Caged (Defiant Kings, #1)

by Bella Matthews

My phone rings, drawing me from the rabbit hole my mind started spiraling down. When I pull it from my pocket, the face of my best friend, Daphne, is flashing back at me. “Hey. I’m standing in your closet. What do you want me to pack for you?” Daphne and I roomed together all four years in college. Then she lived with Brandon and me after we graduated. Of course, that was before she moved in with, and eventually married, Hudson’s oldest brother, Max. “What the heck, D?” I lower my voice, not wanting it to carry into the other room. “What are you doing in my closet?” “Scarlet called and asked me to pack you a bag. What the hell happened?” I grab two bottles of water from the fridge and look to see if Hudson has any wine hiding in there. It’s going to be a long night. “I’m fine. Someone broke into Crucible tonight. Hudson tried to catch them but slipped. He hurt his knee, but he’s going to be fine too.” I hope. “Scarlet’s making too big of a deal out of this. I can get my own clothes, D.” “You sure you know what you’re doing, Mads?” “What do you mean? It’s only a few nights. I’ll be fine.” I pull myself up to sit on the granite counter. “He’s not hurt too bad. He can put weight on it, but it’s swollen and sore. I should be fine to help for a few days.” I hear Daphne going through my closet and unzipping a bag, then she groans, “That’s not what I’m talking about, and you know it. You two have danced around each other for years.” “Hudson flirts with everyone, D. We’re friends....