DARK SEDUCTION

Chapter 57

*Anna*

My head swam as I sat up and looked around, finding myself in an unfamiliar environment. The room was dimly lit, with heavy drapes drawn across the windows, allowing only slivers of light to filter through. I blinked, trying to adjust to the surroundings, my heart beginning to race as I realized I wasn’t in my own bed.

Quickly getting up, I winced at the blinding headache, almost passing out again at the sudden movement. The room tilted slightly, and I had to steady myself against the bedpost, my fingers digging into the wood as I tried to stay upright. Then, the events of the evening came flooding back—the kiss. The way his lips had claimed mine, the electricity that had surged through my veins, leaving me breathless and wanting more. I felt a shiver of excitement and anticipation course through me, but it was quickly overshadowed by a deep sense of unease.

I glanced down, finding myself wearing only a flimsy nightdress. It was silky, barely covering my thighs, and utterly unfamiliar. Where had this come from? Panic started to bubble up inside me, but I pushed it down, trying to focus. I took a deep breath and forced myself to take in the details of the room. It was richly decorated, with deep brown tones dominating the space. The carpet was plush, my feet sinking into its softness as I stepped off the bed. The pattern was intricate, a Persian rug with a huge lion in the center, the mane so detailed that the rug seemed to have texture, thicker in some places than others.

I would have jumped in excitement at the beauty of the room—the beautiful gold ornaments littered here and there, the exquisite painting of a waterfall cascading down jagged rocks, capturing a moment of wild, untamed nature. The water seemed to shimmer as if it were real, the artist’s hand having captured its essence perfectly. Despite the throbbing headache, I couldn’t help but appreciate the sheer opulence of the surroundings. The scent of freshly brewed coffee hit my nostrils, making my stomach growl. Instinctively, I followed the aroma, which led me to a small dining table on the far side of the room.

As I approached, I tried to steel myself for whatever—or whoever—I might find. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat a reminder of my current situation’s bizarre and unsettling nature. Okay, I wasn't totally expecting to see an angel, but seeing Max's scowling face made me freeze in place, my breath catching in my throat.

A lot of questions raced through my mind, each more urgent than the last. What was I doing here? More exactly, what was Max playing at? His dark eyes were locked onto mine, and for a moment, the world seemed to narrow down to just the two of us, everything else fading into the background.

"Never knew I was that handsome to you, or are you planning on staring a hole in my face?" he teased, his voice a mixture of amusement and something darker. I cursed silently as my face colored, the warmth spreading from my cheeks down to my neck. He had that infuriating ability to fluster me, to make me feel like a foolish schoolgirl.

I, however, decided to brave it. “How and why did we end up here, Max?” I demanded, my voice sharper than I intended. He watched me with a completely expressionless face, making me more agitated. All the while, my heart was pounding like a drum, and the silence between us stretched uncomfortably. Angry, I decided to try again, determined to get some answers from him. “You are a very heartless man, Max. You always have been, ever since I met you. The only thing you’ve brought me is pain and humiliation.”

The words spilled out of me before I could stop them, years of pent-up frustration and anger bubbling to the surface. My hands shook as the intensity of the emotions overwhelmed me, emotions I wasn’t even aware I harbored until this moment. Max seemed startled, his brows knitting together in confusion, but I rushed to continue, not giving him a chance to cut in.

“Right, I know I'm a terrible dancer,” I said, my voice laced with sarcasm, “but you, being a guy, were supposed to catch me, not allow me to crash to the floor.”