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

Moving forward, using his elbows to propel him, Ben made it to the edge of the semi, parallel to where the man had fallen. Blood streamed from the wound in the hijacker’s shoulder. He hadhad another gun, which was lying by his outspread hand. He wasn’t moving, so Ben pulled himself into a crouch, using the door handle above him, and then inched his way around the front of the semi, fighting to ignore the pain in his knee.


Peering around the right front wheel, he saw Zach sitting with his back against the hijackers’ car, his hand pressed to his bicep. Ez was cuffing one of the hijackers while Hayley had her gun trained on the other man, who was bleeding badly from wounds in his side and upper arm.


Hearing movement behind him, Ben started to turn, afraid there was another hijacker they’d missed in the foray. The semi’s driver stood there, a knife gripped in his hand.


Chapter 30