[BL] CRAVING HIM: Addicted to His Voice Chapter 64: A Distance Between Us

Evric’s POV

I dropped Zayn off at his restaurant, and the entire ride he refused to et my eyes. His silence pressed down heavier than words ever could, and a quiet fear gnawed at . I hated it, this not knowing, this wall between us.

When we pulled up, he only said he’d chat with later and drop by before my driver finally pulled away. That was it. No smile. No warmth. Just distance.

All day, I tried to bridge the gap. I sent ssage after ssage, asking if he was okay, trying to lighten the mood with small jokes, anything that might draw him out. He answered, but only with short replies.

Yes.

I’m fine.

Later.

Each one felt like a door closing in my face.

When I asked if he had spoken to his friend, he said no. Then he added, almost as an afterthought, that he had a flight that night for business. He promised they would talk after he ca back. He swore he hadn’t told anyone, and wouldn’t, until Zayn was ready. But I couldn’t ignore the thought that because of , he was caught in this storm. Because of , he was hurting.

That night, sleep was impossible. I lay awake, staring at the ceiling, replaying every mont between us. His silence, his distance, the way his eyes had been clouded with sothing I couldn’t reach. It twisted my chest until I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

By morning, I convinced myself he would have cooled down, that everything would slip back to normal between us. So I stopped by his restaurant, pretending it was casual, asking him to pack lunch for . He agreed without hesitation, his hands moving with practiced ease as he prepared the food.

But the mont our eyes t, I knew I’d been lying to myself.

Zayn wasn’t the sa. He wasn’t angry, at least not in a way I could na, but he wasn’t present either. It was as if he had pulled so invisible curtain between us, his smile faint, his words clipped. He did everything right, yet it felt hollow, as though part of him was far away, sowhere I couldn’t reach no matter how hard I tried.

And that terrified more than anything.

When I got to work, I couldn’t focus. My mind kept circling back to him, to the way his eyes had seed far away. Eventually, I gave in and picked up my phone.

Babe passed the night at my place, I texted.

He didn’t argue or question it, just replied: Okay. Pick up later.

The words sat heavy on my screen. He wasn’t rejecting , but the distance was there, plain and undeniable. I told myself I could fix it, that once we were together, I’d find a way to talk to him. But even as I rehearsed the thought, I realized I didn’t know what I wanted to say. He hadn’t given space to ask questions, and yet every part of still felt the gap widening between us.

Later, Vanya called to confirm that our first project travel was finalized for two weeks’ ti. I noted it down, but my mind wasn’t in it.

By the end of the day, I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I asked Mr. Karl to co by my office. He had been with for years, a steady presence, older and wiser, the kind of man whose words carried weight.

I told him everything. About Zayn. About the distance. About the fear I couldn’t put into words.

He listened quietly, then leaned back in his chair, his voice calm and steady. "You need to wait for him to co around. Don’t worry yourself too much. Act normal around him. Don’t let anything change. What he’s feeling right now, it’s natural. It happens."

I stared at him, searching his face for reassurance.

He continued, "You said it yourself. He still packed your lunch. He still picks up your calls, reads your texts, and agreed to co over even though you feel distance. If he wanted to leave, he would’ve done that already. What you’re seeing now isn’t rejection, it’s him trying to find himself. Give him ti, and he’ll co back to you. It might take a while, but he will."

Hearing that eased sothing inside , a tight knot that had been pressing on my chest all day. Maybe Mr. Karl was right. Maybe I just needed to hold steady, to trust that Zayn wasn’t walking away, he was just trying to breathe.

By the ti I wrapped up work, it was already late. I asked Jas to finish up a few pending tasks and left for the night. When I reached Zayn’s restaurant, I texted him. I’m here.

It didn’t take long before he stepped outside and slid into the back seat beside . He didn’t et my eyes, his gaze was fixed on the window instead.

"How was work?" he asked, his tone quiet, distant.

"Great," I answered quickly, forcing a smile. "Yours?"

"Fine."

That was it. Just one word.

A heaviness settled between us. I leaned closer, trying to soften the air. "Baby, not even a kiss? You know I’ve had such a stressful day."

He hesitated, then slowly turned his head. I cupped his face, urging his eyes to et mine. He still tried to look away, but I pressed my lips to his and kissed him gently before pulling back.

When we arrived at my place, he said he wasn’t having dinner, that he was fine. Without another word, he went upstairs, ntioning he would shower before bed.

"Okay," I said quietly, watching him leave.

Nuala’s voice startled from my thoughts. "Is everything okay? Your man seems... dull."

I forced a smile. "Everything’s fine."

But the truth was even Nuala could see it, sothing about Zayn was off.

After my light dinner, I finally headed upstairs. As always, Zayn had showered quickly and was already curled beneath the duvet, his back turned to , as if sleep had claid him too fast.

I showered as well and slipped into bed beside him. Lying there, I stared at the ceiling for a long while, my mind racing. My biggest fear clawed at . What if he leaves ? What if this silence is the beginning of the end?

Desperation pushed closer. I slid under the duvet and wrapped my arms around him from behind, pressing soft kisses along his shoulder, his neck, his back. He didn’t respond, but I knew he wasn’t asleep. He could feel . He knew what I wanted.

I whispered against his skin, voice low and needy. "Babe... I’m horny."