Boarded by Love Read online

  “That’s not fair!” I say, stomping my foot on the ground like a five-year-old. “Please, he really is special to me.”

  “If she cares for him, you should give him a chance!” Reese yells and Phillip cuts her a look that could kill. I don’t think it scares her much because she gives him one right back.

  “I don’t care. Move,” he says, trying to push me out of the way, but it’s obvious he’s not trying hard since I’m not moving much. He probably doesn’t want to hurt me, but I don’t think he realizes that he is by not giving Jude a chance.

  “Please, Phillip,” I basically whisper. “Please give him a chance,” I say hoping that if I ask nicely enough and bat my eyes at him, it will work.

  Looking at me, his eyes locking with mine, and I think I have him, but he says, “No.”

  He then pushes me hard to the side, knocking me out of the way, and he throws the door open without even giving me a side glance. As he steps through, I yell, “But Daddy, I love him!”

  He pauses mid-step and looks over his shoulder at me as Jude goes, “I knew you were my little mermaid.”

  I hadn’t realized he was there, and while I would love to grin at him since I am acting like a very dramatic Ariel, my eyes stay locked with Phillip’s. Taking a deep breath in, I say, “I love him, Phillip, like, a lot. If you love me, then please give the guy I love a chance. He means a lot to me, and I think that you’d actually like him.”

  He doesn’t say anything for a moment, only turns and places his hands on his hips. “You love him?”

  I nod. “Yeah, I do.”

  He looks at Reese and she shrugs her shoulders. “She’s right. If you love her, you have to give the guy she loves a chance, Phillip. It’s only fair.”

  “I don’t give a shit what’s fair. The guy is a delinquent.”

  “Actually I’m not,” Jude says then. “I’m really pretty awesome.”

  “And cocky obviously,” Phillip says and I smile.

  “Yes, very, but I love him,” I say, hoping to God that he gives Jude a chance. Phillip means the world to me, and I can’t have him not like Jude the way I do. I’m not saying he has to pick flowers and paint hearts with him, but I’d really like it if he would at least be in the same room with him.

  Shaking his head, he asks, “How long have you been with this guy?”

  “Almost a month,” I answer.

  “And you love him? Do you even know what love is?” he asks incredulously.

  “Yeah, I do. I learned from you and Reese.”

  I knew that would get him, but maybe I’m wrong because he’s still glaring at me. I’m holding my breath, my heart pounding, and I don’t know how this is going to go. Taking in a deep breath, I let it out as Phillip starts to shake his head. Then his eyes cut to where Jude stands and Jude quickly stands up straighter, his hands coming out of his pockets and dangling to his sides awkwardly.

  He wants Phillip to like him, and I find that incredibly sweet.

  “Fine, what’s your name again?” Phillip barks at him.

  “Jude Sinclair.”

  Phillip steps up to him, holding out his hand. “I’d like to say it’s nice to meet you, but I’m still on the fence about that.”

  “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