Without Doubt Read online

  Without Doubt

  A Novel by CJ Azevedo

  Ava Sterling is tough and the most straight laced girl you will ever meet. Her family and her past have managed to alter her future permanently and she has no desire to allow anyone else into her life or her heart for fear of rejection or further altering. Ava is alone in the world with the exception of the grandest responsibility she did not create on her own but on her own she will carry for the rest of her life.

  Declan James is a MMA fighter, party all night kind of guy. Responsibility is nowhere to be found in his life or so he allows everyone around him to believe. Coming from wealth and a carefree lifestyle, Declan gets what he wants, always. And what he wants is Ava. In his pursuit of getting what he wants, Ava in his bed, his plan changes quickly without his consent. Against his plans of being the next hot bachelor to cross the tabloids as he makes his way to being the Ultimate Light Heavyweight Champion, Declan falls in love. He falls in love without hesitation and without doubt.

  Neither Declan nor Ava are aware that fate has inconveniently intertwined their lives forever. Will they be able to survive the aftermath of the truth?

  © 2013 by CJ Azevedo. All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any written, electronic, recording, or photocopying without written permission of the publisher or author. The exception would be in the case of brief quotations embodied in the critical articles or reviews and pages where permission is specifically granted by the publisher or author.

  Although every precaution has been taken to verify the accuracy of the information contained herein, the author and publisher assume no responsibility for any errors or omissions. No liability is assumed for damages that may result from the use of information contained within.

  Books may be purchased by contacting the publisher and author at:

  Cover Design: Regina Wamba of MAE I DESIGN

  Cover Models: Hannah Rose Peltier and Tommy David

  Editor: Erin Roth of Wise Owl Editing

  So much thanks!

  My first shower of thanks go out to my two small children. T and V, you make my heart smile! You will be much much much older before you see this, but I want to thank you for hanging out with daddy while I take my own ‘time out’ to do my thing! I love you guys like crazy!

  My critique partner, who will remain nameless… although I’m not really sure why! (Haga;) You were a true asset to the more-ahem, challenging scenes in Without Doubt. Thank you for your insight and handholding! You’re absolutely amazing!

  Deven, my sister and confident, the word Bestie doesn’t fit. You are so much more than that! I have so much fun conquering autocorrect fails with you while seriously trying to get these books written. Thank you for bringing me back when I start freaking out. You’re the best at that!

  ACS tours has been a magnificent blessing. Ashley Wilcox, you my dear friend were a great discovery! You have given me so much guidance and knowledge, which I am so grateful for. Thank you for everything you do that you don’t have to! I look forward to continue working with you!

  Fairy God Mother, Jen Diaz, thanks Love for all of your in put on this book and your help with spreading the word! I’m so happy that our paths have crossed!

  BLOGGERS! I am truly astonished at all of your hard work and dedication to this Indie world. I’m thankful for you opening up your page to me for promotions and interviews! It’s been a blast getting to know some of you!

  Mary Tatar of Mary Elizabeth’s Crazy Book Obsession, thank you so much for all of your time and hard work on the blog tour for Without Boundaries. I loved working with you and I am still so in love with the book trailer. Thank You!!

  Author Sarah Daltry, you have been extremely helpful with your wealth of knowledge and willingness to share and teach! Thank you for your support and all of your sharing and promoting of Without Boundaries and Without Doubt!

  Author Marie Wathen, it has been so lovely watching you flourish on your journey! I love that I had the opportunity to work breifly with you and have a chance to build a friendship in this community of ours! Thank you so much for being there for me during my quick little freak outs when I was publishing Without Boundaries and trying to run that darn little sale! And thanks so much for all of your your sharing and support!!

  Readers, my heart swells when I think of the responses I’ve received from you on Without Boundaries. You have asked for Without Doubt and it’s finally ready for you, I can’t wait to hear more from you! Thank you so much for all of your support!

  Dedication

  To my Husband, who finally “got it”. Thank you my love, for all of your support.

  Chapter One

  Declan

  Tonight’s training session was rough. We typically don’t miss coming to Max’s Tavern after Thursday night sessions and tonight is no exception. The guys and I stroll into to the bar and take our normal booth. It’s an old, rundown bar, small in size and low on patrons. It suits me perfectly. I rarely make it in here on a weekend, so I’m not sure what business is like on those days, but Thursday nights call my name.

  Greyden, Keegan, Luca and I pile into our booth and not two minutes later some girls from the gym approach us. One of them, Rachel, is a girl that I hang out with sometimes. She’s hot and a little annoying, but I usually have enough alcohol in my system when she’s around to help me deal with that.

  Rachel sidles up next to me with a shy look on her face, but I know from personal experience that she’s anything but shy. I wrap my arm around her lower back and pull her closer. She giggles. I think I’m going to need a few drinks in me right away.

  “What are you beautiful girls up to tonight?” Greyden asks, laying it on thick. Grey’s been out of sorts lately so when he raises his eyebrows towards Allison, the girl he keeps around, I’m surprised. She’s always with us, but it’s been a while since he’s been interested in openly flirting with her.

