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

When the alderman eventually left, Vance followed him. If the information they had on the man was good he would be heading to a motel on the edge of town where he ran a high-stakes poker game three nights a week. Vance had what it took to join in tonight, money and the name of a man who would prove his bona fides if the alderman or one of his people decided to call him on it.


“Damned good thing it wasn’t my money I lost,” Vance told Troy, shaking his head. “The games are so rigged you’ve got to be a friend of his to win. Or,” and he added with a knowing smile, “someone getting paid off for a job well done.”


Vance nodded. “Good point. Either way it’s the perfect venue to legitimize that and make a lot of money for the alderman at the same time.”


“So did you get to meet him up close and personal?”


Chapter 26