Blackmailed For Love

I sat down on the sofa and opened the first box of the two in the soft overhead light coming from above the tv console.

I peeled the soft tissue that glimmered in the dim light and looked at the dark purple silk nestled in there.

With hesitant fingers I picked up the silken fabric, it unfurled in my hands as I let it drop down in front of me.

It was a sleeveless and a backless dress with a slit up to just below the waistline.

I would be half naked in this dress but still the thought of wearing it lit up a spark of anticipation deep inside my lower belly.

The other box had the same colored heels with red bottoms.

It took me twenty minutes to get ready as I didn't do much except to put Band-Aids on my nipples as the dress won't allow me to wear a bra and my nîpples poked through the fabric as if begging for attention and applied a natural shade of pink lip gloss.

I looked like a virgin trying to be a seductress.

I shook my head at my own thoughts as I stepped out of the bathroom, 1 faltered when my eyes met dark greys.

My daughter was sitting up in the bed and she was looking at me with wide eyes and a curious tilt of her head.

"Anna…"

"Mama, you look beautiful."

My heart squeezed with love at her words.

I walked to her, concentrating on not falling face first because of the heels I was wearing, it was safe to say I wasn't used to such type of footwear.

"What are you doing waking up? I thought you were asleep."

I said as I sat down on the bed beside her.

"I was."

She said with a silent Duh at the end.

I bit down on my bottom lip as my lips twitched, but she slipped closer to me and said, "I had a bad dream."

I cupped her cheek and pulled her on my lap, uncaring of the expensive silk.

Cradling her against my chest, I smoothed her dark hair back and asked, "Talk to me.

What did you dream about?"

"Someone was taking me away from you."

She replied, her voice small and a slight shaking entered in her voice.

My arms tightened around her.

And I said, "No one is going to take me away from you."

2 "Promise?"

I pressed a kiss on her head.

"Promise, my little angel."

She looked up at me and asked, "Where are you going?"

I didn't know the answer to that myself, but I replied, "Dinner."

Her brows lowered and her grey eyes turned inquisitive.

"But we had pizza."

I tapped her nose.

"Yes.

But I am meeting someone."

"A boy or a girl?"

For some reason I didn't lie to my daughter.

"A boy."

She made a thoughtful face and asked, "Is he your boyfriend?"

I shook my head.

he is

want him

of my own, I nodded, "I would prefer it if

my lap and then I watched as she leapt off the bed and pulled the basket from under the bed which was filled with the few toys she had gathered over the

held out a thick black macrame cord in her

painful pang as I knew what was in

"Wear this.

our lucky charm,

said, her

black stone

"It's yours.

should keep it

pursed her lips and picked up my hand then slammed the shining

to me and I'm loaning it to

back to me when

battle when I see

nodded and said,

I want you to go

bit down on her bottom lip and regarded me with

The thought had crossed my mind too, instead of putting it on I'd have left it out

her palm in a silent demand as she moved on her knees

in her palm and she swiped my hair

as the thread wasn't too long and the broken rock

to everyone who would just

shining but now I only had smallest broken part of it, the other half and the bigger part was left behind in the cottage on the Aaron estate when I accidentally

this makes

daughter announced as she came

hug, just then I

I said with a pout, "I thought

between her palms and

fierce as

always be the

the tears away and said,

return

"I love you."

love you too,

and ruffled

a face and I said, "Now,

I tugged

I kissed her

"Good night, baby"

"When

"Soon."

replied "Good night,

made my way toward the bedroom door

"Yes, baby?"

boy be my

the knot

will be

gave me a solemn nod and her grey eyes closed as she turned away and pulled the blanket up to her shoulders, Closing

my daughter had asked me about her father, I had to ignore her questions or make up a

and answer her vaguely but always painting her

that I was purposely keeping her away from her father which was

never knew that he had impregnated

pregnant when he threatened

now that he has

him the truth and if I had gotten the

ifs weren't going to help me, now I didn't even know how he would react when the wounds inflicted by me had festered for so long that whenever his eyes landed on me they were resentful,

straight and unlocked my phone, I knew it even before I

wasn't prepared for

in the next

Don't wear any panties."

already made me feel half naked so

mother's bedroom to check up on her before I turned toward the

that he will be here soon so I decided to wait for him downstairs because I didn't want him anywhere

if I can

daughter from her mother in the name of his revenge? I locked the door behind me and slipped the key behind my

but it wasn't the case as I stepped out of

as people started to take notice of me