Honor Unraveled (35 page)

“I hope they didn’t wake you,” Ivy said.

“I was waiting for the call.” Rocco stepped off the last step and shoved his hands in his pockets. “You haven’t met Selena yet. Thought I’d come down and be a buffer.” He grinned.

A buffer for what? What had happened with Casey? Ivy frowned. “Do you know Selena?”

“Only by name, and, well, reputation. She’s an active Red Teamer. The only female among them. Let’s just say I wouldn’t want to be alone in a room with her.”

Great. That was the woman Kit selected to protect their daughter? Oh yeah, they were going to have words.

The garage door opened. Ivy and Rocco moved to the hallway leading to the garage. Rocco tapped his ear and said, “Copy that.” The garage door closed, then two car doors closed. Casey opened the door to the hallway and came in carrying her duffel, looking pale. When she saw Ivy, she dropped her bag and ran forward.
 

“Mom!” Casey wrapped her arms around Ivy. Her grip was tight, and she was shaking.

Ivy lifted her gaze from Casey to the young woman who followed her in. Whatever she’d been expecting, it wasn’t the lean woman standing before her with pale green eyes and a wicked slash across her jaw. She was taller than Ivy, but most women were.

When Selena set Casey’s sleeping bag down, Ivy saw more long scratches going down one side of her, like something enormous had clawed through her clothes. Blood streaked one side of her, from thigh to chin.

“Omigosh. What happened?” Ivy turned to Casey, wanting to get a better look at her daughter. Some dark red spots were on her tee, but it didn’t look like it was her blood.

Ivy reached for Selena’s hand. Taking Casey by the shoulders, she led them into the den.
 

“Selena.” Rocco acknowledged her with a nod as she passed him.

“Rocco.” The girl’s response was short, brief, and utterly dismissive. No wonder he didn’t seem to like her.
 

Ivy led Selena over to the bathroom that was in the den. “Let me take a look at your cuts. You may need to go down to the clinic in town. They’re nasty.”

“I’m fine. Let me just wash up. Give me a minute, ’kay? You all right, grasshopper?”

Casey grinned. “Now I am. Thanks for everything, Selena.”

Rocco looked visibly relieved when Selena stepped into the bathroom and closed the door.
 

“There’s a first-aid kit in there, Selena. If you need more bandages, let me know.” Ivy looked at Casey, checking her over closely. “What happened tonight? Are you hurt?”

“No. Selena got cut by a whip.”

“Who would do something like that?”

“I don’t know. I was looking for my friend.” Casey looked at Ivy, then at Rocco. “It was a game.” Rocco crossed his arms and frowned down at her. “But it went bad. I got lost in the woods. Then I got scared and hit Dad’s alarm. And then Selena found me. Then we found some boys that I thought were from the boys’ camp, only they weren’t. It was dark by then. But they weren’t dressed like regular boys. They wouldn’t let us leave. One of them had a whip. He was going to hit me with it, but Selena stepped in front of it. Then they went away and then Dad said leave and we did.”

Rocco looked away and pressed his ear, then said, “On my way.” He started for the door. “I need to check out something outside. Stay inside. Get Selena a guest room. I think Kit and Owen are going to want to talk to her more tomorrow when things settle down.”

Ivy nodded. She wrapped an arm around Casey and gave her another hug. “I’ve missed you.”

“I missed you, too. Camp was fun. Until tonight. But once I got there, I kinda wanted to be back here.”

“That’s always the way, isn’t it?” She knocked on the bathroom door. “Selena—I’m going to get you a change of clothes. Be right back.”

Casey followed her out of the den, staying close like a frightened child. Ivy flipped on the lights in her room. Casey sat on her bed. Ivy went to the dresser and started looking for something that would fit Selena. She had plenty of oversized tees, but her knit workout pants would probably be capris on the tall woman. She picked a pair of knit cutoffs.

“Mom? Can I stay with you tonight?”

