Repercussions

Twenty-Seven

Livia Ximena Di Vittorio

"Close your eyes for a second, Ms Livia." I follow the instruction, feeling a brush dance across my eyelids. As relaxing as hair and make-up is compared to my everyday life, I couldn't force myself to relax, not after the meeting I had had with my father and grandfather.

New information has come to life, and even though I can't say I'm surprised, I'm genuinely disappointed. The council of consiglieres were advisors. Typically, they didn't have power, but my great-grandfather and grandfather had allowed them to have a say in matters. Now they were abusing their power.

But if they thought for one second, I was going to give up my title to go off and marry some Italian-American mobster, that was probably double my age and messing around with many other women, then they had another thing coming for them.

The brush is lifted from my eyes, so I open them, staring at my reflection in the mirror in front of me. My roots were growing in, and a glimpse of the dark hair I had for most of my life coming through, was also a reminder to ask Lara, who was currently twisting my hair into some sort of fancy updo to book me in for an appointment to touch them up.

Moira, my make-up artist, was applying a more glam look on my face than I normally wore, made up of pretty golden shades that would go nicely with the dress I had chosen.

"Lara, can we book an appointment for maybe next week? If you can fit in Esmeralda and Genevieve, too." It would be nice to have a girls' day. Esme and Gen were the friends that weren't involved in mafia life, they knew what my family did and that was the extent of it. They didn't ask questions, and I didn't offer more. It was nice to sit and talk to people who didn't know all the problems in your work life and are just there for you as a person.

"Of course, Miss Livia," Lara confirms, spraying hairspray on my hair. "Let me know the day and time and I'll move some things around."

I probably should have told her to let me know when she was free, but one perk of holding the Di Vittorio name is getting what I want when I want it. Part of the compensation for all the trauma being part of my family comes from.

"Okay, and you're done. Put on your dress and then we'll do any touch-ups." Moira instructs and I listen, slipping into my closet to get dressed.

The dress I had chosen was green, a forest green that was an exact shade match to my eye colour and usually the colour I wore to these events. A signature looks, I suppose. To tie in with my make-up, I add a couple of gold chains with diamond pendants and a diamond choker to finish.