Caged (Defiant Kings, #1)

by Bella Matthews

“Maddie . . . First of all, if you’ve got a daddy kink, I’ll be your daddy all day, every day.”

Cooper hands Hudson his to-go container of grilled chicken and steamed vegetables and laughs. “Sure, you didn’t. When they say they’re not mad . . . that’s when you know you’re really in trouble.”

My little sunshine spent the rest of the night pissed. Not loud and yelling like any of my sisters would have done. No. This woman got quiet, and that was somehow worse. I watched it happen. She didn’t shut down, not in an obvious way. And she covered it well.

“Don’t hurt him, Maddie. He might seem invincible, but he’s not. He’s a really good guy, with a really big heart. Be sure of what you want before you make any decisions. Because from what I’ve seen, when the Kingstons fall, they fall hard. They love hard. And if you give him your heart, I don’t see how he could ever let it go. Because you, Mads, are incredible.”

“I’ve wanted you every single day since you walked into Crucible three years ago, Madison.”

I’m not sure how much time passes in the silence of the night, while I’m lost in my thoughts, before I gently press my lips to Hudson’s neck and quietly whisper, “I think I was waiting for you to fix me.” His heavy arms tighten around me. “You were never broken, Maddie. And I would have waited forever for you.”

“You gonna win tonight for me, King?” I tease and scrape my nails lightly against his scalp. “I can be your prize.” “You’re gonna be my everything, Madison.”

“Marriage is a piece of paper to me, Hudson. But you . . . you’re everything, and it matters to you. So, win the damn fight, and let’s get married.”