It was on the tip of Ivy’s tongue to say yes, but then she remembered her promise to Kit. She had a lot to fill Casey in on. Given the circumstances, she hoped Kit would understand. Casey had had a terrible scare and needed to feel safe tonight. “Of course you can, honey.” She held the outfit she’d gathered for Selena tightly against her chest, trying to figure out if it was or wasn’t the right time to tell Casey the big news.
 

Sometimes, news like that needed to be told sooner rather than later.
 

She sat next to her daughter on the foot of the bed. “I have something to tell you.”

Casey took a minute to answer. She tensed, pulling in toward herself. “What is it?”

“Your dad and I are getting back together.”

“Yes!” Casey jumped up, then bent to give Ivy a big hug, still jumping. “I was so afraid you wouldn’t, Mom. That’s really why I wanted to come home. I didn’t think Dad would still be here when I got back.”

A sound of clapping came from behind them, over by the bathroom. A man stepped out of the little entrance hallway. He was of medium height with thick, dark hair and a beard that was closely trimmed. Ivy knew at once this was one of Kit’s enemies. She stood and pushed Casey behind her, sending a panicked look toward the door. They’d have to get past him to make it out into the sitting room.

“Such a touching story,” the man said in a voice that was soft, yet highly cultured. “Unfortunately, it appears your daughter’s fears were well founded. Only it’s her father who will never see his child again.”

With an arm bent around Casey’s waist, Ivy moved them back a step toward the dresser. The man took a gun out of his waistband. “Yes, let’s do get a move-on, shall we? I have a car waiting out front. If you don’t do as I say, I will put a bullet in your daughter.”

“She’s a child. An innocent. Leave her alone. I’ll go with you.”

“There are no innocents in this war. Children grow up to fight with their fathers. Mr. Bolanger must learn what the costs are of the war he wages with us.”

Ivy moved toward the door, keeping herself between the man and Casey as they edged their way out of her room into the sitting room. The camera there was active. Ivy had no way of knowing if Greer was watching them and could send help. If she was going to get out of this situation—or at least get Casey out of it—she had to act fast. She moved Casey in front of her.

The man shoved her forward. “Yes. I see the cameras. Let’s hurry from this area.”

When they reached Casey’s open door, Ivy shoved her daughter inside her room.

“Nooo!” the man behind Ivy screamed. He grabbed for Casey, but Ivy blocked him, pulling her door closed.
 

“Casey! Lock yourself in the bathroom! Hurry!”

“You bitch! You just got your daughter killed!” He hit Ivy on the side of her head with his gun, stunning her momentarily—long enough to push her aside and hurry into the bedroom. He ran over to the bathroom door and tried to open it, but it was locked. He opened fire, shooting big holes in the heavy wooden door, aiming all of his shots down at an angle where a child might be crouching on the floor.
 

Ivy screamed as she ran at the guy. Before she could get close, however, something—someone—flashed past her. Selena. She jumped at the man, crashing him into the doorframe of the bathroom. He turned to her, leveling the gun on her, but she bent it in his grip, pointing it back at him before yanking it from his hand. She handed the gun to Ivy without taking her eyes from the man. In the next instant, she kneed his crotch. When he bent over, she took hold of his head and backed him toward the exit. At the door, she jumped and grabbed the lip of the doorjamb, using her momentum and height to kick his head, clearing him out of Casey’s room.
 

There was a commotion in the hall. Ivy was dimly aware of lots of people joining the fight. Ivy looked up and saw the holes in Casey’s bathroom door. She screamed Casey’s name as she scrambled to her feet and tried to open the locked door.
 

And then Kit was there. He kicked the door in and hurried inside. Ivy clutched her face, terrified of seeing blood splattered around the tile walls.
 

But there was nothing. And no Casey.

“Mom! Dad!” came a muffled cry from inside Casey’s room. Ivy hit her knees, setting the gun aside as she saw Casey climbing out from under her bed. Casey scrambled over to Ivy, wrapping her arms around her. “I’m sorry I didn’t go into the bathroom. He was right there. I was almost inside, but then I thought it would be better to hide. I locked the door, then dived under the bed.”

“You are so smart.” Ivy held her daughter to her, rocking her.

