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 another, 1 nodded with a

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

act had more tears running down

safe and unharmed in front

tears and put a smile on my face,

brows lowered and her nose

you

"Because I missed you?"

pointed a finger

"No lies.

Remember?"

her up in my arms as I used my other hand to tickle

and flung her arms in an effort to get away

up the bags I had dropped as we made our way to the

darted to my bedroom and cold fear slithered

new place to live

and also I couldn't just

I didn't sleep.

I couldn't.

chair in mom's room, with a knife clutched in my hand under the blanket that was on my lap, while mom and Anna slept in her

which were three boxes

had to get out of here and I was waiting for

"Elsa…"

mother, my eyes reluctant to leave

mother's pale gaze was troubled as she said, "Did you think

I swallowed.

stupid notion that if we go back to Black Mountain after so many years

and time

tell her that sometimes distance and time festers the

was the same man who had brought me to my knees twice in the last

no

much true that was because the man that would've been the reason for me to

My new boss.

"I don't know."

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

I should live in

"Mom, please."

stood up and

bed, I said, "I have a

I get the salary at the

just need to spend a

veins were standing

as I said, "And I found a

"Elsa…"

stiffened as if she knew what price I would've

I shook my head.

"It's my job.

provides free health care for their

was one I had been thinking about for the last two

believed him because he

have to be

eyes shimmering

to sit up and

me strong, without you I wouldn't have

cupped my face and kissed

will have all the happiness you deserve

I chuckled.

had stopped dreaming about a

my prince charming looked at me like the villain of the story but then again he wasn't as charming as one would think to begin with, he was always intense and more in every

was the devil with vengeance in his cold grey eyes

have

said and rounded the bed to

hand under her head and slowly pulled her up into my

as she wrapped

"Wake up, Angel…."

voice as

there's

smiled while my mother shook her head