It was at that moment thatmy saviorturned to me, and the lights and smoke didn't prevent me from distinguishing his face. Those deep blue eyes and well-drawn goatee were not something I expected to find in the crowded space of a nightclub.

“Mr. Lennox?”

“Are you all right?”

I just shook my head yes.

“Great! Watch out for drunks. Some can use drunkenness as an excuse to avoid a no.”

“O-ob-thank you.” She was still stuttering as if she couldn't pronounce a complete sentence.

After my encounters and the stressful moments I had spent with that man, I would never have imagined that he would be the one to defend me against a guy who couldn't understand boundaries.

“What's going on here?” A woman approached him and placed her hand with its red-painted nails on the man's shoulder, emphasizing an intimacy that I admit made me even more uncomfortable.

She was beautiful and tall, with long, dark hair that was very well-groomed. Red lipstick highlighted her lips, and a long black dress with a side slit made her look very sexy and enviable.

Thomas looked deep into my eyes before answering.

“Nothing.”

“I ordered us a drink; let's go and get it.”

“All right.” He agreed, leaving with her.

I stood still, as if frozen, while they disappeared into the crowd as if they were figments of my mind.

Chapter thirteen

“She's pretty,” Deborah commented as she handed me a glass.

“Her who?” I played dumb.

“The woman you were talking to.”

“Ah! She's just a cheeky little teacher.” I took a sip.

“Teacher?” My sister seemed even more curious, and I realized what a dangerous path I could have taken.

“This is a bad place to talk.”

“Don't run away from me, Thom...” She came up behind me and grabbed my shoulder, making me turn to face her again, and I realized that agreeing to go out with my sister had beena bad idea. I should have been at home, enjoying time with my daughters and not having my ears blasted by loud electronic music.

“I'm not running away.”

“I know him very well.”

“She's the twins' teacher and responsible for the hide-and-seek scare. If she had kept an eye on my little girls as she is paid to do, this wouldn't have happened.”

“Hmm...” She bit her lower lip.

“What?”

“Nothing!” He shrugged.

I was too used to dealing with games of lies, half-truths, and manipulation to fall for it.

“Deby?” I narrowed my eyes.