Heavy footsteps descended the stairs, and she could feel Lance’s presence before he was even in the room.

‘Brooke, I’m going out shortly, once I’ve made a phone call. I’ll return later with some food. Don’t go nosing around, ’cos nothing in this house is any of your business. You can watch the TV, listen to the radio, use the bathroom, and make a drink, but, other than that, you’re not to move,’ said Lance.

Brooke so wanted to laugh. His deep, scary voice, and his bossy tone, along with his scowling face, actually made her feel safe and secure. In fact, she wasn’t in the least intimidated by him. She could now understand why Kendall had wanted to live with him and why it must have been a real pain in the arse for her to be living at home with their mother.

‘Yes, sure, and, look, thank you, Lance. I mean, I’m so grateful. Really, I am.’

‘Um, yeah, well, I lost ya sister. I ain’t bleedin’ losing you an’ all. I’m gonna go and phone your mother.’

Brooke smiled at his miserable face, or was it just an unhappy one, she wondered? Perhaps he was just a man who’d been worn down by what life had thrown at him.

Lance stared for a while at the girl’s attractive blue eyes and her innocent smile. It sickened him to think of what had happened to her; she was such a sweet little thing, a waiflike china doll. Different from Kendall, perhaps, but her eyes were so familiar.

Straightaway, he chose to respond in kind. ‘Chinese takeaway then, is it?’

The upbeat tone in his voice gave Brooke the impression that she’d cracked the moody nut. ‘Yes please,’ she replied.

With the TV rattling off in the background, and Lance in the kitchen, Brooke was alone with just her thoughts. What a coincidence that Lance had happened to drive along the street at the same time she believed she was running for her life. She remembered the headlights and the car coming to a halt and then the massive man in front of her preventing her from running. Her initial thought was fear – this giant gripping her wrists, with her father on her heels. She didn’t know at the time who she was more scared of – her heart had been running like crazy. That was until the giant spoke.

‘Hey, calm down. Stop struggling. I’m not trying to harm you. Are you okay? Do you need the police?’