Chapter One _One silly mistake

All Elena wanted was to become the best mother to her daughter.

She showered her with love and attention whenever she could, shielding her from the harsh reality of their situation. No one could call her a bad mom. No one.

****

Elena.

"Elena...."

I felt those hands again, creeping up my back and sending trails of pleasure up my spine.

My hands were placed firmly on the table behind me to help keep me balanced, lest I slipped and fell on the floor. He wrapped his hand around my neck, pulling my naked body against his until my front was pressed up against his abs.

"Elena.." He whispered my name, his deep voice sending shivers through my entire body. I moaned softly when he kissed me, his mouth tasting of tequila and whatever flavour of toothpaste he used—a delicious cocktail of flavours that made me mad with desire.

"Elena, Elena.." He grunted as his hands slipped down my body towards my core. I was entirely soaked at this point. I would have given my left lung just for him to plunge those fingers in.

Why was he going so slowly? Damn.

"Elena.." The voice ripped into me in a way I wished his hands and tongue would. Every inch of me was on fire.

Desire nested in me like a baby growing in my uterus. My entire body was a network of nerves bundled together.

When I couldn't take it anymore, I let out a strangled cry. "Please, just put the fucking finger in me."

My hands found my breasts which I squeezed softly, trying to get something done at least.

"Elena, wake the fuck up."

The voice thundered this time, but it was no longer the voice I had grown accustomed to.

My eyes flew open, and I stood up suddenly, almost slamming my head on my coworker's. The dream slipped away as I found myself standing in the back room of the coffee shop I worked in, surrounded by bags of coffee beans.

I sighed softly and took a seat on the chair at the side, almost placing my ass on my phone that was barely making it at this point.

I became super aware of my coworker at the side, who just kept watching me.

"Hey Jasmine." I said softly, my cheeks burning with embarrassment.

I gathered every inch of strength I had to look her in the face, my lips spread out in a tight smile.

"I just wanted to rest a bit. My entire body hurts and..."

Though the lighting here was bad, I could have sworn I saw her roll her eyes. She walked towards me and placed her hand on mine.

"You don't have to explain anything to me, trust me," she said softly, "I don't judge. But you would need to explain why you were touching your boobs and crying out the boss' name because he caught you and then stormed out."

It was at that point I knew I had fucked up.

It was one thing to dream about your boss fucking you silly in the bathroom; it was something else entirely when he caught you touching yourself.

My mouth dried up immediately.

"Did he look really mad?" I asked, my way of determining how bad the situation was.

The look in Jasmine's eyes told me my situation was far from funny.

Like a zombie, I knocked on the manager's door softly. The door opened immediately to reveal my boss, a beautiful man with eyes as blue as the sea, his blond hair dropping over his face.

For some reason, my mind always conjured him as a much sexier version.

"Elena." he interrupted my train of thought, "Come in, and leave the door open, please."

That should have been my first cue that something was seriously wrong. The boss never said to leave the door open.

I walked inside, leaving the door open as he had said and walked to the seat that was farthest away from him.

"Listen, Elena...." he started, looking like a scared child that would rather be anywhere but here, "I don't want to do this..."

"Then don't. Please don't," I thought.

"But I have to. You displayed indecent behavior. You were in the inner room, and no one but Jasmine and I saw you, but what if I had gone there with my wife or with a loudmouth like Tracy? What would happen then?"

I had dug myself into a deep grave.

"Elena..." he started, then stopped, his gaze leaving my face to the ceiling. He cleared his throat, "I would have to let you go. I'm sorry."

I couldn't argue with the boss.

"What can I do to resolve this situation?" I asked, desperation clawing up my throat like a parasite. "I would do anything. Please don't fire me. Don't let me go."

This job was the only constant in my life. It helped pay half of the bills and gave my daughter a place to wait for me when I had to work a couple of odd jobs.

The boss looked like a deer caught in headlights. He kept clutching at his tie like it choked him.

"Please, just go home. Don't make this even more difficult."

I sighed.

He was right. The longer I stayed here, the more disastrous the situation would be.

He didn't say anything else, and I didn't bother to ask. I felt so helpless at the moment.

A pool of dread settled in my stomach as I spied the lights outside. I knew no one knew about the situation because Jasmine just wasn't the kind of girl who would spill secrets like that, yet I felt like everyone was talking about me when I came out.

No one but Jasmine knew about the situation and I knew she wasn't a loud mouth, so why did I feel like everyone was staring at me?

Squinting up at the night sky, I wondered what would become of me in the next few days when I wouldn't have a job.

Damn. I forgot to ask for my pay for the days I worked this month. I desperately wanted to bang my head on the steering wheel.

**

"Where's Charlotte?" I asked the babysitter I called to watch Charlotte the moment I got home.

She smiled sweetly at me. A young girl of about thirteen, fourteen, or perhaps even fifteen. She looked older than her age, perhaps due to all the work she had to do to put some food on the table.

"She's asleep. Told her a bedtime story about the Princess and the Frog, and she fell asleep within a few minutes." she whispered like even the smallest sound would wake my baby up. "She said something about a bake at her school tomorrow, though..."

Her voice trailed off as I yawned. I didn't know if I should apologize or not.

I was tired, she was talking, and none of it would put money on the table.

I smiled softly at her, "Thank you." I said, handing her the dollar bills in my hand. "That's for your three days of work. I wish it was more, but money is a bit tight."

She was a smart one, that girl. She knew what happened immediately.

"Whenever you want me to babysit Charlotte again, please call. I'll be ready." And with that being said, she picked up her bag and walked out of the apartment.

Knowing the way life was in this part, I knew I might never see her again.

My daughter, on the other hand, was not asleep. She sat on her bed with some sort of colouring book in front of her, staring at it like it was about to grow legs.

I stood by the door. "Seems like you don't like the Princess and the Frog." I said, announcing my presence.

Her little scream of delight was enough to chase the pains I felt in my heart.

"Mummy." she wrapped her arms around me, holding me so closely.

I had no idea when the tears started coming, not until I felt the salt in my mouth. I placed a kiss on her head.

"I'm here, baby. We're going to be alright. We'll be alright."

Those words were for me. But at that moment, telling Charlotte seemed to do more good for my soul than anything else.

As I was about to turn off the light, a shadow moved in the hallway. I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. I crept to the door and peeked out, only to find the babysitter still there, her face pale.

"There was someone out there. A man."

I looked down at Charlotte, then at the babysitter, a cold chill running down my spine.

He couldn't be after me. Not after so long.