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

With some food in his stomach, and the backpack plus one plastic bag filled with food now on the front seat of the borrowed car, Vance felt better as he drove home. He parked the car where he’d found it, wondering idly if it had even been missed. Then he put the backpack over his shoulders, picked up the plastic bag, and made his way back to his house the way he’d come. He stopped at the edge of the trees, waiting in silence for any sound that would tell him his watcher was nearby, and finally after hearing nothing, made it through the gate and crawled to the study window.


Chapter 123