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

want him to

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

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

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

knew what was in

"Wear this.

lucky charm,

said, her grey eyes

my head and closed her fingers back around the black

"It's yours.

keep it to

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

and

can give it back to me when you

losing battle when

nodded and

to go

instead she bit down on her bottom lip and regarded me with a suspicious

was a freaking smartarse? The thought had crossed my mind too, instead of

a silent demand as she moved on her knees

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

me as the thread wasn't too

everyone who would

I only had smallest broken part of it, the other half and the bigger part was left behind in the cottage on the Aaron estate when I accidentally dropped it

"See, this makes

as she

engulfed her in a tight hug, just then

phone and focused on my daughter as I

her palms and brought

grey eyes fierce as

will always be the

and said, "So are you, my

kissed her nose and in return she kissed the corner of my

"I love you."

you too,

pulled back and ruffled her

made a face and I said, "Now, go

laid down and I tugged the blanket

down, I kissed her

"Good night, baby"

asked, "When will you

"Soon."

"Good

way toward the bedroom

"Yes, baby?"

be my

scratch and I swallowed the knot in my throat as

be

gave me 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

father, I had to ignore her questions or

mother would interrupt and answer her vaguely but always painting her father in the light

that I was purposely keeping her away

knew that he

he threatened me and told

didn't know even now that he has a

would've happened if the last time I had gone to meet him to tell him the truth and if I had

he would react when the wounds inflicted by me had festered for so long that whenever his

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

I wasn't prepared

in

Don't wear any panties."

feel half naked so I wasn't going to

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

I decided to wait for him

if I can

much as I could, 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 my phone in

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

take notice of me