I didn’t know how to respond to that. It seemed so unfair that this sweet, kind-hearted boy was saddled with so much guilt, probably for the rest of his life, because he simply trusted the wrong person.

“It’s all her fault,” I said, anger bubbling up inside me. “Scarlett Epistola. I’m just thankful she’s locked up where she’ll never be able to hurt anyone again.”

Vik gave me an odd look.

“What?” I asked.

“You haven’t heard?”

“Heard what?”

“She escaped,” he said. “On the way to the asylum. They can’t find her. She’s on the loose somewhere.”

My stomach lurched. For the last four days, I’d been walking around like I had a bubble of protection over me, and now that bubble had burst.

“I have to find Riley,” I said. I began looking around frantically, but he was nowhere in sight. Before I could take off running to seek him, Vik’s strong hands grabbed me by the shoulders.

“Don’t be afraid, Andi,” he said. “Even if she comes back here, I won’t let her touch you. I won’t fail you again.”

Instantly, I felt a little bit calmer.

“I know you won’t,” I said sincerely. “You and Riley both. You’ll protect me.”

At the mention of Riley’s name, Vik flinched.

“You really like him, don’t you?” he said, releasing me.

“No, Vik,” I said gently. “I love him.”

“But he’s…” He hesitated as if trying to choose from a thousand different things he wanted say against my boyfriend. He settled for a soft but determined, “He’s dangerous, Andi.”

“No, he isn’t. Not to me.”

Vik sighed, resigned.

“Okay,” he said. “I’ll back off. But if he ever hurts you, I’ll be here.”

For some reason, I found myself blushing.

“That won’t be necessary,” I said. “But thanks.”

Just then, Riley reappeared across the street, holding a water bottle. His eyes narrowed when he saw who I was talking to.

“See you later!” I said to Vik as I hurried away. The last thing I wanted was for him to end up like Travis.

“What did he want?” Riley demanded. “What did he say to you? Did he hurt you?”

“Of course not!” I said. “I approached him. And all he did was apologize.”

Riley snorted. “Apologize! Does he imagine a simple apology can erase what he did?”

“No, he doesn’t,” I replied. “But I forgave him, anyway.”

I tried to explain again what it meant that Vik and I had been best friends for as long as either of us could remember, that he was the closest thing I had to a brother, and that one mistake, even a mistake this big, didn’t cancel all that out. I don’t think Riley really got it, but in the end, I at least convinced him to leave Vik alone.