Page 60 of Real Tree / Fake Boyfriend

“Fingers! Watch your fingers,” Tyler said quickly, getting to his knees.

Julien tucked his hands away from the track of people with literal blades on their feet. He did not need to lose a finger. That was what he had been trying to prevent with the Rossi’s.

“I think maybe we should take a break,” he finally said when Tyler clumsily reached his feet. “We can grab a drink.”

Tyler bit his lip, amusement dancing in his eyes. “Yeah, good idea. The people watching is the best part anyway.” He offered a hand to Julien.

Julien thought crawling back to the exit would be a better solution. With Tyler’s help, he managed to get to his feet and hold desperately onto the wall. Jules thankfully did not fall again. When he was safely back in his boots, hetook a breath.

“Sorry.” Tyler pouted. “I thought this would be fun, but you looked like you wanted to die that entire time.”

Julien shrugged. “It’s fine. It’s good to try new things. I guess.” He reached over to push Tyler’s glasses up his nose. “It was fun,” he promised. Even if he had feared for his life.

Tyler rolled his eyes. “You don’t have to lie to me,” he said with a laugh. “I’m going to grab some drinks. Maybe some French fries? Want anything?”

Julien shrugged. “Yeah, fries and a cold drink filled with poison and sugar,” he joked weakly. “I need a smoke. I’ll be back.”

Tyler grinned. “Got it.” He stood up and went to the concessions while Julien left the rink.

It felt colder now that Julien wasn’t fighting for his life on the ice. Occasionally, he noticed a tiny flake of snow fall from the sky. It hadn’t snowed the whole time Jules had been in Connecticut, but it looked like the sky was ready to open up with a proper snowstorm. The world seemed so white, and Julien wished he had sunglasses, even though the sun was nowhere to be seen.

He looked out at the people bundled up, walking with last-minute bags of shopping or random treats here and there from the candy shops and bakeries. The whole town looked quaint and picturesque. Julien felt obscenely out of place.

But he wasn’t the only one out of place.

Julien’s blood ran cold when he saw Anthony Rossi on the other side of the entrance to the rink, against a tree, staring at him with a mean, gap-toothed grin.

“Well, well, well, I’ve been looking for you everywhere, Jules.” Rossi pushed off the tree trunk and approached. “Are you ignoring my texts?”

“What the fuck are you doing here, Tony?” Julien took a deep inhale of his cigarette. He knew what he was doing here, but how? He just talked to Lou. They could wait two more days, surely.

“Maybe don’t leave your vacation plans where anyone can find them. There’s crazies out there, Jules. You could end up with a stalker.” Tony shrugged. “Anyway, you said you have the money,so pay up.”

Jules thought about Tony snooping through his apartment. He clenched his teeth in an attempt to keep from saying something regrettable. “I have until the twenty-sixth,” Julien said instead. “I don’t have it on me.”

“Uncle Lou changed his mind. Time is up, Jules. So why don’t you take me to wherever that money is, and we can put this all behind us,” Anthony told him with a light, friendly tone.

Julien shook his head as he attempted to sort out how Rossi could be here and how he could have changed his mind. It didn’t matter. All that mattered was getting this over with as soon as he could.

“No. I’ll get it and bring it to you tonight. We can meet here.” If he could get this sorted as quickly as possible, he wouldn’t have to worry about it. The threats, the blackmail, and the requests to do dirty work for the Rossi family would be in the past. Then maybe he could be someone Tyler would want to spend his time with. He would maybe be worthy of the other man.

This sick and sudden reminder of why he had come here in the first place shook Julien from the dream he had lived infor the past few days. As much as he had let himself forget, live in the moment, and enjoy Tyler and for once feel like he had a stress-free life, Tony’s appearance shattered it in one second.

Tyler couldn’t know about any of this. Julien already knew he thought he was from the wrong side of the tracks, but this would make him question what he thought about Jules. This was a part of his life he had to keep in the past.

Tony tilted his head. “Is this a joke to you? We’re not doing this on your terms.”

“It’s not my fucking fault that you guys decided to change the deadline. What, do you expect me to carry that kind of money on me to go ice skating? Jesus Christ,” Julien growled.

He’d never talk to Lou this way, but Anthony Rossi was a fucking idiot. As much as he knew, Tony could be just as dangerous as his uncle, they were on more even grounds. “Give me until tonight, at least. It’s a few more hours. I have the money at home. I want to be done with this.” Julien wondered when the Ashford house started feeling likehome to him.

Tony grinned. “Fine. Tonight. Six o’clock sharpish, Jules. You got it? Wouldn’t want that pretty little boyfriend of yours to get all mixed up in this, would you?”

Anger exploded in Julien’s chest. “Is that a threat?” He clenched his teeth and stepped into Rossi’s space before he could think better.

Jules was several inches taller than Rossi and more prominent in every way. He looked at him and sneered. “Leave him the fuck out of this. He’snotmy boyfriend.”

Anthony laughed. “Yeah, right. You have good taste, though. I like a pretty boy, too.” Tony leaned against the rail and looked at the rink momentarily, not intimidated by Julien.

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