Kit walked out into the hallway briefly, then returned. Ivy looked up at him, smiling through her tears as she held their daughter. He looked carved from stone—pale, cold, hard. A warrior immortalized. He helped them to their feet. “C’mon. I’m not letting you out of my sight. Are you hurt?”
 

“No. Just scared. How did he get in here?” Ivy asked.

“We’ll find out.”

“Here.” She fetched the intruder’s gun. “This was his. Who was he?”

Kit took the gun from her, uncocked it, then tucked it into his waistband. “Amir Hadad.” He said nothing more as he led them out into the hall. A crowd had gathered in the foyer and on the bridge across it upstairs. Looked like all the guys had returned. As Ivy watched, Selena put a knee on the intruder and bent his arm up behind him. She grabbed a fistful of his hair and slammed his face against the tile floor.

“Selena! Enough.” Owen’s crisp command broke the stunned silence of the gathering.
 

Ivy could see Selena’s profile as she looked up at Owen. Her teeth were clenched in a snarl. The cut on her jaw had reopened and was leaking blood down her neck. Another cut had opened on her cheek.
 

“Goddamn.
That’s
Selena?” Val said. “Can we keep her?” he asked Owen.

“He tried to kill my charge,” she snarled at Owen, ignoring Val. “It’s enough when he’s dead.”

Rocco came inside, holding the collars of two men who were obviously in cahoots with Amir. “Found these two outside waiting for Amir.” He shoved them inside.
 

“Angel, Blade, secure the three of them, then wait outside for Lobo,” Owen called out orders. “Greer, call for a pick-up.”

Angel hoisted Amir to his feet. His once pretty, immaculately groomed face was bloodied and his nose rested at a bad angle. He looked as if he were about to spit at Selena, but Angel yanked him away and the spittle landed on the floor, along with a tooth.

Selena would have mopped the floor with him, if Owen hadn’t grabbed her around the waist and held her in place. In short order, Amir and his getaway drivers were zip-tied and led outside.

Selena pushed away from Owen. But not far enough away. He reached a hand up to gently grip her chin and turn her face for a better look at her cuts.

“Get your hands off me before I take them off for you,” she bit out through clenched teeth.

He didn’t release her. “What happened? How is it you’re sliced up like this?”

“Do you touch your men?” Owen’s nostrils flared as her message got across. “No? Then don’t touch me.” He lowered his hand. She moved back a step. “The boys that lured Casey into the woods weren’t normal. One of them had tats for eyebrows. There were a lot of them, but we only saw two up close. They seemed structured and organized. One had a whip. Fang went after them. Ask him if you want more info.” She glared at Owen.
 

“Casey, these boys, had you seen them before at camp?” Owen asked.

Casey shook her head. “No. Davy and some of his friends were sitting with us at the barbecue.” She shrugged, sending Kit a quick look. “There was a dance, too. I danced with some of Davy’s friends, and then they were there and I danced with them.” She was blushing a deep shade of red. “During the season, our side did several events with the boys’ side of camp. I don’t remember seeing them before.”

Selena looked at Kit. “No late comers joined either the boys’ or girls’ groups. Fang and I would have noticed them.”

“So no one thought to question the counselors when additional kids showed up at the barbecue?” Kit asked Selena.

“I didn’t see them at cook-out. I didn’t notice them until I saw them lead Casey into the woods.”

“I have a feeling we know who they are,” Blade spoke up. “They’re Holbrook’s boys. He said they were training them.”

“For what?” Selena asked disbelievingly.

Blade shook his head. “Something he called Armageddon.”

Owen sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. This was becoming a conversation for cleared ears only. “You need to have your injuries looked at, Selena. Kelan, get her down to the clinic.”
 

“I don’t need a doctor. I need a hot shower and change of clothes. Then I’ll be on my way.”

“Negative. You’ll follow orders.”

“You aren’t in charge of me.”

Owen laughed. “I sure as fuck am. You’re on loan to me. You answer to me and will follow my goddamned orders.” He looked over at Kelan. “Go. When they release her, bring her back here.”