Family on Their Knees Heart Turned to Ice novel Chapter 1350

Finally, the toy boy had proven himself somewhat useful, pulling her out of an entirely passive position.

The tension in Bella's chest eased slightly.

"Awaiting your signal," she texted back, then twisted the cap off a bottle of water and took a long sip.

If she hadn't been so terrified of Lucas failing completely, she wouldn't be freezing to death out here. She had to ensure there was a tactical backup.

Whatever it took, Debbie had to be secured. Only then would the money be hers.

Bella choked down the dry bread and cold water.

To avoid drawing attention, the rental car she had picked was an absolute piece of junk. The heater was completely broken.

Sitting in the freezing cabin felt like sheer torture.

Even during the darkest, poorest days with Sabrina, she had never suffered like this.

But for the sake of an ironclad guarantee, she had to be the boots on the ground.

She had to oversee this operation personally. Even the slightest miscalculation would be fatal.

The only thing that mattered was the money. It had to remain untraceable.

Bella checked her watch. It was still hours until the handover. She debated moving to a warmer location to wait out the clock.

But the paranoia gnawed at her. What if the schedule changed abruptly? What if she missed the convoy?

Her hired mercenaries had arrived exactly on time. Bella hadn't shown her face, but she had verified their unmarked SUVs idling on the adjacent streets.

Inside the casino, Lucas had ordered top-shelf liquor and a massive spread of food to butter up the two Sapphire Enforcers assigned to the transport.

The three men were currently feasting and throwing back shots.

"Don't worry, we said you could ride with us, so you're riding with us."

"As long as you don't make it weird, we don't care."

Lucas smirked, pouring another round. "I've been in this business too long to know what awkward means. I sold my dignity a long time ago. Pride doesn't pay the bills."

The men erupted into laughter, nodding in profound agreement. In their world, cash was king.

"Ain't that the truth! Fuck pride. Drink up!"

Lucas raised his glass, easily keeping pace. As a seasoned host, his alcohol tolerance was legendary.

Over the years, he had trained his liver to handle copious amounts of top-shelf poison. He might not be invincible, but he could drink these thugs under the table without breaking a sweat.

The more cautious of the two enforcers finally waved his hand. "Alright, slow down. We got a job to do. Don't get sloppy. If we screw this up, Boss Reed will have our heads."