Chapter 184: Chapter 184: I’m Not a Horse Like You, Nicki
~Evric’s POV~
I couldn’t help but smile as I asked softly, "Babe, tell me the truth... is your bottom really that sore, or are you just trying to make me take full responsibility for what I did last night?"
Zayn didn’t answer right away. He just sighed dramatically and mumbled that he couldn’t speak; his mouth was too tired to say anything.
I laughed quietly and brushed a strand of hair from his face. "Sorry, baby." I didn’t push him for more. Deep down, I knew he just wanted me to pamper him and honestly, I didn’t mind.
After I fed him breakfast, I helped him shower, then joined him under the warm water. The quiet moments between us were filled with soft smiles, gentle touches, and the kind of peace that made everything else fade away.
Since it was the weekend, I asked, "Should we go out today?"
He tilted his head, thinking for a moment before replying, "That’s actually a good idea... but my friends said they’re coming over later."
"Oh?" I frowned slightly. "Why are they coming?"
He looked at me with a raised brow.
Realizing my tone, I quickly corrected myself. "I mean, do you guys have anything specific you want to do together?"
"Nothing," he said, giving me a look that clearly said, Are you really asking me this question?
I walked toward him, took his hands in mine, and said, "Babe, you’re not single anymore. I’m not saying you shouldn’t see your friends, but why do you have to see them all the time? And, more so..."
He interrupted, raising an eyebrow. "More so what?"
I paused for a second before admitting, "More so, one of your friends doesn’t seem to like you very much."
He chuckled, amused. "Don’t worry about that one. In fact, today is perfect, I need everyone here, especially the one who doesn’t like me." His smile was calm but carried something sharp underneath.
Sometimes, Zayn could sound a little scary, even when he smiled. I raised a brow. "And what exactly makes today so perfect?"
"You’ll see," he said, that little smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Don’t be impatient, babe."
"Okay, baby," I murmured, returning his smile.
Then I asked, "So, what do you want for lunch?"
He grinned. "Already taken care of. I placed an order from my restaurant."
"How much is the bill?" I asked, reaching for my wallet.
"Don’t ask questions," he replied, turning back to me. "Just be a gentleman and pay double."
"That’s not a problem," I told him. Then I moved closer, lowering my voice into a playful tease. "I can pay with money, and I can still pay you with something more delicious, you know."
Zayn turned his gaze in the direction of what I meant by delicious, then shook his head dramatically. "We only accept money here. Any other form of payment is strictly unacceptable."
I smirked. "So, Chef, you don’t want something delicious?" I teased.
He turned his back on me and covered his ears dramatically. "The delicious I took last night is still making me sore! Customer, please, no more delicious payments! Only cash or transfer is accepted!" All we accept is money, Mr. Customer!"
I burst out laughing, then pounced on him, tickling him until he squealed. "You little tease!"
He laughed helplessly beneath me, gasping for air between giggles.
Our laughter filled the room, soft and warm, like sunlight through the curtains.
And in that moment, I couldn’t stop thinking how lucky I was to have him, my love, my peace, my chaos—all in one. All wrapped up in one beautiful man. We played until the afternoon dissolved quickly into early evening.
The sharp ring of the doorbell shattered the quiet. "Showtime," Zayn murmured, giving me a pointed look. "Go open the door."
I sighed good-naturedly and went to answer it. When I pulled the door open, there they were: Nantam, Dean, and Nicki.My mind immediately went blank. I had no desire to smile or welcome them, but Zayn had made me promise to be nice to his friends, and I wouldn’t break that promise.
After they filed in and settled onto the living room furniture, Dean and Nantam greeted me warmly. Dean scanned the room and asked, "Where is Zayn, man?"
"I’ll call him out," I replied, but before I could move, Zayn walked out of the hallway.
I immediately walked closer to him and whispered, "Babe, I’m going to head to the bedroom, okay? You guys catch up."
Zayn gripped my arm, his brow furrowed. "What do you mean, you’ll be in the room? You know I can’t sit on my own right now."
I cupped his face, suppressing a smile at his public display of need. "What do you want me to do?"
"Sit down with us," he replied simply, "and I will sit on you."
I glanced over at his friends, who were watching our exchange with amusement. "But will your friends be comfortable with that?"
Zayn looked at his friends, then back at me, giving up the argument. "Okay, just help me sit down."
"Okay." I walked him to the sofa where his friends were gathered and carefully helped him ease down onto the cushion. He let out a small, quiet hiss as he settled.
Just as he was getting situated, Dean teased him mercilessly. "Zayn, did you just give birth, or what? What’s with the careful sitting?"
Zayn didn’t hesitate. He looked Dean straight in the eye and delivered the blow: "No, Dean. But my man had me last night."
That shocked me. My jaw tightened, since when did Zayn become this shameless in front of his friends?
Before I could process it, the one I didn’t care for, Nicki, opened his mouth. Nicki, who never knew when to shut up, spoke with a smirk, "He must have gone like six or ten rounds on you before you could be like this."
Zayn’s reply was instant, cutting through the air like a dart, clearly aimed right at Nicki. "I’m not a horse like you, Nicki."
The entire room went silent for a second, then Nantam burst out laughing, trying to hide his face.
Dean’s mouth dropped open for a second before a laugh slipped out. "Zayn! You’ve gotten bold!"
Zayn smiled sweetly, leaning back in his seat. "Blame my man for that."
"Excuse me, Zayn?" Nicki challenged, his voice sharp. "What is that supposed to mean?"