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

“Since Theo insisted King had to come along, I figured we’d pick up some carry-out from a rib joint I like and then go to the park.”


“They have hamburgers?” Theo asked, looking worried.


“The best for miles,” Vance assured him.


“I’m sure we can find something he’ll eat. As a matter of fact, I doubt we’d find anything he wouldn’teat other than salads.”


“Salads,” Theo said, wrinkling his nose.


“You will have veggies of some kind,” Ginna told him sternly as she took his hand.


Vance laughed, putting the leash on King. “That was too easy.”


Joining him at the door, Ginna whispered, “I think he’s going to try to feed them to King when we’re not looking.”


“Well, we won’t know ‘til it happens. Then what?”


She chuckled. “We find out how King feels about peas or corn.”


“That was good, and I ate way too much,” Ginna said, rubbing her stomach.


Chapter 116