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Anger burns through me as I clench my fist. “Gracias.This helps more than you know.”

“Isabella,” Maria’s voice is urgent now, thick with worry. “Be careful. If Juan finds out I told you this…”

“I know,” I cut her off. “Your life could be in danger. I won’t let that happen.”

There’s a moment of silence, then Maria speaks, her voice thick with emotion. “You’re my best friend. I’ve been blind for too long, turning away from what’s happening. But I can’t anymore. Pedro and I… we want out. We just don’t know how to get away from the cartel.”

“I might be able to help. I’ll talk to Ice, see if the MC can get you out. They have connections, ways to set people up with new lives.”

“Like witness protection?” Maria asks, a hint of hope in her voice.

“Something like that,” I confirm. “You and Pedro could start over somewhere new, do something good instead of…”

“Instead of helping evil,” she finishes. “Is that really possible?”

“It’s possible,” I assure her. “Ice can make it happen.”

“So, tell me about this man. Ice.” Her voice softens, taking on a conspiratorial tone. “What’s he really like?”

My cheeks flush as warmth spreads through my body. “He’s incredible. Kind and protective, but with this intensity that just draws you in. And God, he’s sexy as hell.”

A knowing chuckle comes through the phone. “Bella, are you in love with him?”

My heart skips a beat at the question. I close my eyes, picturing Ice’s piercing silver-blue gaze, the way his platinum hair falls across his forehead. “I… I think I might be falling for him,” I admit. “But everything’s so chaotic right now. I don’t even know if he feels the same way.”

“Oh, honey,” she says, her tone warm and reassuring. “I’m sure he’s just as infatuated with you.”

Tears fill my eyes. “Thank you, Maria. For everything. You’re such a good friend.”

After we say our goodbyes, I sit on the edge of the bed, lost in thought. The door opens, and Ice strides in, his presence immediately filling the room. My breath catches as I take in his tall frame, and the way his leather cut hugs his broad shoulders. I want to strip it off him and pull him back into bed, and away from all the chaos outside this room.

“How did it go?” I ask.

Ice runs a hand through his hair, frustration evident in the set of his jaw. “Fang’s been digging, but we can’t find a damn thing on any warehouses owned by the cartel.”

“I might have something,” I say, my voice tinged with excitement. “My best friend Maria just called. Her husband, Pedro, runs the drug cutting warehouse where I was working. I told Maria everything and asked her if she’d ever been to another warehouse. She gave me directions to one. She and Pedro went there several times, but she never went inside. We can’t be certain it’s the textile factory, but it’s a lead.”

“Tell me what she told you.”

As I relay the details, Ice’s fingers fly across the screen on his phone. “I’m texting Fang. Let’s see what he can dig up.”

We wait in tense silence, the air thick with anticipation. When Ice’s phone chimes, I nearly jump out of my skin.

“Well?” I ask, leaning in to read over his shoulder.

A smile tugs at the corner of Ice’s mouth. “Fang used the map app’s street view option to find the building. He’s got an address, and he says the business is a textile company.”

My heart soars. “That’s it! It has to be!” I exclaim, grabbing Ice’s arm in my excitement. The feel of his solid muscle beneath my fingers sends a jolt through me, and I quickly let go.

“Hold on, Isabella.” His expression hardens. “We can’t rush into this.”

“What? Why not?” I demand, frustration bubbling up inside me. “We finally have a lead!”

“Because this could be a trap. Think about it—Maria’s call was a little too convenient.”

I shake my head vehemently. “No, I trust her. She wouldn’t betray us.”

“I’m not saying she would do it willingly. But what if Juan had a gun to her head? What if the whole call was staged?”