TRUE HERO: A Romantic Suspense Novel (True Hearts Series Book 1)

by Susan Owensby

  “What do you really think you can do, Navy boy? I am the one holding the gun not you. You were too stupid to watch your back and I took it from you with ease. You are in fact the pussy here, not me. You are gonna watch everything I do to Sarah. Even right now if you look over your shoulder, one of my men is raping her. Having the time of his life. By the way, he likes to bite, so I am sure he will leave his mark before he is done.”

  I could hear every word they said. Tom had taken Jonah’s gun from him? No way. Jonah must have a plan. But what if it didn’t work and Tom killed Jonah? I couldn’t let that happen. I wouldn’t let that happen. I didn’t go through all of this tonight, just for Jonah to really be killed. I slowly worked my way out from under stringy-haired guy. I was almost there. Just a little more. But what would I do? I only had one arm, but I did have the metal now firmly in my hand. So, I waited.

  “Do you really think you took it from me, Tom? You are hysterical. I let you have it, you, idiotic psychopath. I won’t kill an unarmed man. So, I made sure you had a weapon. Aww, don’t look so surprised, puss. You could never take me. But people do have their dreams, don’t they? This I promise you right here and now. You will know the pain you caused Ally. Every single ounce of it plus a little extra just from me. And when I send you to hell? I will be the last person you ever see in this world and I will be smiling. I will be smiling, because I have rid the world of another demon spawn that likes to prey on weaker people. I have no doubt that there are others out there that you have hurt or killed. I will avenge all of them. Right here, right now.” And with that oath from Jonah, the fight began.

  It was the most vicious, brutal yet, beautiful thing I had ever seen in my life. Jonah moved with precision. In one fluid motion, he had taken the gun and threw it in my direction. He was thinking of my protection, even during the battle of his life. He removed two wicked knives from his belt and set one down just short of Tom, then walked slowly away. I wanted to scream, when Tom lunged for it and aimed for Jonah’s back. I needn’t have worried. Jonah knew he would do that and was prepared for the strike. He twisted his beautiful body in such a way that made my head spin. It took only one to hit to knock Tom to the ground. He could have killed him right there, but instead he used his knife in a way that almost looked like he was trying to sharpen it on Tom’s back.

  With a blood curdling scream from Tom, Jonah simply looked down at him and walked away again. Tom ran at him again. This time all Jonah did was sidestep him and make a matching slice down Tom’s back in the opposite direction. Tom was enraged, bleeding profusely from the wounds to his back, but he didn’t stop.

  “What an idiot.”

  “Are you ready to surrender, Tom? This will be your only opportunity to do so. One chance only. What will it be? Surrender to me now and I will make your death fast and clean or shall we continue? Got to say, I hope you choose the latter option, so I can continue to mark you as you marked Ally. I will draw out your death as slowly as possible.”

  Inside I cheered for Jonah. I cheered for me and Sam. We would finally be truly free. I was proud and relieved at the same time. I couldn’t help it. May God forgive me for wanting this creature to die. But I also didn’t want Jonah to go to prison for killing him either. Fear shot through me. I knew I had to do something just as I saw Jonah slice him again, only deeper this time. Blood spurted from the new wound. Tom fell to his knees, screaming from the pain.

  Jonah walked over and crouched in front of him with his knife in front of him. Something was off with Tom. He was planning something. I knew him too well. Tom was hyped up on meth, so the way he was screaming didn’t make sense. It was almost like he was trying to sell his pain as a performance.

  Then it happened in slow motion. I screamed a warning as I got up on my knees to see better. Tom lunged for Jonah’s knife with his barehand. It cut the flesh deeply. At the same time, he swung his own blade, ramming it into Jonah’s side. Jonah looked down at the handle sticking out of his side, in shock. Then he smiled as he looked at me and said, “I love you, Freckles. Do it now!”

  I pulled the trigger on the gun, my aim, even with one eye, hit true. My shot hit Tom in the neck, spraying Jonah with his blood. He was dead in an instant.

