[BL] CRAVING HIM: Addicted to His Voice-Chapter 352: A Night Out, A Heart Unveiled

~Evric’s POV~

I leaned down, capturing his lips in a deep, passionate kiss that spoke louder than words. Between the press of our mouths, I murmured against him, "Soon, baby."

"Okay, baby," he whispered back, his eyes searching mine with a newfound clarity. He stayed quiet for a moment, his fingers tracing the collar of my shirt before he spoke again. "Evric... what advice would you give me about my father? Do you think I should meet him, or should I just let it go?"

I looked at him, realizing this was the one shadow still lingering over his heart. I ran my thumb over his cheekbone, considering my words carefully. "I don’t have any advice for you on this, Zayn," I said softly. "Because you’re a father now, too. You have that instinct in you. You already have the answer in your mind; you just need to trust it."

Zayn took a deep breath, nodding slowly as if my words had finally unlocked the door. "I want to meet him. I want to face him after we travel back. Will you come with me?"

"Of course, baby. Always."

Later that evening, my phone buzzed with a text from Jude, insisting I come out for a drink. He complained that since my return, I hadn’t gone out once, that we hadn’t really spent any time together. I glanced over at Zayn, curled up at the end of the sofa, quiet and comfortable in his own little corner.

"Jude wants us to hang out tonight," I said, watching his reaction. "Do you want to come with me?"

Zayn didn’t hesitate. He sat up, a small, determined smile on his face. "Sure. It’s probably better if I start getting to know my future husband’s friends anyway."

I couldn’t hide the proud smile tugging at my lips. I leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. "Yes, baby. Since I already know all your friends, it’s about time you meet mine."

We headed upstairs together to get ready, the air between us light and humming with a new kind of energy.

In the bedroom, the usual frantic pace of getting ready was replaced by something much more intimate. As I pulled a crisp black button-down from the closet, I caught Zayn watching me in the mirror. I walked over and helped him settle into a fitted jacket, my fingers lingering on his lapels just a second longer than necessary.

"You look incredible," I whispered, meeting his eyes in the reflection.

"I have to look good if I’m going to be standing next to you," he teased, though his hand squeezed mine, grounding me. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

When we were finally ready, we made our way downstairs. I didn’t just walk beside him; I tucked him under my arm, my hand resting firmly on the small of his back. We walked out to the car like that, completely in sync.

I held the door open for him, waiting until he was settled before jogging around to the driver’s side.

As I pulled out of the driveway, I reached across the center console and interlaced my fingers with his. I kept my hand there for the entire drive, my thumb tracing circles over the ring on his finger.

The drive to Jude’s location felt shorter than usual, fueled by easy conversation and the comfortable weight of our joined hands. By the time I pulled the car into the valet at the upscale lounge Jude had chosen.

The drive to Jude’s place flew by, carried along by easy conversation and the warmth of our hands intertwined. By the time I pulled up to the valet at the upscale lounge Jude had chosen, he had already sent me the table number where they were waiting.

I stepped out of the car and waited for Zayn, taking his hand the moment he reached me. Together, we walked toward the entrance, ready to face the night.

As we reached the table, my friends immediately erupted into dramatic cheering and teasing. "Look who finally crawled out of his cave!" Ben shouted, grinning from ear to ear. "And he brought a surprise! We finally get to meet the mysterious fiancé!"

I just smiled, pulling out a chair for Zayn and making sure he was settled before I took my seat beside him. "Is it really that shocking to see me out?"

"Yes," Mike joked.

Zayn handled the attention perfectly, greeting everyone with a warm, confident smile that seemed to light up our corner of the lounge. Jude, who was sitting on my other side, leaned in close. His shoulder brushed mine as he whispered, his eyes fixed on Zayn, who was currently laughing at a joke Ben had made.

"Wow," Jude muttered, his usual loud, teasing tone giving way to quiet awe. "I get it now, Evric. I see exactly why you’re so obsessed. I’ve seen him on media, but seeing him in person... it’s different. He has this presence. You definitely won, man."

I just smirked, picking up my glass as the waiter arrived. "I know I did, Jude."

As the group started talking, Zayn leaned toward me, his lips brushing my ear. "Babe," he whispered, "Can I go sit at the counter for a minute? I want the bartender to mix me something special."

I frowned slightly, leaning back to look at him. "No. You’re not here to get drunk, Zayn."

He didn’t pull away. Instead, he got closer, his voice a low, secret vibration. "I’m not trying to get drunk. I just want something... potent. Something to make our night even hotter than the last one."

I felt a spark of heat hit my gut, but I kept my voice firm. "No. You don’t need a drink to have sex with me, baby."

Zayn completely forgot we were in a public place. He didn’t care about the music or the people around us. He pouted, his eyes turning wide and soft as he looked at me with a desperate, cute look that he knew I couldn’t resist. "I just want to see if it makes me even hotter... more irresistible for you in bed," he murmured, his voice soft and pleading. "Please, Daddy?"

I glanced at my friends, who were definitely watching us with raised eyebrows, then back at Zayn, who was acting like a spoiled, beautiful child. I sighed, defeated by that look.

"Fine," I relented. "Just one glass."

"Just one glass," he promised, his face lighting up.

"Alright. Go on."

Before he stood up, Zayn did something that caught me completely off guard. He leaned in and pressed a lingering, sweet kiss to my lips, a thank you that left me momentarily stunned. Then, he slid out of the booth and headed toward the bar counter with a triumphant sway in his step.

I sat there, frozen for a second, watching him walk away. Suddenly, the table erupted in "Awws" and loud whistling. Mile and Ben were practically falling over themselves teasing me.

"Oh, look at that!" Ben chuckled. "Since when did our cold-hearted Evric turn into such a lover boy? Don’t tell me this is the new you!"

I shook off the shock and leaned back, a smug, unapologetic grin on my face. "Yes," I said, looking them all in the eye. "I’m a certified lover boy. You got a problem with that?"

Jude let out a loud, bark of a laugh, clearly enjoying the fact that I didn’t even try to deny it. "No problem at all, man. If I had that waiting for me at home, I’d be a certified lover boy too!"

We had barely settled back into our drinks when Ben nudged me, nodding toward the bar. "Uh, Evric? Look at the counter... looks like someone’s trying to claim your man."

I didn’t even flinch. Lifting my glass in a slow, deliberate sip, I let the confidence of a man who knew exactly what he had radiate from me. "No one’s taking my man," I said coolly, every word dripping with certainty.

Still, my eyes drifted toward the counter...