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

It had taken a few minutes, Vance working hard to prove to the man that he knew was his father that he really was his son, but in the end Charles had accepted him wholeheartedly.


“I loved you, Dad,” he whispered into the raising breeze, hoping it would carry his words to wherever his father was now. Then, bowing his head, he cried for the first time since he’d learned his father was dead. Deep, wrenching sobs that shook his body as he wrapped his arms around his knees and let the pain out.


Finally, exhausted, he curled into a tight ball the way he had as a kid when he’d tried to protect himself from his mother’s anger. He slept, his tear-stained face buried in his arms.


Much later someone was shaking him and Vance sprang awake, reaching for the blade sheathed at his waist.


“Hey, hold on there,” a voice said in surprise when the blade lashed out. “I just wanted to see if you were all right is all. I’ll leave you alone now.”


Chapter 44