Family bonds alex and j.., p.1
Family Bonds- Alex & Jennie (Amore Island Book 11),
p.1
Family Bonds- Alex & Jennie
Natalie Ann
Copyright 2022 Natalie Ann
All Rights Reserved
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without a written consent.
Created with Vellum
Contents
Author’s Note
Also by Natalie Ann
About the Author
Blurb
Prologue
1. Just Different
2. Wait Their Turn
3. A Hero
4. Off Limits
5. Got His Way
6. Last Word In
7. Friendly Disposition
8. Wanting To Help Her
9. Looking Forward To It
10. Closet Of Secrets
11. Being A Hero
12. Your Rules
13. Slightly Jealous
14. Underlying Currents
15. Going To Happen
16. Memorable Night
17. Stand On Her Own
18. A Girlfriend
19. Live Her Life
20. Happy Coincidence
21. Feeling Accepted
22. Nearly Ready
23. On My Own
24. Something Better Than Fine
25. Fueled With Emotions
26. Future Plans
27. A Little More Care
28. Fishing For Compliments
29. Accept It
30. See Soon Enough
31. Got You Now
32. Fully Committed
33. In The Long Run
34. Theme Of The Day
35. A Good Spot
36. Causing Trouble
37. The Truth
38. Under Control
39. Lose My Nerve
Epilogue
Also by Natalie Ann
About the Author
Author’s Note
Author’s Note
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Also by Natalie Ann
The Road Series-See where it all started!!
Lucas and Brooke’s Story- Road to Recovery
Jack and Cori’s Story – Road to Redemption
Mac and Beth’s Story- Road to Reality
Ryan and Kaitlin’s Story- Road to Reason
The All Series
William and Isabel’s Story — All for Love
Ben and Presley’s Story – All or Nothing
Phil and Sophia’s Story – All of Me
Alec and Brynn’s Story – All the Way
Sean and Carly’s Story — All I Want
Drew and Jordyn’s Story— All My Love
Finn and Olivia’s Story—All About You
Landon Barber and Kristen Reid- All Of Us
The Lake Placid Series
Nick Buchanan and Mallory Denning – Second Chance
Max Hamilton and Quinn Baker – Give Me A Chance
Caleb Ryder and Celeste McGuire – Our Chance
Cole McGuire and Rene Buchanan – Take A Chance
Zach Monroe and Amber Deacon- Deserve A Chance
Trevor Miles and Riley Hamilton – Last Chance
Matt Winters and Dena Hall- Another Chance
Logan Taylor and Kennedy Miles- It’s My Chance
Justin Cambridge and Taryn Miles – One More Chance
The Fierce Five Series
Gavin Fierce and Jolene O’Malley- How Gavin Stole Christmas
Brody Fierce and Aimee Reed - Brody
Aiden Fierce and Nic Moretti- Aiden
Mason Fierce and Jessica Corning- Mason
Cade Fierce and Alex Marshall - Cade
Ella Fierce and Travis McKinley- Ella
Fierce Family
Sam Fierce and Dani Rhodes- Sam
Bryce Fierce and Payton Davies - Bryce
Drake Fierce and Kara Winslow – Drake
Noah Fierce and Paige Parker - Noah
Wyatt Fierce and Adriana Lopez – Wyatt
Jade Fierce and Brock James – Jade
Ryder Fierce and Marissa McMillan – Ryder
Fierce Matchmaking
Devin Andrews and Hope Hall- Devin
Mick McNamara and Lindsey White- Mick
Cody McMillian and Raina Davenport – Cody
Liam O’Malley and Margo West- Liam
Walker Olson and Stella White – Walker
Flynn Slater and Julia McNamara – Flynn
Ivan Andrews & Kendra Key- Ivan
Jonah Davenport & Megan Harrington- Jonah
Paradise Place
Josh Turner and Ruby Gentile – Cupid’s Quest
Harris Walker and Kaelyn Butler – Change Up
Philip Aire and Blair McKay- Starting Over
Nathan Randal and Brina Shepard – Eternal
Ryan Butler and Shannon Wilder – Falling Into Love
Brian Dawson and Robin Masters – Mistletoe Magic
Caden Finley and Sarah Walker- Believe In Me
Evan Butler and Parker Reed – Unexpected Delivery
Trey Bridges and Whitney Butler – Forever Mine
Dylan Randal and Zoe Milton- Because Of You
Cash Fielding and Hannah Shepard – Letting Go
Brent Elliot and Vivian Getman – No More Hiding
Marcus Reid and Addison Fielding- Made For Me
Rick Masters and Gillian Bridges – The One
Amore Island
Family Bonds- Hunter and Kayla
Family Bonds- Drew and Amanda
Family Bonds – Mac and Sidney
Family Bonds- Emily & Crew
Family Bonds- Ava & Seth
Family Bonds- Eli & Bella
Family Bonds- Hailey & Rex
Family Bonds- Penelope & Griffin
Family Bonds- Bode & Samantha
Family Bonds- Hudson & Delaney
Family Bonds- Alex & Jennie
Family Bonds- Roark & Chelsea
Blossoms
A Love for Lily – Zane Wolfe and Lily Bloom
A Playboy For Poppy- Reese McGill and Poppy Bloom
