The Dealers

Chapter 31 - Lena

Stumbling back into the bar, I could barely stand. My vision was beginning to waiver and I felt like I was going to pass out. Thankfully, I saw a blurry Jacob standing at the bar. He looked up and saw me struggling over.

"Shit, Lena, what the fuck?" He asked with wide eyes as I let myself rely more on him than my own two legs.

Sitting me down on the nearest bar stool, he steadied me and tried to get me to speak but, I had no words.

"You're shaking!" He said with a rumble in his voice.

"Everything okay?" I heard Max ask but his voice was muffled and soon, I could barely hear anything.

"Lena..." Jacob's familiar voice pushed through the numbness in my ears and I opened my eyes fully, realizing that I wasn't at the bar anymore but in Jacob's office at his desk.

I tried to focus.

"What the hell happened?" He asked again but I was unsure myself. "Should I call 9-1-1?"

Scared at the fuss an ambulance would cause, I shook my head slowly.

"Then talk to me." He argued but I found it impossible to formulate a sentence.

"Fuck!" He yelled as he slammed his fist into a nearby file cabinet, denting it.

It was another minutes before I could even bring myself to speak. Jacob sat there across from me and draped a blanket around me to help with the shivering but, I wasn't shivering because I was cold, I was shivering because I was terrified.

Azrael.

I felt drunk and unsteady even seated but I tried desperately to clear the brain fog that remained. Even though Azrael had left, I couldn't get his face or his voice out of my mind. The terror I felt every second he was close to me still lingered and I fought desperately to regain my bearings.

"Drink this." Jacob said as he handed me a glass of water.

Less likely to pass out then, I reached for the glass and took it with a shaky hand.

"Thanks." I said, my first word since I stumbled back into the bar.

Jacob was in front of me, kneeling down and examining me as I spoke finally.

"Lena?" He asked and I looked him in the eyes to acknowledge that I was okay, "Lena what's going on?"

"I—I don't know." I said honestly, still not sure how to process what just happened.

The terror I felt when Azrael had me up against the wall kept replaying in my mind. For a long while, I thought he was going to kill me. Then, I realized that he was only toying with me. That was slightly worse because there was nothing I could do about it.

As Azrael had placed his hand to my face and gently stroked my cheek despite my protest, I knew there was nothing I could do to stop him. If Noah had made one thing clear, it was that Azrael was dangerous.

"I—I just need another minute." I blurted out, my words choppy and my voice weak.

Jacob nodded and sat back down to give me space. Sipping the water slowly from the glass, a faint commotion came from the bar and Jacob jumped up.

"I'll be right back." He told me as he rushed out.

Bursting through he door moments later, Jacob wasn't alone. Noah was in tow and he looked like he was going to kill someone.

"Do not take a swing at my bartender, bro!" Jacob warned Noah as he gestured to me sitting down at the desk. "I told you I would take you to her."