  He was finally dead. We were finally free. I just killed Tom. Oh God, I just killed a person. No I didn’t. I just killed a demon from hell.

  God, please forgive me, but I am not sorry.

  Footsteps pounded all over the warehouse. It sounded as if they were heading our way, but the noise echoed in my head, disorienting me. Something was wrong. I couldn’t pinpoint it, but something was seriously wrong with me. Well, actually there was a lot wrong with me thanks to Tom, but I had been through worse.

  Sam? Where was Sam? Oh, my god! No Ally, he is safe with Frannie tonight. But where was Jonah? Jonah! Please God, don’t let him be dead!

  My mind couldn’t comprehend everything. I couldn’t make sense of what had happened. What did just happen? I felt wrong. My vision was going black. I could have sworn I just heard Jonah and someone else calling my name. Was that Frannie? What was she doing here? Was I be dying? Who was I kidding, I was dead.

  “Hey there, sweetie pie. Wake up. You shouldn’t be here yet,” an unmistakable voice spoke to me softly. My eyes fluttered open in instant recognition, my heart rejoicing at the reunion. Grams leaned down to embrace me and kissed me on the cheek. It felt right. It felt like home. This was where I was meant to be.

  “No honey, you are not meant to be here, yet. So, sit up and let’s talk.” Grams let go of me and scooted back. When I looked around, we were in my childhood bedroom in her house. All my things were there, but most importantly she was there.

  “Grams, I have missed you so much. So much has happened since you left me. Some really bad things. It has been so hard being on my own, being without you. I can’t do it anymore. I want to stay with you forever. I don’t feel any pain here with you. When you were with me, life was good. Wasn’t it? I don’t want to be alone anymore, please let me stay with you,” I begged her.

  “Oh, my sweet girl, I never left you. You may not have seen me, but I have been with you every step of the way. When you needed me the most, I sent you as much love and courage as I could to see you through the tough times. You are a strong resilient, young woman and I couldn’t be any prouder of you. I know you have not had it easy. But nothing in life, is. You have had more than your fair share, mind you, but I did send some people your way to help you heal and learn to trust again. And your hero? He is a true hero, Ally, and more than just honorable. He is faithful and worthy of your love. I approve of your choice not just for you, but as a father for Sam,” she told me.

  “You really sent Frank and Frannie, didn’t you, Grams? I knew it! But wait. Why are you calling me Ally and my son Sam? Those are not our real names,” I asked her in confusion.

  “My darling, Ally is who you are now. And the same goes for Sam. You took lemons and made lemonade, as we old people would say. You made a new life for the both of you. Be proud honey. I sure am.” She beamed at me.

  Grams was only person who had ever truly loved me. “Now that isn’t true anymore young lady and you know it. They all love you, especially Sam and Jonah. Do you really want to leave them and have them grieve for you? Do you want to give them that pain? I don’t think so.” She squeezed my hand before continuing.

  “So, I want you to get up from here, right now and get back to where you belong. Do you hear me, Ally? Go, before it’s too late. I will always be watching out for you, never doubt that. I love you more than you know. But go now!”

  Bright lights infiltrated my brain and I felt like I was falling to my death. And then I knew nothing.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Jonah

  He fucking stabbed me. The motherfucker stabbed me. Well I had to let him get one hit in, to be fair but did he have to fucking twist the blade after it was in my side? It fucking hurt. I knew she was ready to end it. She needed to do it. I always k
new that. I was here to make sure it was her kill. I owed her that. When I looked at her and told her to do it, she was ready and she only had to make one shot. He lay dead at my feet.

  When I looked back over at her, something was off though. She was paler than death. The gun slowly dropped from her hand. She tilted her head to the side and said something. I couldn’t quite make out what it was, but I almost swore I heard her say ‘Grams’.

  It hit me like a freight train going 120 miles an hour. That look on her face, it was the fucking look of death. Her body swayed. Her one eye closed and she fell. “No! Ally! Don’t leave me now, baby!” I screamed as I got up and pulled out the knife, not caring how much it hurt and how the blood flowed down my side in a river. I had to get to her now. I couldn’t let her go. Not after all of this. Lightheaded, I stumbled, trying to get to her, swearing under my breath with each faltering step.

