Break Free The Night (Book 1) (31 page)

             
“
So, yo
u’
re stretching chain link across all the windows
?
”

             
“
Yeah, but not just the windows
,”
Jack said, nodding
.“
Andre
w’
s securing fencing and steel plates behind all the walls and throughout the undercarriage. Even flipped over, nothin
g’
s getting inside this thing unless i
t’
s let in
!
”

             
“
I had no idea be could do all this
,”
Kaylee murmured. Jack shrugged, eyeing her thoughtfully. Kaylee smiled at him in an attempt at reassurance. She was
n’
t sure she was successful. His head whipped to the left when Quinton called out.

             
“
Brea
k’
s over, I guess
,”
he murmured, using the fingers he had yet to let go to tug Kaylee closer
.“
Cards tonight? Emm
a’
s been bugging me
.
”

              Kaylee felt breathless at his proximity, her chest fluttering as his warm fingers caressed hers, his breath gently touching her upturned face.

              Pine and rain and fresh air.

              Kaylee nodded. Jack kissed the tip of her nose and smirked at the catch in her breath before turning to run down the aisle towards Quinton.

              Kaylee turned to find Andrew staring at her. His empty eyes returned immediately to the motor home and Kaylee sighed as she walked towards the limp and drifting rope ladder to get back to work.

~

              The game of cards was exciting, but short-lived. Anna had joined them because Andrew had refused and she proved to be a much better player, even beating out Jack a couple of times. Kayle
e’
s hopes of getting some time alone with Jack were dashed when Quinton broke up the game looking for him.

             
“
We still have things to adjust in that fool Hummer of yours. Dinne
r’
s over
.”
Jack rolled his eyes at Kaylee but jumped up to follow Quinton. Kaylee immediately noticed Ann
a’
s eyes twinkle as her lips twitched and, more to avoid the teasing that was sure to come than out of any desire to work, she rose to her feet.

             
“C’
mon Em
,”
she said, kicking her sister lightly in the side. She rolled over to her back from where she lay on the floor and blinked up at Kaylee with a sleepy scowl
.“
We must have something left to pack
.
”

             
“
I do
n’
t wanna
,”
Emma mumbled, throwing her arms over her face. Anna started to smirk.

             
“
Fine,
I’
ll just go check the pantry you finished packing then
,”
Kaylee said lightly, thinking fast as she headed for the exit. As she knew she would, Emma jumped up.

             
“I’
ll come too
,”
she huffed, waving goodnight to a disappointed looking Anna.

             
“
You did
n’
t finish packing it up, did you
?”
Kaylee whispered when they reached the hall.

             
“
I got busy
,”
Emma answered evasively
.“
Ho
w’
d you know
?
”

              Kaylee ignored the second question. It really was
n’
t much of one, she just knew her sister
.“
Busy with what
?
”

              Emma fidgeted but looked straight ahead as she answered
.“
Quinton had to show me something
.
”

             
“
I do
n’
t want to know, do I
?”
Kaylee answered dryly, figuring it must have something to do with guns. Quinton had gone back to treating Emma like Emma, not like an infected. Kaylee had even seen him pat her on the arm the other day after Emma helped him lift a crate down the stairs. But then a sickening thought flashed through her mind.

             
Emma would
n’
t.

              She could
n’t
…

             
“
Em, i
t’
s not, not anything to do wit
h
—”

             
“
Oh, for heave
n’
s sake Kay, you can say the word gun
!”
Emma rolled her eyes as she yanked open the pantry door.

              Most of the shelves were bare, but a few were still cluttered with foodstuffs. Emma kicked an empty milk crate to the center of the space.

             
“
Tha
t’
s not what I meant
,”
Kaylee answered stiffly, following Emma in and closing the door behind them. She smacked a flashlight into use and the beam swept Kayle
e’
s face.

             
“
Ho
w’
re your hands
?
”

             
“
My hands
?”
Emma asked, probably not even aware she was flexing her fingers straight. Her eyes followed Kayle
e’
s and she curled her fingers into a fist before handing her sister the flashlight and shoving both hands in her pocket
.“
The
y’
re fine
.
”

             
“
Em, what you said before, to Quinton and Da
d
—”

             
“
About killing me
?”
she supplied in the pause. Kaylee started. She knew what it would mean if Emma turned, especially now, when they were leaving the safety of the firehouse. How could she not? If Emma turned out there, there was no other option. But to have it said so bluntly, so coldly, it terrified her.

             
“
Em, please stop saying that
.
”

             
“
Kay
.”
And it was the way she said it, soft and gentle, not at all like Emma, that made Kayle
e’
s eyes burn with repressed tears
.“I’
m so sorry, Kay. I really am
.
”

             
“
Em, please
.
”

             
“
It could happen, it could not. Either way,
I’
m prepared. If I feel it, i
f…
Well,
I’
ll say goodbye, okay? Before I do anything,
I’
ll say goodbye
.
”

              It was the weakest compromise, but Kaylee saw no other option than to take it. She nodded in the weak light and Emma did something she had
n’
t done for years. She hugged her. Kaylee took the moment with Emm
a’
s small yet strong arms around her to compose herself. Emma would be fine. Fine. And no one would have to shoot her. Kaylee needed to believe that.

             
“
So
,”
Emma smirked as she gave one last squeeze and let Kaylee go
.“
Ho
w’
s Jack
?
”

             
“
Eugh! This is just what I was running away from Anna for
!
”

              Emma laughed
.“
Tha
t’
s why you dragged me in here? Well tough! Even if I have to work for it, yo
u’
re going to spill
.”
Kaylee grimaced at her sister as Emma began pulling items off the shelves that could be boxed for the trip. The last few sodas, two cans of pineapple, a sad looking canister of oatmeal, two months worth supply of bottles of vitamins.

             
“
H
e’
s fine
,”
Kaylee eventually offered begrudgingly
.“
You should know, you just played cards with him
.
”

              Emma turned to make a face
.“
Not exactly what I meant
.”
Kaylee shrugged.

              What was she supposed to say? Things were still a bit confusing. He kissed her, whenever he got the chance it seemed. And there were the little touches, the hands grazing and knees knocking lightly together when he sat close to her at dinner. And the smirking, that was still there and somehow not nearly as infuriating as it was before. But, so far, that was all. He was
n’
t pushy or demanding. He seemed comfortable in getting to know her.

             
“
So, I do
n’
t have to move out of our room just yet
?”
Emma asked, squinting through the dark. Kaylee laughed.

             
“
No, you and Anna can stay put for now. It may be a while before that
.
”

             
“
Really? Why not now
?
”

              Kaylee hesitated, bent over the old milk crate she had been filling with the items Emma was yanking down. The old answer played at the tip of her tongue, the reason she was taught to embrace, the reason that should have been enough for her, for Emma, for a long time to come. But that reason was taken away from her. And even though she thought she should feel silly for still clinging to it, she did. If she were very honest with herself, it still played in her child-like fantasies, fantasies that included her mother coming back to her and her father smiling again. But, marriage was
n’
t an option. It never would be again. And she felt horribly foolish even thinking it, let alone mentioning it.

             
“
I do
n’
t know, Emma
,”
she whispered instead
.“
I thought the whole point of leaving now was so we would
n’
t have to with a baby. Sex is
n’
t really the smart thing to do just now
.
”

             
“
Yeah, I guess
,”
Emma conceded, looking back to the shelf that only held empty canning jars. She did
n’
t even question Kayle
e’
s reason, just took it for the logical conclusion that Kaylee presented it as
.“
Should we bring these? Think w
e’
ll need them
?
”