keyboardist for the band Jethro Tull, author and artist Veronique Renard, and actress "Bond Girl" Caroline Cossey were all born hermaphrodites."

Today, large numbers of desperate young transsexuals in India and Bangladesh run away from home to join the "hijra" caste. By becoming part of "hijra" (the third gender) these young people undergo fully emasculating surgeries under primitive conditions, with only opium as an anesthetic," he went on.

"So, you see, this condition occurs in countries across the world."

"My son is not a boy and not a girl. He is a freak of nature!

He will have a horrible life," she cried hysterically. "Give me the disease, God, but take it away from my Abigail."

"You don't understand madam. Your son can grow up to live a happy life once he is old enough to have gender reassignment surgery performed. In fact when he is older and has the operation, it is possible he can sire or bear children of his own."

*
When Abby's mother got home and explained to her husband what the doctor said he was appalled and repulsed.

"I knew it! That mutation is no son of mine! You had to have sex with someone else when I was away at sea, for I could not have sired a freak like that. I never want to hold or kiss that mutant again. Keep it away from me," he screamed.

And from that day on, little Abby no longer had a father.

So should he feel sorry about his passing? No, he didn't think so.

*
Francesca never forgave her adopted parents for concealing the fact that she had been adopted at birth, but deep inside she missed them.

Why did they keep it a secret all those years? It was nothing to be ashamed of, for thousands of children are given up for adoption every day. She wasn't bitter at the Falconi's --she was grateful, for they were great parents. No, she was angry with her birth mother for tossing her away like a piece of trash.

Once Frankie discovered she had been adopted she became obsessed with finding who her real mother was and why she gave her up? Didn't she love her?

Ironically, Frankie followed the pattern of her maternal mother for at seventeen she discovered she was pregnant by her high-school sweetheart, Billy Scolieri.

At first she was elated for she always wanted to be a mother and assumed Billy would want the baby and they would get married. But to her dismay he screamed, "I don't want to be tied down with a wife and kid. Get rid of it." And that was the last day she ever saw Billy again.

*
Her devout Catholic stepparents didn't believe in abortion. They forced her to have the baby and give it up for adoption---identical to Frankie's plight when she was born.

(Continues…)



Excerpted from "Dancing for Dollars"
by .
Copyright © 2017 Victoria M. Howard.
Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, ix,
EPILOGUE, 359,
ABOUT THE AUTHOR, 361,
BOOK ONE Dancing for Dollars, 1,
BOOK TWO Sex, Drugs and Rock-n-Roll, 105,
BOOK THREE Secrets, Surprises and Scandals, 223,
BOOK FOUR A Birth, A Murder and New Beginnings, 293,

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