She was quiet for a moment before trying to make something up. "Like… the… hair… salon…?" she answered. She took the chance to skim him from head to toe. She had to admit, the guy didn't look half bad, but why was he wearing navy-blue suit pants and a blazer with a plain lavender T‑shirt? A loose T‑shirt, might she add… and sneakers. Who wears sneakers with formal clothes? His fashion confused her.
Meanwhile, she wore an open denim jacket and dark jeans with a mint‑green crop top. As a final touch, she had on brown ankle boots. Why was she dressed like that in fifty‑three‑degree weather? Well, it was just to piss her parents off—one of her favorite pastimes.
"What a coincidence. I was on my way there too!" he lied. "Which one do you fancy?" In truth, Aurelio had planned on visiting an armory shop today because his cousin insisted he get himself a bulletproof vest.
"The… one called… Agnelli Barbershop," Giulietta said slowly, her eyes focusing anywhere but on him.
The name Agnelli sounded very familiar. Aurelio found that interesting.
[It should be familiar, since that barbershop was known as neutral ground for any Mafia. No fighting, no arguments. If anyone caused trouble, the shop owner wasn't afraid to throw them out—not even a Mafia Don. Crossing an Italian barbershop owner is the same as courting death.]
"I'll go to yours then." He quickly concluded.
"Wha-?! No! Get your own shop!" Giulietta refuted, not wanting to be attached to this Leo guy all day. She just wanted to have a day to herself, especially after all the trouble she'd gone through to ditch her bodyguards—or so she thought.
For just half a block behind them, their bodyguards were following in secret after spending several hours tracking them down. Why were the bodyguards of two Mafia families working together? Well, since the heirs were only twenty-four and didn't look like they had any intention of trying to kill each other… the bodyguards had called a momentary truce for old time's sake. That truce would end at dusk or whenever they managed to get their respective heirs away from each other—whichever came first. It was only because of that truce that they'd even been able to find them; otherwise, they might still be looking.
"Too late, Jewel; I already see the sign for it," Aurelio beamed as he pointed at the hanging sign of the barbershop.
[Of course, the barbershop would just magically happen to be on the path they were already taking. Totally normal.]
He felt a little happy, as this Jewel lady had brightened up his once‑dreary day.
She sighed as they continued along. When they finally got to the door, Aurelio let go of Giulietta at last and opened it for her. For a brief moment, Aurelio felt like someone was watching them, and he just hoped his bodyguard hadn't found him already.
[Hah hah! Too late to hope for that.]
He shook off the feeling and smiled warmly at Giulietta.
"After you, my lady.~" He winked at her.
Giulietta restrained herself from punching him in the jaw and grumbled a simple "thank you" as she headed into the shop. Her sour mood didn't last long, though.
A loud, overly enthusiastic voice greeted her the second she stepped inside. "LITTLE COUSIN!!!"
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©Lynnifer Ice 2026