Emerald Myst Read online

  Emerald Myst

  Aliyah Burke

  Contents

  Emerald Myst

  Blurb for Emerald Myst

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  5. Additional Books by Aliyah Burke:

  Emerald Myst

  Copyright © 2018 Aliyah Burke 1st Edition

  Copyright © 2020 Aliyah Burke 2nd Edition

  Cover design by Melody Simmons

  * * *

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system-except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a magazine, newspaper, or on the Web-without permission in writing from the publisher or author. The unauthorized replication or allocation of any copyrighted work is illegal. File sharing is an international crime, prosecuted by the United States Department of Justice and the United States Border Patrol, Division of Cyber Crimes, in partnership with Interpol. Copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is punishable by up to five years in federal prison, a fine of $250,000 per reported instance, and seizure of computers.

  This book is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is coincidental. All trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, and registered service marks are the property of their respective owners and are used herein for identification purposes only.

  Published by: Sensual Romance Publishing

  Created with Vellum

  Emerald Myst

  By

  Aliyah Burke

  Blurb for Emerald Myst

  So much can happen on the Emerald Isle…

  Emmie Donaghue is heading to Ireland to claim her inheritance. What she gets isn’t at all what she was expecting and isn’t sure she wants. Finn Brannon is immediately enchanted by the flustered American who shows up at the bar. As they work together, they grow closer, will a misunderstanding be the end of what they could have? Or will he find a way to keep her in his life?

  To DH, thank you for all you do and the support you’ve shown me over the years. To the men and women of the Armed Forces, thank you!

  Chapter 1

  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  “Ms. Donaghue, might I have a moment of your time?”

  Emmie slowed to a halt before facing the woman determined to get her attention coming up from her left as she strode up the street.

  “I’m sorry? Who are you?”

  “My name is Mrs. Angel Garcia.” She offered over a business card. “You’re a hard woman to find.”

  Emmie shrugged yet still took the card and looked at. She didn’t believe herself to be difficult person to find, her schedule was the same, day in and day out. At her job, she stayed in the back, so the owner’s wife could take the credit for the work. She stared at the woman beside her. Short, a natural black afro that made her face appear nearly cherubic. A delusion for Emmie sensed an iron will lurked beneath that shell. Her dark suit fit her perfectly.

  “What can I do for you, Mrs. Garcia?”

  Her gaze relaxing a bit as if to understand right now she wasn’t going to have to continue chasing her down. She reached into a dark satchel and pulled out a thick envelope. “This is for you. My information is stapled to the final page if you need to get in touch with me once you’ve read over it all.”

  Accepting the thick packet, she slid it into her bag. “Thank you.” What had she just been given?

  Her lips compressed. “It’s important to read it soon, Ms. Donaghue.”

  Trying for a smile, she failed and ended up shrugging once more. “I’ll read it today while on my lunch. Have a good day, Mrs. Garcia.”

  She continued on her way, leaving the woman behind. The last thing she needed was to be late for work. True to her word, she opened the packet on her lunch. She went to the park as she did everyday. Grabbed a bite from a food truck and enjoyed the nice day.

  What the heck is this? Surely there is some mistake. Emmie had to read it a few times before it all sank in her mind and made a tiny semblance of sense to her.

  I’ve inherited a business in Ireland?

  Her breaths came short and shallow. She didn’t know much about her history other than her dad was from there, had come here, and married her mom. Then she came along. Losing them at the tender age of five she’d grown up in foster care. Six bad homes before she’d landed in a gem. The woman there, Marissa Hollingsworth, had taught her all about sewing, quilting, and crocheting.

  They’d learned this was how she stayed calm, as she truly didn’t react well in large crowds after the other foster homes had been such shoddy experiences.

  But this, to read she had something that tied her to her father, across the world from here, it wasn’t anything she was able to comprehend right away. Why would they have waited so long to tell her? Was this just a trick?

  Shoving the packet back into her bag, she finished her food, dusted off her hands once the paper wrapping was in the trash, and hoofed it back to her job.

  The rest of the day flew by and before she knew it, all of her work had been completed. Mrs. Rollins said it was fine for her to leave early and Emmie wasn’t about to turn it down.

  I need to reread those papers and call Mrs. Garcia back.

  As she shoved her items in the bag, Mr. Rollins strolled in and Emmie cursed her dallying. He only comes in when she’s gone.

  Her heart pounded like she’d just run a marathon when he pushed the door shut behind him.

  “Emmie, Emmie, Emmie.”

  “Mr. Rollins.” She finished packing her bag up and slung the strap over her shoulder.

  “What’s the rush?” He prowled closer.

  She eyed him like he was a hyena watching his next meal. And she was on the menu. God, she could use a shower now. Bag gripped in both hands despite it being on her shoulder, she held it between them. As if it even remotely possible for the patchwork handcrafted item would be of any assistance to her.

