was family. In the City, Kitiona had to fine tune her hunting senses. Her survival mode had kicked in and was working overtime.
She walked to the corner, crossed the street and kept going. She turned up the alley and walked to the rear entrance of her building. She started to relax as she climbed up the stairs to her back door. She unlocked the door, glanced back to survey the alley and stepped inside her flat.
Kitiona's flat was about twenty feet wide, side to side. She moved through the kitchen in the back, down the skinny hall, passed the bedroom and bathroom into the living area. She looked out the front windows without disturbing the curtains. All clear, she thought with an audible sigh.
She had to go to the bathroom for some time. After helping the man, she thought about using the restaurant's bathroom. But then she felt obligated to helping him get home safely.
She went to the bathroom and relaxed as she sat for a long minute, head in hands. The pose said it all. What will I do now? She got up and looked into the mirror.
She decided to call he friend Kaia. The land line phone worked and she talked with her friend for a good thirty minutes.
They talked about Kitiona's run in with the two thugs and her new flat. Kaia urged her to come home. Kitiona refused saying, "I must avenge my family's killers."
The conversation ended abruptly. They both realized despite the dangers, Kitiona's family honor was at stake. They accomplished nothing except to communicate their deep friendship. Kaia's soothing voice reassured her support. Kaia ended the call. "We all miss you."
Kitiona walked back to the bathroom and looked into the mirror. Am I crazy, she thought. Then she whispered, "God I need your help."
Kitiona's Eurasian blend of genes left her uniquely pretty. She had long, thick black hair that hung several inches past her shoulders. Her semi-pointed chin revealed her Japanese grandfather. Her full lips and broad nose base were all Samoan. Kitiona's slender five-foot, one inch frame came from the Irish linage on her mom's side.
Kitiona's friends use to call her 'Jade'. They thought she resembled a celebrity named Janel Parrish. Parrish was an American singer, songwriter and movie star. And while Kitiona could sing a little, she was not the actress type.
Kitiona went into her bedroom. She undressed, turned and looked in the full-body mirror on the back of the door. She gazed at the tattoo on her back. She remembered how embarrassed she was when the artist, her uncle, worked on it. The tattoo symbolized her womanhood.
The large tattoo was diamond shaped. The bottom point started deep in Kitiona's butt crack. The design crept up from there and followed an imaginary bikini line to her waist. The borders extended around her sides to points just above the hips. The top point stretched to between her shoulder blades. The diamond contained Samoan symbols and graphics about strength, long life and peaceful children.
Her tattoo had not seen the light of day since arriving in the City. Looking at it now put her back in Samoa. Kitiona fantasized being with her friends at the beach. They would romp around without suits. They all admired her tattoo but none copied it. That was taboo. Kitiona was a descendent from an ancient ruling family.
Kitiona covered her tattoo with a t-shirt and put on a pair of boxer shorts. She went into the kitchen, poured herself a glass of juice, sat at the table. Head in hand, tears watered her eyes.
Chapter 19 Sal's Club
Salvatore Venuti's office was a strip joint in North Beach. Formally known as Club Sally Mae, it occupied the corner of Broadway and Kearny Streets. Glittering signs lit up entrances on both streets.
Sal bought the club from Sally’s corporation when her aging breasts had lost their demand. The strip club had done well with Sally as headliner. But, the novelty of Sally's extra large breasts lost their appeal in the late 70’s.
Breast enhancements had made their way into every plastic surgeons' office across the fruited plains. Any Susan, Annabel and Karen could walk down main street USA in button-popping blouses showing off their custom breasts.
Sal made Sally an offer she refused once, but on second thought, accepted. Sally was a bright girl. She was tired of living like a vampire. She had worked until 2am, six nights a week for fourteen years. Her routine had been to sleep until early afternoon, have her hair and makeup done, pick out her costume, and arrive at the club around 7pm. She acted as a manager until her first show at 9:30. Then she would let her night manager take over while she took over stage center.
After fourteen exposing years, she felt spent. Besides, she rationalized that if Sal Venuti wanted her club, he would get it one way or another.
Sal made Sally the CEO with 5% of the stock. Her responsibilities were to show up at the yearly board meeting looking her busty best. For this she retired with a tidy sum.
He distributed the rest of the stock to dummy corporations and several shared hedge funds. He renamed Sally's club the 'Little Nipples' club. Sal chuckled to himself at renaming it. The club went from big tits to little nipples.
The Little Nipples Club was only closed to the public from 2am to 12 noon, when county liquor laws allowed bars to open. But for Sal and his guys, it was open 24/7.
The Little Nipples Club was in full swing when Sal arrived. The music's beat could be felt as soon as Sal exited the limo. Sal and his bodyguards enter the stage door and went up stairs to the club's office. The club's night manager, Devonte, was notified that Sal had arrived. The bodyguards waited outside the office door.
Devonte's street name was Inmate #28383. He had done time for armed robbery, assault, and battery.
In Sing Sing prison, Devonte endeared himself to Frankie 'The Arm' Falcosa. Frankie had just arrived at Sing Sing and was being harassed by a Latino contingent of Mexican illegals in the courtyard. Devonte stepped in because of his hate for the Mexicans, not in defense of Frankie.
Devonte's posse was pushing for control of this part of the courtyard. When the Mexicans stepped into it Devonte moved to reassert his ownership.
Even though Frankie was white, he and Devonte became friends. After Frankie's release, the two stayed in contact. When Devonte was released, Frankie met him at the prison gate. The two hung out for several weeks but Devonte was attracting too much attention from the cops. A muscle bound black man with multiple tattoos was an eye stopper hanging with Frankie and the Matacio Crew in Long Island.
Frankie made some inquires and found out the Sal Venuti needed some muscle for his new club in San Francisco. Frankie recommended Devonte to Sal. Sal put him to work as a bouncer to start. Sal was so impressed with Devonte's work ethic that he made him night manager eight months after hiring him.
Devonte entered the room. Sal was on the phone with Mario Capacci, D.C.'s mob connection. Sal wanted Mario to monitor Senator Giardina's movements more closely. Sal reasoned that Bonni might really think she was above his law some day. Her disrespect during their last meeting bothered him. He kept track of her lack of appreciation and continuing disrespectful demands.
Sal motioned for Devonte to have a seat. When he hung up the phone, he asked Devonte how things were going tonight. Devonte said the club is full and people are drinking up a storm. The girls brought in some new music and are bouncing around like popcorn.
Sal asked, "Have my guests arrived from L.A.?"
Devonte shook his head to say no.
"You
