Page 97 of Steel Beauty

What if she sees it all and decides it’s too much?

Or decidesI’mnot enough?

The thought twists like a knife in my chest. She deserves better—someone without the shadows I carry. Someone who isn’t weighed down by the mistakes and scars of his past. But the idea of letting her go feels impossible. I know it’s selfish, but I want her. Even if I’m not enough, even if I should let her find someone who is, I can’t let her go.

The thought of her slipping through my fingers is unbearable.

Not yet.

Not now.

“I’m ready to tell you everything.”

Steadying my breath, I brace myself for what comes next. “My… name… is…” I pause deliberately, watching her face for any sign of hesitation. If she wants to stop, this is her last chance.

But her gaze holds firm, unwavering and open, silently urging me forward.

“Alex.” My name feels heavy yet freeing on my tongue. “Alex Sebring. Alexander Björn Sebring III, actually.”

A beat of silence follows, stretching longer than I’m prepared for. Her face is unreadable, and dread creeps up my spine, tightening its grip. What if this is too much for her? What if she sees the name, the legacy, the sheer magnitude of it all, and decides I’m not worth the trouble that accompanies me?

Then, to my surprise, she bursts into laughter. It’s soft and melodic, light and playful, cutting through my fears.

“I’m sorry,” she says between chuckles, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “But I have absolutely no idea who you are, Alex Sebring.”

The tension in my chest unravels so fast it almost knocks the air out of me. Relief floods in, tempered with disbelief, and I find myself laughing with her.

“Not even a clue?” I ask, shaking my head with a half smile.

“None. Should I? Are you, like, royalty or something? Should I be curtsying right now?”

Laughter rumbles in my chest. “No, not royalty. Let’s just say my name tends to come with a lot of… unnecessary attention.”

She leans in. “Well, none of that matters to me. I’m here for you, not for whoever the world thinks Alexander Björn Sebring III is supposed to be.”

Her words settle over me, grounding and liberating all at once. For the first time in weeks, I feel lighter—like I’m finally stepping into the light with her.

“You have no idea how relieved I am. I was so convinced my identity would change everything.”

She tilts her head, her smile soft but teasing. “I mean, I already knew you were wealthy and mysterious. The whole ‘Alexander Björn Sebring III’ thing confirms you’re way fancier than I thought. But none of that changes how I feel about you, JC—sorry, Alexander.”

Hearing her say my name—my real name—sends an unexpected wave of warmth through me, like something clicking into place. Laurelyn was right. Charleston isn’t part of the world I’ve been so guarded against—Australian rugby, the constant spotlight, or the expectations of society.

She’s from a world entirely her own, untouched by the noise and pressure that’s always surrounded me. And in her world, none of the things I’ve feared seem to matter at all.

I let out a long, steady breath, feeling lighter than I have in years. For the first time, it feels like we might finally have the chance to be real. “Just Alex. That’s all I want to be with you.”

“Alex.” She repeats my name, tilting her head with a soft smile, letting it settle in the air between us. “Alex,” she says again, this time slower, as though savoring it, letting it take shape. “You definitely look more like an Alex than a Julius Caesar.”

The tension in my shoulders eases. “My mother and her side of the family don’t call me Alex. For them, I’mAleki—the Samoan form of Alexander. It means defender of the people.”

Her eyebrows lift with interest. “Aleki. I like it. And your father is obviously Alexander?”

“That’s right. And my tina’s name is Malie.”

“Does yourtinaknow about me?”

“Skipping Sundays with the family hasn’t gone unnoticed. Tina started asking questions, so I had to tell her I was seeing someone.”

---