Free Honor Unraveled by Elaine Levine Page A

the video feed from Max. Good on Max for getting right to the heart of the situation—King, whoever the hell he was. Sounded as though Pete was a connection to the bastard.
    Greer looked up at him. “Hey, Kit, your girls are in the living room. I think they’re about to come to blows. You might want to tell them to take it outside if they don’t want us to overhear them.”  
    Kit pivoted, then headed through the weapons vault to the elevator. The door slid open right away, and Blade stepped into the cab with him before the doors closed again.
    “How’re things going with the girls?” Blade asked.
    Kit sighed, then shook his head. “Good with Casey.” He looked at Blade. “I really like my daughter. Ivy’s done a good job with her. She’s a lot like me. Or like I was.”
    “Angry and ballsy?”
    “Yeah. And something of an outcast.”
    “And Ivy?”
    “I don’t know. I can’t seem to reach her.” The elevator opened in the closet of the master bedroom. “How about you and Eden?”
    “We’re getting married.”  
    Blade was all grins and joy. Kit had to look away, busying himself with opening the hidden closet panel and closing it again. “That’s great, man. I’m happy for you.” He faced Blade. “Been a long time coming, true?”
    “Yeah. So, Kit?”
    “Uh-huh?”
    “Can we quit stalling and go break up the cat fight?”
    Kit grinned, then sighed. “Yeah.” They moved out of the master bedroom and down the hall. By the time they’d reached the media room, they could hear Ivy and Casey arguing in the living room. They slowed as they neared, then Kit paused a few feet from the end of the hallway, listening to their exchange.
    “Casey,” Ivy said in a calm but authoritative voice, “this isn’t something we have a choice in. Your dad and I have discussed your summer camp. It can’t happen this summer.”
    “I’ve gone there for the last three years. You promised I could go. You’ve already paid for it.”
    “And things have changed since then. I’m sorry. We are where we are. We’ll find things to do here. We’ll have fun.”
    “You’re not listening, Mom.”
    “I am listening, Case. I know you’re disappointed—”  
    “No. You don’t know that. And you never listen to me. I hate you!”
    At that, Kit hurried into the room. “Whoa! That’s your mother you’re speaking to, little girl.” He caught Casey around the shoulders and spun her around, then marched her to the back door with a hand at the base of her neck.
    “Kit, please. Don’t do this.” Ivy hurried after them, but he ignored her—in part because he was trying to get his temper under control and in part because, screw it all, as Casey’s dad, he did have a right to participate in correcting her.  
    “We were having a conversation,” she continued. “I don’t need you to come in here and take things over. Kit! Where are you going?”
    He led Casey outside. On the porch, he sent a look back, seeing Blade keep pace with Ivy. He nodded at his friend. He heard Blade say to Ivy, “Let ’em go, Ivy. It’s gonna be okay. He’ll back you up.”

    Blade wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her back as Kit walked away with Casey. Ivy tried to get free of his grip, but she might as well have been trying to bend an iron bar. “Let me go, Ty.”
    “No. Let them talk it out. He’s the reason Casey can’t go to camp. We’re all why. You shouldn’t have to take the heat for that.”
    “Dammit, Ty, let me go. This doesn’t concern you.”
    “It does—you and Kit are two of my best friends.”
    “He doesn’t know how to deal with her when she gets like this. Where’s he taking her?” Kit was marching Casey at a fast clip across the lawn to the side of the garage. Casey had to jog to keep up with him. Ivy struggled against Ty’s hold. “He’s going to hit her. You saw how angry he was.”
    “He’s never hit us and we piss him off all the time. Give him a chance, Ivy.”
    “I don’t strike