Endless Flames (Surviving Ashes, Book Four) by Kennedy Layne Read Free Book Online Page B

She searched his heated gaze for some sign she was wrong, but all she observed was their salvation. Call it instinct, but she fully believed he had the means to survive what they were about to face and she owed it to Jacob to give him every chance possible. “Give me your word that you won’t leave us behind and I’ll give you the damn key.”
    Berke could have easily searched Maxie’s clothes, with all of the pockets and places she could have hidden the object he was looking for. He would have discovered it eventually, but instead he stood there and appeared to weigh the pros and cons of having two extra mouths to feed and protect. Her heart raced a little faster, hoping beyond hope he was actually considering it.
    “You could be leading that boy right to his death. It would be on you,” Berke said in warning while not giving her a definitive answer. He loosened his hold on her, but didn’t release her fully as his hand came forward and softly cradled her cheek. It wasn’t in reassurance so much as it was regret. “It’s a fifty-fifty shot if I even make it up to Washington on my own. Your odds of reaching the East Coast are a hell of a lot better than that from the start, Maxie.”
    “The odds of us making it there alive might be better, but what about when people realize that life as they know it is over? What happens to us then?” Maxie didn’t look away from Berke, wanting his honest answer. They both were aware of what happened when society broke down. “Are you telling me it will be safer in a FEMA camp overrun with thousands of people who they won’t be able to feed after the first thirty days? Or with a unit of Marines who have been trained to handle anything, adapt to nearly any condition, and survive with dignity? I’m betting Jacob will be better off with the latter. So do I have your word that you will take us? Help us to help ourselves?”
    Berke closed his eyes in frustration as the length of the muscle in his jawline ticked in a rhythm that Maxie could have snapped her fingers to. He finally dropped his hand from her face and she found it odd that she missed his warmth. She wasn’t the type of woman who ever relied on anyone other than herself, so asking or rather begging for someone to help was alien to her. Her father had taught her to be self-sufficient and that’s what she’d always done. Now she needed a Marine to survive and rescue her new son from Mother Nature’s fury.
    “Berke?”
    “Fine. I give you my word for what it’s worth,” Berke agreed evenly, finally putting what distance he could between them while not giving away what he was thinking, even as he lifted his lashes. He met her gaze and then held up his hand, thus raising hers. “Key?”
    Maxie believed Berke was a man of his word, or else she never would have reached into her shirt and down her bra for the small trinket that could separate them. She held it up for him to take, allowing him the honor to unlock the handcuffs and then take another step back. Her throat closed when she saw him turn away, but relief was like a tidal wave when he popped his tailgate.
    “I take it you’ve already packed something for your trip?” Berke asked in a rather cold manner, but Maxie didn’t have time to soothe his hurt feelings about being placed in a no-win situation. She had Jacob to think about. “I’ll take the bags while you get Jacob’s car seat stowed behind my seat. That way you can reach him when you need to…do whatever it is you need to do.”
    Maxie remained quiet as she opened the driver’s side door to the minivan, popping the hatch. It wasn’t easy to pack away her life in one duffel bag. She was leaving behind everything that defined her, but she’d managed to turn off her own emotional response to the situation because she was more worried about Jacob. The little boy had already been through so much and yet he still smiled at her with that happy, crooked grin of his—like he was doing now. If he only