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

Then one of the girls said softly, almost as if she was afraid to, “I think I seen him once.”


She bit her lip before answering. “With a lady from that place you work for.” She pointed the logo emblazoned on his backpack, which was sitting on the ground beside the bench.


Vance’s eyes grew cold as he looked at her, then he smiled a bit when she pulled back in alarm. “Can you describe her?”


The girl did and he knew he was one step closer to his ultimate goal.


“So,” Vance said to Polly when they were paired together again a couple of days after his talk with the boy and his friends, “how does the boyfriend feel about your spending so much time doing this?”


She looked at him and shook her head. “What boyfriend?”


“Sorry, I just sort of figured a nice girl like you would have one.”


Chapter 38