Ulyana looked into Hak's eyes and could see every bit of longing he was trying so hard to hide from her.
"Hak…"
But the words wouldn't come. Her thoughts felt tangled. Hak simply smiled gently at her instead.
"Don't worry," he said softly. "No pressure."
Then slowly, he rested his forehead lightly against hers.
The closeness made her chest tighten painfully.
Those feelings again.
Warm.
Heavy.
Confusing.
A knot twisted in her stomach as emotions swelled inside her all at once.
And strangely, she couldn't make herself speak.
Maybe because she was afraid of saying the wrong thing.
Or maybe because some part of her didn't want to lie to either of them.
So instead, she simply hugged him.
And immediately, Hak held her softly against him too.
Just for a brief moment beneath the city lights.
Eventually Ulyana calmed herself enough to pull back slightly.
"I should head back to Amos and Xeno," she said quietly.
Hak nodded once.
No argument.
No pressure.
Before stepping away completely, Ulyana rose slightly onto her toes and placed a soft kiss against his cheek.
"Thank you," she whispered. "For bringing the clothes."
Hak looked momentarily stunned by the affection.
Then Ulyana gently separated herself from him and headed back toward the private dining room.
The second she walked back inside, Xenovia and Amos looked absolutely floored.
"What happened?!" Xenovia immediately whisper shouted.
"Nothing," Ulyana replied quickly while sitting back down. "He just checked on me."
Neither of them looked convinced.
Fortunately, before further interrogation could begin, the private room doors opened again.
Rowan and Graham had returned.
Rowan's eyes immediately settled on Ulyana.
Then subtly on the dry clothes she now wore.
"How's dinner?" Graham asked easily while sitting back down.
Without really thinking about it, Ulyana leaned over and placed a quick kiss against Rowan's cheek.
"Thank you for the clothes."
Rowan looked slightly surprised for a brief second.
Then he simply smiled softly. "You're welcome, Angel."
And just like that, the atmosphere settled warmly again as the final course arrived and the group excitedly continued eating together into the night.
As dinner wrapped up with dessert, Ulyana found herself growing sleepier by the minute.
The long work week, the game, and the emotional rollercoaster of the evening were finally catching up to her.
Meanwhile, Graham, Amos, and Xenovia were already planning to continue the night at a karaoke bar.
Unfortunately for them, Ulyana was exhausted.
So eventually the group split off for the evening.
Amos hugged her goodbye first, then Xenovia pulled her into a dramatic embrace afterward.
And very quietly, Xeno whispered into her ear:
"Be responsible."
Before Ulyana could react, Xenovia slipped something small into her hand.
Ulyana immediately realised what it was.
Not this again.
She quickly closed her fist around it and shot Xenovia a sharp warning glare while Xeno only giggled shamelessly.
Meanwhile Rowan had already stepped beside Ulyana, naturally taking her free hand as they walked toward his car together.
Then Rowan glanced toward her suspiciously.
"Angel… what did she hand you?"
Ulyana's face instantly went bright red.
"Nothing important."
Rowan looked amused. "You don't trust me?"
"It's really nothing," she insisted while keeping her fist firmly closed.
"And I'm really asking," Rowan replied calmly.
Ulyana looked thoroughly embarrassed now.
But eventually, with obvious reluctance, she slowly opened her hand enough to show him.
Rowan blinked once before choking slightly on a laugh.
Ulyana immediately covered part of her face.
"Oh my God…"
Rowan shook his head, clearly amused but gentle about it.
"You don't need to be embarrassed," he said lightly. "Your friends are just looking out for you."
Ulyana groaned quietly. "Xeno is impossible."
"That," Rowan chuckled softly, "sounds accurate."
Then after a brief pause, a smug look crossed his face.
"Besides," he added casually, "that probably runs small anyway."
Ulyana froze.
Then immediately smacked his arm.
"ROWAN."
Meanwhile Rowan just laughed properly while opening the car door for her, clearly far too pleased with himself.
Ulyana stayed bright red for a good portion of the drive afterward.
Meanwhile Rowan simply drove calmly, humming quietly along to the music playing through the speakers like he hadn't just embarrassed her half to death.
Eventually he glanced toward her with amusement.
"You ready to head back to your villa?"
Ulyana looked out the window for a moment before quietly replying.
"…I can stay a little longer with you."
The softness in her voice made Rowan smile.
Without another word, he took a different turn down the road.
A familiar route.
Eventually, Rowan pulled into the same secluded lookout Hak had once taken her to the night the hotel burned. The city lights stretched endlessly beneath them.
For a while neither spoke.
Rowan opened the back of the car and the two settled comfortably in the boot side by side overlooking Silvercrown. The cool night air felt peaceful after the chaos of the evening.
After a comfortable silence, Rowan glanced toward her.
"Want to play questions?"
Ulyana smiled faintly. "What kind of questions?"
"Would you rather."
