"What the hell are you doing here, Jackson?" Ava demanded, hastily ending the call with Matty and whirling to face her looming husband.
His eyes flashed, jaw tightening. "We have an urgent situation. Harrison is waiting for us downstairs."
Ava crossed her arms. "I'm not going anywhere with you until you tell me what's happening!"
Jackson raked a hand through his hair, clearly agitated. "Suffice it to say, new information has come to light that affects both of us. We need to get our stories aligned before this meeting."
"What kind of information?" Ava pressed. The look on his face made her stomach clench.
"The kind that could blow up my company and our little arrangement here," he bit out. "Harrison doesn't make unannounced visits unless it's serious."
Ava's mind raced with possibilities as she followed Jackson out of the bedroom. His lawyer had dirt on their drunken wedding night...or her trashy background...or both. Panic rose in her throat.
As they entered the opulent study, Harrison Drew rose from a leather armchair. Ava sized him up - mid-fifties, graying at the temples, three-piece suit. Eyes sharp as a hawk. This was a man who missed nothing.
"Jackson. Mrs. Reynolds," he greeted them crisply.
"Let's cut to the chase, Harrison. What have you got?" Jackson's whole body was a taut wire.
"It's about Veronica Maddox."
Jackson swore under his breath. Ava darted a glance at him - Veronica was his scheming ex who still worked at his company.
"What about her?" Jackson growled.
Drew pursed his lips. "She's been quietly collaborating with Drexler Technologies on a new VR headset design. One that incorporates several proprietary Jackson Tech features she had access to."
Jackson exploded out of his chair. "That backstabbing bitch! Drexler is our biggest competitor - if they beat us to market, they could take half our market share!"
"Indeed. Which is why we need to get ahead of this, fast." Drew steepled his fingers. "Veronica's clearly been exploiting her role to gather insider intel and build this rival product."
Ava's head spun as the two men discussed legal injunctions, PR counter-offensives, board strategy. She felt way out of her depth...until Drew turned his steely gaze on her.
"Mrs. Reynolds, you have a vital part to play as well."
"M-me?" Ava stammered. "What do I have to do with any of this?"
Jackson scrubbed a hand over his stubbled jaw. "Veronica knows our marriage is one of convenience. If she blows the whistle on that now...it'll look like my personal life is a shambles, that I'm distracted and making reckless choices."
"The board is already spooked about Veronica's defection," Drew put in. "Any hint of instability at the top could lead to a stock sell-off or hostile takeover."
Ava felt nauseous. This corporate intrigue was so beyond anything in her world. "So...what are you saying?"
Jackson leveled her with his intense blue gaze. "I need you to play the doting wife. Accompany me to public events, pose for some photos. Let everyone see that I'm steady as ever with my beautiful bride by my side."
Ava barked an incredulous laugh. "You can't be serious! I never signed on for some drawn-out charade."
"I'm very serious. Deadly, in fact." Jackson's voice was soft but steely.
"And if I refuse?"
"Then our deal is off. No more bank transfers, no more fancy digs." He gestured expansively at the mansion. "It's back to the street with you and your kid."
Ava felt like she'd been slapped. Rage and fear warred within her, fusing into an icy ball in her gut.
Jackson gentled his tone, but his eyes were resolute. "Or, you can be my dutiful wife until this all blows over. Keep the money rolling in, give your boy a taste of the good life. And at the end...I'll let you go with a nice, fat divorce settlement."
Ava's mind whirled. She was trapped, well and truly. This manipulative bastard had her right where he wanted her.
But then she pictured Matty's sweet face...their crummy apartment...the stacks of unpaid bills. A fresh start suddenly seemed worth any price - even her soul.
She lifted her chin, meeting Jackson's gaze head-on. "I'll do it. I'll play your perfect wifey. But I want double what you're paying me now."
Jackson's eyes gleamed, a ghost of a smile playing at his lips. "That's my girl. Knew you'd see reason."
He extended his hand and they shook on it, his enormous paw enveloping her slender fingers. Ava suppressed a shudder at the contact, hating how his touch made her zing with awareness.
