Barbara Howard

In the heart of Cleveland's tech scene, two brilliant minds are about to collide-two rivals, one conspiracy, zero margin for error. Kennedy Wyatt's cybersecurity firm is her life's work, built from the ground up to protect minority-owned businesses from digital threats. But when a mysterious wave of attacks begins targeting companies like hers, she discovers a conspiracy that runs deeper than mere code.
Enter Isaiah Binutu, a charismatic rival CEO whose innovative software seems suspiciously similar to Kennedy's latest project. As their professional rivalry heats up at Cleveland's prestigious TechCLE conference, a series of escalating threats forces them to consider the unthinkable: working together. With their families under attack, their companies at risk, and a shadowy corporation pulling strings, Kennedy and Isaiah must navigate a maze of betrayal, corporate espionage, and their own complicated feelings for each other.
The stakes? Their companies' futures-and their lives. From the bustling West Side Market to the serene shores of Lake Erie, this romantic suspense races through Cleveland's landmarks as two competitors-turned-allies fight to expose a conspiracy that threatens everything they've built. But in a world where digital footprints can be erased, identities stolen, and time is running out to separate friend from foe--can they really believe in each other?In a digital battlefield, trust is the ultimate hack. Content warning: explicit sex, profanity.