  The tiny brunette walks up to Greyden and sits on his lap, leaning over to whisper something in his ear. Greyden’s eyes widen and he hisses through his teeth. I can only shake my head because I know that whatever she just said made him one happy guy.

  “All right, first round’s on me! Beer and shots coming up!” Greyden bellows as he stands and throws his girl over his shoulder. She squirms and giggles as Rachel laughs next to me.

  “Come outside with me? I need a quick smoke before I start drinking.” She pulls on my arm until I stand up in front of her. She has beautiful eyes; she could be a really pretty girl if she wasn’t so… I’ve heard my mom say a million times to Macie when we were growing up that “less is more,” but someone must’ve forgotten to tell Rachel that because she’s wearing enough makeup to rival a drag queen.

  “I don’t smoke,” I protest.

  “I know, but I do. So come with me so I don’t have to stand out there all alone. Please?”

  I may not be in the mood for her tonight, but I’m still a decent guy. I’m not going to make her go out there alone, so I swoop her up in my arms and press her up against the length of my body as I walk us toward the door. She wraps her arms around my neck and smiles brightly at me, her breath mingling into mine. Her feet dangle down by my shins until I set her down outside.

  “So, are you ready for your fight next week?” Rachel asks as she lights up her cigarette.

  It’s cold. I’m wearing jeans and a long sleeve Henley and I’m still cold. She’s wearing one of those tops that come around her neck, baring her shoulders, back and chest, and a mini skirt. She’s got to be freezing.

  “Yeah, I think so. I fought this guy once before; he’s good, but I was able to take him on our last match. I’m pretty confident I’m ready to do it again.”

  Rachel comes and cuddles up to me. I
can see goosebumps rise up on her arms and chest from the cold ass night as she turns her upper body away from me, making sure she blows her smoke in the other direction. I appreciate the thought but I can still smell it. I hate the smell of smoke.

  I grab the cigarette from her slender fingers before leaning close to her face and speaking lowly. “You done with this now, sweetheart?” I smirk when I see her eyes dilate. I know that I can probably throw out her whole pack right now and manage not to piss her off. She simply nods so I stomp it out with my shoe before wrapping my arms around her to try and warm her up a bit.

  “Declan?” She says my name softly, as if she doesn’t want to startle me.

  “Yes?” I reply just as softly. She may be annoying sometimes, but I do like the girl.

  “Why won’t you take me out?” she asks, sounding a little sad.

  I don’t want to be an ass to her; she’s nice enough. We always get along when we’re together but I just don’t want to date her. “We’re out right now,” I point out. I do not want to have this conversation. I don’t owe her anything. She has been hinting for quite some time she wants more, but she always comes when I call, and sometimes even when I don’t, like tonight.

  “That’s not what I mean. Take me out out.” She looks about ready to beg. That I won’t deal with.

  “I don’t date, Rachel. C’mon, let’s get back inside, you’re freezing.” I grab her hand and pull her back inside to our booth. Everyone’s there but our drinks.

  “Grey, what happened to getting the drinks? I’m thirsty,” I ask as I sit down and Rachel invites herself to sit on my lap.

  “There’s a new bartender. She said she’d bring them over for us.” He covers Allison’s ears as though she won’t be able to hear him before he continues. “She’s ridiculously hot too, wait ‘til you see her, man.”

  “I’m not new, so don’t try anymore of your shenanigans. Here are your drinks; can I get you anything else?” The sweet voice comes from behind me and I’m automatically drawn to turn and look at whom it belongs to. A tall, leggy blonde with wavy strands of hair falling into her face lets her green-eyed gaze fall to me. Her skin is golden tan, from either her genes or the sun—no fake bake for this girl, her glow is real. Those legs seem to go on forever until they disappear beneath her denim cut offs. She’s crazy beautiful.

  All of a sudden I feel a little claustrophobic with Rachel sitting on my lap, so much so that I have to fight the urge to push her off of me.

  Chapter Two

  Ava

  I really didn’t need this tonight. It was bad enough watching Declan carry the overdone, underdressed Barbie outside, now I have to listen to these girls giggle like idiots and the guys eat out of the palms of their over-tanned hands.

  “Sorry, doll face. We’re in here just about every Thursday, but we’ve never seen you. Didn’t mean to offend you.” Greyden, as he introduced himself to me at the bar, tries to sound sincere and he just about pulls it off. Then he smirks at me with sex eyes.

  Not happening, buddy.

  “No offense taken, Greyden. I’m good. Just wave me down if you boys need anything else.” I smile sweetly at them and start to walk away as the girl sitting on Declan’s lap calls me to stop.

  “Excuse me, Bartender? Boys? What about us girls? Aren’t you going to offer to get us what we need too? That’s a bit sexist of you, don’t you think?” She looks about ready to pitch a fit. I deal with these gold-digging bimbos every weekend and I simply can’t let this opportunity pass by. First I glance at Declan to see his reaction to the words coming out of Barbie’s mouth. He doesn’t seem too happy, his mouth forced into a straight line, eyebrows pitched downward and eyes squinted.

