Horribly abused by his mother, Van eventually goes in search of his father. When he finds him, his life is radically changed. His father works for the FBI, and has contacts to a covert group, run by the Old Man, that goes after the worst of the worst criminals. Van is recruited to join both -- and does. Van handles every job he's sent on with cold efficiency, letting nothing stand in his way of gaining the information he seeks and stopping his foes. Eventually, he's offered a team of his own within the Old Man's organization. He accepts, with one caveat -- none of them can be female. Because of his mother, the only woman he has ever trusted is his handler, Makie. His attitude takes a hit when he meets Ginna, a cop, while on a job for the Old Man. When it's over, much to the shock of everyone involved, he requests that she be added to his team if she's willing -- which she is, as long as the organization can promise to keep her young son safe while she's on assignments. Ginna fits in well with the team, and though she is appalled at some of the tactics Van uses to gain information, she finds herself attracted to him. Can she break through the walls he's erected around his emotions? If so, then what? Only time will tell.

A Shattered Life

“Oh, well she should have known better. I mean, we’re not supposed to give out home addresses, you know.”


Vance nodded, feeling at a loss. “Look, I’m sorry I bothered you but it was with the best intentions.” He looked past her into the house. It was just as he’d though it would be, neat, tidy, everything in its place from what he could see. His eyes lit on a photograph sitting on the mantelpiece. From where he was standing he could tell it was of her and a child, a boy of maybe six or seven. He suddenly wanted to get a closer look at it. The boy seemed familiar, too familiar. “Is that Tommy?” he asked, pointing.


She turned to look and nodded. “The one and only, the joy of my heart.” Her words and the smile said one thing, the brief flash of anger he saw in her eyes told him something else.


Chapter 19