[BL] CRAVING HIM: Addicted to His Voice-Chapter 350: From Fear to Tenderness

~Evric’s POV~

I held him a little tighter, cherishing the weight of him against my chest. I gave him one final, feather-light kiss, and then, wrapped in the warmth of our shared surrender, I followed him into a deep and dreamless sleep.

The morning light filtered through the curtains, but the warmth I expected beside me was gone. I reached out instinctively, my hand hitting cold, empty sheets. My eyes snapped open.

"Babe?" I called out, my voice thick with sleep. Silence. "Zayn?"

I sat up, a small knot of unease forming in my stomach. I assumed he was in the bathroom, but when I called his name twice more and received no reply, I threw back the covers. I checked the ensuite, empty. The towels were dry.

I rushed downstairs, my footsteps echoing in the quiet house. "Zayn!" I checked the kitchen, the living room, and the study. Every room was a hollow shell. I began to pace, my heart rate climbing. Zayn had been so exhausted last night that he could barely keep his eyes open. Where could he possibly be?

I rushed to the window. My car was still in the driveway, Panic hit me all at once, my thoughts spiraling into the worst possibilities.

Did I go too far? Were the lessons too much... the intensity too overwhelming? Did I break him? Did he run away?

I grabbed my phone and dialed his number. It rang and rang until it hit voicemail. I tried again. Nothing. Panic, cold and sharp, flooded my veins. "Please, Zayn, pick up. Don’t do this."

I scrambled to call the security at the front gate. "Did my partner leave the premises?" I barked into the phone.

"Yes, sir," the guard answered. "He was picked up by a car an hour and forty-five minutes ago."

"You saw him arrive with me!" I shouted, my voice breaking. "He stepped outside alone, and you didn’t think you should inform me right away?"

"Sir, we called several times," the guard said defensively. "You didn’t pick up."

I ended the call and looked at my screen. Five missed calls from the gate. My phone was on silent, a setting I never use. I sank to the floor in the hallway, burying my face in my hands. I started blaming myself, the guilt suffocating me. I was too hard on him. I scared him away with my demands. I’m so sorry, Zayn... please come back.

Guilt still weighed heavily on me when my phone vibrated. It was the gate.

I answered, irritation already rising, but the words that followed stopped me cold.

"Sir, Mr. Zayn is back. He’s approaching the front door now."

I didn’t wait a second. I threw the door open and sprinted down the driveway. I saw him, he was carrying several heavy grocery bags, looking calm and perfectly fine.

"Babe!" I reached him and pulled him into a crushing hug. I couldn’t help it; the relief was so violent that tears began to stream down my face. I sobbed against his shoulder, my body shaking with the aftershocks of the panic.

Zayn immediately dropped the bags, his expression shifting to one of intense worry. "Evric? Hey, hey... look at me. Is everything okay? What happened?"

"You scared me," I choked out, unable to let go. "I thought you were gone." 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"Scared you? How?"

"Let’s... let’s go inside first," I said, wiping my eyes and grabbing the bags.

Once inside, I dropped the groceries on the counter and turned back to him, pulling him into another desperate embrace.

"Evric, I’m so sorry, I didn’t think—"

I didn’t let him finish. I kissed him with everything I had, a hungry, desperate kiss to prove to myself he was actually there. When I finally pulled back, Zayn was looking at me with deep concern. "Why were you so scared?" his voice softened. "Why are you crying like this?"

I let out a watery laugh. "I think I might be crazy."

"Why? What happened?"

"For thinking you left me," I whispered. "I thought last night was too much for you. I thought I pushed you too far, that you woke up and realized you couldn’t stay with someone like me and you..."

Zayn didn’t let me finish. He reached out and gave my forehead a sharp, playful tap with his finger.

"Ouch," I said, blinking back my tears and looking at him in surprise.

"Babe, no," Zayn said, closing the space between us and cupping my face in his hands. "Why would you even think I’d walk away from you?"

The sting on my forehead was nothing compared to the warmth spreading through my chest.

"I’m sorry," I murmured, leaning my head against his. "I just... I value you so much that the thought of losing you makes me lose my mind."

"Then keep your mind right here," he whispered, kissing the spot he had just tapped.

"You were so worn out after our intimacy, Zayn... and when I woke up to find the bed empty, my phone was on silent so no one could reach me... I couldn’t help it. I panicked."

Zayn gave me a look of pure tenderness. "Baby, last night was the best moment of my life. I didn’t sleep because I was upset; I slept because I finally had real, soul-shaking sex and I felt safe enough to let go. How could I run away from the man who makes me feel like that?"

He sighed, stroking my cheek. "And about the phone... I’m the one who put it on silent. You haven’t been sleeping well lately, and I saw how deep you were under this morning. I didn’t want any notifications to wake you up. I even left you a note."

"A note?" I said, blinking back my tears and looking at him in surprise.

"Yes, babe." Zayn took my hand and led me to the kitchen island. There, tucked under the coffee machine where he knew I’d look first, was a piece of paper: ’Gone to get fresh ingredients for a real breakfast. Didn’t want to wake you. Back soon. I love you, Daddy.’

I stared at the note, the last of the tension leaving my body. I hugged him again, burying my face in his neck. "Good thing you’re still here."

"I’m not going anywhere," Zayn promised. "I’ll always be exactly where you are."

"Thanks, babe," I breathed.

"Sorry, Evric... I didn’t mean to make you panic," he murmured, a teasing smile tugging at his lips. "Next time, I’ll leave a note right on your pillow, or even on your side of the bed."

"No," I said, relief softening my voice as I finally felt like myself again. "Next time, wake me up. I’ll drive you. But... why didn’t you take the car?"

"I just... decided not to," he replied quietly, his eyes serious.

I hugged him one last time, squeezing him tight enough to feel his heart thudding against mine before finally letting go. I nodded toward the groceries scattered on the counter. "Alright, if you’re making a ’real’ breakfast, I’m coming in to help. Don’t try to do it all yourself."

We moved into the kitchen together, and the shift in Zayn was incredible. He moved through the space with the grace of a professional chef, his hands steady and confident as he began to organize the ingredients.

"Babe, I really missed cooking," he admitted, a genuine glow on his face as he cracked eggs into a bowl.

I couldn’t help myself; I stepped up behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist and pulling his back flush against my chest. I buried my face in the crook of his neck, breathing him in. "I don’t want you overexerting yourself, Zayn. I’ll start learning to cook more too."

He tilted his head back against my shoulder, looking up at me. "Why?"

I nipped at his earlobe, making him shiver. "Because after every intense night, I want you waking up to my face... and a hot breakfast. Maybe with a little morning slow... sex," I added, my voice low and teasing, a suggestive chuckle following.

Zayn’s breath hitched, and his eyes widened. "Are you for real right now?"

"I mean every word, baby," I smiled, sliding my hands up under his shirt to feel his warm skin. "I’m very real."

He shifted in my arms, a mischievous spark in his eyes, and asked, full of playful energy, "Should we just skip breakfast, then?"