Brendon looked at Megan and shook his head. His eyes were wide and his face pale. “Fuck a duck,” he said, before setting Gucci on the floor then rushing to the hallway.

Gucci followed, yapping insanely.

“I’m gonna make sure this door is well and truly locked once and for all,” Brendon shouted.

The deadbolt clicked then the chain rattled. Megan blew out a long, low breath. Her knees felt weak and muscle knots had formed around her shoulder blades.

“We don’t want any more raving loonies wandering in here.” Brendon appeared again. He stood in the doorway and tugged his scarf from around his neck. He threw it with a flourish onto the sofa. “I guess that’s how he got in. He just wandered through the unlocked door as if he lived here.” He scowled at Megan.

Her eyes stung, tears were threatening, and her throat felt thick. She was awash with emotions, but right now, feeling stupid for having got into that situation with Dylan was the overwhelming one. It didn’t help that Brendon was now looking at her like she was up for a gold medal in the idiot Olympics. “Yes.”

He tapped his hair, checking it hadn’t shifted from his trademark flick. “Georgie only told you about that yesterday.”

“I know. And it won’t happen again. Not now.” Her voice quivered on the last word. She turned, went to the kitchen window and quickly drew the blind. The thought that Dylan might still be out there, looking in made her feel violated, intruded upon. She didn’t want Dylan in her life ever again.

If she’d ever been in any doubt about that, the last ten minutes had laid it to rest.

“Hey, you okay?”

She felt Brendon’s hand on her shoulder. His softly spoken words and presence released the sob that had collected in her chest. It bubbled up, a big well of air that burst from her mouth and vibrated through her ribs.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay, you’re okay now.”

He pulled her close, setting her face against his neck and circling her body. He rubbed his palms up and down her back and over her shoulders. “He’s gone. It’s okay, there, there…”

Megan screwed up her eyes but tears still escaped. She’d never meant to wreck a man. Never meant to make him a danger to her. But it had certainly felt like that when he’d grabbed her, kissed her. She was no match to his strength and if Brendon hadn’t turned up when he had—it didn’t bear thinking about.

“Shh…” Brendon said against her head. He stroked her hair, over and over. “Shh…shh…”