"We'll strategize more over dinner," Jackson said as he rose. His hand skated lightly up her bare arm. "Wear something...wifely."
With that, he strode out, leaving Ava alone with her churning thoughts and Drew's assessing stare.
The lawyer cleared his throat. "For what it's worth, Mrs. Reynolds...I believe you're doing the right thing. For yourself and your son."
Ava just nodded numbly, wrapping her arms around herself. What choice did she have? She was in the deep end now...and the only way out was through.
As she made her way back upstairs to change, one thought crystallized in Ava's mind. Somewhere in this gilded cage, there had to be a weakness she could exploit.
Jackson Reynolds might think he had her under his thumb...but Ava would find a way to turn the tables. To beat this arrogant billionaire at his own high-stakes game.
Game on, husband, she thought grimly. Game on.
Ava steeled herself as she entered the opulent bedroom suite that had become her gilded cage. She rifled through the racks of designer dresses and shoes, each worth more than she used to make in a month slinging hash."Wear something wifely," she muttered under her breath, echoing Jackson's directive. Did he expect her to play dress-up like some living doll?Her hand landed on a slinky red number with a plunging neckline. Ava's lips curved. If she had to put on a show, why not give the arrogant bastard an eyeful he wouldn't soon forget?She slipped into the dress, the silk caressing her curves like a lover's hands. A swipe of lipstick, a tousle of her mane, and she was armored for battle.Ava sauntered into the dining room, head high. Jackson was seated at the head of the long table, a king presiding over his domain. His eyes widened fractionally as he took in her appearance, a muscle ticking in his jaw."Wifely enough for you?" Ava purred as she slid into the chair beside him. She cr
"You clean up nice," Jackson murmured appreciatively as Ava descended the grand staircase.She fought the urge to tug at the hem of her dress, a scrap of crimson silk that clung to every curve. "Amazing what a designer label can do."Jackson's eyes gleamed as he took her arm, his touch searing through the thin fabric. "It's not the dress, Ava. It's you."Ava's heart stuttered at the compliment, but she brushed it off. Empty flattery, that's all it was. A means to an end.As they glided into the ballroom, the opulence took Ava's breath away. Crystal chandeliers cast a golden glow over the cream-and-gilt space, waiters wove through the crowd with trays of champagne, and a string quartet played softly in the corner.It was like stepping into a fairy tale...or a gilded cage."Mr. Reynolds! So glad you could make it." A silver-haired man in a tuxedo approached, his smile wide and polished. "And who is this stunning creature?"Jackson's hand tightened on Ava's waist. "Senator Bradshaw, allo
"Rise and shine, sleepyhead." Jackson's deep voice cut through the hazy tendrils of sleep, rousing Ava from her slumber.She blinked, disoriented, taking in the sumptuous bedroom that was still so foreign to her. And there, perched on the edge of the bed, was her temporary husband, looking far too put-together for this early hour."What time is it?" Ava croaked, pushing herself upright. The sheet pooled around her waist, and she suddenly realized she was wearing nothing but a flimsy silk camisole.Jackson's gaze dipped to her chest, lingering on the peaked outline of her nipples against the fabric. "Early. But we have a busy day ahead of us."Ava's sleep-fogged brain struggled to catch up. "We do?""Mmhmm. Starting with breakfast with the board of directors." He stood, buttoning his suit jacket. "I need my wife by my side, looking pretty and playing nice."Ava's stomach knotted. Another performance, another charade to keep up. She was so tired of pretending."Do I have to?" she blurte
"Ava, darling! You look absolutely stunning!"The effusive compliment startled Ava out of her brooding thoughts. She turned to see a stylish older woman gliding towards her, arms outstretched."I'm sorry, do I know you?" Ava asked, plastering on a polite smile."Oh, forgive me! I'm Evelyn, Jackson's mother." The woman air-kissed Ava's cheeks, enveloping her in a cloud of expensive perfume. "I've been dying to meet the woman who finally snagged my son!"Ava's smile felt frozen on her face. Jackson's mother. The one person who might see through their charade."It's so lovely to meet you, Evelyn. Jackson's told me so much about you." The lie tripped off her tongue with surprising ease.Evelyn trilled a laugh. "All good things, I hope! Now, let me look at you." She held Ava at arm's length, her gaze assessing. "Well, aren't you just a vision! No wonder Jackson's been hiding you away."Ava fought the urge to squirm under that penetrating stare. Did Evelyn suspect the truth? That their marr
