23. Alex Sebring
Chapter 23
Alex Sebring
The wheels of the private jet touch down with a soft jolt, and the unfamiliar Charleston skyline stretches beyond the window.
My phone is heavier than usual as I dial Magnolia’s number. One ring, and straight to voicemail.
Hey. I’m in town. I need to see you. It’s important.
The text sends, but there’s no read receipt. No dots appearing to tell me she’s typing. Only silence.
I try again.
Please. Just five minutes of your time. That’s all I’m asking for.
Still nothing.
The texts continue to sit there, unread, glaring back at me. And now there’s no doubt—she’s blocked me. Not that I didn’t suspect it months ago.
One thing about Magnolia––she never does anything halfway. When she decided she wanted me gone, she made damn sure there was no coming back.
I shove my phone into my pocket. “Fuck! I didn’t come all this way just to hit another roadblock.”
With no other option, I grab my bag and head for the waiting taxi. Sliding into the back seat, I give the driver the address to Soul Sync, the one place I can find her.
As we weave through the streets of Charleston, I watch the city unfold around me—colorful buildings with intricate ironwork balconies, cobblestone streets lined with trees swaying in the warm breeze. It’s picturesque, the kind of place Magnolia would thrive in, full of charm and old-world elegance.
But right now, it’s a beautiful maze keeping me from what I came here for.
I drag in a slow breath, tapping my fingers against my knee as the taxi pulls up to Soul Sync’s office. I step out, staring up at the building, my pulse hammering in my ears. Months have passed, but standing here now, it feels like no time at all—like I’m right back where I was when she walked away.
My chest tightens at the thought of seeing her again, the weight of everything left unsaid pressing down on me. Part of me wonders if she’ll let me get a word in. Or will she turn and walk away the second she lays eyes on me.
Maybe she should. I’m fucked up in the head, even more so since I lost her.
But another part of me—one that’s louder, more desperate—clings to the hope that I might get something out of this.
A moment.
A conversation.
A chance to make sense of what happened.
I roll my shoulders, forcing down the nerves clawing at my throat. I can’t turn back now. Whatever happens, I’ll face it.
I step inside Soul Sync, the cool blast of air-conditioning hitting me like a welcome reprieve from the thick Charleston heat. The lobby is sleek and modern, similar to the one in Sydney. For a moment, it feels like I’ve stepped back in time.
Before I can take another step, a bright, cheerful voice calls out from behind the reception desk.
“Well, look who it is—Julius Caesar.”
I turn toward the voice, and there she is—the same client specialist rep from Sydney. “What a surprise seeing you here.”
My pulse kicks up, but I force a polite nod. “Yeah. Thought I’d drop in.”
She tilts her head, eyes sharp and curious. “I take it you’re here to see Magnolia?”
She knows about Magnolia and me.
This is bad.
My stomach flips. “Can I see her?”
Her smile slips, and it’s enough to tell me something’s off. I’m not going to like what’s coming.
The warmth in her eyes dims. “I’m sorry, but that’s not possible.”
She pauses, glancing around the lobby, before lowering her voice. “Magnolia doesn’t work here anymore.”
My heart sinks, heavy and certain—this is worse than I imagined. “Since when?”
“A few months ago.”
Right around the time she cut me off.
I stare at the client specialist rep, searching her expression for some kind of explanation, but she’s all polished professionalism now, her service smile back in place.
“Why?” The sound of it is all wrong—too raw, too exposed—but I can’t pull it back now.
A flash of sympathy crosses her face. “I’m not at liberty to discuss that. But I believe you already know the answer.”
There’s only one explanation, and it sinks into my chest like a lead weight.
Me.
I’m the reason Magnolia lost this job—the job she loved and worked so damn hard for. And just like that, the guilt I thought I’d buried months ago comes rushing back, sharper than ever.
These things always have a way of coming out. Whispers in the right ears, a few too many coincidences lining up. And despite the obscene amount of money I paid Celeste to keep her mouth shut, somehow, it still wasn’t enough to protect my girl.
Frustration simmers beneath my skin. “I just need to talk to Magnolia. How can I get in touch with her?”
Her professionalism doesn’t budge, but there’s something in her eyes—compassion, maybe. “I’m afraid I can’t help you with that.”
“Please. I’m on my way back to Sydney, and I need to see her before I go.”
She hesitates for a second, and I think she might cave. But then she shakes her head, her expression turning apologetic. “Soul Sync’s privacy policy is strict. There’s no wiggle room.”
Her voice drops to a softer tone. “I’ve seen what happens when people break the rules, and I can’t risk my job. Please don’t ask me to do that, even for Magnolia, whom I love dearly.”
Fuck my life.
“I get it. But leaving the States without seeing her isn’t an option.”
“I’m sorry.”
“She’s moved on—I’m not here to interfere with her life. I just need one chance to look her in the eye and say what I should’ve said months ago.”
She offers the faintest of smiles. “I hope you find her and say what needs to be said, for both of your sakes.”
She leans closer, her voice low. “It’s Thursday. There’s a great aerial dance studio in Charleston called Elevate Aerial Arts. They hold classes every Thursday at six o’clock.”
What the hell is she talking about? “Thanks, but I’m not interested.”
Her lips twitch with something that resembles amusement. “You should check it out tonight at six o’clock. Elevate Aerial Arts. I think you’d enjoy it.”
She glances at her watch, a subtle smile playing at the edges of her mouth. “It’s almost five, and the studio is across town. You better get a move on.”
I stare at her, realization creeping in. I nod once, the weight of unspoken words hanging between us. “Right. Thanks for the suggestion.”
As I turn to leave, her voice follows me, softer now. “For what it’s worth, we all knew she was seeing someone while we were in Sydney.”
I freeze, my feet rooted to the spot.
“She was in love, and it was obvious. She was so damn happy. I’d never seen her like that before. She didn’t want to come home—it was clear she was leaving someone behind who had her heart.”
A dull ache settles in my chest. “You think so?”
She nods, offering a small, sympathetic smile. “I know so.”
I give her a tight nod before pushing through the door and stepping into the sticky Charleston heat.
If Magnolia was so damn happy, how did we end up like this?