“I’ve been keeping an eye on Vorhees like you asked. He comes and goes, flies to D.C. a lot. But this is the first time she’s been out of the house on her own. No husband, no security. She just went shopping. When she got back to the parking garage, he was waiting behind her car. He grabbed her. There wasn’t anyone else around, and he just lost his damn mind. He hit her in the face, and she went down.”

“What did you do, Dad?”

“I did what I had to do. I called 911 and then hit the son of a bitch over the head with the bat I keep in the car. I picked her up, helped her into my car, and we took off.”

“You drove straight here?” Brick ran the calculations.

“Straight through. Six hours. Police scanner picked up a mugging victim in the parking garage about forty minutes after we left.”

“Fuck.”

“He’s a goddamn monster, son. I witnessed it firsthand. I’ll say it in any court of law.”

“You better hope you get the opportunity. Do you know who you’re messing with? Do you know who you just brought to my island? To my doorstep?” To his woman. His future.

“I do know.” William’s tone was serious. “But what else was I supposed to do, Will?”

“It’s Brick,” he corrected automatically.

His father blinked. “Brick? As in brick wall?”

“Pretty much.” He rubbed a hand over his forehead. He had too many things he needed to be doing right now. Too many preparations to make to have this conversation. “Look, make yourself at home. Or whatever. I need to make some calls.”

“Sure,” William said. “If you don’t mind, I’ll go check in on Cami. We bonded a little bit on our drive.”

“Fine. Whatever,” Brick said, already lost in preparations.

His father hurried off in the direction of the kitchen.

“Uncle Brick?” Hadley appeared on the bottom step, hand wrapped around the newel post.

“Yeah, Had?” he said wearily. He had a houseful of women that needed protecting. A houseful of women who would deny that until the bitter end. And his own father had goaded a madman.

“Are you mad at that man for bringing Aunt Remi’s friend here?”

Yes. “No. I’m...concerned.”

“Is she in trouble?”

He was big on protecting kids from ugly truths whenever he could. But in this instance, innocence needed to take a backseat to vigilance.

“She is. And that trouble could come here, Hadley. So I need you to keep an eye out. You’re a good observer. If you see anyone paying too much attention to this house, or to your aunt Remi, I need to know. Got it?”

She nodded solemnly. “I’ll keep watching.”

Going on instinct, he gave the girl a one-armed hug and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “We’ll all be okay,” he promised.

She gave him a small smile. “I know we will. You’re here.”

“Go check on your brother, okay? Make sure he isn’t brushing Mega’s teeth with my toothbrush.”