Chapter 4The Ex I Hid Away

We were poor, but the house was warm.

Jax worked nights. Nana and I did handicrafts to sell.

When he got paid, we ate meat.

He gave me allowance. I saved it.

One day, I took the money to the mall and bought a box of men's brand-name boxers.

I shoved the box at him, my face burning.

"Your underwear on the clothesline has holes in it..."

He paused for two seconds.

"Nobody sees them but me. You manage a lot for a kid."

"Has... nobody seen them?" I asked without thinking.

He narrowed his eyes and pinched my cheek. "Harper, get your mind out of the gutter. Your brother doesn't sleep around!"

He looked at the box, and the corner of his mouth quirked up.

He lay on the couch playing on his phone while I did homework on the coffee table.

Once, he dug through my backpack and found a few love letters. His face went black.

"Harper, what is this?"

"Someone gave them to me."

"Who? Which little punk wants to die?"

"Jax! I rejected them! I brought them home to use as scrap paper for math."

He looked serious. "Focus on school. No dating."

Those two years were the brightest of my life. I had a Nana, a protector, a clean bed. I was full, safe, and happy.