Bound by Scandal

Jess Steamy Stories

Ava Monroe, a free-spirited artist scraping by in the city, never expected her one-night stand with a mysterious stranger to change her life. But when she discovers she’s pregnant, she tracks down Liam Carter, the cold, ruthless billionaire CEO of Carter Industries, to deliver the news.Liam’s reaction is as icy as his reputation. He doesn’t do relationships, and he certainly doesn’t want a child—until he realizes Ava is carrying his heir. Determined to control the narrative and protect his legacy, he makes her an offer she can’t refuse: marry him, or lose everything.Ava, fiercely independent and stubborn, refuses to be another pawn in Liam’s empire. But with her back against the wall, she agrees to his terms—on one condition: this will be a marriage in name only. She’ll play the dutiful wife in public, but she won’t share his bed, his heart, or his world.Liam, used to bending the world to his will, is intrigued by her defiance. He expects compliance, but Ava challenges him at every turn. Their forced proximity ignites a battle of wills, filled with charged glances, accidental touches, and explosive arguments that always seem to end with them one step closer to surrender.As Ava’s pregnancy progresses, the lines between hate and desire blur. Liam, who has spent his life avoiding emotional entanglements, finds himself obsessed with his new wife—her fire, her strength, and the way she sees through his carefully constructed facade. Ava, despite her resolve, can’t deny the pull she feels toward him, or the way her body responds to his touch.But their marriage is built on lies and power plays. When secrets from Liam’s past resurface and Ava’s independence is threatened, their fragile trust shatters. Ava flees, determined to raise their child alone, but Liam—for the first time in his life—isn’t willing to let go.

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