She was never part of the plan. He was never supposed to care.Hostage negotiator Aidan Shaw lives by one rule: never get emotionally involved. It's what keeps people alive, and him sane. But when a high-profile corporate siege spirals out of control, Aidan comes face to face with Claire Monroe, a trauma survivor with secrets buried deeper than the bunker they're trapped in.As hours turn into days and the tension inside the building reaches a breaking point, Aidan finds himself drawn to Claire in a way that defies his training and his past. She's unpredictable, sharp-witted, and hiding something that could change everything. But the more he tries to protect her, the more his judgment slips, and with it, the fragile line between duty and desire.Outside, the world is watching. Inside, trust is a luxury. And the man who always keeps his distance is about to risk everything for the one woman who crossed his line.In a siege where the clock is ticking and loyalties are tested, can two people broken by the past survive long enough to rewrite the rules?A heart-pounding romantic thriller where every choice is a risk, and every heartbeat could be the last.