Chapter Eighteen:
Julie's Point of View
I raised my head slowly, trying to gather what remained of my scattered pride, even though my body was clearly trembling inside that oversized silk shirt.
I took a deep breath, filled with his scent that permeated the place, and launched my words like defensive cannons:
— "She saw me yesterday as I was leaving your room, and she came now to ask me what I was doing there.. She wasn't satisfied with mere curiosity; she began playing her ridiculous chatter in my ears, casting filthy judgments just like her."
He moved from his spot, leaving behind a cold vacuum, circling around me with a haunting dignity until he was directly behind me.
I could no longer see anything but his shadows on the floor, and I could no longer hear anything but the rhythm of his steady footsteps, which beat in my head like war drums.
He whispered in a mysterious tone, as if coming from a deep well:
