And just like that, the fight was over.

Chapter 3

Charlotte

I watched as Crowbar was carried out of the cage on a stretcher, clutching his shoulder in agony.

Rebel had just left the ring without a care, not even worried that he’d just dislocated a guy’s shoulder. He’d pushed through the crowd and disappeared, not even stopping to talk to anyone who approached him. Arrogant, much?

Shaking my head, I pulled my black leather jacket tighter around myself, suddenly wondering if this was a good idea. I knew it’d be rough but not this rough. Rough wasn’t the right word…brutal. Yeah, brutal, but I was a cop and had seen much worse shit. Nothing could top some of the call-outs I’d attended. Road accidents, domestic assaults, home invasions and the worst…murder scenes. It was rough out there, and you had to be tough enough to cope with seeing the worst humanity had to offer. Some of the shit I’d seen would scar a regular person for life. What was some cage fighting compared to that? Nothing.

Glancing around, I saw hordes of people crowding the bookies and collecting their winnings, the losers who’d bet on Crowbar were huddled around the bar drowning their sorrows. Faces were turned away, talking about the fight and what they’d won, and for one glorious moment, they weren’t looking at me.

Weaving through the throng and around the bleachers, I cased the rest of the joint, taking note of the lay of the land. There wasn’t much else to see in a place like this. At the opposite end to the bar and the bookies stations, there was a double door that led to another area. Two security guards leaned against the wall, arms crossed over their chests, talking animatedly to one another. This must be where the fighters went before and after their fights. It also had to be where they kept the money and the paper trail. That was where I had to go.

Pulling my mobile phone from my pocket, I pretended to check my texts while keeping one eye on the crowd. Nobody was looking at me. When I glanced at the security guards, they weren’t even watching the doors, which were propped open. All I had to do was dart forward, slip through, and I’d be in.

Sounded like a plan to me. And if I was caught? I hadn’t thought that far, but I wasn’t about to let my opportunity slide. Stepping forward on light feet, I was through the door and into the empty hall beyond.

There was a lot of noise coming from the far end. Slamming lockers, male and female voices…the sound of running water. That must be the change rooms for the fighters. I was definitely not going in there. That would be like a lamb going to the slaughter.

Not knowing how much time I’d have before someone found me lurking, I edged forward, checking each door along the hall. Coming across what looked like an office, I opened the door and peered inside. It was dark and unattended. If I was going in, I’d better go now.

“What are you doing?”

I turned sharply, pressing my back against the wall. My gaze collided with the fighter from the cage, the one who seemed to have staked his claim over me like some animal. Rebel. Up close, he was even more magnificent than he was out there. His eyes were a rich chocolate brown, his muscles so defined I wasn’t entirely sure they were real. He’d attempted to clean up some after his fight, but blood was still smeared across his forehead from where his eyebrow had been split. It was a tiny cut, but it’d been a bleeder.

When I just stood there and stared at him in awe, he grinned, looking like a lion that’d gone hunting and found his prey.

“This area’s off limits,” he said, inching closer. “Fighters only…unless you’re with one.”

I swallowed hard, trying to look away, but I was caught. “I—”

“Are you with me?” he asked, running his tongue along his bottom lip.

I knew what he implied, that he wanted to have sex with me, but could I get out of this without stooping to those levels? My nipples began to ache, hardening against my bra as I clenched my thighs together. Fuck. My body wanted to get under that, but my brain wanted to get out. Involuntarily, my gaze dropped to his lips and they curved into a satisfied smile.

Stepping forward, Rebel pressed his body against mine, pinning me against the wall. I felt every hot, hard inch of him, and when he pressed his groin against my belly, I gasped. He was sporting an erection, and he didn’t seem to give a crap who saw us in the hallway.

“Do you have a name?” he asked, leaning forward, his lips brushing against my ear. His breath was hot against my skin, making my arousal spike even more.

I swallowed hard, pressing my palms against the wall behind me. “Charlotte.”

“Charlotte,” he murmured, sending a shiver down my spine. “What are you really doing back here?”

I couldn’t actually say I was snooping for evidence that could bring down the whole cage fighting ring, so I said, “Looking for you.” It wasn’t exactly the truth, but it wasn’t exactly a lie either.

He narrowed his eyes like he was trying to work out if I was telling him a big fat fib. After a moment of deliberation, he raised a big hand and cupped my face, the feel of his rough skin against my flushed cheek sending everything into overdrive. Fuck, if he kissed me, it was over. I had to get away before I let my integrity circle down the drain.

Rebel pressed his lips against the curve of my neck, the tip of his tongue lightly dancing across my skin. A moan escaped my lips, and I thrust forward, rubbing against his erection. Shit. I did not expect that to happen.

He moved from my neck, across my cheek, and his lips brushed against mine, activating my flight mode. I pushed against his chest and he shot backward, separating our bodies. At least the guy knew the action meant no…he had that going for him.

“I’m sorry, I can’t,” I blurted a little too quickly.

Pushing off the wall, I strode down the hall away from Rebel, with my head down. Fleeing the viper’s den, away from the king cobra himself. Oh god, and talk about living up to the metaphor.

At least he wouldn’t suspect what I was really looking for. All he would see was a woman who’d gotten in too far over her head and had made a run for it.

Of all the possible scenarios that I’d run over in my mind, having a physical reaction of epic proportions was not on the agenda. It hadn’t even touched the edges of my radar.

How was I to bust open Australia’s tightest, illegal cage fighting ring if a man like Rebel was standing in my way? A man I wanted to hand myself over to, a man who I’d let do whatever he wanted to me.

I had no bloody idea.

Chapter 4

Rebel

There was nothing worse than being left with a hard-on after an epic fight.

Well, there was one thing that was worse. Not being interested in going someplace else after being rejected by beauty fucking personified.

Being groped by everything with a pair of tits while doing the rounds of The Underground, had me bothered—and not in a good way. Charlotte was gone. I shoved off all the fake bitches and went out back, locked myself in a shower and beat it out of my system one-handed. First time I'd ever gone at it in the place alone.

The next night, I dragged my sorry ass back in to fight, but there was no sign of her. I began to think she was one of those one-time girls. They thought they’d come for a little fun, try and hook up with a fighter but when it came to the crunch, realized that they were too scared or too fuckin’ good to stoop. Those girls never came back.