Chapter 102: First Times And Second Thoughts

The four of them stepped into the elevator together, the polished steel doors sliding shut with a soft whisper.

Kane watched the floor numbers descend in silence, hyperaware of Cyrus standing beside him, their shoulders nearly touching.

Fifty-seven arrived first. Isabelle placed a steadying hand on Rina’s elbow as the doors opened, revealing a sleek corridor lined with frosted glass panels.

"This way," Isabelle said, her voice gentler than Kane had ever heard it. "The guest suite is just down the hall."

Rina turned back toward Kane and Cyrus, gratitude clear in her tired eyes.

"Thank you. For everything."

Cyrus inclined his head formally.

"Rest well. Isabelle will take excellent care of you."

As the elevator doors closed, Kane caught a glimpse of Isabelle guiding Rina down the corridor with surprising tenderness, her usual rigid posture softened by concern.

The elevator continued its descent, the silence stretching between Kane and Cyrus like a taut wire.

Kane’s skin prickled with awareness, remembering the heat of Cyrus’s hands, the way his control had shattered completely.

The ground floor arrived too quickly. The doors opened to reveal the marble lobby, mostly empty now in the evening light.

Cyrus stepped out first, not looking back.

Kane followed quietly, his footsteps echoing against the marble as they crossed the empty lobby.

Cyrus moved with his usual controlled grace, but something in his stillness made Kane’s nerves spark.

The parking garage felt cooler, their breath visible in small puffs as they approached the BMW. Kane slid into the passenger seat, the leather cold against his back.

Cyrus started the engine, the low purr filling the silence between them. Kane fidgeted with his seatbelt, stealing glances at Cyrus’s profile.

"So," Kane cleared his throat. "What did you mean by ’other plans’?"

Cyrus’s hands stilled on the steering wheel. A slow smirk curved his lips as he turned to face Kane, red eyes gleaming in the dim garage lighting.

"What do you think I meant?"

The question hung between them, loaded with promise and possibility.

Kane’s pulse quickened, remembering the heat of Cyrus’s confession, the way their kiss had ignited something fierce and hungry.

"I think," Kane said carefully, "you’re being deliberately cryptic."

Cyrus’s smirk deepened.

"Am I?"

He shifted the car into drive, pulling out of the parking space with deliberate slowness.

"We have unfinished business, Kane. And this time, there won’t be any interruptions."

Heat flooded Kane’s cheeks, spreading down his neck as the weight of Cyrus’s words settled over him. His hands fidgeted with the seatbelt again, fingers trembling slightly.

Unfinished business. The phrase echoed in his mind, loaded with implications that made his stomach flip with equal parts anticipation and terror.

Kane stared out the passenger window, watching the city lights blur past as they drove through downtown Feilun.

His reflection stared back at him, revealing a flushed face and wide amber eyes that completely betrayed his inexperience.

He’d been so bold moments ago, kissing Cyrus back with desperate hunger, letting his hands roam beneath expensive fabric. But now, faced with the reality of what came next, uncertainty crashed over him like a cold wave.

Kane had never been in a relationship before. Hell, he’d barely had time for casual hookups between Bureau missions and his own emotional walls.

The idea of being that vulnerable with someone—of letting Cyrus see him completely undone—made his pulse race for entirely new reasons.

"Second thoughts?" Cyrus asked quietly, glancing at Kane’s profile.

Kane’s blush deepened impossibly further.

"I just..." he cleared his throat, his voice coming out smaller than intended.

"I’ve never—that is, I don’t really have experience with the whole ’unfinished business’ thing."

Cyrus’s grip tightened on the steering wheel, knuckles going white against the leather.

"That makes the two of us."

Kane blinked, turning to stare at Cyrus’s profile in surprise.

"Wait, what? But you’re—you’re centuries old. How have you never—"

"Dragons aren’t exactly social creatures," Cyrus cut him off, a flush creeping up his neck.

"And after my clan fell, I’ve spent most of my time in isolation. The closest I’ve come to intimacy is..."

He trailed off, looking deeply uncomfortable.

"Is what?"

Cyrus’s jaw worked silently for a moment, his usual composure cracking.

"Those romance novels from my lair," he admitted through gritted teeth.

Kane’s mouth fell open, then snapped shut as he processed this revelation.

The most powerful spirit he’d ever met had learned about relationships from The CEO’s Secret Baby.

An awkward silence stretched between them, broken only by the soft hum of the engine and the distant sounds of city traffic.

Kane bit his lip, fighting back nervous laughter.

"So," he said carefully, "do you have any, uh, inspirations you can draw from your rom-coms?"

Cyrus shot him a mortified look.

"Are you seriously asking me to base our first time on The CEO’s Secret Baby?"

"Well," Kane’s mouth twitched, "you seemed pretty invested in that book. You even took notes during the office scene."

Cyrus paused to think, feeling embarrassed as he considered their options.

"Would you like to go for dinner first? Like a proper date?"

Kane shifted in his seat, glancing out at the darkening streets.

"What if we get attacked by another rogue spirit? Last time we tried dinner, the restaurant literally collapsed."

"I’ll be there to protect you," Cyrus said quietly, his voice carrying absolute certainty.

Kane looked at him, seeing the unwavering resolve in those crimson eyes. He knew Cyrus would move heaven and earth to keep him safe—he had already proven it countless times.

"I know you will," Kane said softly. "It’s just... I’m not really in the mood for fancy restaurants and potential property damage right now."

Cyrus nodded, understanding flickering across his features.

"Where would you like to go, then?"

Kane chewed his lip, thinking. Somewhere public enough to feel safe, private enough to talk, and normal enough to pretend they were just two people figuring things out.

"Maybe the movies?" he suggested hesitantly.

"Something mindless and entertaining. No pressure to make conversation, no waiters interrupting..."

Cyrus considered this, his fingers drumming against the steering wheel. A movie theater—dark, anonymous, and relatively safe from supernatural interruptions.

"Alright," he said, turning toward the downtown cinema district. "Though I reserve the right to leave if they’re showing anything with werewolves."

Kane snorted with laughter, tension finally breaking.𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