A Romantic For Rose – Thomas Klein and Rose Bloom
A Return For Ren – Ren Whitney and Zara Wolfe
A Journey For Jasmine- Wesley Wright and Jasmine Greene
Love Collection
Vin Steele and Piper Fielding – Secret Love
Jared Hawk and Shelby McDonald – True Love
Erik McMann and Sheldon Case – Finding Love
Connor Landers and Melissa Mahoney- Beach Love
Ian Price and Cam Mason- Intense Love
Liam Sullivan and Ali Rogers - Autumn Love
Owen Taylor and Jill Duncan - Holiday Love
Chase Martin and Noelle Bennett - Christmas Love
Zeke Collins and Kendall Hendricks - Winter Love
Troy Walker and Meena Dawson – Chasing Love
Jace Stratton and Lauren Towne - First Love
Gabe Richards and Leah Morrison - Forever Love
Blake Wilson and Gemma Anderson – Simply Love
Brendan St. Nicholas and Holly Lane – Gifts of Love
About the Author
Sign up for my newsletter for up to date releases and deals. Newsletter.
Follow me on:
Website
Goodreads
Bookbub
As always reviews are always appreciated as they help potential readers understand what a book is about and boost rankings for search results.
Blurb
Alex Bond is the carefree playboy of the family. The sexy fireman who only takes his job seriously and not much else. Not many know why and he’s sworn never to say. Until he found someone that makes him realize that sometimes in life you have to put the past behind you to move into the future.
Jennie Zale was orphaned at ten. Her older brother, Griffin, and she were separated in foster care and she never saw him again. Years later, she took the step to find him and bring him back into her life. But she is struggling with those past demons and insecurities and the last thing she needs is for her big brother to step up now. Least of all with her choice in men when she finally finds someone that makes her feel like she could have a happy future.
Prologue
Jennie Zale was walking home from school like she always did. She was alone at this point, the few neighborhood kids she’d normally walked with home by now.
She knew enough to come straight home or her father would find out and he’d be ticked off. Pissed. Yep, at ten years old, she shouldn’t be using the word pissed, but in her household, that word was mild.
The only good thing was her older brother, Griffin, should be there with her mother. Her father would be at work for a few more hours and maybe when he got home he wouldn’t be so angry.
She turned the corner and saw the police cars, her heart skipping more than one beat. Her brain was frozen, but her legs started to move.
She was on a sprint by the time she got closer and realized it was her house, police tape everywhere, but Griffin intercepted her, picking her up and turning her to not see anything.
“What’s going on, Griffin?” she asked in a panic. “It’s Mo
m, isn’t it? Dad should be at work. Did someone call the cops on him again?”
“Shh,” Griffin said, moving away from the house and not letting her down. Her brother was big for seventeen and easily carried her away. Or maybe it was the strength of grief that she felt radiating off his body.
“Tell me, Griffin. It's Mom, isn’t it?”
Griffin set her down at the corner again, far enough away, her back to the direction of their house. “Yes.”
There were tears in Griffin’s eyes, ones she hardly ever saw. Even when he was taking a beating in her or her mother’s place.
In the past few years, Griffin had put himself in harm’s way to protect them. He fought back plenty enough times to the point their father didn’t walk away unscathed much.
Maybe that was why her father didn’t do much more than yell and throw things when Griffin was around.
But something told her Griffin hadn’t been around this time. He hadn’t been there to step in front of their mother. He was probably in school like her.
“Is Mom going to be okay?” she asked. She’d seen the ambulance along with the police cars.
“Mom is going to be at peace now,” he said. “Dad can’t hurt her again.”
She let out a sigh. “So Dad is going away for good now? We can really relax? Mom doesn’t have to deal with him anymore?”
Griffin ran his hands over his face and neck. “Dad can never hurt Mom again because Mom is gone.”
“What do you mean she’s gone?” she asked. “She left? Can we find her?”
