Caged (Defiant Kings, #1)

by Bella Matthews

Chloe grabs my hand and pulls me toward her to dance when we’re jostled by a group of guys next to us. “Oh my gosh . . . sorry,” I tell them as she spins me into the group. A gorgeous man with dark hair and darker eyes catches me with a big hand on my hip and a predatory smile on his face. I back away automatically, and his grin grows. “Now, where’re you going, pretty girl? The fun’s just getting started.” Cooper moves between us and them protectively. “Sorry, guys. No fun tonight. They’re with me.” The group of men close ranks as Cooper moves us behind him. The guy I bumped into straightens to his full height, and I see him differently. He may be tall and handsome, but he’s got a presence I know well. It’s hard to miss a fighter when you’re surrounded by them all the time. And this guy reeks of it. “How about you let the ladies speak for themselves? They seemed to be having a good time until you got involved.” The stranger attempts to move around Coop but stops when a familiar hand pulls me back. Hudson moves in next to Cooper, attempting to block my view as the crowd surrounding us begins to take notice of what’s happening, not that I’m even sure of what’s going on. “Back the fuck up, Spider.” Hudson’s hands ball into fists at his sides, and my own fight-or-flight instinct kicks in. This man cannot get into a fight tonight. He can’t . . . He can’t get hurt. He can’t get in trouble. He can’t give them any reason to take away his title fight next week. With my heart about ...