She felt his calming presence behind her a moment later. “This isn’t something for you to be concerned about, Remi.”

“I know,” she said.

“I’ll protect you. I won’t let that son of a bitch anywhere near you or Camille. Or anyone else on this island.”

“I know,” she said again.

He was silent for a long beat, and she felt the weight of his gaze on her. “However,” he began.

She closed her eyes.

“This means you can’t go anywhere alone. Neither can Camille. You two need to stay in the house until we find him.”

“She said Mexico,” she said, nodding in her mother’s direction.

“That was his family’s plane. The flight plan they filed this morning. The Chicago PD isn’t too concerned about tracking down someone for domestic assault in Cancun.”

“You don’t think he’s on that plane?” she guessed.

He shook his head. “Remi, it’s already hit the news. The divorce, the abuse allegations, and now a botched arrest. He’s got nothing left to lose.”

She closed her eyes again and let out a shaky breath. The one thing, the tiny veneer of protection Camille had against the monster, had been stripped away. Warren Vorhees no longer had a face worth saving. He was already ruined. And there was only one thing worth living for now.

Revenge.

“He’s coming here,” she said.

“He won’t get near you as long as you do what I say.”

She felt utterly helpless and disgusted by it. Brick and her mother could strap on guns and march off to face danger. But she had to lock herself away inside and wait for someone else to finish the fight. It felt wrong. Because this was as much her fight as anyone else’s.

If Warren was out for blood, so was she. She wanted to be the one to turn the key in the lock. To watch the embers of his power snuff out and die. She wanted him to be revealed for exactly what he was. An inhuman monster with nothing to live for.

“Remington,” Brick said, the warning clear in his growl.

“What?” she asked, stubbornly.

“I know that look. This isn’t some illegal party on Round Island that you’re missing out on. This is life or death. This is a battle I’m trained to fight. One that I’m not going to lose. But you have to do your part.”

“Yeah. My part is to play the damsel in distress in my stupid ivory tower because once again, I’m incapable of taking care of myself.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

“This isn’t me going off to fight your war. We’re partners in this. And we’ve got to play to our strengths. Which means I go break the bad guy’s face while you keep Camille in one piece. She needs you right now. She’s minutes from falling to pieces. That’s why she came to you. Because you’re the strong one. So let me fight the enemy while you protect your friend.”