Survive (Sundown Series Book 2)

by Courtney Konstantin

  "Now do you believe me?"

  "I always believed you. I wanted to read them if they were here."

  "And?"

  "And what?" Max asked. She turned and straightened up the letters, keeping them organized in their envelopes so she would always know the order they arrived in. In her mind, someday, no matter what happened with Griffin and Max, she would be able to show their daughter that there had been love there.

  "What did you think of the letters, Max?" Griffin asked, his voice taking on a gruff tone. Max stood and faced him. She couldn't seem to stop playing with her fingers, so she grabbed the hem of her shirt to stop the fidgeting. She looked up into Griffin's eyes, who had stepped within reach now.

  "I think I'm sorry you thought I didn't love you. I'm sorry you had to go through boot camp thinking I had abandoned you. I wish..." Max trailed off. The intensity in Griffin's eyes made her stomach flutter. She felt ill-equipped to deal with the feelings she had and she suddenly felt like a teenager all over again.

  "You wish?"

  "I wish I had known you had written. I wish my father hadn't hurt me, hurt us, the way he did. I wish we were still those kids. Crazy in love with grand plans."

  "Do we have to be kids to be in love?" Griffin reached out, touching a stray curl that had found its way across her cheek. Pushing it back, his finger ran along the shell of her ear, causing goosebumps to rise on her arms.

  "What are you saying, Griffin?" Max asked. Her ability to handle emotional situations felt limited. A part of her was screaming to just tell Griffin how she felt. However, a larger part of her told her to shut her mouth and hear him first, so she didn't humiliate herself.

  "Max, you have never been good with signals, have you?" Griffin laughed quietly. Max just weakly shrugged. He knew her better than any other man ever had in her life. She hadn't changed a great deal in eight years, at the core she was the same girl that Griffin had loved. Their survival across the country had shown Max that her heart still yearned for Griffin.

  "I love you, Max," Griffin finally said, looking her directly in the eye, almost challenging her to argue.

  "I love you too," Max said immediately.

  "Was that so hard?" Griffin said with a grin. He closed the distance between them quickly and pressed his lips against hers. Max didn't hesitate to kiss him back and to wrap her arms around him. After a moment she pulled back breathless. She was pleased to hear Griffin breathing just as erratically. He pressed his lips against her forehead and stayed there for a moment.

  "This is crazy. There are literally zombies at the gates. And we're talking about love?" Max said, pulling back to look up at him. He kissed her again, rough and full of desire.

  "There's not a better time to find love," he whispered against her mouth.

  The makeshift family gathered in the dining room and kitchen to eat dinner together that night. The laughter from the kids' table flowed over Max, giving her a second reason that day to smile a genuine smile. Griffin's hand squeezed her knee under the table and she flashed her smile at him. Alex sat across from Max, watching the interactions between the couple. She couldn't hide her smile either.

  The kids were sent to play in the living room, while the adults stayed gathered around the table. Max and Alex laid out all of the information they knew. When Max talked about her torture and Callahan, the room was silent except for her softly spoken words. She gathered strength by holding Griffin's hand between both of her in her lap.

  "Rafe is out there. We know it," Max finished.

  "We have two spots we believe he could be in the mountains. Neither is completely reachable by vehicle. Our father didn't make it easy on us when we were in the wild," Alex explained.

  "What are you wanting to do?" Marcus asked, leaning his elbows on the table.

  "We need to find our brother, before Callahan and his men do," Max said.

  "We are under the assumption that they are looking for him daily," Griffin explained. "While at the shelter where Callahan is headquartered, daily search parties went out. I timed one group between leaving and returning. They were gone three days. That's enough time to get to Montana, search for a day or so, and head back."

  "Do you girls know how your brother would be mixed up in this plague?" Margaret asked. Alex and Max both shook their heads.

  "Our brother is a good man. If he knew how to solve this, cure it, he wouldn't be hiding in the mountains," Alex replied.

  "But he must know something. Or Callahan wouldn't be going to these lengths to find him," Max added and Alex nodded her agreement.

