Shades of Amber (24 page)

“
I’m sorry, Jade.” He
rubbed his face. “I wasn’t sure he’d return, but I hired extra
security. I won’t be using them again, though.” He stared at his
cousin’s body as two men covered it with a sheet. “You thought he
was me.”

I looked away and applied
pressure to my aching side.

His gaze narrowed. “How
bad did he hurt you?”

“
It’s fine.”

Troy surveyed the room and
pulled me into his arms.

“
What are you
doing?”

“
Making sure you’re
alright.” His fingers trailed the back of my neck as he pressed his
forehead to mine. “I love you.”

My lips formed the words,
but I was too wary to speak.

This was all too
familiar.

“
Look at me.” My voice was
barely above a whisper.

His grip tightened. “Just
let me take the pain away.”

“
I’m good.” I held my
breath as he caressed my side.

“
Really?”

“
Yes—ah.” I hissed and
slapped his hand. “That wasn’t necessary.

“
Relax.” He touched my
forehead. “It will be just like this.”

I put my arms around his
waist and peeked over his shoulder. The room was empty except for a
small group near the cowboy. It was a difficult choice, but in the
end, my low tolerance for pain won out.

“
Okay.”

His soft lips fell upon
mine, erasing every ounce of pain. I held him tighter, wishing we
were in his bedroom. The instant I thought it, his hand slid up my
leg until someone tapped his shoulder.

The cowboy smiled as we
broke apart. “Sorry to interrupt, but it seemed like the right
time.”

I looked between them.
“Yes, your timing is impeccable, and so is that gun. What are the
odds?” I asked when Troy put his arm around my shoulder.

“
I know these aren’t the
best circumstances to get acquainted, but what can I say? Life is
unpredictable.” He held out his hand. “Sebastian
Peridot.”

He was handsome, from the
top of his brown suede hat to the toes of his authentic cowboy
boots, and beneath that was tan skin, black hair, and the bluest
set of eyes.

I took his hand and said,
“You’re accent doesn’t match your costume, Mr. Peridot.”

“
I suppose Romanian
cowboys are hard to come by.” He winked. “Lucky for you, I’m not
into toy weapons.”

“
Yes, thanks, but that
doesn’t look like a cowboy’s.…”

“
Thank you for saving
her,” Troy said as they shook hands.

“
Are you okay?” A blonde
cowgirl asked as she looped arms with Troy’s friend.

I didn’t know what to
say.

Was I okay?

My side didn’t hurt
anymore, but I doubted Troy’s blood would erase the mental
anguish.

I tried to smile as I met
her brown gaze. “I’ve been better.”

He pulled her close. “This
is Lily.”

“
I’m Jade.”

I looked from Troy to the
Romanian cowboy. “So how do you know each other?”

Troy kissed my cheek.
“We’re old friends.”

###

What do you do when the
person you yearn to be with is the one you need to stay away
from?

When Lily met Sebastian,
she had no idea how many skeletons lined his closet. Now, she finds
herself tangled in a web of lies that aren’t even hers—and one
secret so massive, it could shatter her entire world.

A Touch of
Sapphire

(The DisEnchanted Series
Book 2)

“
Would you love me no
matter what?” he asked as we lay on the bed, watching the shadows
dance on the ceiling.

“
What do you mean? Would
I love you if you cheated on me? No! …If you broke my heart?
Probably not…. But if you were sick or dying? Of course, I would
love you.” I froze. “Are you sick?”

He shrugged. “You could
call it that.”

I rolled onto my side
and looked at his tan skin and vibrant blue eyes. “You’re not dying
are you?”

He laughed. “I’m far
from dying.”

I bit my lip, “What is
it then?”

His words weren’t loud,
but I could have sworn he said, “I’m cursed.”

“
What did you
say?”

He kissed my forehead.
“I didn’t say anything.”

<>

They say life and death go
hand in hand, but when you lose the person you love... you stop
caring about how normal it is. After years of waiting, everything
is falling into place, but someone is determined to stand in the
way.

