LOGINIsabella twisted her arms behind her back, her fingers straining to grip the tiny metal zipper of the heavy, emerald green silk gown.Her chest heaved. She glanced sharply at the velvet bench in the corner. Her discarded jeans and t shirt sat in a heap, deliberately draped over the heavy, angular shape of the DEA decryption device to keep it hidden.The heavy brass handle of the fitting room door turned with a soft click. Isabella froze.Diego stepped inside. He pushed the door shut behind him and slid the deadbolt into place. The lock echoed in the small, mirrored space."Get out," Isabella said, her voice dropping to a harsh whisper. She gripped the front of the unzipped silk to keep it from falling. "The staff is right outside.""They are standing with their faces to the wall," Diego replied softly.He didn't look at her directly. He looked at her reflection in the three way mirror. He took two slow steps forward, closing the space between them. The scent of cold cedarwood and gun
Three sleek, black SUVs glided to the curb in front of the exclusive Dallas boutique. There were no screeching tires or drawn weapons. Dante and four men stepped out. They did not wear tactical body armor; they wore sharp, dark, bespoke suits. They moved with the silent, lethal precision of high end executive protection, securing the perimeter without alarming the pedestrians on the sidewalk.Diego guided Isabella through the glass doors, his hand resting lightly but firmly on the small of her back. Under the boutique's crystal chandeliers, he was the flawless picture of a billionaire magnate: composed, untouchable, and radiating expensive, calculated charm.Inside, a sophisticated older woman was standing near a display of silk gowns, attended by Julian, the store's regional director.Julian turned, his eyes widening. "Mister Vargas. We weren't expecting—""Julian," Diego interrupted smoothly, his voice a rich, warm baritone. He didn't look at the manager. His focus shifted to the wo
Isabella did not step back. She stepped forward. The carpet was thick enough to swallow sound, but she felt the faint vibration of the air conditioning kick on somewhere behind the walls, a low mechanical shiver that did nothing to cool the heat climbing her neck. The toe of her scuffed rubber sneaker hit the tip of his polished leather Oxford. She tilted her head up, looking directly into his unblinking dark eyes. She raised her hand and pressed a rigid, shaking finger hard against the lapel of his tailored suit. "I am not a trophy you can lock in a vault," Isabella hissed, her voice vibrating with cold defiance. "I am keeping you breathing," Diego countered softly. His chest barely moved as he spoke. "By turning me into a prisoner!" Isabella shot back. "I took an oath, Diego! Doctor Sofia is my intern. Her father was gunned down in our lobby months ago because of your war! Now she is standing in that ICU, surrounded by blast victims, reliving that trauma all over again. I am he
Isabella opened her eyes. Heavy silk sheets dragged across her bare legs. She turned her head. The red numbers on the bedside digital clock glowed in the dim room: six o'clock in the morning. Thirty four hours left. Her hand slid slowly under the thick pillow. Her fingers found the hard, sharp plastic of the DEA device. She gripped it tightly for a second, grounding herself, before pulling her hand empty from under the pillow. She threw the sheets off and walked barefoot to the massive glass window. Outside, the green lawn was a war zone. Four black tactical trucks blocked the main gates. Men wearing thick body armor walked the perimeter, holding heavy rifles across their chests. Isabella grabbed her fleece jacket from a chair. She walked to the heavy bedroom door, unlocked the deadbolt, and pulled it open. A large man in a black suit stepped into the center of the doorframe. He blocked her path. "Good morning, Missus Vargas," the man said. His voice was flat. He did not smile
This heavy SUV tires crunched against the gravel as they passed through the massive iron gates."Close them!" a guard shouted in the dark. "Lock it down!"The iron gates slammed shut with a heavy, ringing clang.Diego kicked his door open before the SUV fully stopped. He grabbed Isabella's hand, pulling her out into the cold air. The courtyard was loud. Dozens of men in dark clothes moved fast, racking the bolts of heavy rifles and loading black bags into the trucks."I want snipers on the roof right now," Diego barked at a man running toward them. "Nobody comes through that gate. If a car slows down on the main road, you shoot the driver. ¿Entiendes?""Si jefe," the man nodded, racking his rifle.Diego kept his tight grip on Isabella's arm, marching her fast up the wide stone steps and through the heavy front doors. He did not let go until they reached the massive master bedroom at the end of the hall.He pushed the heavy wooden door open and walked her inside. The loud noise of the
The back door of the center SUV was pushed open. Diego Vargas stepped out into the thick smoke. He did not look like the cold, untouchable CEO who ran a billion-dollar company. His expensive dark suit jacket was flying open in the wind. His tie was gone. The top buttons of his shirt were undone, and his chest was heaving. His face was tight with raw panic. "Isabella!" Diego shouted, his voice tearing over the noise of the idling engines. "Mister Vargas, please wait by the car," the Deputy Chief said, holding his hands out. "We are still clearing the area—" Diego ignored the gold badge. He walked straight past the Deputy Chief, his dark eyes scanning the broken glass and flashing police lights. "Boss, the lobby is not secure!" one of his security men said, running up to his side.







