Read Without Doubt for Free Online Page B

I have no idea what Declan is doing or thinking and I don’t
even care. I can’t bear to look at him. I can’t look away
from her. I hate
the idea of this girl even being in the same room as him and
there’s nothing I can do about it. I guess starting a stupid fight
over a technicality is the only option I have and apparently I’m
taking it.
    “ You know what?” Rachel
yells as she takes one step closer to the end of the bar to get
closer to me.
    I’m ready for her. I’ve
never been in a physical altercation and right now, my
23 rd birthday, seems like as good a time as any. I quickly run
through fights I’ve seen in the movies but it all seems too
dramatic. I brace myself, preparing for a fist to come at me and
pray that when my arm swings back it actually makes contact. But
before she gets any other words out or steps any closer, Declan
pushes away from under the bar and turns toward Rachel.
    “ Oooookay, c’mon, Rachel,”
he says calmly as he ushers her out of the bar. I notice that his
hands are gripping her waist in his effort to get her outside and
away from me; that probably would have bothered me five minutes
ago. Right now my blood is pumping furiously and I’m too busy
trying to relax my nerves to give much thought to it or to the fact
that he took her out instead of staying in with me.
    She’s still cussing me out when they reach
the door, but I’m too wound up to know what she’s saying. Her
friend kisses Greyden on the cheek and chases after her.
    “ Ugh! What is with you
guys dating these little hookers? They’re stupid! Completely
unintelligent and rude!” I go off on a little rant of my own,
furiously wiping down the bar. All three of the guys left laugh
hard at me and I can’t seem to care.
    Declan comes back in with a little smirk on
his face and without the two girls, walking right around the back
of the bar and hugging me. “Are you all right, Sunshine?” The
amused tone he says it in clearly means he enjoyed the little
show.
    “ Yes,” I mumble, giving
him a quick squeeze.
    He pulls back a bit and lifts my chin up
with two of his fingers so he can see my eyes. He cocks his head to
the side and smiles broadly. “Want to tell me what that was
about?”
    No, I don’t want to tell him what that was
about! I don’t want to tell him that he has done exactly what he
said he would do—he got to me. Now I can’t handle the sight of
anyone other than me touching him or staking some kind of claim in
any way. Clearly, I can’t totally lie about my feelings, since I
made no effort of hiding them when I was ready to go to blows with
Rachel over ordering his beer for him!
    But I can try.
    “ No” I say, quietly
meeting his gaze with contempt of my own.
    “ A-va,” he croons
endearingly, a knowing smile gracing his too perfect
lips.
    I know I have to tell
him something ; I
feel my shoulders drop and sigh loudly. “I didn’t like it, Dec,” I
whispered in hopes that his friends, who are watching us closely,
won’t hear me.
    Declan smirks his stupid sexy smirk and nods
once. “All right.” He kisses me on the top of my head before
sitting back down. “Can I get that Sierra Nevada now?” He’s all
smiles and irritates me all over again.
    “ No. Pick something
else.”
    They all laugh loudly and start to revisit
the verbal argument while Dec keeps his gaze on me. He chuckles
along with them and I just roll my eyes while secretly being
thankful that he came back to me instead of leaving with
Rachel.
    “ Just do four Coronas
then,” Declan says as Greyden and Luca act out the stupid fight. I
can’t help but laugh.
    After about another hour, Dustin and Max
come in unexpectedly. They talk to the guys and a few other people
sitting around at the tables, neither one of them are doing
anything productive, which confuses me because that’s not normal.
As I’m pondering their reason for being here, Declan’s phone rings
and he smiles as he shoves it at me and tells me it’s his