  "As soon as Max has healed up, we are going to find him," Alex announced.

  "I'm going," Easton spoke up. While Candace went with the kids into the living room, Easton insisted on staying with the adults. Max watched the way Alex treated him kindly and with affection.

  "East..." Alex started.

  "I want to help. And you know I can," he replied.

  "We'll talk about it later," Alex suggested. Easton didn't argue. He just nodded his head at Alex.

  "I'm definitely not letting you out of my sight, Max, I'm going," Griffin said. Max just rolled her eyes, but she didn't argue. The moment caused Alex to laugh out loud. Max shot her a glare but then smiled. Despite the plague, death, and horror they had been living through, being with her sister and Griffin made Max feel lighter.

  Alex and Max took a walk around the property after the dinner talk. They walked in silence for awhile. Max ran her hand along the rock of the wall, the scrape of it reminding her of being a young child and running the same path around the compound. That was before the wall was finished, but some of it was all the same. Now this place that she had run from was the place that would keep them all safe.

  "We have a lot to get ready for this trip to find Rafe," Alex said breaking into Max's thoughts. Max just nodded her agreement, though her sister wasn't looking at her.

  "You can stay behind if you want to, Max."

  "Why would I do that?" Max asked incredulously.

  "You have a lot to live for here."

  "So, do you, Alex! And we aren't dying. We are better together than apart," Max replied. She put her arm around her sister's waist.

  Max believed that completely. The Duncans were a force to be reckoned with when they were whole. They had picked up some valuable additions along the way. They were a strong team when they were together, watching each other’s backs. They were only missing Rafe. Determination welled in Max. They would find Rafe and make their family complete behind the walls. They would work to keep the compound viable. As a team, a family, they would survive.

  EPILOGUE

  Dear Max,

  Hey, babe. I'm not sure I'm supposed to be writing, but I found a pen and paper and couldn't wait. I'm writing by flashlight right now. We're on a pretty rigorous schedule. Lights out means lights out. All the guys in my dorm are passed out from being so tired.

  I couldn't sleep so I thought I'd write you a bit of a letter. I'm hoping to be able to mail this to you this week. I'm working hard and staying in line. I know you thought I would have a hard time listening and following orders. They don't give you much of a choice around here. Ha Ha. But I'm doing what my dad told me to do, keep my nose clean.

  I've been thinking a lot about you since I got here. It's only been a few weeks, but I miss you. And it's hard to not be able to talk to you or see you. Will you send me some photos of you? Maybe some of us from camping or something? This will be the longest we've not talked since we got together. I know you thought the time would be good for us, so I just keep telling myself that.

  Well, babe, I'm doing this for us. I don't mean to sound defeated, I'm not. I'm just homesick. But I'm going to do my absolute best because this is the way for us to start our life on the right foot. And once I get assigned a base, we'll move you there and we can be together. I love you, Max. I don't know if I tell you that enough. But just don't forget, that even though I'm here, I love you. And I'm thinking about you all the time.r />
  Love You,

  Griffin

  Dear Max,

  So, I missed you with my phone call today. Your dad said you were camping with Rafe for the week. I guess I'll have to try again next week. I'm dying to talk to you and actually hear your voice. Are you getting my letters? I haven't heard anything from you, so I'm including my address in this letter again, just in case you aren't writing it right or something.

  I've been hoping every day when they do mail call that I'll get something from you. I've gotten letters from my parents. They said they haven't seen you lately. I had hoped you would visit them while I was gone, so they wouldn't be lonely. But I understand your dad probably keeps you busy, especially now that you aren't in school.

  Well, I'm still working my ass off here. We run daily. And then sit-ups, push-ups, and pull-ups. We all have rotating duties too. Some of them really suck and then some are just boring. But just like most things around here, you don't really have a choice. You do the job, or you leave. And quitting isn't an option for me.

