SIMONE'S POV
Sleep refused to come.
I lay in my bed for hours, staring at the ceiling and trying to forget the taste of Nicholas's blood on my lips. Every time I closed my eyes, I felt his hands in my hair and heard his rough voice telling me I wanted him.
The worst part was that he was right.
At three in the morning, I gave up pretending I could rest. I slipped on a silk robe over my nightgown and padded barefoot through the villa's marble corridors.
The house was silent except for the distant sound of waves crashing against the cliffs.
I found myself drawn to the terrace that overlooked the Mediterranean. The cool night air felt good against my heated skin as I stepped outside.
But I wasn't alone.
Nicholas sat on the stone ledge, a bottle of whiskey dangling fro
