The Dealers

Chapter 28 - Noah

Sitting on the couch with Lena, I couldn't help but stare at how perfect she was. Not only had she stuck by me despite how insane I probably sounded but, she still seemed to care about me despite it all.

How the fuck did I get so lucky to find her?

I wanted to tell her everything she wanted to know but it was hard to fit all of that into the short time we had. The sun would be rising and I had to leave for Manchester. While I still didn't know what my transition would entail, I had a date with Azrael and there was no getting out of it.

It would only be a matter of time before Azrael realized that Lena discovered my secret. I would have to deal with that when the time came but in the meantime, what did that mean for Lena and I?

She knew my secret and she wasn't running scared. That was step one. From then out, she would have to process everything and I prayed after she did, she wouldn't change her mind about being with me.

Still, Lena had more questions and time was running out.

"I went home." I told her and the word home sparked curiosity on her face.

"Boston?" She asked.

Boston had become familiar to me over the years since I left Moorehouse but there was always something missing there. As much as Moorehouse would always be considered home in many ways, I found that to me, home was wherever Lena was.

"Manchester." I clarified and feared I wouldn't be able to explain things to her in detail before I had to leave.

Lena bit her lip as she took in all of the information.

Damn it, she was so sexy.

"I went back to my childhood home." I explained. "I had a meeting with Azrael."

Lena's eyes grew big at the sound of his name.

"When I said that I was leaving again," I added, "I'm going back to see him."

"Why would you want to see him?" Lena asked and I admired her naivety on the matter.

Where Azrael was concerned, nothing I did was because I wanted to.

"I don't have a choice." I reminded her. "I have work stuff to take care of."

"Even after Nora and the club?" She asked.

"Even so." I confirmed. "Azrael can fuck with me all he wants, I still have to show up."

"That sucks!" Lena sighed at me and I found it adorable how upset she was for me—all things considered.

"Will he hurt you?" Her eyes grew worried as she searched my face for a reaction.

The odds that Azrael would torture me or harm me physically, were low. While he enjoyed fucking with me, hurting me physically wasn't part of his plan—at least, I didn't think. His end game was more sadistic. As much as I didn't want to worry Lena, I worried that Azrael ultimately wanted her, not me.

"I don't think so." I answered honestly. "Like I said, we just have some work stuff to go over."

"Work stuff." She teased me.

Touche.

"I'll know more after I get there." I told her and hoped that she would leave it at that.

There was already so much I didn't know about my upcoming transition and it terrified me. I couldn't tell Lena what I didn't know myself. Once I got to Manchester and eventually, the Elms, I'd know what was going on.