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.

angel, he

you want

a thoughtful pause of my own, I nodded, "I would prefer it if he

scampered off my lap and then I watched as she leapt off the bed and pulled the basket from under the bed

in it for a bit and then held out

a painful pang as I knew what was in her small fist even before she opened her

"Wear this.

lucky charm,

her

shook my head and closed her fingers back around the black stone that had half of its piece back

"It's yours.

should keep

picked up my hand then slammed the shining black rock in my palm and closed my fingers

to me and I'm loaning it

give it back to me

battle when I see

and

to

jumped on the bed but didn't lie down, instead she bit down on her bottom lip and regarded me with a suspicious look and said,

my five years old daughter was a freaking smartarse? The thought had crossed my mind too, instead of putting it on I'd

in a silent demand

my hair aside, then her small fingers got busy as

before she accidentally choked me as the

to everyone who would just look

bigger part was left behind in the cottage on the Aaron estate when I accidentally dropped it while trying to pack all the things I could get my hands on which didn't matter later when I had to run from one place to another because of the stalker that didn't let me settle in one

"See, this makes you look

daughter announced as she

tight hug, just then I heard my phone pinging

ignored my phone and focused on my daughter as I said with a

clapped my cheeks between her palms and brought my face closer

fierce as she said, "You

always be the best,

blinked the tears away and said, "So are you, my little

nose and in return she kissed the

"I love you."

you

back and

a face and I said, "Now,

and I tugged the blanket over

I

"Good night, baby"

asked, "When will you

"Soon."

"Good night,

way toward the bedroom

"Yes, baby?"

be

and I swallowed the knot in my throat as I said, "Go to

will be back

and her grey eyes closed as she turned away and pulled the blanket up to her shoulders, Closing the door, I let out

had to ignore her questions or make up a lie that I didn't want to

but always painting

I was purposely keeping her away from her father

knew that

never knew I was pregnant when he threatened me

even now that he has

time I had gone to meet him to tell him the truth and if I had gotten the chance

he would react when the wounds inflicted by me had festered for so long that whenever his eyes landed on me they were resentful, cold and filled

knew it even before I

prepared for

will be there in the next ten

Don't wear any panties."

already made me feel half naked so I wasn't going to obey his insane

my mother's bedroom to check up

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

I

intentionally force a daughter from her mother in the name of his revenge? I locked the

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

cringed inwardly as people started to take notice of me when I came into the