"That’s what this is like. Exhibitionism without risk. No one will hear me. Of course, they say God is always watching, but circumstances being what they are, I’m guessing not.” This short story also appears in the anthology SCAR TISSUE: ...

Sammy’s the planner, good with electronics, surveillance, computers. Billy Dexter is the point man, the finisher. For years they were the most sought-after hit team in the country--until Dex stopped killing. But when the woman he loves is in tr...

How far would you go to protect everything you love?   On the South Side of Chicago, you're only as strong as your reputation. Danny Carter and his best friend, Evan, earned theirs knocking over pawnshops and liquor stores, living fr...

A man wakes up naked and cold, half-drowned on an abandoned beach… The only sign of life for miles is an empty BMW. Inside the expensive car he finds clothes that fit perfectly, shoes for his tattered feet, a Rolex, and an auto registrat...

Jason Palmer loved being a soldier. But after returning home from Iraq with an "other than honorable" discharge, he's finding rebuilding his life the toughest battle yet. Elena Cruz is a talented cop, the first woman to make Chicago's prestigio...

Frank has been many things: father,husband, protector, thief. Then a prison term took it all away. Now his daughter only calls to say that she hates him. And he can't blame her. But when a man shows up with a cheap Chinese pistol and the locket ...

After you have sex with a total stranger on top of a three-thousand dollar television, what you’re supposed to do is zip up, exchange fake numbers, and never see each other again. But for two people who prefer for life and love to have an edge,...

From the bestselling author of THE BLADE ITSELF and GOOD PEOPLE comes an anthology of seven short stories. Featuring both award-winners and previously unpublished works, these tales of men and women pushed to--and beyond--the ragged edge demonstr...

Nominated for both a Thriller and a Macavity, this short story is a haunting exploration of the wounds our warriors bear--not all of which are visible. For one soldier back from Iraq, the war is far from over. When his old squadmate comes to him...