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Dear Reader,

      Many of you have asked me to return to the MMA—mixed martial arts—world in my storytelling. We think alike! I’m so pleased to give you Hard Knocks, a prequel to help introduce you to my new Ultimate series featuring sexy alpha fighters who, despite strict training and grueling schedules, find the time for true love.

      Be sure to watch for the first full-length novel, No Limits, out next!

      I hope you enjoy Hard Knocks! Feel free to let me know. You can always reach me via social media like Facebook and Twitter, or email me using the links on my website at www.lorifoster.com.

      Happy reading!

      Lori Foster

About the Author

      LORI FOSTER is a New York Times, USA TODAY and Publishers Weekly bestselling author with books from a variety of publishers, including Berkley/Jove, Kensington, St. Martin’s, Harlequin and Silhouette. Lori has been a recipient of the prestigious RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award for Series Romantic Fantasy, and for Contemporary Romance. For more about Lori, visit her website at www.lorifoster.com.

      Contents

       Cover

       Back Cover Text

       Title Page

Dear Reader

About the Author

Chapter One

       Chapter Two

       Chapter Three

       Chapter Four

       Chapter Five

       Extract

       Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

      GAGE RINGER, BETTER known as Savage in the fight world, prowled the interior of the rec center. His stride was long, his thoughts dark, but he kept his expression enigmatic to hide his turmoil from onlookers. He didn’t want to be here tonight. He’d rather be home, suffering his bad mood alone instead of covering up his regret, forced to pretend it didn’t matter. His disappointment was private, damn it, and he didn’t want to advertise it to the world. Shit happened.

      It had happened to him. So what?

      Life went on. There would be other fights, other opportunities. Only a real wimp would sit around bellyaching about what could have been, but wasn’t. Not him. Not publicly anyway.

      Tonight the rec center would overflow with bodies of all shapes, sizes and ages—all there for different reasons.

      Cannon Coulter owned the rec center. It was a part of Cannon’s life, a philanthropic endeavor that, no matter how big Cannon got, how well-known he became in the Supreme Battle Championship fight world, would always be important to him.

      Armie Jacobson, another fighter who helped run the rec center whenever Cannon had to travel for his career, had planned a long night of fun. Yay.

      Not.

      At least, not for Gage.

      Earlier they’d had a party for the kids too young to stick around and watch the pay-per-view event that night on the big screen. One of Cannon’s sponsors had contributed the massive wall-mounted TV to the center.

      So that they wouldn’t feel left out, Armie had organized fun activities for the younger kids that had included food, games and some one-on-one play with the fighters who frequented the rec center, using it as a gym.

      With the kiddie party now wrapping up, the more mature crowd would soon arrive, mixing and mingling while watching the fights.

      The rec center had originally opened with very little. Cannon and some of his friends had volunteered to work with at-risk youths from the neighborhood to give them an outlet. They started with a speed bag, a heavy bag, some mats and a whole lot of donated time and energy.

      But as Cannon’s success had grown, so too had the rec center. Not only had Cannon added improvements, but his sponsors loved to donate anything and everything that carried their brand so that now the size of the place had doubled, and they had all the equipment they needed to accommodate not only a training camp for skilled fighters, but also dozens of boys, and a smattering of girls, of all ages.

      Gage heard a distinctly female laugh and his gaze automatically went to Harper Gates.

      So she had arrived.

      Without meaning to, he inhaled more deeply, drawing in a calming breath. Yeah, Harper did that to him.

      He

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