Being Emerald. Sylvia Ryan

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      Cover Copy

      They’ll escape New Atlanta or die trying.

      Brave, beautiful, and not easily controlled—even within a dictatorship—Laila Lewis has finally attained the prestige of an Emerald designation. Now only one thing is keeping her from her life’s goal of retrieving the Declaration of Independence and other priceless artifacts from the wild unknown of the Onyx Zone: the six weeks of training necessary to ensure her survival outside the city walls. But she won’t be going it alone…

      After a year as a designated Emerald, rugged, sensual ex-cop Rock Rodgers is finally prepared to leave New Atlanta for good. Six weeks of training is the only thing standing between him and his next mission: to disappear into the freedom of the Onyx Zone where the long-armed rule of the Gov can’t reach him. But when the chemistry between him and Laila reaches a boiling point, with captivity just one false move away, will he have to escape on his own—or risk everything for a woman more tempting than freedom...

      CONTENT WARNING: Contains explicit sexual language and content, m/f, and elements of BDSM that may be objectionable to some readers.

      Visit us at www.kensingtonbooks.com

      Books by Sylvia Ryan

      New Atlanta Series

      Being Amber, Book One

      Being Sapphire, Book Two

      Being Emerald, Book Three

      Friday Afternoon

      Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation

      Being Emerald

      New Atlanta Series

      Sylvia Ryan

      LYRICAL PRESS

      Kensington Publishing Corp.

      www.kensingtonbooks.com

      Copyright

      Lyrical Press books are published by

      Kensington Publishing Corp. 119 West 40th Street New York, NY 10018

      Copyright © 2014 Sylvia Ryan

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

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      Special book excerpts or customized printings can also be created to fit specific needs. For details, write or phone the office of the Kensington Special Sales Manager:

      Kensington Publishing Corp.

      119 West 40th Street

      New York, NY 10018

      Attn. Special Sales Department. Phone: 1-800-221-2647.

      Kensington and the K logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.

      Lyrical Press and the L logo are trademarks of Kensington Publishing Corp.

      First Electronic Edition: March 2015

      eISBN-13: 978-1-61650-621-6

      eISBN-10: 1-61650-621-0

      First Print Edition: March 2015

      ISBN-13: 978-1-61650-622-3

      ISBN-10: 1-61650-622-9

      Printed in the United States of America

      Dedication

      To the only person who really knows me.

      Acknowledgements

      Thank you, Penny for taking the time to teach.

      Thank you, Jessica for wanting to learn.

      Thank you, Donna Johnson for being my biggest fan and

      for catching what everyone else missed.

      Chapter 1

      The distant explosion vibrated the worn wood floor beneath Rock’s feet. Oh yeah. That one’s going to hurt. Exclamations echoed in the cavernous space of the beautiful Sapphire Zone Historical library. Bright light filtered through the massive doors as a handful of patrons filed out to investigate. Rock turned his attention away from the diversion and wove through the stacks. He cut sharply down a roped-off nonfiction aisle where three books lay exactly where Xander’s letter had said they’d be. He scooped them off the shelf and dropped them into his bag. With the task complete, Rock joined the others on the front steps, blending into the crowd of faces pointed toward rising smoke in the Emerald Zone.

      Since the Gov realized they’d been stumped by codes taken from old paper books, nonfiction was off limits without an official escort. Patrick O’Connor, the first guardsman to jump ship and fight for what was right, had known their value to the newly formed Resistance.

      His bag weighed down with more knowledge, Rock whistled as he descended the stairs and turned toward the Emerald Zone.

      General Morgan was shrewd enough to know he couldn’t ban books and cunning enough to present his library restrictions as “safety precautions” for the good of the people. Like all good politicians, he knew the delivery of the words were as important as the words themselves. If it still appeared they lived in a democratic society, the masses wouldn’t notice or care that their reading materials were controlled.

      Rock couldn’t contain his smile as he walked toward the smoke billowing from the Peacekeeper’s armory. Two birds, one stone. Nothing brought him more joy than another opportunity to piss Morgan off or bring him down. Xander, his best friend and leader of the Amber Resistance, was a brilliant strategist. To help Rock occupy the few days between Onyx Zone recovery missions, Xander always had a spectacular plan waiting. It was Rock’s big old fuck you, signifying he’d made it back alive from another mission. Morgan had to know it was him doing the destroying, but Rock hadn’t been caught yet. He glanced up at the rolling black cloud melding with the white puffy ones of the beautiful New Atlanta day. The sight filled him with absolute glee as he pressed on, his long strides devouring his four-mile hike home to the Emerald Zone.

      The Resistance was winning this conflict because, after a quarter century, Ambers, the dregs of society, had a unique way of thinking outside the box to solve problems. It was also how they waged war. Since the first pandemic survivors arrived in New Atlanta, continued existence hinged on finding alternative ways to meet their needs. With no medicine, they used roots and herbs. With no СКАЧАТЬ