Page 7 of Entwined Lies (Entwined #1)

Isabelle

I stood outside the governor’s office and stared at the imposing double doors in front of me. The expensive decor screamed power—an uncomfortable reminder that whatever conversation I was about to walk into, I was likely leaving screwed, one way or another.

With the disaster that had unfolded since the DA’s murder, maybe I was already in trouble.

By the time I’d gotten to my office that morning, the grim details were everywhere—impossible to ignore.

The story? Michael had hanged himself in his garage and left a letter confessing he couldn’t get over the man he’d stepped out of his marriage for.

But something wasn’t right—the knot was too intricate, too precise.

It didn’t exactly scream “impulsive suicide”.

In the chaos that followed, I’d been handed the DA’s responsibilities until a new appointment was made—including overseeing the investigation into Michael’s death.

That meant more attention than I was ever comfortable with.

And now, standing here in front of the governor’s office, I had the sinking feeling that the spotlight was about to get even brighter.

I took a deep breath and smoothed the soft fabric of my fitted white dress one last time before I pushed open the heavy doors.

The assistant barely glanced up as she waved me toward the inner door. “Go right in. He’s expecting you. ”

Of course, he was.

I pushed open the door to his office, the faint creak breaking the quiet. The smell of leather, wood, and coffee wrapped around me. Tall windows framed the city beyond, but the view couldn’t break through my nerves.

Governor Caldwell stood at the window, stiff-backed and still, as if the whole city out there was his to command. Every detail of him screamed control, from the combed-back silver hair to his rigid stance. The kind of man who carried power like it was second nature.

When he finally turned, his face was as sharp as his suit.

“Ms. Ellis,” he nodded toward the chair across from him. “Appreciate you coming on such short notice.”

He sank into the chair behind his large oak desk.

“Let’s get straight to it. You’ve been temporarily handed the reins at the DA’s office, and now everything, including the Parker case, falls on your shoulders. But given the delicate nature of both situations, I need to know you can handle it.”

My throat tightened. I couldn’t say no. Turning down the Parker case would only raise questions—questions I couldn’t answer without dragging my personal ties to the Abruzzo family into the light. Just the thought of it sent a chill through me. The fewer people who knew, the better.

“Of course. I’ll handle it.”

“I hope so. Because if these investigations—either of them—get out of hand, it won’t just be your reputation on the line. It’ll be your career. But if you manage it well, you stand to gain… a lot.”

“I’ll make sure everything is handled carefully.”

“Good. Because there’s no room for mistakes, Ms. Ellis. The spotlight is on you now, and how you manage this could define your future.”

His words hit harder than they should’ve. The media attention. That was exactly what I couldn’t afford. The more eyes on me, the greater risk of someone connecting the dots.

“I won’t let anything get out of hand.”

The governor watched me for a beat, then gave a small nod. “Right. You can handle this.” He hesitated. “But the Parker case—and Michael’s murder—they could blow up fast. And if they do, we’re both screwed.”

The way he looked at me when he said it made me shift in my seat.

“And Isabelle… If you find anything—or anyone—worth noting, I expect to hear about it before it goes into the official report. Even if you think it’s nothing.”

The tightness in my stomach got worse. He wanted oversight. Information. The strings in his hands.

“Understood.” I forced a smile that didn’t come close to reaching my eyes.

“Good. Keep me posted, and we’ll both walk away clean.”

I got to my feet, every step toward the door feeling heavier than the last. In the outer office, I gave the assistant a quick nod, keeping my face blank.

I barely made it to my car before panic hit. Hard and fast. No way out. No good options. Either I fought to survive, or I walked away without even trying.

My phone buzzed with Chrissy’s name flashing on the screen. My fingers hovered over the display before I finally answered.

“Hey.”

“Talk to me. What’s going on?”

I sighed, resting my head back against the seat.

“The governor made it clear—if I don’t handle the Parker case and Michael’s murder perfectly, my career’s done. And I didn’t tell him about the Abruzzo connection. ”

There was a pause on the other end.

“The Abruzzo name is on the list… you’re sure you want to keep it to yourself?”

“I’m sure. It’s one of Luca’s top guys. If this gets out… Jake is a spitting image of Luca. And if he starts digging—“

“He won’t,” Chrissy cut in. “Jake is out of sight, and Luca’s not looking for a kid. He’s too busy running his empire to even consider it.”