“Dad killed her, Jennie. I’m sorry.” The tears were running down his face and he was sucking in his breath fast.
“You’re lying,” she said, hitting his arm and crying. Her throat was dry and it wasn’t until Griffin pulled her close and was almost suffocating her that she realized she’d been screaming. “Tell me you are.”
“No,” he said quietly. “I wish I were. I wish I could kill that son of a bitch myself.”
“Don’t say that,” she said. “That’s not you.”
“It feels it now,” he said.
“I need you both to come with us.”
She felt Griffin tense and turned to see two police officers standing there. One female and one male. They both had sympathy in their eyes. She’d seen it enough in her life. From neighbors and teachers, to social workers. Anyone who had tried to help their family but couldn’t seem to get through.
The threat of what their father did had been hanging in the air so long the fear had been choking the family for years.
“I want to stay with Griffin,” she said, holding him tight. She didn’t need to worry; her brother had a strong grip on her.
“We’ll try,” the female officer said. “But it’s out of our control. Why don’t you tell us some of the things you need in the house for a few days and we’ll go in and get them.”
“What?” she asked. “I can’t go in the house?”
“No,” Griffin said. “You don’t need to. You don’t need to go on the property either. Can she stay here?”
“I think that would be smart,” the female officer said.
“I can take you in,” the male officer said to Griffin. “We’ll keep your sister here. She’s safe.”
Griffin let go of her, but she wasn’t letting go of him. “Don’t leave,” she cried.
“I’ll be back,” he said, turning and squatting down to look her in the eye. “I’m just going to get us some things for a few days. I won’t leave you, Jennie. But if we are separated, be strong. I’ll be back for you when I can. It’s my job to protect you and never forget it.”
She was sobbing when Griffin walked away, the female cop taking her hand and walking with her a little in the other direction.
“I’m never going to see my brother again, am I?” she asked.
“I’m sorry, sweetie. I just don’t have any control over this. Everyone will try as hard as they can to make sure you are kept together.”
“It won’t happen,” she sobbed. “No one cares enough about us. If they did, this wouldn’t have ever happened to our family.”
She took off running toward the house and Griffin, almost making it before Griffin turned and intercepted her. “Stop,” he said. “Be strong for Mom. I’ve got you. I’ll always have you. Even if I’m not with you, know that I always will be. We’ll get through this. It’s my promise to you.”
“Mom promised nothing would happen to her and look at how well that worked out,” she screamed and then ran in the other direction away from everyone.
1
Just Different
Eighteen Years Later
“Happy New Year, Zandra. Do you want to come to Aunt Jennie?”
“Don’t encourage her,” Griffin said when he walked into the living room on New Year’s Day.
Jennie had lived on Amore Island for around six months now. After all these years, she’d finally found her brother again.
She’d taken that step to find him. Not the other way around. He’d said he’d always be there for her, but he wasn’t.
She didn’t hold it against him. Or at least she didn’t think she did. Not after worrying he’d died when she found no trace of him months after they were placed in separate foster homes.
He’d graduated from high school, left her a note that he was going away, but saying he’d be back when he could. That he was going to try to build a life for them.
She believed him, but he never came back.
It wasn’t until earlier in the year she realized he’d enlisted in the service and was there until about eight years ago.
If she was pissed he didn’t seek her out then, she’d voiced it a few times since they reconnected but realized that Griffin had a lot more demons than she did.
No, actually he didn’t. His were just different.
But Griffin had a family now. One he made for himself with the Bond family—his employers—and then now with his fiancée, Penelope, and daughter, Alexandra.
“I like Zandra,” Jennie said, winking at her future sister-in-law.
“See, Griffin,” Penelope said. “It’s got a nice ring to it. Zandra Zale.”
Her big brother took his daughter out of her hands, kissed her and said, “Alexa Zale or Lexa. Or, I don’t know,” Griffin said, “how about her name, Alexandra, which Penelope chose. Now I’m starting to realize it was only to shorten it on me.”
Jennie reached for her niece again. It did her heart good to see her brother more lighthearted than she ever remembered before.
Griffin had always been intense as a kid. She supposed they didn’t have much of a choice in their household.
She’d noticed it more when she sought him out earlier last year, but now he was just a different person.
One that was turning back into the overprotective brother she remembered before with a side of sweetheart mixed in.
He listened now when he didn’t years ago. She felt like she was heard, but it was like taking a stick and beating it into the rock of his head more than she wanted.
“You’re so much fun to bust on,” Penelope said. “Right, Jennie?”
“If you say so,” she said.
She didn’t remember ever busting on Griffin much. There wasn’t a lot of laughter or joking in their house.
