Chapter 7 Sneak Peek

Stuck with the Billionaire Cowboy

Hi my beautiful gem!

Ready for another sneak peek? Get ready to read what Serafina has been up to!

But before you proceed, please remember that all chapters are still under construction, so please excuse any small typos / other small imperfections, and stay tuned for the final version, expected to be ready early September.

Chapter 7 - Serafina

My fists are gloves of lead today, each swing towards the heavy bag sluggish and imprecise. Lucas' rhythmic dance around me is a ballet I can't keep in step with, his eyes drilling into mine as if he's trying to unbox secrets along with my jabs.

“Snap out of it, Serafina," his voice is a low hum that usually steadies my nerves. Not today. Today, there's a flutter in my chest, a secret admirer whose gifts of plants have taken root in my mind, growing wild and untamed thoughts. And until I know who they are and what they want from me, I can't tell Lucas; I can’t tell anyone.

“Sorry," I mutter, shaking my head to clear the image of the petite woman handing her money to the cashier before taking the plant and exiting the store.

“What’s wrong?" Lucas catches my hands mid-punch, halting my feeble attempt at a hook. He looks at me, really looks at me, and I feel stripped bare. "You're miles away. Talk to me."

I shake my head, forcing a tight smile as I try to push away the electrical jolt that courses through me from his touch. "It's nothing, just family stuff." I don’t owe him a thing, yet every part of me aches with the weight of the lie on my tongue.

He doesn't buy it but nods all the same, releasing my hands. "Let's go again. And Sera, relax. You're safe here."

Safe. It's a word that doesn't quite fit in my world, yet he makes it sound like a promise. A promise I wish I could surrender to, like wrapping myself in a cozy down comforter on a cold snowy night, feeling the weight of safety and security enveloping me as I drift off into peaceful slumber.

We start again, his moves deliberate yet cautious, showing me he's not just any boxer — he's also a protector. My protector. With each jab, he pulls back just enough, as if coaxing the fight out of me rather than demanding it.

"Good," he encourages, his grey eyes softening. “That’s it.”

I don't want to feel guarded around Lucas, never around him. But the layers of my life are like the protective tape wrapped around my hands—necessary, even when they make me itch for freedom. I throw a punch with more force, fueled by the frustration of these invisible chains.

"Ahí está!" Lucas encourages me, and something in his approval shines brighter than the sweat beading on his forehead. "You've got fire, Serafina. Don't ever hide it."

I can't help but smile, a genuine one this time. My guard drops—not just the physical readiness but the walls around my heart. How does he do that? Make me forget the weight of my last name, the constant looking over my shoulder? In his presence, the fear dissipates like shadows at dawn.

"Okay, Lucas. I'm here. I'm present." And I am. For the first time in too long, I'm more than a pawn in a dangerous game. I'm just a girl, learning to trust the boy who's teaching her to fight not just her battles, but for herself too.

"Good," he says, and there's an emotion in his grey eyes I can't quite place. Maybe it's hope or something deeper, something that makes my chest tighten and my breath catch.

"Keep your hands up, principessa," he instructs, but the term of endearment sends a jolt through me. My princess.

“Thank you," I respond, and when our gloves meet again, it's not just a spar. It's a silent conversation, an exchange of trust and unspoken promises. And for a fleeting moment, amidst the echoes of leather on leather, I allow myself to wonder if maybe, just maybe, I could find solace in this man who all too suddenly, is beginning to feel like an oasis in the desert that is my life.

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My new boss is tall, gorgeous, and radiating power—and she’s glaring at me over the hood of the car I just rear-ended.

Walking into the office on shaky legs wasn’t how I envisioned my first day, but there’s no time to dwell on my disastrous first impression.

I have a job to do—and a past to forget.

But the way Shaylene Carson looks at me with those deep brown eyes...

The way her touch sends electricity through my body...
I’m in big trouble.

Suddenly, we’re thrust together on a high-stakes business trip.

One hotel room. One bed. And a chemistry we can’t ignore.

As we navigate the blurred lines between boss and employee, I find myself falling for this woman who’s making me question everything I thought I knew about myself.

She’s teaching me to be strong, to trust again.

Except my past is back…and it’s trying to destroy everything.

XOXO,

Jade Styles