Defying the Don

Meeting Iris Russo

My father Giovanni Russo is a mafia Campo. His name means gift from god and doesn’t he know it. He’s a Campo to Don Helios.

Much to my father’s dismay, predecessor Don Helios has just died and the buck has been passed on to his son. We all thought his father was ruthless but Marcus took his oath to this family and he’s one scary man.

Even make my dad shake and that’s saying something.

I know my family’s a part of the mafia and my twin brothers Gio and Gino stand to take over from dad in the future. One (Gio) as Campo for this family and Gino as Consigliere, right hand man to the Don himself as he’s best friend and grew up with Marcus.

I on the other hand youngest born girl in my family know this information, but other than that I’m kept completely in the dark as innocent as possible.

I’m soon to turn 18 tomorrow and I’m excited to go off to university and start my life.

I’ve spent most of my life hidden in the shadows, but when I turn 18 it’s my turn to leave the nest so to speak and start living out from under the confines of comfortable prison I’ve found myself in.

“ Iris “ my mother calls out. I move from my bedroom window I had been staring out of.

“You okay mumma” I call out to her but no response.

I follow where I thought her voice came from and find my mumma and papa sat in my papa’s office.

“Iris come in darling and sit down” my mumma smiles and beckons me into the office.

As I approach I realise quickly my twin brothers are sitting on the sofa on the left, leaving the sofa on the right open.

My papa sat behind his desk with my mumma.

The nerves suddenly surround me.

“This isn’t good” I mumble under my breath.

“Well Iris your 18 tomorrow and it’s your turn to make your family proud. Your twin brother have been working on making our family name the most powerful campos in America. You have lived a very sheltered and spoilt lifestyle and it’s now time you gave back to this family” my papa grounds out.

The panic settles in the pit of stomach and my hands start to wet nervously.

“What your papa is trying to say darling is that we have set you up for a wonderful life and you will make this family more powerful and strong and you will be kept safe and sound” my mumma tries to calm me. I know she can see my rising panic I look around the room and even my twin brothers are looking anywhere but at me.

“What have you done” I whisper, I know my papa hears me when he slams his hands down on his desk.

“We have strengthened this family and you girl will do well to understand your place and your responsibilities to this family” I’ve never seen my papa like this, we’ll actually that’s a lie I definitely have but never at me, I’m his little girl.

“You Iris on your 18th birthday tomorrow will marry Don Marcus Helios and you will be the best wife that you can. Your mother has trained you for this all your life and you will not embarrass this family” my papa words slur as my whole world shifts and tilts.

My hopes and dreams to go to university and study to be me, my dreams of becoming a woman on my terms and meeting and dating men have been shattered in seconds.

I fight the feeling to throw up as the evil feeling rolls up over me that I will marry the most feared and evil man in America.

“But he’s evil and he’s old” I feel the tears drip down my face as I look up into my father and mothers eyes.

“He’s only 25 Iris get a grip your need to be a real woman for a man like Marcus. You can not cry. He is evil because he’s powerful and ruthless and that’s how he stay, like it or not. You will not embarrass us Iris. Now go clean up your mother has picked your dress and we need to hope your not a complete mess or embarrassment for tomorrow” my papa flicks his wrist and my mother rounds the desk and takes me from the room.

Tears slid down my cheeks but I make no sound my whole body is in shock and I can see my mother twisting me into a dress like a dolly.

It’s beautiful fitted silk dress with a very very long train.

The seamstress pins in my boddess as my boobs have yet to come in yet.

My body shape resembles that of a boy and hair is only shoulder length and mousey natural brown.

I’m completely natural nothing like what the Don should be marrying.

Not one person talks to me.

Not one person checks on me.

I stumble to papa office and nock gently.

“Come in” my papa calms me in.

I enter and close the door, my papa sits alone at his desk.

“What did I do wrong papa” I whimper.

“You did nothing my child but doesn’t make you exempt from your dirt to this family, I am the head of this family and I do what I feel necessary and I don’t want to hear you question me again child” papa shouts at me and rounds the desk towards me as I cry.

“Please papa don’t do this to me. I’m begging please, please.”

“Smack” I feel the hot skin as it stings and burns at my cheek. I’m knocked back and tumble to the floor at the force.

For the first time in my life my papa slaps me.

“You get out and make yourself pretty, your husband with me waiting for you by 9am at the church. You will marry him or I will kill you myself for the embarrassment you cause this family” he growls at me.

I crawl away from him as I’m shell shocked at the fact my father hit me.

As I leave the office the twins see me. They wince, clearly seeing the mark on my face but neIther of them checks on me.

I just scramble to my bedroom and sob till sleep takes over.