CHAPTER 73

MELISSA’S POV

The boys' laughter filled the small living room as they raced around the space, their boundless energy infectious despite the lingering tension that weighed on me like a heavy cloak. I couldn’t help but smile at them; their innocence and joy were a bright spot in the otherwise dark storm that had been my life lately. I moved into the kitchen, watching them from the corner of my eye as I set down their bags and began tidying up the space. The smell of smoke still clung faintly to the walls, a grim reminder of how close we had come to losing everything the night before.

Tyler and Dylan darted into the kitchen, giggling and dodging imaginary monsters, and I forced myself to focus on them—on their safety, their happiness. They were my world now, and I couldn’t afford to let my emotions about Knox, or the situation I’d been forced into, take precedence over their well-being.

“Alright, you two,” I said, trying to keep my voice light and cheerful. “Who’s hungry?”

“I am!” Dylan