Murder in the Mix Boxed Set 28-30: Cozy Mystery Addison Moore (the reading strategies book .txt) 📖

as if the entire room fades away for a moment. I can feel his love for me, but the only thing I deserve right now is his condemnation.

Judge Essex Everett Baxter is as handsome as they come with a cutting brand of glory that should very well be illegal. He’s tall, has the body of a linebacker, and looks lean and mean in that dark suit he’s wearing. He commands the attention of every ovary-bearing female in the vicinity without even trying and hardly ever smiles.

They bark at him to turn to the side and he complies, allowing them to take a shot of his profile, and my heart breaks just witnessing the spectacle.

To the left I see Noah, the very first man I have ever truly loved, as they take his hand and lay it over a scanner to capture his fingerprints.

Noah Corbin Fox and I have a storied history. We were on and off again so often it feels as if we’re in some sort of holding pattern at the moment. He too is tall, with a body built for speed in all the right places, dark hair that turns red at the tips, dimples for days, and commanding green eyes.

“I’ve done this,” I whisper, and Noah’s head snaps in my direction.

“Lottie,” he says as he finishes up in haste, and before I know it, I’m in his strong arms. “It’s going to be okay.” He dots a simple kiss to my temple. “I promise you. It’s all going to work out.”

It’s just like Noah to try to make me feel better, to offer up assurances even though I’ve brought the mess upon myself.

A flurry of deputies sweeps in, and soon Everett is hustled in our direction.

The sound of dozens of voices shouting at once erupts and my eardrums sting from the chaos.

“Don’t you dare open your mouth, Noah,” Everett grits through his teeth. “Lemon, go home.” He pins his stern eyes to mine. “Now,” he grunts it out as a command.

“No,” I riot right back as this entire sea of noise and melee we’re enmeshed in moves to the left. “I’m not leaving,” I shout.

“Lemon,” Everett shouts back as he’s escorted away at a quickened clip.

Lemon is Everett’s pet name for me—my surname. Even though Everett and I are technically married, I haven’t taken his name as my own.

Our marriage was more of a business arrangement when we dove into matrimonial waters over a year ago. I did it so he could meet the requirements of his trust fund.

And well, not long after that, Noah and I agreed that I should see if there was anything left between Everett and me. Come to find out, there was, and we’ve been together for the last few months as an official couple. Everett did the same for Noah and me a while back, so Noah thought he’d return the relationship favor. But now that Everett and I are still going strong, Noah has been in deep regret over his decision.

Although now that I’ve blown our lives into oblivion, I’m sure neither of them will want anything to do with me ever again. I certainly don’t.

Everett and Noah are led behind another set of closed doors, and Ivy snatches me from the crowd and leads me in that direction.

“Keep quiet in there,” Ivy hisses. “Don’t muck up the waters any more than you already have.”

“Out of my way!” a sharp female voice shouts from behind, and I turn to see Fiona Dagmeyer, a polished brunette with dainty features, large dark eyes, and a crimson snarl heading our way. She’s donned a navy power suit and has a leather briefcase in hand. Fiona is fierce as a bulldog, ready to take down anyone who stands in her way, and she just so happens to be the defense attorney Everett had me call right after he and Noah were arrested this afternoon at my mother’s B&B.

Ivy hustles us to the door. “You’ll have less than five minutes with them. They’re getting their room ready.” Her lips twitch because by room she means cell.

Good grief, this is getting all too real now.

The door opens, and I’m thrust into what looks to be an expansive office as the door shuts with a violent slam behind us.

The hush of the room feels like a relief to my ears, and I charge forward in an effort to grab onto Noah or Everett with a firm embrace, but one of the beefy deputies standing guard pulls me back.

“Take a seat,” he says it low like a growl, and I take a seat on the end of an elongated table that has Everett and Noah next to one another, with Fiona taking the helm at the other end. There are only a handful of deputies in here, and I’m glad about it, too. The fewer people to witness our misery, the better.

“I’m so sorry,” my voice warbles as I get the words out.

“Lemon,” Everett says it sweetly, and yet with a touch of remorse, as he closes his eyes.

“Lottie, don’t worry.” Noah blows out a breath as if he were very much worried himself.

“You don’t get to speak.” Fiona holds a finger my way, but her attention is on the two men before her. “Essex, we have less than a minute before they haul you off. There are men in this room. You know the rules. We don’t get down to business until we’re alone. I’m here as your acting attorney.” She blinks to Noah. “Are you interested in my representation?”

“Yes,” Everett answers for him with an aggressive bite to his voice. “But he won’t need you for long.” Everett snaps his gaze my way and there’s a tension between us like never before. Everett is doing his best to press an entire conversation into my mind. The muscles in his jaw redefine themselves as he stares me down hard. He is imploring me not to speak, not to ruin the terrifying momentum he has going, and to