And surprisingly, it became fun. The two playfully asked increasingly ridiculous questions while laughing together beneath the city lights.
"Would you rather fight one horse sized duck or a hundred duck sized horses?" she asked.
"That's a terrible question."
"It's an important question."
"Horse sized duck."
"You'd die."
"You underestimate me."
Ulyana laughed properly at that.
Then the questions became softer and more personal. The flirting between them settled naturally into the conversation now, easy and warm in a way that no longer felt forced.
At some point, Ulyana glanced toward Rowan quietly.
Then finally asked, "When was your last real relationship?"
That question noticeably shifted something in him.
For once, Rowan didn't dodge it.
Didn't joke.
Instead he leaned back slightly against the car and stared out over the city.
"…Years ago," he admitted quietly.
Ulyana stayed silent, letting him continue.
"She was kind," Rowan said after a pause. "Patient."
A faint bitter smile crossed his face afterward.
"But my life…"
He exhaled slowly. "The underground world I was involved in eventually hurt her whether I intended it to or not."
His expression darkened slightly remembering it. "She became afraid. Of the danger. Of the violence. Of me."
Ulyana's chest tightened quietly hearing that.
"So after that," Rowan continued calmly, "I stopped trying."
He shrugged lightly. "It felt selfish to involve anyone else in my life after that."
For a moment only the distant city sounds filled the silence between them. Then Rowan looked toward Ulyana honestly.
"And now you've shown up."
The vulnerability in his voice startled her slightly. Rowan laughed softly under his breath.
"And that genuinely scares me."
Ulyana looked at him questioningly. "You know I'm a black belt, right?"
Rowan smiled faintly.
"You've already started changing my life in a very short amount of time," he admitted quietly.
Ulyana felt a little prideful hearing that.
"I can take care of myself," she insisted.
Rowan's expression softened. "Angel… no, you can't."
Her eyes widened immediately. "I can!"
"No," Rowan corrected gently. "Don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying you aren't independent."
He leaned slightly closer. "I'm saying you shouldn't be left alone."
That made her pause.
Still, she shot him a stubborn look. "Don't underestimate me."
A quiet laugh escaped him. "I did once," he admitted. "I learned very quickly not to."
"Perfect," she said smugly.
"Yeah," Rowan replied smoothly, his tone turning flirtatious. "You are, Angel."
The air between them shifted again, the teasing faded into something quieter.
More intense.
Ulyana held his gaze while the tension slowly built between them beneath the city lights.
Rowan never pushed forward.
Never assumed.
He simply looked into her eyes and waited.
Then Ulyana bit her lip slightly and leaned a little closer toward him.
That was enough.
Rowan gently closed the distance and kissed her.
The kiss was warm and emotional, filled with all the tension that had been building between them throughout the night and the times they have shared.
She shifted onto his lap, straddling him. And to his surprise, Ulyana kissed him back with the same energy.
Time seemed to blur for a few moments before eventually they pulled apart breathlessly, still close enough to feel each other's warmth.
Rowan rested his forehead lightly against hers and laughed softly under his breath.
"Easy, tiger," he murmured teasingly. "It's only our first date."
Ulyana immediately looked embarrassed.
"I'm not like that."
"I know," Rowan reassured her quickly. "That's not what I meant."
Then more carefully, he added, "I just assumed you'd had enough dating experience to know your boundaries already."
Ulyana blinked. "My dating history?"
Rowan looked at her incredulously.
"You mean your ex wasn't one of several?"
She shook her head slowly. "…No."
Rowan stared at her for a moment.
Genuinely speechless.
Rowan shifted slightly beside her, still looking at her with obvious surprise he wasn't even trying to hide anymore.
Ulyana narrowed her eyes immediately.
"Don't look at me like that."
"Like what?"
She looked away awkwardly. "Like… you feel sorry for me."
Rowan blinked.
"No," he said immediately. "Not at all."
Then he laughed softly in disbelief. "I'm just shocked."
Ulyana looked suspicious.
"There is absolutely no way," Rowan continued, "that I thought your ex was your only relationship."
Ulyana immediately grew shy under his attention and looked away toward the city lights.
That somehow only made Rowan smile more.
"And honestly?" he admitted quietly. "The fact you carry yourself with all that confidence naturally…"
He shook his head slightly. "That's even more attractive."
Ulyana pouted and side eyed him suspiciously.
Rowan chuckled softly at the expression.
"I really expected someone with your reputation as a socialite to have more experience than me," he admitted.
Then he paused. "But somehow I'm the one with more exes."
Ulyana immediately defended herself. "You also have ten years on me."
"True," Rowan admitted easily.
Then more quietly, "But I find you really alluring."
Ulyana looked at him curiously. "Why?"
Rowan thought for a moment before answering honestly.
"Because you're naturally charming without trying to be."
His gaze softened slightly afterward.
