I said to Kian, “He’s fine. Let him go.”

He stepped back. His hand loosened its hold on Jake, and as it started to fall away, Jake shoved it away, snorting.

“So, this is Kian Maston.” He looked Kian up and down, his snarl returning to his mouth. “The infamous murderer. Great to meet you.”

I ignored Jake, and so did everyone else.

Instead, I looked back at Erica. When she realized it was me, hurt flashed in her eyes before she lowered her head.

“Erica?” I stepped toward her.

Her head snapped back up. “Stay away from me.” She was seething.

“Erica,” I started again.

“Get out.” She pointed to the door. “A team of federal agents took all your stuff. There’s nothing left for you here. Go.”

I moved forward a second step. I wasn’t going anywhere. “You’re here. My friends are here.”

“Oh, yeah?” Her nostrils flared. “The friends who you ran from.” She threw a dark look in Kian’s direction and said, “And the ones he came to save you from. Yeah, your friends, huh?”

Kian took off his sunglasses, cap, and hood as well. “I didn’t come to take her from you. I came to get her away from the media.”

The hostility level in her gaze dimmed just a bit, but she bit back, “I am the media.”

“Not anymore.” Kian pointed out the windows. “You’re the story.”

Erica’s lips flattened together. She didn’t have a response to that.

I looked at all of them. “I’m sorry I ran from the party. The media made my life hell, and I’m sorry that I had to keep—”

An alert from Jake’s phone went off. He checked it, hit a button on his phone, and stuffed it back into his pocket. He said to Erica, “It was her again.”

Erica cursed under her breath, raking her hands through her hair. “She won’t leave it alone.”

“Who?” I asked, my head skirting from Jake to Erica and back again. “Who texted you just now?”

“Oh, right.” Jake gave me a glaring look. “’Cause we’re friends still? That means, I owe you an answer.” The glare turned to ice as his eyes switched to Kian. “I don’t owe you a goddamn thing, Jo.”

“Jordan.”

We all looked at Erica.

She folded her arms over her chest, her chin rising in a challenge, as her eyes centered only on me. “Her name is Jordan.”

Oh, boy. My hand pressed against my side, trying to calm myself down.

It wouldn’t work though. I knew this wasn’t going to be easy. They were angry. They were hurt. And they had every reason to be.

“I’m sorry.” I looked each one of them in the eyes—Erica, Wanker, Jake, and back to Erica again. “I have never trusted one person in my life. Ever. The people who I should’ve…well, my foster father tried to kill me, and my foster mother let it happen.” I pointed to Kian. “He is the one person who protected me. And he’s done it over and over again. I lied to you all because I had no idea if I could go against everything I’d been taught in my life, and that was not to trust anyone.” I moved closer to Erica. I was within arm’s length now. “I am sorry if I hurt you. I really am.”

She was wavering. I saw it in her eyes. A softness was entering there. Her arms fell from her chest, and her head went back down, but she didn’t say anything. She was still so silent.

Maybe this was a mistake?

Since waking up, I knew I had to try, but maybe my lies were too much to overcome. I glanced at Kian, and I started to go toward him.

Erica said, stopping me, “Okay, okay. We really don’t have much to be pissed about.”

My eyes widened. A weight lifted from my chest. “Are you su—”

Jake muttered, “Fuck this.” He went for the door, shaking his head. His shoulders were tight in anger.

As he reached for the door handle, Erica called after him, “You can’t say a word, Jake!”

He stopped, but he didn’t turn around. “I won’t, but that doesn’t mean I have to stay here and listen to this bullshit either.” Yanking the door open, he threw over his shoulder, “Your secret’s safe. I won’t tell a soul you’re here.” He was gone then, and the door closed behind him.

Erica flicked her hand at him in a dismissive manner. She rolled her eyes, saying, “His ego is bruised. Seriously, like he’s got a leg to stand on. He was with you when he got back with his ex-girlfriend, and you two only started hanging out again. The way I see it, the only person who can be upset is me.”

Wanker cleared his throat.

She said to him, “She’s my roommate and friend.”

He folded his hands together and looked down at them, but his soft voice sounded. “She’s my friend, too.”

My heart melted then.

This was Wanker—the Wanker who had always been there; the Wanker who, if we’d ever needed anything, he would be there in a heartbeat; the Wanker who had loved Erica for two years and never said a word, never got upset when she picked another guy over and over again; and the same guy who would always be there for her, no matter who she picked.

Erica was very lucky to have Wanker in her life, and glancing at her now, I saw the softening on her face.

He took his glasses off, cleaned them with the bottom of his shirt, and put them back on. A rueful nod came my way, and the corner of his mouth lifted. “Thank you for coming back, Jo. Even if she doesn’t say it, Erica’s glad, too.”