Sage: Cocky Cage Fighter Legacy, #2

By Lane Hart

Sage Abrams has been training for years with one goal in mind – to win a welterweight championship title, just like his father Linc. That's why, unlike his twin brother Talon, he keeps to a strict regimen. He doesn't ever date, drink, or party.

With an undefeated record, Sage is finally going to get his chance at a belt. The only thing that stands in the way of him becoming the best welterweight fighter in the world is his opponent, Cyrus Cutler, and an illegal hit that knocks him unconscious.

When Sage wakes up in the hospital, he doesn't remember the fight or anything else that's happened in the last few years. The one person he wants by his side as he recovers is Eden, his ex-girlfriend.

Eden is suddenly caught up in a love triangle. After Sage's injury, he doesn't remember dumping her and pushing her into his brother Tal's arms in order to concentrate on his training.

Will Eden pick Sage, the sweet, determined brother who has already broken her heart once, or will she stay with Tal, the tattooed, bad boy who is only looking for a good time?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lane Hart
• Release date: Oct 14, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215351765

Lane Hart

New York Times bestselling author Lane Hart was born and raised in North Carolina. She continues to live in the south with her husband and their two daughters. When Lane's not writing or reading sexy novels, she can be found on the beach in the summer, and watching football in the fall, cheering on the Carolina Panthers. Join Lane’s Facebook group to read books before they’re released, help choose covers, character names, and titles of books! https://www.facebook.com/groups/bookboyfriendswanted/ Connect with Lane: Twitter: https://twitter.com/WritingfromHart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lanehartbooks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorlanehart/ Email: [e-mail]

Book preview

PROLOGUE

Eden Duncan

Once upon a time, there were two beautiful princes, both with golden hair and piercing green eyes that could see straight into your soul. They were identical twins. One was unbelievably sweet while the other was incredibly mischievous. Tal, the troublemaker, liked to sometimes pretend he was the ‘good’ twin. That’s what everyone called the kind one, Sage. Not that the rule-breaker was bad; he was just not as perfect as his brother.

I’ve loved them both for as long as I could remember – the prince who could always make me laugh no matter how sad I was, and the one who would pull me into hiding spots to kiss me until my heart would melt for him.

And then we all grew up.

I was packed up and ready to go off to college when the sweet twin broke my heart. He told me I was a distraction, and that he could never be king of the cage if he left to be with me.

Luckily, the bad twin decided to run away with me. He’s been my best friend ever since. I know all of his secrets and he knows all of mine, even the most painful one of all – that he reminds me of his brother who I still love more than anything in this world even after he threw me away.

CHAPTER ONE

Eden

Y our phone is blowing up, Miriah says as I drive us to the event center, my phone buzzing loud enough from my purse to be heard over the radio.

Will you please tell Tal that we’re on our way and will be there as soon as we can? I ask her.

Sure, she replies before she bends over to rummage through my purse in the passenger floorboard. Oh, she mutters.

I glance over and find her staring down at my phone in her hands, the glow of the screen lighting up her face.

What? Did he send another dick pic? Every time I tell him to stop doing that it only seems to encourage him to send more. Sorry! Just delete it.

The messages aren’t from Tal, Miriah finally admits.

Oh. Then is it my mom? Dad? They’re probably already at the arena.

No, Eden, it’s Sage.

Oh. I try to swallow around the jagged knife in my throat that’s moved lower to split my heart open. No matter how much time goes by, it’s always the same agony inside of me at just the mention of his name. What does he want?

He’s looking for his brother. Sage says Tal won’t answer his phone and he was supposed to be there to help him warm up an hour ago.

I’m not his brother’s keeper! I exclaim in outrage. Sorry, I say after my outburst. It’s just, Tal doesn’t tell me where he goes at all hours of the night. We may be friends with benefits but none of the benefits are knowing where he is twenty-four-seven.

Right. Tal just gives you a million orgasms every night to help you sleep, Miriah whispers to herself with a grin.

Orgasms are good for you. You should try them sometime, I tease her.

I still think it would be weird because they’re twins.

They don’t look very similar anymore. Tal’s hair is black, and he has lots of dark tats and piercings, completely different from Sage, who is clean cut and pale because he never leaves the gym.

Still, doesn’t being with Tal remind you of him just a little? she asks.

A little, yes, but Tal can be very…distracting, I admit.

There’s another ding with a new text message.

Sage again? I ask.

He says to call or text him if you hear from Tal. And quote, ‘I hope he’s not dead in a ditch somewhere.’

Shaking my head, I tell her, Tal would never miss Sage’s title fight. He knows he’s been working for this since they were kids, earning a belt like his father Linc and being crowned King of the Cage. It’s too important for Tal to miss even if he is drunk or high as a kite.

You’re not secretly hoping that if Sage wins tonight, he’ll want you back, are you? Miriah asks while typing a response to Sage on my phone.

What? Of course not! Okay, so that didn’t sound believable even to me. I’m with Tal now and have been for…how long has it been? Eight years? Holy shit. We’ve been hooking up for eight years!

That’s a long time to hook up with someone and not get a ring, Miriah mutters.

No, Tal may not want something…permanent with me. I don’t want to marry him either, but I would never toss him aside if Sage wanted me back, which he doesn’t.

Unless he wins tonight…

That’s not going to happen, I assure her. I mean, yes, I think he’ll win. He has to or he’ll be devastated. I’m just saying even if Sage wins everything he’s been working toward the past fifteen years, he’s over me. And I’m over him.

"Sure, you are. I bet you never think of him for even a second when you’re under his identical twin brother."

Does everyone think I’m still pining for Sage? I ask, meaning everyone in our extended family of cage fighters from Havoc.

Uh-huh.

That’s ridiculous! I exclaim.

What’s ridiculous is that Tal puts up with it, playing runner-up to his brother, yet again. No wonder he’s never sober. It must be hard trying to live up to someone who looks just like you.

That’s not why he…never mind, I say, biting my tongue before I say too much and give away a secret that’s not mine to tell.

I put on the right turn signal and ease into the long line of cars waiting to get into the event center for the biggest fight of the year. Hell, maybe even the biggest one in twenty-six years. Everyone has been waiting for this night, for Linc’s son to step into the cage and win the same belt his dad won so long ago.

And Sage has given up everything in his life except for the training to get it, including me.

CHAPTER TWO

Sage Abrams

I ’m going to kill him, I grumble while slamming my fist into the big, red pads my dad is holding up in front of him. I’m going to kick Tal’s tattooed ass up and down the streets!

He’ll be here, Dad assures me, even though his clenched jaw says he’s not so sure. Talon is a loose cannon. Always has been. The two of us spent every second of our childhood together and even live together now, but lately he’s acted like a stranger. I don’t know what the hell is going on inside his fucked-up head, and I can’t help but somehow feel responsible.

I’ve always been the overachiever in school and in the cage. That doesn’t mean I’m perfect. It just means that I have more drive and determination to succeed than my brother does. In fact, sometimes I look around and see all the sacrifices I’ve made in the name of being the best welterweight fighter in the world, and I’m not sure if it’s all worth it.

Hopefully tonight, after I knock out Cyrus Cutler and finally have my belt, the pride and accomplishment will be worth the compromises.

First and foremost afterward, I have to get laid.

As part of most fighters’ training, they abstain a week to a few days before a big fight. Me, the overachiever that I am, I’ve been celibate for years now.

Years!

At least three of them, maybe more.

It’s been nearly impossible to keep my hands to myself and off of myself, especially since Eden is always in our house, walking around in nothing but one of Tal’s t-shirts. It’s like the cage fighter gods are trying to test me every second of the