Maybe she was right. I’d been careful—beyond careful.

I never let Jake’s photo end up anywhere public, not on social media, not even on the school’s website.

I’d kept him hidden in plain sight. Hell, most of my colleagues didn’t even know more than the fact that I had a son.

Jake was my world, and I’d made sure to keep him safe from Luca’s.

But with everything spiraling, it was getting harder to pretend the two worlds could stay separate.

By the time I got back to the office, the pressure was suffocating.

I forced my attention on the tasks in front of me, but drowning myself in work was a lost cause.

That creeping dread lingered in the back of my mind—a constant whisper that danger wasn’t just out there.

It was getting closer with every passing moment.

I spread the investigation reports across my desk, my chair, and eventually, even the sofa.

My office transformed into a war room—papers everywhere in an organized mess.

The soft smell of coffee hung in the air, a familiar companion to the countless late hours spent poring over cases like this.

Except now, even the caffeine was losing its battle against my frayed nerves.

My thoughts kept circling back to the risks, to Jake.

What if I’d made the wrong choice? What if I became another name on a list of people who should have known better?

The key witness came to mind. What if I ended up like her, with a bullet in my head ?

I scribbled down a note on the margin of a witness statement.

The connections were there, like faint spiderwebs waiting for the right touch to unravel.

Parker’s people, the syndicate he was funneling money from, and the Abruzzo family—it all pointed back to something bigger, something they were trying to bury.

As I reached forward, a deep voice, dripping with Italian charm, made me jump.

“Ms. Ellis, a moment?”

I looked up, and Johny DiCarlo was standing in my doorway like he owned the place.

His salt and pepper hair was slicked back, his suit screamed money, but all I saw was a man who had spent his life slipping through the cracks of a system that should’ve swallowed him whole.

He worked for Antonio Abruzzo—Luca’s father—and that made him even more dangerous.

The problem with guys like DiCarlo? They believed justice was just another commodity—something to be dodged, bargained with, or bought off like one of their crooked deals.

But in my book, there was right and wrong—everything else was just a lame excuse. They crossed that line, they must pay the price, period. And Johnny, along with the Abruzzo family, deserved to have that line wrapped around them like a noose, tightening with every crime they’d committed.

I didn’t try to hide my irritation. “How the hell did you get past security?”

He gave me a smug grin as he walked in. “I’m persuasive. I told the receptionist I had urgent information about the Parker case, and you’re waiting for me. She seemed to think that was worth letting me in.”

“Unless you’ve got something earth-shattering, you’re not welcome here.” I tossed my pen onto the desk. “If you’re just here playing messenger for the Abruzzos, do us both a favor and get out before I call security. ”

He moved closer, and the smirk disappeared. “I’m not here to make a deal. I’m here to warn you—stay away from the Abruzzo family. Trust me, it’s in your best interest.”

“Is this a threat? Because if it is, you should know I don’t scare easily.” The lie rolled off my tongue smoothly, even as the hair on the back of my neck stood on end.

“Not a threat—more like a suggestion. A smart woman would know when to walk away from a fight she can’t win. Think of it as an offer of protection. You’d be a lot safer if you stopped poking your nose into Abruzzo business,” he shrugged.

A flash of anger surged through me. I was tired of men like him thinking they could bully me out of doing my job.

“Tell your boss I don’t need his protection. And I don’t need advice from someone who should be locked up, without parole.”

“Have it your way. But don’t forget—the offer has a time limit. It won’t be there forever.”

He spun around and was gone like he’d never been there.

I stared at the door, trying to slow my breathing.

Time limit.

Like I didn’t already know I was in trouble.

Relying on the FBI to protect Jake and me wasn’t exactly comforting, but it was safer than cutting deals with men like Johnny DiCarlo. At least Jake was with my mother. That gave me a little room to breathe—knowing he was far from this chaos, even if it was only temporary.

Time slipped away while I buried myself in the case, chasing threads that barely held together. Because what else was I supposed to do, sit still and fall apart?

But the longer I stared at the evidence, the more the doubt crept in. Was I doing this for the right reasons? Or was it just about settling the score? A way to finally hit back at people like them—the ones who’d taken so much from me .

The hours dragged. The office emptied.

I sat there, sinking under the weight of it all. I’d picked my side. Whether it ruined me or not didn’t matter anymore. There was no turning back. The only way out was through.