And then some. Continuing to play docile fiancée while Robert informed her what her life was going to be like now that he'd finally attained his coveted "made man" status? Yeah, Isa had earned this.
Ironically enough, it was Chance who'd ensured Robert's acceptance into the unhallowed halls of the mafia. After Chance's gruesome eradication of the Salucci brothers and their three henchmen, Robert was welcomed into the syndicate fold. No one else had stepped forward to claim credit for their murders, so it was assumed Robert had done it as retaliation for their attempt on his life—and gotten away scot-free. That sort of clever ruthlessness was just what the big boys of crime were impressed with. In fact, two of the East Coast's most dangerous criminals were among her wedding guests. A gangster wedding wasn't an event one turned down attending, it seemed. There were just a few more guests here than Robert was aware of.
Chance glanced down at the bouquet in her other hand. "If you insist."
Isa's fingers tightened on it even as she gave him a grim smile.
"I do."
Which was the only time today she intended to say those words.
*
Everyone in the church stood up when Isa appeared at the doorway, and she began to descend down the aisle alone. One of Robert's friends had offered to give her away, but she'd refused, and in this, Robert hadn't pushed. He hadn't been the soul of capitulation over much else, though. Every detail of the wedding had been planned by him and Agnes. They'd wanted an impressive event, considering Robert's newly exalted status, and Isa's wishes weren't something to be concerned with. Robert's only other acquiescence was that Isa stayed with her grandmother in the weeks prior to the happy occasion. Robert thought it was because Greta had been feeling poorly. It was actually because she had a ground-floor house with a basement, which made it so much easier for Chance to come and go without being seen by Robert's spies. Robert still hadn't known what to make of Chance being there that day at Isa's restaurant. The last she'd overheard, he figured Chance must have had a twin brother.
Well, if you didn't believe in ghosts or vampires, Isa supposed that was the next logical explanation.
She smiled at Robert as she walked down the aisle. Not because she was happy to see him, but at how his face darkened when he saw the alterations she'd made to his mother's wedding dress. The once high-necked collar had been slashed to reveal generous cleavage instead, and the long fitted sleeves had been cut off at the shoulder. It gave Isa far greater range of motion with her arms, plus of course, it also gave the dress a sexiness that was well at odds with the prim virgin-Catholic bride she was supposed to be. Really, it was Robert's own fault for believing that. Who thought a modern woman would still be chaste at almost thirty?
She reached the dais and Robert held out his hand, glowering at her. Next to her, Agnes, as Isa's imposed matron of honor, reached for her bouquet so Isa could take Robert's hand. The older priest gave Isa a prodding look when she just stood there, not moving. Robert's frown turned menacing.
"Isa…" he said low and dangerously.
She smiled at him. A beautiful smile filled with all the joy over what she was about to do. And then she yanked the flowers off the top of her bouquet to reveal a .357 Magnum.
"Robert, dear, I don't," Isa said clearly, pointing the gun at him.
At that moment, the doors to the church burst open and multiple SWAT team members fanned inside. Her brother Frazier appeared behind them, shouting, "Justice Department, nobody move!" even as several of their guests at once attempted to disperse.
Isa only saw that from her peripheral vision, however, because she didn't take her eyes off Robert. A seething anger filled his gaze as he looked from Frazier back to Isa.
"Your brother's a fuckin' pig."
Isa smiled. "Yep, he's an undercover officer. Who knew? I just thought all that moving around meant Frazier couldn't hold a job. Thanks for inviting your mob buddies to our wedding, by the way. Do you know how hard it is to get them all under one roof, apparently?"
Robert's fist swung toward her, but Isa didn't flinch. With the blood she'd drunk last night as a precaution from Chance, it seemed like Robert was moving in slow motion. Isa fired, hitting Robert in the thigh. He fell to his knees as Agnes let out a cry.
"Hold fire!" Frazier yelled, but the members of the SWAT team had already been briefed to know Isa was one of the good guys. It was easy to pick her out, after all, being as she was the only one wearing a wedding dress.
"Fuckin' bitch… I'll kill you for this," Robert gasped.
"Ma'am, put the gun down now," one of the black-clad SWAT members said to Isa as Robert was quickly surrounded.