“For fuck’s sake,” Reese mutters. “Can’t be nice, can you?”

Jude takes his hand cautiously, and I don’t blame him, before shaking it in a manly way. “It’s great to meet you. I’ve followed your career since you started playing for the Assassins.”

Dropping his hand, Phillip cocks his head to the side. “You like hockey? You aren’t one of those froufrou dancer boys?”

Jude scoffs, “Heck no, I love hockey and I play too. I’m going into the draft next year.”

“The NHL draft?”

Jude nods, the smug grin I love on his face, and pride warms my chest. Yup, that’s my man going into the draft. “Yes, sir.”

“No shit,” Phillip says. “I’m impressed, but I still don’t like you.”

He then turns and heads to the living room without another word to any of us, and I swear I’m going to kill him. Jude looks at me, and I look at Reese. She shakes her head and then lets out a long breath.

“Yeah, I got nothing, honey. Your uncle can be such an ass,” she says, heading after him.

I let out a breath as Jude comes to me, wrapping his arms around my waist. I’m so mad I could cry, but I don’t have time for that. I have to figure out how to get Phillip to give him a chance. He was nice to another guy I went out with – well, I mean, as nice as he could be – but he’s being downright rude to Jude, and I don’t get that. Jude isn’t a bad guy.

“That went great,” he says, but I can see in his eyes that what Phillip said sort of hurt his feelings, and that makes me even madder.

I roll my eyes as anger eats me alive. “I don’t get him. I’m sorry. He’s so good to me, but when it comes to me dating, he can be such an ass.”

“He’s protective and probably hopes to scare me away. But you know what?” he asks and I look up, my eyes meeting his.

“What?”

“While I will admit that I’m scared out of my mind of him, I’m not going anywhere. He will like me.”

A grin pulls at my lips. This is classic Jude: he isn’t a giving-up kind of guy. That’s something Phillip would like if he’d give Jude a chance!

“That’s good to know. But why are you scared of him?”

“’Cause he’s probably the only person who can take you away from me,” he says so quietly I almost don’t hear him. “I can’t let that happen, so I’m going to make sure he can at least tolerate me.”

“He can’t take me away, Jude. I’m yours,” I say with the hope of reassuring him.

But he’s shaking his head before I even finish the sentence. “No, he can. I know that because I know how much he means to you. Don’t worry, I’ll grow on him.”

He’s probably right, but I don’t want to accept that. I want to think that I’ll be with Jude for the rest of my life, even if Phillip hates him.

“But he isn’t even giving you a chance,” I say, letting out a breath, my eyes itching with tears.

“Don’t worry your pretty little head about it – it will work out.”

Running my hands up his chest to his neck, I lace my fingers together and bring him down to where my lips almost touch his. Looking deep into his eyes, I smile and can’t believe how much I love this guy. The fact that he’ll face my uncle even though he’s scared of him speaks volumes about him and also makes me feel like a complete asshole. I wasn’t strong enough to say no to Ms. Prissy and the money she offered. Instead, I caved and now I’m continuing to lie to the person I love. While I know it’s wrong, I just can’t seem to tell him. I need the money, and hopefully I can get through this last month and after that quit and never look back. But sometimes when I get lost in his green eyes, I wonder what he would say if I told him. I wonder if he would love me enough to accept it.

Bringing his lips to mine, I close my eyes tightly and let the kiss show how much I love him. I’m about to deepen the kiss when I hear, “Yeah, you kissing her in my house isn’t going to help me like you.”

Parting, I find Phillip watching us, and of course, he’s glaring.

“Sorry, sir,” Jude says then, taking a good step away from me.

I roll my eyes and let out a breath as I stomp toward Phillip. “I am so mad at you,” I say as I pass him.

“You’ll thank me one day,” he calls to me.

“The hell I will,” I say, whipping around to look at him. “You claim to love me, that I mean the world to you, but you can’t even give Jude a chance. That’s screwed up.”

“I do love you, Claire, more than anything in this world, but this guy is not it for you.”

“How do you know? You haven’t even talked to him!”

“’Cause he’s dating you,” he says like it answers all.

He’s so frustrating! I want to strangle him!

“I love her,” Jude says just as I’m about to say something. I look at him and Phillip does the same as Jude walks up beside me, lacing his fingers with mine. “And I know that means nothing to you. I know you see me as some punk kid off the street, but I am actually a good guy, and I love her so much. I don’t ever want anything bad to happen to her. I would like nothing more than to have the opportunity to prove that to you.”

I squeeze his hand, and he looks down at me as I smile. When I glance at Phillip, he’s looking at us, shaking his head. I think he’s going to say something amazing, like “Yes, Jude, I accept you,” but instead he says, “Dinner is ready.”

As he heads to the kitchen, I shake my head and say, “What an ass!”

Jude kisses my jaw and then whispers, “It’s going to work out.”

Pulling back, I meet his gaze. “I hope you’re right.”

“Aren’t I always?”

He gives me a goofy grin and I laugh. “Sure,” I say offhandedly and then pull him to the living room where we discard our jackets before heading to the dining room. Phillip is sitting at the head of the table, his phone out, as Reese brings out the food.

“Do you need help?” I ask and she shakes her head, sending me a grin.

“No, babe, I’m done. Y’all have a seat,” she says.

Jude pulls out my seat for me, and I look to see if Phillip saw that, but whatever is on his phone must be very important. “Thank you,” I say, giving him a wide grin as I sit down.