“You are so fucking sexy when you’re bossing people around,” Jack said, nuzzling my neck as he pulled me behind an azalea bush. “Have you ever done it outdoors?”
“Didn’t last night count?” We’d sneaked up to the roof of Jack’s hotel for a little loving beneath the stars.
“There were no trees or bushes, no flowers or grass. I want you naked in the hellebore moaning my name.” He pulled me into his chest, squeezing me so hard, my breath came out in a huff.
“Jack, you know how much I love sexy times with you. But I’ve got a minister to ordain, a wedding to run, a heist to plan, a necklace to steal, and a bride to kidnap. I can’t juggle any more balls.”
* * *
◆ ◆ ◆
?The first guest arrived five minutes after we’d finished setting up for the ceremony. I alerted the crew and then took a short breather with Chloe.
“If not for us, she’d be marching to her doom,” I said. “Did you see the groom? In that tux, with his hair slicked down, he looks like every movie mafioso. He’s got the scowl, the swagger, the arrogance, the cruel slash of a mouth, the hard beady eyes, and I’m pretty sure he’s packing.”
“I just remember him cowering behind his bodyguard after we beat him up,” she said. “But if he gives us any trouble today, Gage will deal with him. I already ruined one pair of heels on his sorry ass; I’m not ruining another.”
“I don’t want our first wedding event to turn into a bloodbath.” I searched the huge grassy lawn and spotted Gage beside the elephant. He was wearing all black—shirt, jeans, boots, sunglasses, and a long leather coat. “I thought you were getting him into priestly robes.”
“Are you kidding? We’re saving those for the bedroom.” She adjusted the button on her shirt. Chloe had dressed to match the Angelinis’ security guards in a white shirt, dark jacket, and dark pants. Her hair was swept back into a ponytail, and she was wearing dark glasses and one of the earpieces I’d bought for the crew. She and Anil had devised something that ensured we were on a closed circuit so we could talk to one another without being overheard.
“Babe, he looks like he just stepped out of The Matrix. He’s supposed to be officiating the ceremony. He needs to look official.”
“He said this was his Sunday best.”
“I’ll talk to him,” I said, watching him help a kid feed the elephant a handful of hay. “I’ll tell him it’s my way or the highway.”
“Be gentle,” Chloe said. “We need him to protect us from Mr. X.” She squinted into the sunshine. “Who is that walking toward us? He looks familiar.”
My eyes narrowed in on the man in the blue Italian wool silk herringbone suit, frat vest, pink shirt open at the collar, and cuffs an inch above the tan Italian loafers to show off a pair of whimsically patterned socks.
“Cristian.” I spat out his name like the priest should have spat out his poisoned soup. “What the hell is he doing here?”
“You talk to Gage,” she said. “I’ll go and find out.”
* * *
◆ ◆ ◆
?Chloe found me in the foyer while I was adjusting Bella’s train a few minutes before the ceremony.
“He managed to get an invitation as the plus-one of a bridesmaid,” she whispered. “He says he slept with them all, but this one is his special baby girl.”
“Of course she is, but by the end of the night he’ll have forgotten her name and tomorrow he’ll ghost her.”
Chloe helped me smooth out the lace edging. “You’re being pretty hard on the guy. He gave up over eight hundred thousand dollars because he was afraid of being recognized. Now he says he’s here to help.”
“He must have realized just how big a mistake he made and now he thinks he can cash in on our hard work.”
“Actually, he just found out that the two huskies he’s been visiting at a local shelter are going to be put down and he wants to save them,” she said. “They’re a bonded pair and no one will take them together. He needs the money to rent a place with a yard so he can adopt them, and he came here hoping for a second chance despite the risk.”
I snorted a laugh. “And you believed him?”
“Not at first, but I checked out his story,” she said. “I asked him for the details and then I called the shelter. Everything he said is true.”
“Even if it is, we don’t need him. We have Rose.” I sent a text to Anil to make sure everyone was ready for the bride and then did a last check of Bella’s ensemble. Satya Auntie had added delicate lace shoulders and sleeves as well as a lace front panel to make the dress more modest. Despite the fact she was being forced into marriage, Bella was a beautiful bride.
“Are you sure it won’t be real?” Bella murmured.
“We didn’t get the certificate yet,” I said. “Your officiant is an ex-priest and soon-to-be minister of the largest online church on Earth. You won’t be married in the eyes of God, the city of Chicago, or the Earth church.”
“And everything else . . . ?”
“I’ve booked a cab to pick up Ben and take him to a boat launch a few miles away on this side of the lake. He’s got your suitcase and your plane tickets.”
Bella squeezed my hand. “I’m sorry I was abrupt earlier. I can’t thank you enough. I wish I could recommend your company to all my friends, but—”
“You’ll be gone,” I said. “Don’t worry about that. You go and wear your dream dress, have your fake ceremony, and then enjoy your party. I’ll let you know when it’s time to—” I cut myself off when I saw Bella’s father coming toward us, all ready to walk her down the aisle.
“You’re loving this, aren’t you?” Chloe asked after we left them to get ready.
I couldn’t stop a grin from spreading across my face. “It’s been the most fun I’ve had since college. I’m solving problems. I’m organizing like a queen. I’m telling people what to do and they’re doing it because they believe in me. Not only that, but I’m also actually using my business degree. PR, marketing, law, accounts—I need it all to run the company. And we haven’t even done the heist.”
“Heists aren’t supposed to be fun,” Chloe reminded me as she followed me outside.
“We’ve had our ups and downs. But every morning I wake up excited for the day. I’ve never felt that before, and part of me is sad it’s going to be over. Just think. Tomorrow we’ll be rich, the necklace will be back where it belongs, Garcia won’t be knocking on my door, Bella will be free, and we’ll have successfully planned the only Italian wedding in Chicago with an elephant.”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” Chloe warned. “It’s not over until it’s over. In fact, it’s only just begun.”
Twenty-Six
I dragged everyone out to watch the ceremony. We’d worked hard for this moment, and I wanted the crew to share in our moment of success.
“How long is this going to take?” Anil scrolled through his phone. “The demographic is ten years older than I anticipated and I need to rejig my playlist.”