Why I Had to Write Jace's Prequel: The Story Behind Helix Protocol

It started with a Goodreads review that hit me right between the eyes. Heather from PA wrote:

"Jace simply walked into a bar and picked up Lila and the two hooked up. I would have appreciated a bit more."

Fair. Totally fair.

When I wrote Midnight Burn, I knew the opening was a risk—Jace meets Lila, sparks fly, things move fast. But I was focused on the story after they met. What I didn’t realize was that I skipped over the most important part: why Jace was even capable of letting someone in.

This is a guy who’s been alone for years. Tactical. Guarded. Zero margin for emotional error.
So why does he suddenly drop his walls?

Turns out, that answer wasn’t in Book 1.
It was in the 47 hours leading up to it.

Helix Protocol tells the story of Jace’s final solo op—taking down a pharma giant with blood on its balance sheet. The mission goes flawlessly. Bad guys fall. Truth gets out.

And then Jace sits alone in his car, watching the news, and realizes something:
Winning doesn’t mean anything if there’s no one to share it with.

That’s the moment everything changes. That’s the moment he decides to stop being alone.

Helix Protocol doesn’t rewrite what happens in Midnight Burn. It just answers the question Heather asked:
Why was Jace ready to let someone like Lila in?

I’m releasing the novella for free next month as an ebook—because this story belongs to everyone who’s been following Jace’s journey and wanted to see where it really started.

And Heather from PA?
This one’s for you.