SPREZZATURA:

This means a kind of effortless elegance. To be a true sprezzatura you should make sure you are not trying too hard.

!THIRD POV IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR CHAPTERS 1 AND 2!

The grass on her soles was soft on soft, the gentle tickles as the wind brushed each strand moved to the rhythm of the summer breeze as easily as her raven black hair, which shone like the Northern lights as the auroral star shone down on her. Shira gently turned the pages of the photo album she had in her hand.

Remembering those precious moments when she was only a small little girl and her papa would carry her on his shoulder and her mama would hold her hand and take her to the park every Saturday to feed the fishes and ducks that swam elegantly in the river.

"Shira, chérie, dinner is ready." Her Papa called. Shira carefully closed the photo album and stood up from her spot to walk into the mansion she grew up in. The spot she sat was a place which her Papa designed as she always wanted a place where she can be left alone as she thought sometimes it's good to be alone.

"Oui Papa, j'arrive." She said, walking in, she was hit with the aromatic smell of her mama's cooking, which always managed to intoxicate her. It was better than alcohol.

(T: Yes Papa, I'm coming.)

The table was set up with many cooking pots that emitted their specific smells into the room. Her 4 other siblings all sat down in their specific places and hers was next to her younger sister, Abella.

Shira was the oldest daughter in the family. Her brother, Alexandre was the oldest and heir of the French mafia. Then it was Shira. Then came Abella and Louis, they are twins and last but not least the devil's child, as her mama says, Ace. Despite being the oldest daughter of the second greatest Mafia family she was invisible to the Mafia world. It was like she didn't belong there.

Shira was a girl who wasn't the slightest bit interested in the family's business. However, her father, Theo Lamoreaux, agreed to her request but taught her self defence. She enjoyed it so she continued and was the strongest female in the family but promised she would only use it for self-defence, nothing else.

-

After dinner, Shira helped clear the table. As if she was a supernatural being she already knew her papa was watching her. "Papa, are you ok?" She soothingly spoke as she turned around to meet her father's fearsome tiger eyes but these eyes have always shown love towards her.

Wrapping her arms around her papa, she felt the father's warmth radiate off of him. Inhaling the smell of his favourite cologne, she smiled and instantly felt relaxed.

"Oui, chérie, I wanted to talk to you about something." His soft voice spoke. She brought herself to pull away from his embrace to look at him.

(T: Yes, darling)

"Of course Papa, what is it?" She questioned. The tension thickened, wondering what he was going to say.

"So... I know you just came back after 3 years from Lyon but will you be able to babysit the Santis's twin for three months" He mumbled the last bit, making it difficult for Shira to comprehend.

"Papa mumbling will not help me understand a word you are saying" Shira smiled and giggled while looking at her father, who sighed and forced a smile. Shira wondered what got him nervous as the only people who could make the French Don, Theo Lamoreaux, scared are her mama and her grandma.

He took one final breath. "I told Matteo de Santis that you would be able to babysit their twins since we are going away for business-related reasons. They said if you could stay there for three months..." He stopped. Shira looked at his eyes looking for an answer but there was nothing.

"Ok... I mean Sienna and Angelo are sweethearts and I wouldn't mind babysitting them at all. So what did you say?" She questioned again.

"I said it's up to you if you want to stay at their place for three months so if you don't want to I can call them and say- " He began to ramble on. Shira looked at him with a smile that caused him to stop. Her smile was like watching the sunset at the beach. It was something that wasn't new but beautiful and each day she would happily wear it. It was her greatest gift.

"Papa, it's fine. I don't mind and within these three months I will be able to see Chiara and Dino and I am Theo Lamoreaux's daughter, what could go wrong?" She soothingly spoke like an angel to her father. Her eyes gave off so much peacefulness that it was almost eerie. Theo smiled at the thought of how her little girl was proud of whose daughter she was.

"Are you sure chérie, you don't have to since you have just r-" He spoke and was cut off again but not by Shira but by Abella.

"Mon Dieu, Shira will be staying at the Santis Mansion!" Abella exclaimed and began screaming like the melting Wicked Witch of the West. Awakening the house and causing Shira to clasp her hands over her ears.

(T: My god)

"Oh god, help us," Theo sighed. Everyone walked into the room they ate earlier on and watched how their father was pinching the bridge of his nose and sighing once more. Shira then let out a peal of small laughter.

"What's all the fuss about, mon chéri?" Shira's mum, Melanie, walked in and rubbed Theo's shoulder.

(T: my darling)

"Shira's going to stay at the Santis's Mansion to babysit for three months" Abella once again screeched happily while winking and wiggling her eyebrows.

"What!?" They all replied with shock. Shira did nothing but look at her father who looked like he had seen a ghost. Melanie gave a deathly stare that could have his lungs not working anymore. Theo couldn't do anything but gulp. Shira and Abella and Ace began laughing, while Alexandre and Louis were trying very hard to keep their faces straight.

"We're going to talk about this upstairs" Melanie warned Theo while he smirked and winked at her. The joyful laughter began to die down as Ace gasped and disgust was plastered on his face. Shira cleared her throat and nodded, setting aside the thought of her Papa forgetting he's 53 not 20 years old again.

"Do you want to, Shira? Because you know papa could-" Melanie was cut off by Shira shaking her head.

"ça va sérieusement." She assured her mama, who hugged her tightly and as she pulled away kissed her forehead. The motherly kiss lingered and pierced her skin. It was just like her father's embrace, warm and sweet like hot chocolate that you would have on Christmas. "Abella you and your eavesdropping. You will never change will you?" Shira said with her famous smile.

(T: Seriously, it's fine)

"Well, this was some news that I wouldn't want to miss. Now that you are going to stay at the Santis's mansion, you will be seeing Valerius" Abella said while winking and nudging Shira's shoulder. Shira has never met him but heard about the rumours the people in Mafia spoke about him. Some of the rumours sounded inhumane but then again the Mafia world was an unearthly place to be born in.

-

Shira didn't know what to say as the thought of seeing Valerius intimidated her. After assuring her parents everyone dispersed into their rooms. Shira entered her bathroom, the cool air and the orange light that beamed through her window welcomed her. She stripped from her clothes and entered the shower. The hot water droplets splashing on her silk skin.

As she lathered her body with her favourite strawberry shower gel, her mind returned to the thought of Valerius. It seemed so foreign how her mind was thinking about him. After coating every area of her skin she allowed the water to wash all the white foam that was sitting on her skin, leaving only the scent of strawberries to be absorbed on her.

Putting on her comfortable nightwear she walked to her dressing table and combed her soft hair that reached past her waist. Combing it gently until the knots were detangled, she, then, braided it; her hair wasn't going to be all over her face.

Shira felt excited yet nervous about staying at the Santis's place for three months since they were the biggest Mafia family and the originals. Slipping into bed she looked at her bedside table to see a picture of her nana and her when she was a small girl, holding a rose while her nana kissed her chubby cheek.

Shira smiled, almost feeling the tender kiss on her cheek and said goodnight to the picture as she did every night. Feeling the cool bed sheets as she rubbed her silky smooth legs over it, relaxation flowed through every vessel of her body. She let out a breath of air, allowing sleep to harness her body.

Hello, my loves, hope you enjoyed this chapter and if you have let me know your thoughts. Thank you for trying out my book! Anyways, have a lovely day or a good night's sleep.

Who's your favourite actor/actress?

I'm going to have to say Ian Somerholder his eyes can freeze me to death and I'd say thank you.