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

want him to

my own, I nodded, "I would prefer it if he was my

she leapt off the bed and pulled the basket from under the bed which was filled with the few toys she had gathered

held out

knew what was

"Wear this.

our lucky

her

black stone that

"It's yours.

should keep

slammed the shining black rock in my palm and closed my

gave it to me and I'm loaning it to

give it back to me

losing battle when

nodded and

I want you to go

bottom lip and regarded me with a suspicious

tell you my five years old daughter was a freaking smartarse? The thought had crossed my mind too, instead of

silent demand as she moved on her knees

rock in her palm and she swiped my hair aside, then her small fingers got busy

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

who would

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 came

then I heard

phone and focused on my daughter as I said with a

between her palms and brought

fierce as

be the best,

away and said, "So are

her nose and in return she kissed the corner of my

"I love you."

love you too,

and ruffled her

I said, "Now, go

laid down and I

I kissed her

"Good night, baby"

"When will you

"Soon."

replied "Good

picked my phone from the bedside drawer and made my way toward the bedroom door when her soft voice stopped

"Yes, baby?"

boy be my

and I swallowed the knot in my throat

will be

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

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

her vaguely but always painting her father in the light that

I think my daughter thought that I was purposely keeping her away from her father which was in fact

that

he threatened me and told me to

now

him to tell him the truth and if I had gotten the chance to tell him the truth, if we

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, cold and filled

I pulled myself straight and unlocked my phone, I knew it

I wasn't prepared for his

be there in the

Don't wear any panties."

so I

my way toward my mother's bedroom to check

be here soon so I decided to wait for him

if I

daughter

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

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