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

you want him to

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

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

rummaged in it for a bit and then held out a thick black macrame cord in

gave a painful pang as I knew what was in her small fist even

"Wear this.

our lucky

said, her grey

fingers back around the black stone that had half of its piece back somewhere

"It's yours.

should keep it

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

it to me and

can give it back

battle when I

nodded and said,

I want you to

didn't lie down, instead she bit down on her bottom lip and regarded me with

thought had crossed my mind too, instead of putting it on I'd have left it out in the apartment somewhere hidden but apparently the same thought crossed

held out her palm in a silent demand as she moved on her knees so she was

threaded rock in her palm and she swiped my hair aside, then her small

put my fingers between the thread and my neck before she accidentally choked me as the thread wasn't too long and the broken rock came to settle on the

everyone who would just look in my

half and the 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

"See, this makes you look

as she came

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

daughter as I said with a pout, "I

my cheeks between her palms

eyes fierce as she

always be

the tears away and said, "So are you,

her nose and in return she kissed the

"I love you."

you

back and ruffled

face and I said, "Now,

down and I tugged the blanket over

down, I kissed

"Good night, baby"

"When will you

"Soon."

"Good night,

bedside drawer and made my way

"Yes, baby?"

boy be my

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

will be

as she turned away and pulled the blanket up

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

always painting her father in the light

I was purposely keeping her away from her father which was in fact a

knew that

never knew I was pregnant when he threatened me and told me to

even now that he

and if I had gotten the chance to tell him the truth, if we hadn't been interrupted and he hadn't threatened

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

myself straight and unlocked my phone, I knew it

I wasn't prepared for his demanding

be there in the next

Don't wear any panties."

feel half naked so

and made my way toward my mother's bedroom to check up on her before

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

I can

force a daughter from her mother in

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

of me when I came into the entrance