  As he crept one way, she edged the other. Fear had done far more than slither up her spine, it had dug in deep. The look in his eyes advised her, he wouldn’t be taking no for an answer. Not this time.

  Emmie abhorred violence and wasn’t a fan of blood either. She wanted to remain in the background.

  “Stay. I have to talk to you.”

  “Sorry, I’m meeting Paul. My boyfriend. I called him when your wife told me I could leave early.”

  His blue eyes flashed with irritation. “He can wait. Work takes priority.”

  Don’t think what you have in mind is work. At least not under labor laws. Unless you’re in Vegas but I’m not about to be a prostitute for anyone, least of all you.

  “I need to go.” Emmie asserted forcefulness into her tone. She’d been working on that, to not be the quiet little mouse who let people run all over her. They had some great dvd’s to help with that on the market today and she had to admit she was doing great with them.

  At home.

  Right now, she felt as assertive as a kitten.

  “You and I,” he said, shoving through a row of fabric, spilling it to the floor. “We have things to address.” He loosened the knot of his tie as he neared.

  “Leave me alone!” She lunged to the left, but he was there, blocking her in.

  He pushed into her, allowing her to
feel along her hip, the unimpressive length of his cock. His breath was rank and her stomach rolled. Fear churned and began to rise as bile in her throat.

  “You want this,” he breathed against her face, yanking at the buttons on his shirt. Desperate in his jerky actions. “You’ve had a thing for me. I’ve seen it.”

  “No!” She pushed him just as a feminine screech filled the air.

  “Roger!”

  He jumped back as if she’d tasered ten thousand volts through him. The man paled and shoved his finger in her direction as his wife stomped in view, her considerable bulk hitting the rows of material as she moved.

  “It was her, she was displaying all that dusky skin. She’s a vile temptress, you know I only love you, Sheryl. I was weak in the flesh but never in my heart.”

  “You,” Sheryl seethed, her multiple chins wobbling with her anger. “I took you in out of the goodness of my heart because it was the Christian thing to do. But for you to blatantly throw yourself at my husband is immoral.”

  You took me in because I was a boost to your business.

  She trembled, needing to sit but realizing she wasn’t out of the woods yet. This was going to not go in her favor. “He’s the one undressing. Not me. I’ve been harassed by him since I’ve started here. But you insist on blaming me because your husband is an ass and feels it appropriate to harass women then blame them when caught. I have never had an interest in him. I came to work, that’s all. I was trying to leave.”

  Tears of anger burned in her. She whirled and stomped to the door. There she gripped the knob so hard her knuckles turned white. Emmie peered over her shoulder to glare at them both. “I quit. Mail my last paycheck.”

  Perverse pleasure coursed through her at the look of pure panic that covered both their faces. Emmie walked out, eternally grateful she always kept her stuff at home or in her bag that she used.

  Unfortunately, her adrenaline wore off with each step taking her closer to the apartment she rented from a sweet little old lady. She was hoping Paul would be there. She could use some comfort and assurance she had done the right thing. He’d always been so supportive of her, in a gentle kind caring way. He didn’t get loud or beat his chest. He was good. A calm man that made her feel, content.

  Ducking her head, she picked up her pace, determined to outrun the approaching storm. Ominous black clouds rolled in, heavy with rain. Lightning cracked and she hurried, disliking storms, especially when the clouds swirled as they were doing now.

  She pushed open the door to her place after fighting with the sticky deadbolt. The first drops fell as she made it into her apartment. Closing it behind her, she stood there and shivered. That wind had a serious bite to it. The temperature from yesterday alone had dropped about thirty degrees.

  Days like this I could be okay with having a car.

  She didn’t have one. While she had a license but no car. An expense she had no wish to incur. Plus she truly enjoyed walking, it gave her time to think, and also create in her mind. Many a quilt design had come to her while walking to or from work.

  Shrugging out of her coat, her lips turned up as the scent of fresh brewed coffee reached her nose. She hadn’t called Paul on her way home but was grateful he was here. Who knew, perhaps she could get him in the mood for a bit of sex. Lately that hadn’t been happening between them, he was so tired from work. When it did happen, it was short and completely unmemorable from her point of view.

  “I’m going to get you,” Paul hollered up the hall.

  Her smile grew. He’s in a playful mood and must have seen me come up from the bus stop. Also explained why he hadn’t been up there. He wanted to surprise her.

  Unfortunately, Emmie’s world slowed to a crawl as a busty brunette ran naked into view, boobs bouncing and shaved sex right there in front of her.

