Ben Mercer is an ex-cop, lamed, framed, and thrown off the force for a crime his partner committed. Now homeless, he has no expectations for a better life until he's recruited by Durand, head of Vanguard Security, to join a team that deals with problems the police can't or won't touch. All Ben needs is the approval of the team leader, Zach Turner.<br><br>To get it, Ben has to prove to Zach that he still retains his skills as a sniper, and that he can handle any job thrown at him, despite the still painful damage to his knee. He does, and is immediately pulled into a job with the team, rescuing a kidnap victim.<br><br>Ben had one big secret, or did have until Durand drew it out of him. Before his life was drastically changed he had denied, even to himself, that he was gay. Now that he's accepted it, and learned that Zach is as well, can the two men forge a bond beyond that of being teammates and friends? It will take several more jobs before Ben gets his answer.

A Second Chance

“Okay, makes a strange kind of sense. Anyway, the reason I laughed is because, to paraphrase you, women aren’t Zach’s thing, either.”


“Nope. Don’t get any ideas, though. As far as I know, and I’ve worked with him for a while so I think I would, he doesn’t act on it.”


“That will make two of us,” Ben replied dryly. “I presume Durand knows.”


“Yep.” Ben chuckled. “I doubt there’s anything about me he doesn’t know at this point.”


“The same for all of us. He wouldn’t run Vanguard as well as he does if he didn’t. Him and Noreen. Have you met her?”


“No. From what he said, she’s his, and I quote, good right arm.”


“Definitely. He’d be lost without her, which he tells her on a daily basis from what I’ve heard. But then, she feels the same about him.”


There was a rap on the door, which had Ben instinctively reaching for the gun he wasn’t carrying.


Chapter 15