9. Serafina
CHAPTER 9
Serafina
I 'm rewrapping my hands, fabric weaving through my fingers, but it's Lucas's words tangling in my thoughts. Every conversation, banter, and joke we've shared in the past two months feels like more. They always do.
I try to shut down the warmth spreading through me. This isn't just another flirty game.
He's different. Protective but not smothering. Challenging but never demeaning. And the way he looks at me sometimes — like I'm the only one in the room. All I crave is to rip those shorts off and ride him until the sun comes up.
But I can’t cross that line. Doing so would mean I’d have to let him into my life completely, and I can’t pull him into the darkness that comes with my life.
He’s pure whereas I’m stained.
He’s life whereas I’m death.
He’s heaven whereas I’m hell.
He’s so different from the men in my world. All they see is opportunity. The power that comes with my last name. The safety that comes with the manpower.
They never truly see just me.
I can no longer deny the physical nor the emotional feelings I have for this man. In a world of danger, he makes me feel safe.
But I still keep him at arm's length. I have to.
Falling for someone like him is off-limits. Dangerous. I can't in good conscience let him into my life.
"Everything okay?" His voice breaks through my reverie again, concern laced in those two simple words.
He's starting to know me better than even my closest friends. This is dangerous. A danger that's getting harder to deny the more time I spend with him.
"Perfect." The lie tastes bitter.
"All right, stop fucking around then. Time to practice," he demands, and I happily obey.
Gloves up, stance low, I circle Lucas. His grey eyes track my every move, a predator sizing up his prey. But this time, I'm not going down without a fight.
"Vamos, Serafina," he taunts with a half-grin, "give me everything you've got."
"Careful what you wish for," I retort, feinting left before landing a quick jab to his side. He grunts, the blow barely phasing him.
Our dance is a rhythm of advance and retreat, a language spoken in punches and blocks. Sweat beads on my forehead, dripping down as I duck another of his swings, feeling it graze my hair.
"Ya getting tired, Ricci?" He uses my phony last name. His voice is a challenge, breathless but laced with amusement.
"Never." The word comes out more like a growl. I lunge forward, our gloves colliding in a storm of leather and will.
I can't afford distractions, not with so much at stake. But Lucas makes me want to forget, to lose myself in the moment and him. Each block, each strike, we're closer than ever, and it's electrifying.
"Nice move," he admits as I sidestep his hook. There's respect in his tone, a spark in his eye that says he sees me — really sees me.
"Learned from the best," I shoot back, breathing hard, heart racing for more reasons than one.
An opening. He's off balance. I take it, pushing forward with a combination that has him on the defensive. My body moves with a mind of its own, muscle memory and raw instinct driving me.
"Damn, Serafina" —his back hits the ropes— "didn't peg you for a fighter."
"Then you weren't looking close enough." I press the advantage, my fists flying faster now, driven by some untamed part of me.
There's a finality in the thud of the glove against padding as I land a solid hit to his chest. Lucas stumbles, then steadies himself, the flash of surprise in his eyes mirroring my own triumph.
The air crackles with tension, the echo of our gloves now silent. Lucas and I stand inches apart, chests heaving, locked in a gaze that's too intense to break. The gym fades away. It's just him, me, and the storm brewing in our eyes.
"Wow," he breathes, the word brushing against my face like a caress.
He runs his tongue over his lips, sending a jolt of desire straight to my core.
"Never thought..." He trails off, his greys smoldering. There's a question there, unasked, hanging between us. He takes a step closer to me; his tongue darts out again to wet his bottom lip before taking another step toward me.
I don’t think I can resist him anymore. I don’t want to.
"Lucas," Nora's voice slices through the moment, grounding us and causing Lucas to freeze in his steps. We both jolt as if we were sleepwalking and suddenly snap awake. "You guys are amazing together."
"Thank you, Nora," I reply, but my gaze lingers on Lucas, still feeling that invisible pull.
"Seriously, Sera, you're a natural." Lucas claps his gloves. A small smile plays across his lips, but the hunger in his eyes remains unchanged. Our connection is so palpable that I can feel my defenses come crashing down. "Are you sure you haven't done this before? You fight like a trained assassin."
A laugh tumbles out, covering my sudden urge to bolt. Those simple words trigger a defensive response in me, and I can feel my walls going up. "You've got me; I'm not really a boring accountant," I tease back, but dread knots my stomach.
"It would explain why you've picked up the sport so quickly," he winks, not-so-subtly trying to pry details from me.
"Ha, ha, very funny," I roll my eyes and try to brush off his comment. But the truth? They can't know why I'm really here. Why I fight like my life literally depends on it. Why not even my family knows that I'm here every day after a long day of number crunching for my family business.
"Hey," Lucas's voice softens. "You okay?"
"Fine," I lie, plastering on a smile. "Just tired, I guess."
"Understandable," Nora agrees, but she's looking at me with those sharp blue eyes that see too much.
"Anyway, I should head out. Early day tomorrow," I say, grabbing my bag. I need space, air, and distance from the truth that's too dangerous to share.
"Wait, Seraf—" Lucas starts, but I'm already at the door.
"I'll see you tomorrow," I call over my shoulder, forcing cheer into my voice. I push through the exit, leaving behind their confused expressions and the warmth I've come to crave.
Alone, I lean against the cool brick wall outside, heart racing. I'm playing with fire, dancing too close to the flames. If I'm not careful, we'll all get burned.
I resume my steps back to my car. The cool night breeze licks my skin, but it's not enough to quell the heat flushing through me. Thump-thump. My heart's still in the ring, pounding against Lucas's gloves. His gaze, intense and unyielding, haunts me.
My phone vibrates in my pocket. I know it's him before I even pull it out. Lucas's name lights up the screen, but I can't answer. Can't let his voice be the salve to my frayed nerves. I press the decline button, a silent apology in the pit of my stomach.
"Mi dispiace, Lucas," I murmur to the empty street. The guilt of pushing him away eating me alive. I’m sorry.
Another buzz. A text this time. I read without opening:
Lucas
You left in a hurry. Everything good?
My thumb hovers over the keyboard. It would be so easy to type "Yes" and hit send. But the lies stick in my throat, thick as tar. Everything is so damn complicated.
I slide the phone back into my pocket, unanswered. The truth is a dark and persistent shadow at my heels. If I bring Lucas and Nora into my world, my family will swallow them whole.
"Merda," I curse under my breath. This connection with Lucas, it's like a drug. Potent. Addictive.
And Nora, she's quickly starting to become the sister I never had. The thought of them being hurt because of me...
I shake my head. Can't afford attachments. Not when every move could be a matter of life or death.