Without Doubt by Cj Azevedo Read Free Book Online

cousin
and needs me to answer it. Completely confused, I answer it.
    “ Hello?”
    Declan is looking at me intently with
another huge smile on his face. I have no idea what he’s up to and
suddenly I feel slightly panicked at what will be coming to me from
the other end of this conversation.
    “ Um, hello. Who is this?
I’m looking for Declan,” a seductive, manly voice replies on the
other end.
    “ This is Ava. Just a
second, Declan’s right—”
    “ Ava?! Ava Ava? Huh, you
are real. This is Declan’s cousin, Talon. How are you,
sweetheart?”
    “ What? Um, I’m good,
thanks. You?” I ask out of formality, but I have no idea what’s
going on right now. I look to Declan for an explanation but he’s
just looking smug.
    “ The way Declan speaks of
you, I thought for sure you were a figment of his imagination,”
Talon explains teasingly.
    “ Nope, completely real as
far as I’m aware.” I try my best to glare at Declan, who winks as
he drinks his beer, though I’m dancing and panicking on the
inside—he’s been talking about me .
    Talon chuckles on the end and doesn’t seem
to be in a rush to get off the phone. “So I hear you’re working on
getting a PhD in psychology and you’re just about finished with
grad school? That’s impressive, Ava.”
    “ Thank you. I still have a
ways to go but I got a head start on my college courses while I was
still in high school so I was able to obtain my BA fairly
young.”
    “ You should be very proud,
Ava. I hope you stick around Declan so you can sort out the way his
head works once you’re licensed. I swear there’s something wrong
upstairs when that boy willingly gets the crap beat out of
him.”
    Oh, this is too good. I don’t know what Dec
was trying to accomplish by putting me on the phone, but having
someone in my corner (pun intended) is too good to pass up. I look
to Declan again and he must see something in my eyes, because he
gives me a questioning nod.
    “ Ahh, so there is someone
other than myself that thinks he’s completely and certifiably
insane for his career choice. I mean, who gets a degree in Finance
and chooses to get his lights knocked out instead of having a nice,
respectable career?”
    Declan stands and reaches for his phone but
I step back out of his reach as if he knows exactly what his cousin
is saying. His brows are drawn together and his eyes are narrowed
at me—he’s annoyed. Seems like his plan may have backfired.
    Talon laughs lightheartedly. “I like you
very much, Ava. I hope to get to meet you soon. You aren’t able to
come with him to New York tomorrow?”
    Wow. Declan must speak of me often to his
cousin. I’m not entirely sure how I feel about that. Actually, I
know exactly how I feel about it; I’m just not willing to accept it
yet.
    “ No, unfortunately I
can’t. I hope to meet you soon too, Talon, it was nice speaking
with you.”
    “ You too, Ava, take
care.”
    I hand Declan back his phone and he steps
into the hall to talk to Talon. I take care of a couple patrons and
am cleaning up the bar when Max walks up and tells me to go get my
things and go home.
    “ I’m not going home, Max.
Why are you here anyway? It’s only 7:30.”
    “ Because it’s your
birthday and I’m not going to let you work all night. Now stop
arguing and go home.”
    I can’t believe he just announced that it’s
my birthday.
    “ It’s your birthday ???” Greyden
asks loudly.
    “ Max.” I sigh his name
because that’s all I can do about it. I see Declan turn and look at
me with questioning eyes. I smile but he just shakes his
head.
    “ Ava Sterling, get your
fine ass over here.”
    Jackson. Oh shit,
Jackson’s here. Before I spin around to find him, I look one more
time to Declan, who’s looking at Jackson with his eyebrows slightly
raised in curiosity as he continues to listen to Talon on his
phone. I haven’t explained Jax to Declan yet. This is not good. I might
possibly have gotten away with keeping my relationship