  The doors flew open and in came Michelle, Frannie and Frank guns up and at the ready. When they saw the two bodies, Michelle ran for me while Frank and Frannie ran for Ally. “Get me to her now Michelle! Now damn it!”

  “You’re bleeding out, Jonah. You won’t make it two feet if you don’t let me get this bleeding under control,” she informed me.

  I didn’t care. All I knew was Ally was dying and I couldn’t let that happen. Sirens wailed in the distance. I struggled to keep moving. Feeling desperate, I lunged as Michelle tried to catch me. With my forward momentum, I fell next to Ally. Putting my arm around her, I begged her, God and anyone who would listen, to not let her die. Michelle landed on my side with a vengeance. I could have sworn I heard Shane yell at her that she better not let me die, but words were coming to my ears through a tunnel. I laughed mentally because I knew Shane would pay for yelling at that woman. I hooked my arm across Ally’s naked torso to cover her from the eyes that were running into the room.

  A voice came from her other side right then, “Jonah, I’ve got her, it’s ok. I’ve got our girl.” At least I thought it was Frannie but the voice sounded different.

  “That’s because I’m not Frannie. Don’t you worry. I won’t let anything happen to her. Just do me a favor and remind her to put old Bessie away now.”

  I felt something and I couldn’t explain it if I tried. It was a warmth like I had never felt before. Kind of like a loving embrace. I smiled to myself just as I was passing out from blood loss and whispered, “Thank you, Grams.”

  Waking in the hospital, I tried to sit up but hands held me down. “Get the fuck off me. Where’s Ally? I have to get to her!” I yelled to the hands holding me down and I looked around. Shane held me down, but when I turned my head I saw my mom, dad and Shayla coming towards me. Based on the expressions on their faces, things were not good. I tried to push Shane off me but he just leaned in more and yelled, “Stop it, Jonah! Stop now, before you tear your incision open again. Listen to me bro, before the nurses have to sedate you again. Neither of us want that. Calm. The. Fuck. Down.”

  I stared into my brother’s eyes and held on to his arms for a moment trying to ground myself.

  “That’s it man, you got this. Breathe slowly and deeply. Can I let you go now? Or do I need to call the nurses in?” he asked watching me. I nodded at him and closed my eyes as he lifted his body off mine.

  “Tell me now. How bad is it? Is she alive?” I was dying inside waiting for his answer. He asked the rest of our family to leave. That was not good.

  “She is critical, Jonah, but stable as of right now. She is in the intensive care unit and Frank is with her right now. Frannie will come tomorrow but she had to take care of Sam. The little man isn’t doing well with the news about what his father did to his mother.”

  As I heard him speak those words, all I wanted was to go to Sam and hold him and tell him what a brave, strong woman his mother was. “Continue. I want to know all of it. I need to know all of it. Every single detail of what he did to her and the injuries she sustained,” I demanded.

  “Jonah, I don’t know if you can handle all of it right now, but I can see in your eyes that you will get out of this bed and find out from someone. Prepare yourself, Jonah. But you can take comfort in the fact that she nearly blew his head off and he is now in hell.” I would fucking hurt Shane, if he didn’t just tell me.

  I reached for the collar of his shirt since he was sitting on the bed next to me and with a deadly grip, I pulled his face to mine. “Tell me now or I will hurt you Shane.” I meant it and he knew it.

  Letting him go, he leaned back and said, “The most severe injury right now was from a fall or a blow to the head, most likely both. She was hit so hard that she has a brain bleed that they had to do surgery for. She made it though. But it’s touch and go.” I growled deep in my soul, picturing what he did to her in my head.

  “Keep going Shane. All of it,” I rumbled.

  “She has a hairline crack to her pelvis with deep severe bruising to her entire private area.” He grabbed my hand when my snarl grew so deep, it sounded like a wounded animal.