  She paused but didn’t cover up. In fact, she seemed happy by Emmie’s perusal. Paul wasn’t far behind. He smacked the woman on the ass as he moved by. Emmie blinked as she took in his nakedness. His cock, hard and full, pointing out as he stepped around his lover.

  It sank in. The real reason he didn’t want to have sex with her. He was cheating on her. In her place. With a woman from his building.

  He covered himself and gave her a worried look.

  Damn right he should be worried.

  The piled on shit from the day was to much. The issues at the job with the faithless lout of a boss. Quitting her job. And now to not just find out her boyfriend of two years was cheating but he was doing it in her place? The booted foot behind her, kicked her ass out over the cliff and straight into a free fall.

  “Emmie.”

  She clenched her hand around her keys, ignoring the pain they gave her. “My place. My bed. You bring some whoring slut over here but tell me you’re too tired?”

  Her chest burned, and she tightened her fist, the urge to throw things at him—and her—nearly overwhelming.

  “Get out,” she rumbled.

  “Babe understand. We had to come here.”

  “My boyfriend lives with me so we couldn’t meet over at our building.”

  The fury expanded through her chest. She snaked her gaze to the naked bitch in her living room, she hissed in her direction. Reaching toward a vase on the end table, she paused when her fingers brushed an old statue her father had brought with him from Ireland. Bypassing it, she hitched up her dark pink glass vase.

  “Get out!”

  She chucked it at her.

  “Don’t be like that,” Paul said. He didn’t even try to get between her and his slut. Just stood there, covering his dick.

  She glared at him and picked up another item. “Don’t be like what? Pissed you’ve used my place for your affair? Furious some naked woman has been rolling around in my bed?”

  Another item flew from her hand, shattering by them. Emmie reached for her bat that she kept by the door. and swung it. Circling round to get between them and her bedroom, she demanded once more, “Get. Out.”

  “Our clothes are back there.” Paul pointed, like she didn’t know where her bedroom was.

  Like she gave a damn.

  She yanked out her phone and dialed 911. “I have two intruders in my house. One male and one female.”

  “Emmie!” Paul stepped toward her.

  “Stay away from me. Get out.” She hefted the bat once more.

  “Ma’am. The cops are on the way. Stay on the line with me until they get there.”

  “I will. I want you as a witness if I have to use my bat on them.”

  * * *

  αβ

  * * *

  “Thank you for taking the time to meet with me again, Mrs. Garcia.” She curled her fingers around the mug of hot chocolate before her. Outside the café they had met at, a late spring storm dropped icy sleet around the city.

  “I am just glad you called. Is there anything else I can do for you to help?”

  The woman’s kind expression brought another wave of tears to her eyes.

  “No thank you. Just a bit overwhelming. I knew next to nothing about my parents and to learn I have a business in Ireland.” She shrugged. “Like I said, overwhelming.”

  “Of course it is, but I think it is wonderful you are going there to see what you have.”

  “It’s the least I can do.”

  Besides, I need to get away for a while. Go somewhere Paul can’t show up at my door and work doesn’t try to get me to come back.

  “You have my card,” Mrs. Garcia said as she waved off her reaching for the check and took care of it. “My treat, this is business.” She smiled. “Call me if there is anything I can do for you and that even includes a ride from the airport if you need one.”

  “Thank you again. For everything.” She finished her drink and stood along with Mrs. Garcia.

  “I hope you find what you need, you’re such a sweetie.” She gave her a hug and walked out.

  Four days later, Emmie closed the door behind the moving guys who’d just taken out th
e last bit of her personal items and were taking them to storage. All she had in there with her were the two suitcases. She wasn’t staying here, however, the cleaning guys were just about down as well and then she was taking herself to a hotel room near the airport for her flight over to Ireland.

  She was going to check out this business she’d just inherited. Emmie had to tell herself this multiple times, because it still didn’t seem like anything she would do.

  Perhaps this adventure was the luck she needed.

  Can’t get any worse.

  Ten minutes after the cleaning crew left, she walked to the waiting taxi. The driver put her items in the back as she slid over the seat.

  She allowed herself one glance back, only a brief one. Her life for the first time was without a plan. It didn’t sit well, and her gut clenched and churned with her unease.

  At the hotel, she saw another phone call coming in from Paul and answering it, she moved to the window allowing her to overlook Pittsburg.

  “What is it going to take for you to lose this number?” she snapped into the phone.

  “I made a mistake, honey. I miss you.”

  “Bullshit. You tried to reason with me why you had to use my place to cheat on me. Do you really think I give a fuck about anything you say? I hope you and your whore are very happy and I wish you both all the STD’s in the world.” She hung up and fiddled with her phone long enough to figure out how to block his number.

  She headed to the shower, needing to get clean after even just hearing him. Despite that unpleasantness, she was well rested, if not still extremely nervous, for her ride to the airport.