Blackmailed For Love

I entered the apartment with one last look over my shoulder, making sure that Kristian didn't follow me.

My heart beat like crazy in my chest and my whole body still hummed from his closeness, the way he had pressed into my body reminding me of the nights we had spent in each other's arms, in secret- grabbing forbidden moments away from public eyes.

Losing ourselves in each other.

My innocent love and his fierce possession.

We had burned for each other.

Two poles desperate to connect.

But the universe had its way and pulled us apart.

4 I took a deep breath to control my emotions and took a step further into the apartment only to pause when my foot landed on something.

When I looked down I found a white envelope without any markings.

Cautiously, I picked it up and shuddered at the way the back of my neck tingled with foreboding.

I tore the envelope and upended its contents in my palm.

All the breath left my lungs as the three photos landed in my palm.

One of me in the diner.

The other with Anna outside this building.

And another that sent a shiver of revulsion and fear through me, it was of me sleeping in my bed with my daughter.

2 The photos slipped from my nerveless fingers as apprehension gripped me, only to up in its intensity when my eyes landed on the back of one of the photos.

"You should have gotten rid of her.

I don't like the reminder of the fact that someone had you before me.

Don't worry, I have a solution for it."

2 I swallowed the bile, my throat closing up and a new kind of terror tore through me as an anguished cry left me.

"Anna!"

Footsteps echoed and then two pairs of legs came in front of me.

I hadn't realized I had dropped down on my knees.

"Mama…"

My sweet angel touched my cheek with her small hand and I looked up to find her grey eyes staring back at me with concern.

"Mama, you are crying."

I grabbed her and hugged her tight to me.

"Anna… My angel…"

I cupped her face and kissed her, my emotions going out of control.

I had thought I had left the sick stalker behind when I changed cities.

He had left veiled threats before but now he was openly threatening my daughter.

I didn't know who it was and why he had targeted me but I couldn't let him harm my daughter.

Even the thought broke me apart.

"Hush… Mama, no crying."

She frowned down at me, admonishing me.

I sniffled on hearing her tight voice.

My little domineering angel.

A soft hand caressed my head and I looked up to find my mother standing thëre looking frail and tired in her blue nightgown.

She only asked one thing, "Again?"

running from one place to

on my daughter who was making a soft cooing sound like I do for her as

more tears

was content that my daughter was safe and unharmed

wiped my tears and put a smile on

brows lowered and her

were you

"Because I missed you?"

and pointed

"No lies.

Remember?"

pulled her up in my arms as I used my

arms in an effort to get away

and picked up the bags I had dropped as we made our way to the small living

and cold fear slithered down

place to live in,

also I couldn't just

I didn't sleep.

I couldn't.

clutched in my hand under the blanket that was on my lap, while mom and Anna

which were three

and I was waiting for the sun to

"Elsa…"

my head to look at my mother,

pale gaze was troubled as she said, "Did

I swallowed.

if we go back to

and time makes

to tell her that sometimes distance and time festers the wound more, not giving it a chance to completely

brought me to my knees twice in the last two days in the name of the payback

is no one there,

answered her, not telling her how much true that was because the man that would've

My new boss.

"I don't know."

then thought of her words before she said, "Anna shouldn't suffer

I should live in a women shelter

"Mom, please."

and walked to

bed,

when I get the salary at the end of

need to spend a

her veins were standing out and

my tears back as I said, "And I found a way to

"Elsa…"

knew what price I would've

I shook my head.

"It's my job.

provides free health care for their employees and

for the last two days, since I

believed him because he hated me, not

shouldn't have to be this

rasped, her eyes shimmering with

to sit up and

made me strong, without

my face and kissed my

you will have all the happiness you deserve and your

I chuckled.

a prince

he wasn't as charming as one would think to begin with, he was always intense and

vengeance in his cold grey

"We have

rounded the bed to wake

hand under her head and

grumbled as she wrapped her

"Wake up, Angel…."

a soft voice as I caressed her

on, there's

my mother shook her head