I CAUGHT THE CHAIRMAN’S FIANCÉE BURNING HIS DAUGHTER’S HAIR WITH A CURLING IRON. I SCREAMED AND SHOVED HER AWAY, THINKING MY LIFE WAS OVER. THEN HE WALKED IN—AND DID THE UNTHINKABLE.

The first month of living full-time in the Pine Ridge cabin was a steep learning curve for Jax.

Breakfast on the first Monday was a disaster. Jax managed to burn the toast so badly the smoke detector went off, sending him running across the kitchen with a towel while Leo giggled hysterically from the table.

""It’s not funny, kid!"" Jax barked softly, trying not to smile as he opened the kitchen window to let the smoke out.

""It’s super black, Jax!"" Leo laughed, pointing at the charred bread. ""It looks like your motorcycle tires!""

Jax threw the burnt toast in the trash and sighed, shaking his head. ""Alright, wise guy. Cereal it is.""

Despite the minor chaos, small routines began to form. Every afternoon at three, Jax would park his bike outside the local elementary school, waiting by the fence as the bell rang. Leo would run out through the double doors, his oversized backpack bouncing against his spine, and charge straight into Jax’s arms.

Every evening, they sat at the wooden table doing third-grade math homework. Jax’s large, tattooed hands looked comical holding a tiny yellow pencil as he helped Leo figure out fractions, but he never rushed, never lost his patience, and never stopped encouraging the boy.