  “She was hung by her wrists in that room we found her in. She was cut down. They think that is part of what gave her the head injury and the reason for her broken shoulder. She has over a dozen lash marks from a variety of electrical cords they found at the scene. They are all over her body not just her back this time. Everything else is superficial and will mend quickly. But the brain bleed is the worst. The doctors are amazed that she was able to shoot and kill him. Its’ a miracle that she is alive Jonah. If we hadn’t gotten there when we did…” He let that hang in the air between us and quieted when he heard the deep mournful growl growing in me.

  My Ally. My girl. My Freckles. The strongest person to walk the earth. Was lying somewhere in this hospital dying and I couldn’t go to her. What he had done to her was more than sadistic. As I thought of all the pain she endured trying to protect all of us, I realized she was the true hero here. She had always been a hero and she never even knew it. I started to cry then. There was no holding it back. Shane sat quietly with me and never said a word. Just his presence was enough.

  I finally worked up the courage to ask one last dreaded question and if I was honest I wasn’t sure if I could have handled it if the answer was yes. But if she endured it, so would I. I loved her. “Was she raped?”

  Shane was too quiet. “The exam shows that along with blunt force trauma, which was hard enough to crack her pelvis, injuries to her vagina indicated she was sexually assaulted but they couldn’t tell me with what. There were deep scratches internally and externally. I am so sorry, Jonah. I am so sorry that we didn’t get to her sooner,” he told me as his voice cracked.

  That was it. I lost it. I had to go to her now. I had to get up. I hit my brother repeatedly and he just took it. Why? Because he knew I was in pain and that was the only thing he could do for me if it helped. Soon nurses rushed in to sedate me. When the meds kicked in, I just lay there and cried for what my beautiful girl had to endure. I had failed her. I swore to protect her, but I was too late. Would she forgive me? Hell, I would never forgive myself.

  In my drug-induced haze, Shane relayed how much damage the knife wound caused from that fucker twisting it. They had no idea how I ever got up off the floor, let alone walked to Ally. Shane told me when he came into the room Michelle was using her full body weight to try and stop me from bleeding out. And even with all that, I kept talking to Ally and covered her nude body from even the paramedics. I had undergone two surgeries over the past week to repair the internal damage. I was shocked to realize we had been there that long.

  “Shane, get Michelle for me. I need to speak with her right away.”

  Shane looked confused, but did as I asked.

  Michelle arrived later that afternoon and I told Shane to go get updates on Ally.

  “Michelle, I need a favor. A big one. Do you know everything that happened to Ally?” I asked her in a quiet voice. She nodded yes and then looked out the window.

  “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to open
old wounds for you. I just found out everything. I didn’t realize we have been here for over a week and I haven’t been able to see her yet. I need to see her. I feel like my chest is about to explode. I can’t live without her. And being kept away from her? I am about to lose my fucking mind. Those moments in the warehouse can’t be the last time I see her alive. I have to have more than that.”

  Michelle started crying while listening to my request and as she wiped at her eyes she nodded in agreement and said, “How I wish that I had found someone like you to help me when I went through it. I will help her too, Jonah. We will get her through this. Get rid of Shane for a few hours and I will be back, but you have to promise to not injure yourself when you see her. It’s bad, Jonah. I won’t lie to you. They had to shave most of her head for the brain surgery and most of her face is bruised and swollen. If you can abide by that I will get you to her.”

  When Michelle came back, it was just after shift change. She had somehow coerced the doctors into letting me go see Ally. How? I didn’t care but was utterly grateful. After helping me get into the wheelchair, we headed to the ICU. Turning the corner, we were met by her doctor. Then I knew why we were given permission. He was retired military. He sat down so we were eye-to-eye to talk to me. “I am going to give it to you straight, son. We have her in a drug-induced coma to try to reduce the swelling and to give her body the rest it needs to aid in healing. We are going to remove her from it soon if her scans keep showing improvement. Her shoulder and pelvis will heal in time, but she will need a lot of rehabilitation. She is going to need twenty-four-hour nursing care. We are consulting with a plastic surgeon for the lashes and the old healed lashes, to help minimize scarring. Right now, it is all basically up to her, and how strong her will to survive is.”