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

“The cops aren’t stupid,” Ben replied. “They know that happens way too often. Parents believe the kidnappers when they say they’ll kill the victim if they go to the police.”


“Thank God they told you,” Joe whispered.


Zach chuckled as he drove away from the hospital. “I’m not sure God had anything to do with it, but who knows.”


Ten minutes later they pulled into the driveway of a large home in an upper-class area of the city. Joe was out of the car seconds later, running up the path to the front door. It opened before he got there, a man and woman stepping out to greet him, wrapping him in a tight embrace. Then the man came over to the SUV.


“There’s no way I can thank you enough for rescuing him,” he said.


“We were glad to help,” Zach replied. “We’ve let the police know he’s safe, but since they didn’t know he was missing you might want to call them. One of the kidnappers is in the hospital but he might not be willing to rat out his partner.”


Chapter 19