  I also have learned how to eat an entire meal in four minutes or less. Crazy, right? You always complained that I ate too fast, and now I'm only getting faster. They don't give you a lot of time for chow, so you choke down what you can without tasting anything. Just need it for fuel to face whatever is coming next.

  Babe, I really miss you. What is that saying about distance making the heart grow fonder? That's not to say I didn't love you before. But now, being away for so long, makes me realize how much I need you around. We are a great team. And I miss that team. Someday, Max, when I make you my wife, we'll be a team that faces the world together. Us against everything else!

  I hope I hear from you soon. I'm going crazy not knowing how you are.

  Love you,

  Griff

  Max,

  Why aren't you writing, Max? Have I done something to upset you? When I left, we talked and you said you understood and agreed with what I needed to do. I knew you weren't super happy about it. But I thought we agreed that our love could battle anything. And it wasn't going to be too long. You said you'd write and we would make this work together.

  I've tried to call you like ten times now. Every time your dad answers or there's no answer. And for some reason, your answering machine isn't picking up. Your dad isn't telling me why you aren't coming to the phone. Somehow, you're just never home when I call. How is that possible?

  Max, I love you more than anything. If I could just come home now and get you I would. But how do I ruin everything I'm working toward? And I'm working toward it for us, for you and me to have the life we've always talked about. Please, Max, I miss you. Even when you're being difficult, I even miss that. Write, please.

  I love you,

  Griffin

  Max,

  This is going to be the last letter I send, Max. It's been a year. I came home after boot camp. Did you know that? Even if you did, I guess you didn't care. I was at my house. I came to the compound, but the gate was closed and locked and no one answered when I hit the buzzer. I stayed out there longer than I should have. I feel stupid.

  I can't lie, Max, I feel like I'm adrift without you. Everything I planned in my life was because you would be by my side. I never loved anyone before you. I've never known what it is to have my heart crushed. I guess this is what it is. My guys from boot camp give me crap for acting like a woman. I try to not show them how badly I'm hurting. Someday, I guess it won't matter anymore.

  I thought when I met you, you were made for me, and I was made for you. Something changed your mind about us. And I wish I knew what that was. Whatever it was, it couldn't have been important enough to just cut me off without an explanation. I don't know if I could ever forgive you for this, Max.

  I don't even know why I'm writing this letter. I need closure. I need to say goodbye. Even if you will never read this, even if you just burn it. I know you won't reply. I think I lost all hope for that a while ago. I need to feel like I said my piece and I said goodbye.

  I left Montana believing I had your love, your faith. I believed I had you. I know we are just kids, Max, like your dad liked to remind us all the time. But what we had, our love, it wasn't just for kids. We would have made it for the long haul. I would have loved you every day of your life if you had let me. I guess I might still love you forever, but you'll never know it.

  Goodbye, Max. I hope whatever you found makes you happier than I did.

  Griffin

  <<<<>>>>

  Acknowledgements

  Thank you so much for joining Max Duncan on her escape to Montana. I hope you enjoyed her journey through the infected landscape of the country. The Duncan women hold a true place in my heart, with their strength and courage. To keep up with more of their stories, be sure to follow along on my website courtneykonstantin.com. I also post updates on my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCKonstantin.

  A huge thank you again to NoLine Designs (https://www.facebook.com/NoLineDesign) for a wonderful cover for SURVIVE. It’s always nice to work with someone that can take my rambling ideas and create something that represents the story so well. The cover is the first thing a reader sees when they look at a book. I wanted Max to look all the strong woman she is, and NoLine Designs got it done for me!

  As always my brainstorming bestie was by my side during the writing of SURVIVE. Thank you for reading every message I sent, no matter how long and all over the board it may have been. You always know when to rein me in when necessary, and push me further when I need it.

  It’s good that I have a great editor, since I have issues with commas apparently. Pam Ebeler from Undivided Editing keeps me on track with those evil little things, making sure I am able to concentrate on the bigger picture. Thanks for all your hard work Pam, I appreciate you!

  The Sundown Series is far from over. Be sure to tune in as the story continues with the search for Rafe Duncan!