Reincarnate

(A Paranormal Romance
Novel)

There was something
behind me. I could feel it. I moved quickly, but my feet went out
from under me as the ground gave way. I gasped for air, knowing
there was nothing but water below—and maybe rocks.

Some things just
shouldn’t happen, I thought as my life evaporated before my eyes.
Thousands of images filled my vision, warming me to my core. My
family, my friends, my routines—nineteen years played out like a
60-second trailer.

One final wish played on
repeat as water burned through my lungs. I wish I could have told
everyone how much I cared just one more time.

The world went quiet and
still as I lay suspended in time—seeing everything, yet nothing.
And just when I thought the end was here, a dark haired angel swam
down, put something around me—and then, my heart made one final
thump, and stopped.

<>

There’s nothing like the
thrill of a new face in a small town, but when people begin to
disappear, the rumors start to fly.

Lies Through the
Grapevine

(A Mystery Fiction
Novel)

Normally, I might rush
to get away from him, but I don’t want to risk running into
something. I round the corner and open the kitchen door, surprised
to see Miss Sophia shoving sheets into a washing
machine.

She looks up as the door
swings shut.

“
I don’t remember seeing
these the last time I was here.”

“
They’re usually hidden
behind these doors,” she says, demonstrating how it conceals the
dryer and washer. “There’s no stain too tough for this guy.” She
slams the lid. “Have a seat and I’ll whip up some
sandwiches.”

I look at the table,
noting the bottle of pills on the placemat.

She sets a mug in front
of me. “You’re a real trooper. Most people wouldn’t want anything
to do with death.”

I take a sip of my tea,
not quite sure how to respond.

“
There you are.” He sits
next to me. “I was afraid you’d gotten lost.”

She takes a butcher
knife from the drawer and starts on the tomatoes. “Are your parents
shopping for a new washer and dryer?”

“
Yes,” I say, but I
don’t think he’s buying it.

“
I strongly recommend
this brand; there’s no stain it can’t overpower.”

<>

…
Coming Soon…

What do you do when every
step forward destroys a piece of your past?

Jade and Troy aren’t the
only ones who know about the cure. There’s a wager on the table and
the price is steep. So, how far would you go to spend your life
with the one you love?

Emerald
Darkness

(The DisEnchanted Series
Book 3)

Screams seep through the
cracks in my brain.

I’m damaged. I must be
if I’m in here.

I open my eyes to the
brightest blue, hindered only by white clouds. There’s wood at my
sides and back, and water as far as I can see. I scoot closer to
the side and gaze at the crystal liquid.

A woman stares up at
me.

She’s in her twenties
with rich brown eyes and dark hair. I finger my wild curls as she
touches hers.

She opens her mouth when
I open mine, but nothing comes out.

Mesmerized, we gaze at
one another until she reaches forward and yanks me over the
edge.

<>

Hi,

It has been four years
since Jade and Troy first hit the book scene. If you’ve read the
first edition, you can see how much their story has evolved since
2011. Pieces have been added, tweaked, and described in a way that
should make you fall for them, whether it is your first time or
your third. And yes, I am working on a sequel that will take you on
a ride that will be worth the wait!

Shades of Amber began as
a screenplay for a short film. After I wrote it, I decided to turn
it into a book so you could see Jade and Troy’s story on
paper.

You can find the short
films/trailers of
Shades of Amber on YouTube
under the csm3dia (Chattanooga State’s Media Club)
page.

I believe that when you
read a book, it should play in your mind like a movie. I hope you
enjoyed Jade and Troy’s story as much as I enjoyed telling
it!

And if you’re looking
for a way to stay connected, check out my
Facebook fan pages:

Lies Through the Grapevine
& Msmimiproductions
.

Sincerely,

Morgan

Morgan Smith
was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee and has been
writing since elementary school. She believes that being able to
tell a story the way you want is one of the greatest things in the
world. When she is not reading or writing, she’s making jewelry and
short films.