~LAYLA~
I woke up feeling something soft underneath me. It wasn't the cold metal or rough rope I was expecting. Instead, it was just warm, smooth leather that felt luxurious and gentle.
As my eyes gradually adjusted to the low light, I took in my surroundings. I was in a study, a fancy one at that. The dark wood panelling and towering bookshelves gave it an air of elegance. The Persian rugs on the floor looked like they might cost more than a lot of people's cars.
The walls were decorated with trophies that included the heads of a lion, a bear, and an elk. One wall even had a lion's skin stretched out like a strange-looking tapestry.
I sat up carefully, taking stock of my surroundings. My hands were free, my feet too. The hood was gone; the zip-ties had been cut away.
