Page 55 of Entwined Lies (Entwined #1)

Isabelle

Driving through the gates was like crossing into a different reality. The Attorney General’s holiday home sat like a magazine spread—white walls catching the sunlight, terracotta roof tiles aligned like soldiers. Elegant. Timeless. Untouchable.

Luca had wealth—probably more than most people could ever imagine—but it was a different kind of rich.

His world was built on shadows and control, rooted in the messy underbelly of life.

Here? This was a life removed from reality, where everything was polished and calm.

A place where the troubles of the world were distant concerns for people like me.

The General’s wife walked me through a polished foyer that reeked of old money and carefully curated image control, and into a study soaked in afternoon sun.

None of that threw me. What did? The Attorney General himself—in a light blue shirt, nursing a glass of whiskey. Casual as hell. Like he hadn’t made a career out of burying people.

A golden retriever lay beside the desk, sleeping peacefully, completely untouched by my arrival.

The entire scene was… disarming. It wasn’t what I had expected from the man who could make or break the deal I came to beg for.

For a split second, I let myself breathe. I might have read this all wrong. Maybe this wasn’t going to be as brutal as I’d built it up to be.

He looked relaxed. The dog snoring at his feet helped sell the vibe. But when his eyes met mine, the look in them said something else entirely: “I see everything, and I’m not here to play nice.”

“I assume Danny filled you in,” he said, motioning toward the seat.

“Yes, sir.” I sat down, careful not to fidget. “I know this isn’t exactly protocol. Thank you for the opportunity.”

He leaned back, gave me one long, measured look. The kind that made it clear: step wrong, and this whole thing goes sideways fast.

“Danny’s put his reputation on the line for you. So, explain to me—why should I even consider giving Luca Abruzzo and his people immunity?”

And there it was. The line I knew was coming. The question I’d been turning over all day, working through every answer, every angle—knowing none of it guaranteed he’d say yes.

Even if the deal made sense. Even if it was beneficial for the FBI. It still came down to whether the General wanted to take it.

“Luca can take down Senator Parker. You know as well as I do that Parker’s campaign was backed by Russian money.

They’ve been using him to gain influence in U.S.

politics for years. Luca has the evidence you need—bank records, communications, connections to the Russian funders, even direct involvement.

If you want to take Parker down, Luca’s your key witness.

He’s willing to testify, to give you everything. But he needs protection. Immunity.”

I didn’t hold back. Laid it all out—the evidence, the timeline, the names. Every piece of leverage we had. There was no point in playing coy. If I wanted him to make the call, he needed to see the whole picture.

He took a sip of his whiskey, eyes narrowing. “You were the Chief Deputy DA, a prosecutor on that case, weren’t you? ”

“I was. And Parker has dodged every bullet we’ve sent his way, but not this time. Luca has everything you need to nail him. If he cooperates, he’ll hand it all over.”

“And you’re asking for transactional immunity?”

“Yes,” I said, voice firm, eyes locked on his.

“Full immunity from prosecution for any offenses related to this case. That includes Luca’s family and his three associates who’ve been gathering evidence against Parker and the Russians for months.

Whatever they might admit to during testimony—it’s off-limits.

And I’m requesting home arrest for all of them until the terms are finalized.

Keep them under surveillance, ankle monitor—whatever you need. ”

He folded his hands. “It’s a tall order.”

The words hung between us, and for a second, I wondered if I’d gone too far. Was I overreaching? Had I just blown the best shot Luca had? Full immunity for all of them wasn’t just asking for a lot—it was asking for everything.

I knew it.

He knew it.

Deals like this didn’t just happen. They were rare, almost impossible. The kind of thing you heard about in stories, not real life. But I didn’t have a choice. This wasn’t about playing it safe anymore. Everything was riding on this. Luca’s freedom. His life. The people he’d kill to protect.

The quiet dragged out.

His fingers tapped a precise rhythm, no rush, no tension. Just calculation. His gaze on me was sharp, reading me as if I were the file on his desk.

“I get that this is a lot. But you can’t take down someone like Parker without Luca.

He has everything you need—the documents, the communications, the connections to the Russians.

But he’s not going to risk everything unless he knows his family is safe.

His people are safe. You want Parker? You want to rip the Russians out of our politics?

Luca’s your key. But you can’t expect him to do it without guarantees. ”

I sounded like a broken record, even to my own ears. Overexplaining was all I had left, and I couldn’t tell if I was making my case or just digging myself into an even deeper hole.

His lack of reaction was unnerving.

I stared back, forcing myself to stay still, to stay quiet, even though my nerves were screaming at me to say more. My palms were slick against my thighs, fingers twitching with the need to grab the fabric of my dress and do something with my hands.

