Seventy-Nine

Talia's POV:

For the next four days, I worked on Nicholas's portrait with Louis patiently staying by my side, reading her books. I found myself so busy that I hardly thought about Nicholas at all. It was only at night that I had a chance to miss him—to feel the cold emptiness of my king-sized bed as I lay there aching for his embrace. He has gotten me so addicted that a week without him felt like a cruel punishment—one that I found infinitely worse than any sexual torture Nicholas had to show me thus far.

"Did Nicholas say when he's going to be back?" I asked Louis as I was putting the final touches on the painting. "He's already been gone for seven days."

She shook her head. "No, but he'll be here as soon as he is done with his engagements. He can't stay away from you, Talia, you know that."