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

own, I nodded,

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

and then held out a thick black macrame cord

I knew what was in her small fist even before she opened her

"Wear this.

lucky

said, her grey eyes

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

"It's yours.

keep it to

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

to me and I'm loaning

it back to me when you

a losing battle when

and said,

you 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, "Give it to me, I'll help you

old daughter was a freaking smartarse? The thought had crossed my mind too, instead of putting it on I'd have left it out in

a silent demand as she moved on her knees so she was behind

I put the threaded rock in her palm and she swiped my hair aside, then her small fingers got busy as she

she accidentally choked me as the thread wasn't too long and the broken rock came to settle on the

who would

it, the other half and the bigger part was left behind in the cottage on the Aaron estate

this makes you

as she came

engulfed her in a tight hug, just then I heard my phone

I said with a pout,

palms and brought my face closer to

eyes fierce as she said,

will always be the best,

away and said, "So are you, my

in return

"I love you."

love you

back and ruffled

made a face and I said, "Now, go

I tugged the

I

"Good night, baby"

asked, "When

"Soon."

replied "Good night,

drawer and made my way toward the bedroom door when her soft voice stopped me,

"Yes, baby?"

this boy be my

broken heart suffered another scratch and I swallowed the

will be back

as she turned away and pulled the blanket up to her shoulders, Closing the door, I let out a rough exhale and closed my eyes to gather

me about her father, I had to ignore her questions or make up a lie

but always painting her father in the light that would leave room for more

her away from her father which was in fact a truth

never knew that he had impregnated

never knew I was pregnant when he threatened

know even now that he

tell him the truth and if I

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

straight and unlocked my phone, I knew it even

prepared for

there in

Don't wear any panties."

dress already made me feel half naked so

ignored his text and made my way toward my mother's bedroom to check up

he mentioned that he will be here soon so I decided to

I

until I understand what kind of man this Kristian was, would he intentionally force a daughter from her mother in the name of his revenge? I locked the door behind me and slipped the key behind

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

started to take notice of me when I