Chapter 22

Mel’s POV

“Jaxon!” Ava cries, running full speed into her big brother’s arms. He scoops her up and spins her around as they both grin and laugh. I ignore the warm feeling watching them spreads through my chest. I can’t deny that even though he’s an asshole, he’s an amazing big brother.

I wait for Moon to come out of the building, but she doesn’t. Panic immediately surges through me. “Ava, where is my sister?” I ask, concealing my worry.

Ava blinks up at me with wide, green eyes—the same beautiful shade as Jaxon’s. “She was crying when the bell rang, and Mrs. Jones told her to stay behind.”

My heart sinks. What if her teacher calls our parents? That’s the last thing we need. I take off towards the building, shouting, “I’ll be right back!”

The hallway seems longer than usual as I follow Moon’s scent into the classroom. Mrs. Jones sits at her desk, while Moon sits across from her sobbing into her hands. As soon as she sees me, Mom runs over and throws her arms around me. My heart twists a