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 is

want him to

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

she leapt off the bed and pulled the

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

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

"Wear this.

our lucky charm,

her grey

black stone that had half of its piece back somewhere in Black

"It's yours.

should keep it

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

to me and I'm loaning

back to

losing battle

and said,

to go

and regarded

I tell you my five years 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 apartment somewhere hidden but apparently the same thought crossed my

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

she swiped my hair aside, then her small

as the thread wasn't too long and the broken rock came to

to everyone who would just look

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

makes you

announced as she

hug, just then I heard

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

palms and

eyes fierce as she said, "You

will always be the

said, "So

in return she kissed the corner

"I love you."

you

pulled back and ruffled her

a face and I said, "Now,

and I tugged

I

"Good night, baby"

asked, "When will

"Soon."

"Good night,

the bedside drawer and made my way toward the

"Yes, baby?"

boy be my

scratch and I swallowed the knot in

be

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

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

the time, my mother would interrupt and answer her vaguely but always painting her

keeping her away

that he had

knew I was pregnant when he threatened me and told me

know even now that

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

the wounds inflicted by me had festered for so long that whenever his eyes

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

I wasn't prepared for his demanding

there in the

Don't wear any panties."

feel half naked so I wasn't

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

so I decided to

if I can help

until I understand what kind of man this Kristian was, would he intentionally force a daughter from her mother in the name of his

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

notice of me when I came into the entrance hall near