A single father forced to choose between his daughter and his duty.For Cole Hart, raising a daughter on his own hasn't been easy. The former crown attorney earned the nickname, Cold Heart, for his lack of sympathy towards the criminals he prosecuted. Now a judge, he continues to follow his mantra, if you did the crime, you'll do the time.Set to preside over a high-profile drugs and weapons case, he receives a package filled with pictures that turn his blood cold-his seven-year-old daughter, Avery, a bullseye drawn over her face, and the words: How cold is your heart, Judge? Dismiss the case. What's a father to do? Giving in to blackmail is out of the question, but he must protect Avery at all costs. With rumors of dirty cops out there, instead of turning to the police, he calls a friend, a man with a security company, and asks for help.January Jones, former Special Forces now private security, battles demons of her own on a regular basis, but she is the best at what she does. When she and Cole meet, it isn't the motherless seven-year-old with the missing front teeth that captures her attention, it's the girl's father. Sparks fly between them, and while a relationship seems impossible, one kiss changes everything. She wants the dream, and the more time she spends with Avery, the harder it will be to walk away from the child and her father.Cole receives another package of pictures and new instructions. One judge is missing, another is murdered, a close friend's life hangs by a thread, and Avery's location may have been compromised. He realizes that safety is an illusion, and everything he has ever loved is on the line and in the hands of a woman he wants in his life. Can JJ save them all?
