Page 55 of Once a Hero

And the burden of my heart rolled away,

It was there by faith I received my sight,

And now I am happy all the day!

He couldn’t hear himself sing it aloud because of the duct tape over his mouth, but he hummed it until the pain in his legs went away. Or at least until he forgot about it.

The door creaked open again.

“Someone ought to oil this door.” Oswald’s voice was followed by multiple boots pounding on the steps.

Beatrice was not with them.

Where is she?

Jake prayed that she was still alive.

Without a word, Oswald ordered his men to untie Jake. As they headed toward the stairs, Jake felt a blow to his head.

He fell to the ground, seeing stars.

“Traitor!” Oswald spat at him and walked up the stairs first. “Get him to the driveway.”

Driveway?

Were they going somewhere?

Chapter Twenty-Four

Seeing Beatrice on the driveway was like having a cool drink on a hot summer’s day. Jake didn’t know why he felt that way, but he just did. He wanted to say something to her, but she was facing away from him. Her hands were tied behind her back.

At least she was still standing.

On the grass nearby, Raynelle was groaning next to an unmoving Kenichi. They looked like they had been beaten up badly.

Surrounding them were Oswald, John Doe, and their merry men and women of ill repute.

Dusk was coming soon, but there was sunlight left. Jake hoped that Beatrice wouldn’t be too freaked out at the sight of him. Perhaps the nightfall would cover up how bloodied he might look.

He had no idea what her tolerance level was, but he didn’t want her to see him like this—

What am I thinking?

No, he wasn’t falling in love with the woman who had saved his life at least three times.

Or was he?

He shuffled forward, held up by two strong men. They hadn’t bothered to tie up Jake’s hands because the had beaten him to a pulp. There was no way he was going to defend himself or anyone else in this state.

Beatrice must have heard him coming because she turned. Her eyes widened. “Jake!”

She tried to go toward him, but John Doe held her back.

She cares.

Interesting.

“So you are reallytogether?” John Doe touched Beatrice’s chin with his gloved hand. Ran his finger down her neck to her check—

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