Chapter 83:
Julie's Point of View
My chest tightened violently as if I were suffocating; that dog wasn't just a massive animal to me, but the embodiment of an old nightmare I thought I had forgotten.
It was of the same breed that had attacked me two years ago, tearing away my peace before it tore my clothes.
I felt the black tape of my memories passing before my eyes like a blade, but a calm voice cut through the thread of my terrified thoughts.
I felt Robert's broad palm sliding over my hair in successive, measured strokes; his movement was strange, terrifyingly gentle, as he whispered:
"Are you okay, Julie?"
At that moment, the truth flooded my consciousness like a cold wave; I was seeking refuge in him, burying my face in his chest, and clinging to his shirt as if it were my only lifeboat.
How could I seek safety in the arms of this "monster" who was no less dangerous than his dog?
