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“Shannon.”

“Shannon Maud Lynch, open the fucking door or I’m going to kick it down!” Darren bellowed.

Johnny arched a brow. “Your middle name isMaud?”

Cringing, I nodded. “My parents hate me.”

He grimaced in sympathy. “Ouch.”

“I’m knocking this door down in five, four, three, two—”

“Okay, okay, I’m coming!” Summoning every ounce of bravery inside of me, I inhaled a steadying breath, walked over to the door, and flicked the lock. “Just be cool,” I whispered to myself as I cracked the door open just enough to pop my head out. “Hey, Darren, what’s up?”

“Send him out” was my brother’s terse response. “Now.”

“Who?” I asked, playing dumb.

“Your boyfriend.”

“My boyfriend?”

Darren’s face turned purple. “Shannon, pack it in.”

“It’s alright, Shan,” Johnny said as he gently tugged me away from the door before swinging it inward. “Before you say it, I’m already leaving,” he told Darren. “And no, I won’t do it again.”

“Not so fast,” my brother growled, folding his arms across his chest. “Are you being safe with my sister?”

“I’m not talking about Shannon with you or anyone else,” Johnny replied, jaw clenched.

“Oh, you can bet your hotshot ass you’re going to talk to me,” Darren countered. “I’m her brother.”

“Her brother,” Johnny agreed, folding his arms across his chest. “Not her fucking keeper.”

“Darren,” I spluttered. “Stop.”

“Don’t ‘Darren’ me,” he shot back, glaring at me. “Your blouse is inside out and buttoned all wrong, and you’re locked up in your bedroom”—he gestured stiffly to Johnny—“with him looking like every teenage girl’s wet dream.”

“Oh my god,” I choked out, mortified. “Stop talking.”

“Are you protecting her?” he continued, directing his question at Johnny. “Are you being safe? Am I going to have to worry about her coming home with a plus-one?”

“What I do or don’t do with Shannon is none of your bleeding business,” Johnny shot back, looking wholly enraged. “So back the fuck off.”

“It’s my business if she comes home pregnant—”

“No,” Johnny snapped, interrupting him. “It’smybusiness if that happens. Not yours or any other member of your fucked-up family’s. It’smine.” Turning back to me, he pressed a kiss to my cheek and said, “Bye, Shannon,” before stalking out of my bedroom.

“Bye, Johnny,” I croaked out.

“Don’t let me catch you in my sister’s room again, Kavanagh,” Darren called after him.

“Yeah, yeah,” Johnny shot back, not missing a beat. “I’ll call you later, babe.”

“Yeah,” I breathed, staring after him as he disappeared down the staircase. “Okay.”

“If Mam had caught him in here, this would have ended very differently,” Darren grumbled when the front door slammed shut.

Unable to wipe the smile from my face, I walked over to my bed and flopped down with a contented sigh.

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