Page 18 of Entwined Lies (Entwined #1)

Meanwhile, with Chrissy on board and Tony and Reid feeding us their findings, we started connecting dots I hadn’t even known existed. Before long, the full extent of Parker’s dirty dealings and Russian ties came into horrifying focus. The more we dug, the worse it got.

And when I wasn’t neck-deep in corruption, I’d visit Jake, pretending everything was fine. Mom of the year, right? I laughed and smiled like everything was normal, even as I stacked lie after lie around myself.

At night, lying there in the dark, I wasn’t sure anymore if I was still on the right side. Because at the end of the day, I’d betrayed everything I once believed in—just to save myself and Jake. Turns out, self-preservation makes a hell of a hypocrite.

I opened my laptop, glancing at the “WIFE ON PAPER” mug in my hand as I took a sip of coffee.

The absurdity of it hit me again—how the almond milk had taken up permanent residency next to the coffee machine, like it had always belonged there, and then the mug showed up the very next day, boldly declaring its message in oversized letters.

I smiled at the ridiculousness of it all. Somehow, he’d found a way to mock me and offer a little comfort at the same time.

I scrolled through the transactions Reid sent over, a twisted trail of dirty money I was determined to follow. Nothing like tracking financial crimes to go with your morning coffee.

“You’re not gonna believe this,” Chrissy’s voice cut through the quiet as she pointed to a document. “Michael and George—they’re both connected to Parker.”

I stared at her, completely thrown off. “George? Mr. New Assistant Attorney? ”

The implications hit me like a slap to the face. My late boss had financial ties to Parker, and now George? Just how deep did this nightmare go?

“Did you know about this?” I turned to Luca.

He stayed maddeningly calm, setting his tablet aside, then pulling open the drawer to reveal a folder he slid across the table.

My gut dropped when I flipped it open. Pages of detailed notes about the DA’s office. But then there were the photos. My blood ran cold as I stared at the images. It was George and Michael, caught in a compromising situation that went way beyond business.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Chrissy said, a broken laugh catching at the end.

Michael was down on all fours, his skin flushed, his wrists bound tight with a bright red rope that looked almost festive.

George knelt behind him, naked and unflinching, his hand grabbed Michael’s hip with a force that felt almost violent.

His expression was unreadable, yet disturbingly focused, his gaze fixed on Michael like he owned him.

The images laid everything bare—dominance, submission, the brutal vulnerability between them. The whole scene was so bizarre it almost demanded a double-take—equal parts absurd and jaw-dropping.

Luca’s voice cut through the stunned silence like a knife. “They’re both Parker’s men. And George? Well, he’s balls-deep in the situation.”

He chuckled, as if our shock was the punchline to a joke only he found funny.

This wasn’t just blackmail material—this was control. Parker had them under his thumb in more ways than one, and the extent of their involvement made my stomach turn. But this wasn’t enough to nail them in court—just enough to make me want to scrub my eyeballs.

“I always thought George had a crush on you,” Chrissy said, landing hard in the chair beside me .

Then, as if something finally clicked, she muttered, “Wasn’t he the one who begged everyone to come over for drinks? We could… you know, mingle and sniff around.”

One quick glance at Luca told me everything I needed. Jaw tight. Eyes narrowed. Every inch of him coiled and ready to snap. Oh, he hated that idea. And the possessiveness in his gaze sparked something defiant in me.

“Sounds like a plan,” I said, mostly because it made sense but also because I knew it would piss Luca off.

“He touches you once, and he’ll lose every fucking finger.” His voice was unsettlingly calm, as if stating a fact.

“Is that a threat?”

A wicked smile curved his lips. “More like a guarantee.”

Great. An overprotective mafia boss with a territorial streak. But damn if it wasn’t amusing watching him get fired up. And as much as I hated to admit it, there was something magnetic about that raw, possessive side of him, something that stirred a reckless thrill deep inside me.

Chrissy cut through the tension with a laugh. “If Luca disappears for a while, maybe don’t expect George back.”

I gave a half-smile, but the atmosphere didn’t crack, not even a little.

George was a relentless, annoying asshole, always pushing boundaries.

But as much as his arrogance grated on me, part of me was hoping he’d keep his distance—that I’d never have to find out how serious Luca truly was.

Because if George did cross that line, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Luca’s promise would become a reality, and I wasn’t sure if that thought terrified or thrilled me more.