Page 42 of Steel Beauty

“You’re always safe with me.”

If we’re really going to do this, she needs to know the truth—at least some of it. I can’t lay it all out yet, but she deserves a warning.

I take a steadying breath, preparing myself. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

She twists her mouth into an exaggerated grimace, her eyebrows shooting up. “Uh-oh.”

“It’s nothing bad, I promise. I just think it’s important to be upfront about some things.”

“Upfront—I like that.”

This feels like the right moment to offer her a sliver of truth. “It’s true that my family owns luxury hotels, and I’ve recently stepped into the family business. But before that, I had a different career—one that made me fairly well-known. Because of that, it’s in my best interest to stay out of the public eye as much as possible.”

“So privacy is something we both value.”

“Very much so.” The shadow of past experiences creeps in. “I don’t like my relationships to be publicized. In fact, I can’t stand it. My life—especially my personal life—should remain private.”

Her gaze softens with understanding. “It absolutely should be private if that’s what you want.” She pauses, studying my face with a quiet intensity before letting out a thoughtfulhmm. “And now you’ve got me completely curious about who you are.”

I chuckle, shaking my head. “I will tell you if you want to know.” But I’d rather not.

A playful glint sparkles in her eyes as she considers it. “We don’t have to tell each other. It could be kind of fun if we didn’t, don’t you think?”

I’m pleased to see she’s open to the idea of anonymity. “Can I tell you a story?”

“Of course.” She leans in slightly, curiosity lighting her eyes.

“It’s about my best mate—the one who recommended Soul Sync to me.”

“Go on,” she prompts.

“He had… let’s just say, a complicated experience with a woman. It messed him up for a long time. He couldn’t bring himself to trust women after that.”

Sympathy softens her expression. “That sounds truly awful.”

I nod. “It was. For years, he couldn’t handle a traditional relationship. So instead, he started dating women through arranged agreements—set for a specific amount of time, no strings attached, no real names. Just two people, keeping it simple. That was his way of living for years.”

Charleston’s lips quirk up, amusement dancing in her eyes. “Much like what we’re talking about doing?”

“Similar, yes. His arrangement had their differences—more like role play, I suppose you could say.”

She props her chin on her hand, her fingers lightly curled against her cheek, curiosity dancing in her eyes. “What happened to your friend?”

I’m glad she asked. “He metthe one.They’ve been married for ten years now. Got four kids. He’s happier than I’ve ever seen him.”

Her brows lift, surprise lighting her features. “Four kids? That’s a lot.”

I chuckle, the sound coming easily. “Yes, four’s a lot, but it’s not six.”

A warm expression settles in her eyes. “Beautiful chaos.”

The words settle over me “Yeah, beautiful chaos.”

Charleston sits quietly, her expression thoughtful as she seems to weigh her options. After a moment, she gives a small nod. “Let’s do this.”

An explosion of satisfaction ignites in my chest. “Yeah?”

Her second nod is firmer, more certain. “Yeah, I want to do it.”

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