  “Well, Barbie, I tend to take care of the patrons that will be paying the tab. Based on the way you girls are dressed tonight, I think it’s a safe bet that, in this case, that’s going to be these boys here, not you. Mmkay? However, if it’s super important to you, I’d be happy to bring you your Cosmo or Piña Colada or whatever your little heart desires tonight. Just wave me down and I’ll be right over.” I blink my eyes dramatically and offer a condescending smile before I turn and continue on to the next table. As I walk away, I hear the guys burst into laughter and the girls getting all crazy with them. I really don’t care.

  I have been privately crushing on Declan for a while now, so I’m sort of freaking out. I don’t usually work the bar during the week. Typically I’m in the office taking care of daily tickets, balancing register receipts from the afternoon crowd and paying bills. While I’m back there I also have access to the monitors showcasing the security surveillance from inside the bar. This is where I first spotted Declan James. I watched him through the screen for weeks (yes, I know that’s creepy stalker status) before I had the courage to ask Max’s son, Dustin, who he was. Dustin gave me a quick rundown on what he knew of him and then very firmly told me to stay away. I didn’t need his warning. It didn’t matter if he was as good a person as the Pope himself—I didn’t and couldn’t date.

  I help out a few more tables before making my way back to the bar. Max and his kids are the only others that work the night shift. Tonight is usually Dustin’s shift, but he had started a night class so I took it over for him.

  I start restocking the beer fridge when I get the feeling someone is watching me. I turn slowly to take in the people in the bar and check for anything suspicious. When my sight reaches the back of the room, I find the set of eyes that make me stir.

  Declan. Deep blue-green eyes set just below dark furrowed brows. The piercing in his right brow shines under the low overhead lighting above his table and makes me want to take it between my teeth. Our gazes connect and he doesn’t look away. The girl is still sitting on his lap and running her skanky hand up and down his thigh. She has no idea that he’s been staring at me for at least the last thirty seconds. Not being able to handle the staring contest any longer, I smile at him. He doesn’t smile back and it really doesn’t bother me. It probably should, but I have a feeling that it’s not a negative emotion that makes him continue to stare blankly.

  “Hey, hot stuff! I need another beer, please!”

  “I told you what’s going to happen if you keep calling me hot stuff! Knock it off!” I tell Jerry as I reach into the cooler to grab him another bottle of beer.

  “Ya, ya, I know. You’re going to chop off my balls and serve ‘em to me for dinner. I get it. Now give me my beer.” Jerry is usually here on the weekends when I bartend, but I guess we both changed our schedules this week. He’s a good-looking guy, a bit older than I am if I had to guess, overly flirtatious but normally sweet.

  “As long as we understand each other.” I slide the beer across the bar to him and he grabs it with his left as he reaches to grab onto my wrist with his right. I forgot to mention that he’s also too touchy-feely for my taste. “Jerry,” I say firmly.

  “Baby, just let me take you out. I know you’ll enjoy yourself. You have to stop denying me sooner or later.”

  We go through this same escapade every weekend. This is nothing new. I tug my arm from his grasp and he releases me easily enough. I start toward the other end of the bar before calling out over my shoulder to him, “No, I don’t. And stop callin’ me baby!” Most of the patrons are local regulars, completely aware of Jerry’s ministrations, so anyone who is close enough to hear our banter starts laughing and harassing Jerry.

  I smile to myself as I think about sweet overeager Jerry. He has no chance in hell in taking me out and he knows this, but the man never gives up. When I reach the other end of the bar, I am met with that same set of blue-green eyes from my staring contest just a couple minutes ago.

  “Hi. What can I get you?” I ask, trying insanely hard to shake these stupid nerves that have appeared. I think I was able to keep the quivering from my voice. I think.

  Declan is standing at the end of the bar so there is nothing between us. He leans forward just a bit and speaks quietly. It’s not quite a whisper, but
it’s definitely low and I feel it vibrate straight through the center of my body. “Are you all right?”

  I don’t know why he chose to ask me that. Do I look ill? Did he over hear someone say something about me? My brain is running through a million different possibilities but nothing makes sense. “Yes… Are you?”

  He laughs and stands straighter. The sound of his laughter… Well, let’s just say it’s something that this girl will be missing when she’s home and in bed alone tonight.

  “Yeah, I’m good. I just saw that asshole grab you and wanted to make sure you were okay.” He’s not laughing anymore; he’s glaring at poor Jerry.

  I offer him a smile before I explain. I don’t know this guy from Adam, but I feel the need to reassure him for some reason. That and it looks like Jerry may need some buffering. “That’s Jerry. He’s harmless. He comes in on the weekends when I typically work, so I know him pretty well. Thanks, though, I appreciate your concern.”

  “You’re welcome,” he says gravely with one last glare towards poor Jerry before offering me a devastating smile. “Do you have a name?”

  Oh, God, he’s asking me for my name and for a split second I can’t remember it. I’m not a lovesick teenager; I have to get over this issue where he’s concerned and become immune to him.

  “I do.” But I’m not giving it to you, I think to myself as I busy myself with wiping down the bar. “Did you need another round?” I keep looking down at the bar, hoping he’ll walk away because that immunity of mine hasn’t shown its pretty little face yet.