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?"

from one place to another, 1 nodded

I focused back on my daughter who was making a

act had more tears

safe and unharmed in front of me, I

my tears and put a smile on my face, "I brought you

lowered and

were you crying,

"Because I missed you?"

and pointed a

"No lies.

Remember?"

I curled my arm around her and pulled her up in my arms as I

in an effort to get away

smiled and picked up the bags I had dropped as we made our

my bedroom and cold fear

to find a new place to live in,

also I couldn't just live here

I didn't sleep.

I couldn't.

clutched in my hand under the blanket that was on

of our things which were three boxes and two small

and I was waiting for the sun to

"Elsa…"

look at my mother, my eyes reluctant to leave my

as she said,

I swallowed.

mother had a stupid notion that if we go back to Black Mountain after so many years Kristian would've forgiven

distance and

who was going to tell her that sometimes distance and time festers the wound more, not

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

is no one

because the man that would've been the reason for me to go back to that place was

My new boss.

"I don't know."

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

live in

"Mom, please."

stood up and walked to

bed,

I get the salary at the end of the

to spend a

noticing how her veins were standing

sniffed my tears back as I said, "And

"Elsa…"

stiffened as if she knew what price I would've to pay for

I shook my head.

"It's my job.

provides free health care for their employees and their

one I had been thinking about for the last two days, since I knew that Kristian would

because he hated me, not

to be

her eyes shimmering

sit up and hugged

made me strong, without you

my face and kissed my

will have all the happiness you deserve and your prince charming will come to make it

I chuckled.

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

the devil with vengeance in his cold grey

"We have

the bed to wake

and slowly pulled her up

she wrapped her arms

"Wake up, Angel…."

voice as

there's my

annoyed sound and I smiled while my mother shook her head