A figure stood beside it, one of Dante's operatives, waiting with complete patience.
"Go," the operative said, opening the back door.
Dante guided Isabella toward the vehicle. She was breathing hard, adrenaline pumping through her system, but they were out. They'd made it through the tunnel. They'd escaped.
Dante helped her into the back seat and slid in beside her.
"Drive," he commanded.
The vehicle accelerated smoothly, moving away from the clearing, away from the tunnel, away from the safe house where Lorenzo's teams were about to arrive and find nothing but empty rooms.
Dante pulled Isabella close against him, his arm around her shoulders.
"You're safe," he said. "We made it."
Isabella nodded, unable to speak, completely overwhelmed by the reality of what had just happened. She'd escaped her father's reach. She'd chosen Dante. She'd made her own decision and followed through with it completely.
She was free.
***
The tactical team breached the safe house by 9: 47.
