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

“Hey, hold up there a minute. I bet he just wanted to make certain you were okay. Protecting his mother. That’s what kids do.”


“Well, he knows better.” She raised her hand and then must have remembered she had company because she lowered it quickly, thrusting Tommy back into his room instead, saying, “I’ll deal with you later.”


“No, you won’t,” Vance said forcefully as he strode across the room to join them. Kneeling, he held out his hand to Tommy. The boy was shaking but he reached out to take it.


“Just what do you think you’re doing,” the woman asked, her voice high-pitched with rage


Vance looked up at her. “Well, for starters, I’m going to take a look at the damage you’ve done to him, and then I’m taking him to the hospital so he can be thoroughly checked out. After that, we’ll see.”


“I haven’t done anything to him. The brat’s just clumsy, always tripping over things and falling. Ask his teachers, they’ll tell you the same.”


Chapter 20