Passion and Power Plays

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