"Ava, wake up. We need to talk."Ava groaned, burying her face in the pillow. She didn't want to talk to Jackson. She didn't want to talk to anyone. She just wanted to sleep and forget about this whole mess for a while.But Jackson was insistent. "Ava, come on. This is important."With a sigh, Ava rolled over, squinting up at him. He was already dressed, his hair damp from the shower. "What is it?"Jackson sat on the edge of the bed, his expression serious. "We've been invited to a weekend getaway. With the board of directors."Ava shot upright, suddenly wide awake. "What? Why?""It's a team-building thing. A chance for everyone to bond outside of the office." Jackson ran a hand through his hair, looking frustrated. "Normally, I'd make an excuse. But with everything that's going on with Veronica and Drexler..."He trailed off, but Ava understood. They needed to present a united front, to show that their marriage was rock solid. Even if it was all a lie.She sighed, pushing back the co
Ava Jensen's head felt like a herd of stampeding elephants had paraded through it. Groaning, she cracked open one gummy eyelid, instantly regretting letting in the blazing shaft of morning sunlight.What the hell happened last night?Her mouth was drier than the Sahara Desert, and something hard was digging into her hip. She slowly shifted, wincing at the jackhammer pounding against her skull.That's when she realized she was totally naked. And someone's heavy arm was wrapped around her waist.Ava's eyes shot open despite the searing pain. Next to her in the rumpled bed was a large, muscular form buried under the sheets. A very male, very naked form.Oh my god. What did I do?Panic gripped her as flashes of tequila shots and grinding bodies on a dance floor rampaged through her throbbing head. She had to get out of here. Like, right now.Gingerly rolling away from the sleeping stranger, Ava grabbed at the sheets to cover herself and slid out of the bed. The plush cream carpet embraced
Strong hands clamped around Ava's upper arms, steadying her against the muscular torso she'd collided into. Her senses were instantly assaulted by the intoxicating aroma of crisp, masculine cologne mingling with warm, suntanned skin.She found herself staring up into a chiseled face framed by tousled golden-brown locks. The man's jawline could have been hewn from granite, his full lips twisted in a bemused smirk."You must be the new missus," he rumbled in a voice like velvet scotch. "Though neither Jackson nor I were expecting such an...ahem, informal greeting so early in the morning."Ava jolted backward, nearly tripping over her ridiculous stripper heels in her haste to escape the handsome stranger's viselike grasp."I-I'm so sorry, I was just leaving and—"That's when she noticed the expensive-looking suit and tie the man wore. And the gleaming silver streaks in his tousled hair. Definitely not an overnight guest.Ava's gaze flicked over his broad shoulder, where the sprawling gro
Jackson's mouth devoured Ava's with overwhelming possession. His large hands cupped her face, tilting her head to deepen their searing kiss. She could taste the sweet cinnamon of his tongue as it invaded her, stoking her body into feverish surrender.This wasn't some sloppy, drunken make-out at a dive bar. No, Jackson Reynolds kissed like a man who'd been starving for decades - ravenous for her, claiming her utterly as his own. The demanding flex of his sculpted lips and the prickle of his day-old stubble set every one of Ava's nerves alight.She knew this was so wrong - that she should be shoving him off with every ounce of strength. Calling for security, running as far from his ravenous clutches as possible. But instead, her fingers tangled into that thick, glossy hair as a helpless whimper escaped her lips.How could she possibly resist the earth-scorching passion of a billionaire alpha like Jackson? A man who had the world and everything in it at his feet, yet craved her specifica