"You carry yourself confidently, you understand people well, and somehow you still have this sincerity about you."
A faint smile crossed his face.
"You're full of surprises, Angel."
"You're making me feel unsure of myself now," Ulyana muttered quietly.
Rowan immediately looked amused.
"You liar," he teased softly. "Nobody can make Ulyana Vasily feel unsure."
Ulyana looked at him for a moment before admitting quietly.
"You do."
That visibly pleased him far more than it should have. A smug smirk slowly appeared on Rowan's face.
"Oh?" he teased. "Trying to win another kiss, Angel?"
Ulyana immediately pushed his shoulder lightly.
"Don't make fun of me."
Rowan laughed softly under his breath while catching her hand before she could fully pull away.
"I'm not," he said more gently afterward.
That tone affected her far more than the teasing had. Rowan gently caught her hand before she could fully pull away and tugged her back toward him slightly.
Then he kissed her again.
Soft.
Warm.
Unhurried this time.
When they pulled apart, Rowan smiled faintly against her forehead.
"You're adorable when you're upset."
Ulyana narrowed her eyes immediately.
"Don't annoy me," she warned.
That only made Rowan laugh quietly while wrapping an arm around her shoulders, the two settling comfortably beside each other again beneath the city lights.
The two eventually settled into a comfortable silence beside one another, overlooking the glowing city skyline beneath them.
The night air was cool.
And after such a long emotional day, Ulyana finally began relaxing completely against him.
Little by little, her eyes grew heavier. Until eventually she fell asleep resting against Rowan's shoulder.
Rowan looked down at her quietly for a moment, the faintest smile crossing his face.
Completely asleep.
Trusting him enough to rest like this.
Carefully, he stayed still and let her sleep for a while longer beneath the city lights.
Then once her breathing deepened into a more peaceful sleep, Rowan gently lifted her into his arms and carried her carefully toward the front passenger seat.
He adjusted her comfortably, making sure she stayed warm before quietly starting the drive again.
Eventually, Rowan arrived at Ulyana's villa located within one of Silvercrown's most exclusive gated communities.
The security at the entrance immediately recognised both the car and its driver, allowing him through without issue as the quiet luxury streets stretched deeper into the private estate.
The gated estate was called Gilead Grove.
An extremely exclusive private community hidden away from the rest of Silvercrown.
Getting accepted into Gilead Grove was notoriously difficult.
Most residents were either government officials, powerful business figures, celebrities, or individuals connected to influential networks significant enough to warrant the intense privacy and security the estate offered.
Ulyana qualified through both business influence and her family's far reaching social network.
As Rowan drove through the quiet, tree lined streets of the estate, the atmosphere shifted completely from the lively city they had left behind.
Everything here felt still.
Private.
Protected.
Eventually Rowan circled around the curved driveway and pulled smoothly up outside Ulyana's villa.
The soft exterior lights illuminated the modern property beautifully against the quiet night.
For a moment, Rowan simply looked over at her sleeping peacefully beside him.
Then gently, very gently he brushed a hand against her arm. "Angel."
His voice was low and careful.
Just enough to wake her without startling her.
"Ugh," Ulyana groaned softly while still resting against him. "My neighbours are going to have a field day with this."
Rowan looked entirely unbothered.
"Well," he replied calmly, "at least you know it won't end up on the front page tomorrow morning."
That made her laugh quietly.
As they reached the front entrance of the villa, Ulyana looked up at him curiously.
"Are you working tomorrow?"
"Yeah," Rowan admitted. "Actually…"
He hesitated briefly before continuing honestly. "I wanted to spend as much time with you as possible before I leave."
Ulyana blinked slightly. "…Leave?"
"I have to go overseas for a while," Rowan explained quietly. "I leave in two days."
That woke her up properly. "Really?!"
She searched his face immediately. "How long is 'a while'?"
Rowan sighed softly. "Unfortunately…"
His expression darkened slightly. "I'm not sure."
Ulyana fell quiet.
And unexpectedly that familiar ache began rising slowly in her chest again.
The exact same feeling she used to get whenever Hak disappeared for long stretches without warning.
That heavy sadness.
That uncertainty.
The thought of Rowan suddenly leaving now affected her far more than she expected it would.
And judging by the way Rowan watched her expression soften sadly he noticed too.
Ulyana didn't question him further.
She didn't push at all. She understood enough to know Rowan's world was complicated. Still, the sadness settled visibly across her expression before she could hide it.
And unfortunately for her, Rowan noticed immediately. He slowed slightly near the front door, still holding her easily in his arms as he looked down at her.
"What's wrong?" he asked gently.
Ulyana hesitated for a moment before quietly admitting: "I don't know…"
She looked away briefly. "I just suddenly feel sad."
Her honesty caught him off guard a little.
Ulyana sighed softly afterward. "I think I just…" she paused searching for the words. "I don't like people leaving."
Something about that answer affected Rowan more than she realised.