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

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

I watched as she leapt off the bed and pulled the basket

rummaged in it for a bit and then held out a

I knew what was in her small fist even before she

"Wear this.

our lucky charm,

said, her grey eyes

black stone that had half of its piece back somewhere

"It's yours.

should keep it

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

me and I'm

back to me when

losing battle when

nodded and

I want you to go back to

and regarded me with a suspicious look and

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 so she was behind

my hair aside, then her small fingers got busy as

the thread and my neck before she accidentally choked me as the thread wasn't too long and the broken

to everyone who would just look in

it was in a shape that resembled a human heart, not the one that we drew as children but with jagged edges and veins running inside it, crystal clear and shining but now 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 while trying to

"See, this makes you look

as she came

then I heard my phone pinging with

on my daughter as I said with a pout, "I thought I was already the

cheeks between her palms and brought my

as she

always be

the tears away and said, "So

and in return she

"I love you."

love you too,

back and ruffled her

a face and I said, "Now, go back to

I tugged

down, I

"Good night, baby"

asked, "When will

"Soon."

replied "Good night,

made my way toward the

"Yes, baby?"

this boy be my new

heart suffered another scratch and I swallowed the knot in

will be back

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

had to ignore her questions or make up a

the time, my mother would interrupt and answer her vaguely but always painting her father in the light that would leave room for more

away from her

never knew that he had impregnated

pregnant when he threatened me

know even now that he

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

wounds inflicted by me had festered for

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

I wasn't prepared

in the next

Don't wear any panties."

half naked so I wasn't

mother's bedroom to check up on her before I turned toward

to wait for him downstairs

if I can

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

was no one out in the corridor but it wasn't the case

take notice of me when I came into the entrance hall near