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

own, I nodded, "I would prefer it if

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

a bit and then held out a

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

"Wear this.

lucky

said, her

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

"It's yours.

keep

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

to me and I'm

give it back to me when

losing battle

and said,

you to go

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

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 the

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

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

the thread wasn't too long and the broken

who would

the other 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

makes

daughter announced as she came

just then I heard my phone pinging with an

phone and focused on my daughter as I said with a pout, "I thought I

my cheeks between her palms and brought my

grey eyes fierce as she

always be the best,

said,

and in return she kissed the corner of my

"I love you."

love you

pulled back and ruffled

and I said, "Now, go back

I tugged the

down, I kissed

"Good night, baby"

asked, "When will

"Soon."

replied "Good

way toward the bedroom door when her soft voice stopped

"Yes, baby?"

boy be my

swallowed the knot in my

will be

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

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

answer her vaguely but always painting her father in the light that

daughter thought that I was purposely keeping her away from her

knew that he had

I was pregnant when he threatened me and told

know even now that he

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

know how he would react when the wounds inflicted by me had festered for so long

and unlocked my phone, I knew it even before I opened the message icon

prepared for his

will be there in the next ten

Don't wear any panties."

half naked so

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

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

I can

would he intentionally force a daughter from her mother in the name of

in the corridor but it wasn't the case

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