Soft paws tapped against the hardwood, the sound oddly loud in the quiet.

The dog, clearly done with his nap, padded over to me. He nudged my leg with his nose, tail swishing in a lazy rhythm.

Another nudge. A little whine.

I giggled—sudden and awkward and completely wrong for the moment—but I couldn’t help it.

The General’s lips curved into a smile. “Ah, now I see why Danny calls you Giggles.”

I smiled back.

“Danny’s always been generous with his nicknames.” I scratched the dog’s ears to keep myself busy.

His gaze softened, the hard edge easing just enough to notice. “Well, it suits you.”

He took a long sip and set the glass down with a muted thump.

“Transactional immunity for Luca Abruzzo, his family, and his associates, house arrest while we finalize and execute the agreement. He delivers everything—documents, testimony, names. No omissions, no surprises—and they stay protected.”

He let that settle for half a beat before continuing .

“But the second he screws up, if he so much as breathes wrong, the deal is dead. No appeals. No second chances. No exceptions.”

His gaze locked on mine, steady and unblinking. “Understood?”

“Crystal clear.”

“And make sure Luca understands this too. If he fails to deliver, or if he thinks he can outsmart us, everyone he’s ever worked with goes down with him. This is his one shot. Don’t let him blow it.”

“He won’t.”

“Good. Tell Danny to make it to the BBQ on Sunday. We’ve got a spot saved for him, and Linda’s still giving me grief about him bailing last time.”

I blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift.

One minute, we’re negotiating Luca’s future, and the next, I’m hit with a casual BBQ reminder?

It was so out of left field that my brain couldn’t keep up.

Here I was, drenched in anxiety over the deal, and he’s worried about grilling burgers on Sunday.

I swallowed the urge to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all.

“I’ll tell him.”

He leaned back in his chair, his tone softening.

“One more thing before you leave.” He paused like he wanted to be sure I was listening.

“Make sure Danny knows this was a fair deal. He asked for the best I could do without raising any eyebrows—and that’s exactly what he got.

This wasn’t a favor, even if Danny thinks he owes Luca for saving your family. ”

I gave a small nod, the weight of what he said pressing harder with each passing second. Maybe that was true and it wasn’t a favor. But we both knew this deal wasn’t business as usual either.

As I stepped out of the office, the hallway was brighter, quieter. My thoughts spun, tangled in everything Danny had done to get me here. To get Luca here.

For years, I’d told myself that for Danny it was always about power, influence, and staying on the right side of whoever held the bigger stick.

But this wasn’t strategy or leverage, or another play to stay in power.

It was personal. It was him looking out for us—because he cared.

Maybe he always had and I’d just been too blind to see it until now.

The truth hit hard. The bitterness I had held onto for years suddenly became a dead weight, something I had clung to because it was easier than admitting maybe I’d been wrong about Danny all along.

He had just saved Luca for me. Luca had a lifeline now, but it was a fragile one.

His freedom was tied to the downfall of a U.S.

senator. If he failed, the deal would collapse, and that would be the end of it.

But if he pulled it off, if he gave them what they wanted, he could walk away free.

? ? ?

The wine I poured once I got home barely took the edge off, but it was all I had. I watched the red swirl in the glass, wishing it worked faster.

The memory of my meeting with the General played on a loop—one of those cursed tracks you can’t skip, no matter how hard you try. Every detail was sharper than it needed to be, like my brain was determined to make sure I didn’t forget what was on the line.

I called Danny before I could talk myself out of it. I hadn’t planned to. I didn’t even know what I was going to say.

He picked up after just one ring.

“You’re home?”

“Yeah,” I said. And as the word settled, I found myself glancing toward the living room.

Jake was there, a Monopoly board spread between him and my mother.

Mom was arguing over property lines, as if it were a court case, and he was grinning as he pushed his luck.

Their laughter carried through the space, easy and light.

They were safe. And for the first time, Luca’s house felt like home. All that was missing now was him.

There was a pause on the line. Not long. Just enough.

“You did good, Izzy.” Danny’s voice was certain, as if he’d already known. And maybe he did.

I told him everything anyway. Every term. Every condition. Laid it out clean.

He let me finish without interrupting. The quiet held a little longer than expected. Like he knew I needed it.

“I wouldn’t have sent you in there if I didn’t think you could handle it,” he said finally. “You made the right call with this deal.”

I set the phone down after hanging up and poured another glass of wine. There was nothing to do but wait for Luca to take it. And maybe this could be it. The family I’d stopped dreaming about.

If Luca came home.