Page 61 of Blacklist

Luca smirks at me over the rim of his wine goblet. “Do you want to tell the story or should I?”

Interpretation: do I want them to know the truth or a lie? This is Luca’s specialty: concocting wild fables on the spot. I never know what to expect when he opens his mouth. I only know it won’t be anywhere near what happened. It’s useful when you’re under-cover and amusing when you’re bored.

“You tell it better than I do,” I say with a meaningful nod. Permission granted.

“Sterling saved my life,” he begins.

This ought to be good.

“Did he? He saved your life?” Adair asks coldly. Her interjection catches the attention of everyone at the table. They fall silent and wait for the rest of the story.

Luca turns a well-honed level of earnestness on her. “He did.”

In fairness, I have saved his life —on more than one occasion. It’s these little truths hidden in the lies that make it easier for him to sell.

Adair is either not impressed or doesn’t buy it, because she snorts and reaches for her wine glass. She’s always been a skeptic, especially when it comes to me.

“What an exciting way to meet,” Poppy gushes, clearly trying to salvage the tense mood at the table. She shoots a look at Kai, clearly requesting backup.

“How?” Kai jumps in. “Distract me from how hungry I am.”

Luca leans back in his chair and shrugs. “My car broke down halfway between London and Edinburgh. No cell service. Walking for help would’ve taken hours. That much exercise would definitely have killed me.” He tosses a winning smile at Adair, who stares blankly at him.

Trust her to be immune to his charm.

“London?” she repeats.

“I have family there,” he says casually.

“Oh, maybe I know them,” Poppy says. “What’s your last name again?”

“DeAngelo. Luca DeAngelo.”

Adair rolls her eyes at his dramatic delivery of this information, but I don’t miss how several of my table-mates tense when he says this. I knew that dropping the DeAngelo name wouldn’t go unnoticed. It seems the businessmen in this town know it. The DeAngelo presence isn’t as prevalent here as in major cities like New York — but for those with large corporations the DeAngelo family’s reach is well-known. Until now, there’s never been a DeAngelo presence in Nashville or its surrounding areas. The arrival of Luca in Valmont is a clear cause for concern. It’s much easier to ignore the shadier aspects of doing business globally when your domestic bubble is safe from your less savory international associates.

Poppy, however, is completely oblivious to this and continues on her crash course conversation. “What does your family do?”

“All sorts of things,” Lucas says. “We don’t have a traditional industry, I suppose.”

“Are you”—Ginny begins before Malcolm cuts her off.

“How refreshing. A Renaissance man,” he says, fingers fidgeting on a salad fork. “Certainly, we could all use a break from business discussions, though.”

“Probably. Did I hear you’re running for Senate?” Luca asks, managing to find an even more delicate topic.

Malcolm squirms in his chair. No doubt he’s wondering what could come of a DeAngelo’s interest in his campaign. MacLaine Media always considers the needs of its foreign investors, like the DeAngelo clan, in its publications and programs. However, politically, the family’s concerns lie with Valmont and its taxpayers—or lack thereof, if a MacLaine can help it.

“He’s going to win,” Ginny says proudly.

“I imagine so.” Luca’s smile bares a bit too much teeth to be congenial.

“You met in London? When?” Adair asks, dragging the topic back to how I supposedly met Luca. It’s not a simple question, though. It’s an interrogation. I don’t know if she thinks Luca’s story is bullshit, but she’s going to dissect it until she knows for sure. That much is clear.

“What was that? Four years ago?” Luca passes the ball back to my court.

When you’ve been in life-and-death situations with someone, you know how to communicate in precarious moments. Luca understands the answer to that question could have serious consequences. Trust Adair to want the particulars.

I tilt my head to him before shrugging at Adair. “Honestly, it’s all a blur.”