Free Judging Judas (Tarnished Saints Series Book 3) by Elizabeth Rose Page A

playing with the lottery ticket. “I remember a few of them from years ago, but just vaguely.” She placed the ticket down on the make-shift table and started scratching at it with her fingernail.
    “Well, there’s not really much to tell,” he said, his cigarette dangling from his lips as he picked up the fruit punch Gatorade and screwed off the top.
    “Judas, the ashes from your cigarette are going to fall,” she called out.
    He set down the drink quickly, some of it splashing onto the cardboard box and grabbed for his cigarette, holding one hand under it to catch the ashes.
    She quickly took the paper bag and wiped up the liquid, glad they hadn’t used one of the antique tables to eat on.
    “You already know the part about my parents both dying and leaving lan d and a cabin to each of us, and that we can’t get it until we’re married. And we have to stay married for a year.” He looked around for an ashtray, the ashes ready to fall and burn his hand.
    “Oh, I didn’t know about the staying married for a year part ,” she said, reaching out and turning over the lid of the Gatorade for him to use. He tapped the ashes into it just as they fell, and put down the cigarette, letting it teeter on the edge of the plastic lid.
    “That’s not the reason I’m marry ing you, Laney, if that’s what you think.”
    “I know,” she said, still not convinced it wasn’t, but not wanting to start trouble between them. J.D. needed her father in her life and Laney knew their decision to get married was for the best.
    “So, what exactly did you want to know then?” he asked ripping open the package of chips a nd popping one into his mouth. He crunched up the paper bag that she’d used to wipe up the spill and flipped it over his shoulder. She wasn’t sure where it landed in the crowded mess, but nor did it matter.
    “Tell me all the ir names again and what they do,” she said curiously.
    “Ok.” He took a minute to swallow the chip, pursing his lips together, his tongue shooting out to lick the flavored spice in the process, almost sending her spiralin g from the exotic motion though he wasn’t even aware of what he’d done.
    “First ther e’s Thomas, and he has six boys. Actually, a daughter too, now that he’s married to Angel because she had a daughter from her previous marriage. And Thomas not only manages the rental cabins at the lake but also refurbishes old cars. There’s actually a big car show and Labor Day festival coming up right here in town. Wait til you see some of his work.”
    He picked up the Gatorade and swallowed down half of it in one gulp, and her eyes roamed to his throat as he swallowed. Why did she think every little thing he did today was sexy?
    “And,” she added, “Levi’s next, and he married Candace and has the twins, Vance and Val. That part I know.”
    “Right. And Levi is mayor , and both he and Candace are chefs and half-owners at Margery’s Diner.”
    “And Lev i was in prison for seven years, wasn’t he?” she asked, knowing darn well it was true.
    “That’s right, ” he mumbled, but didn’t expound on that matter and Laney knew he didn’t walk to talk about the fact he put his own brother in prison. Actually, she didn’t want to either, as it only brought up questions about what he was going to do with J.D. and she didn’t really want to know right now.
    He held the bottle while he spoke, his lips a slightly brighter shade of red from the drink, reminding her of his younger years when she’d fallen in love with him so long ago.
    “And next in line is me.” H e smiled and his whole face lit up in a way that was cute and alluring. “And then there’s the twins. James has a ranch out west but we’ve just got word he’s selling it and moving back to Sweet Water soon. And Zeb is a lawyer and just opened his own firm in Benton Harbor.”
    “ Right. I met Zeb already. So Pete the minister is next in line then?”
    “Actually, Simon is , and then Pete.