by Natalie Ann
Family Bonds - Mac & Sidney
Natalie Ann
Family Bonds
Mac & Sidney
Copyright 2020 Natalie Ann
All Rights Reserved
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without a written consent.
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Contents
Author’s Note
Also by Natalie Ann
About the Author
Blurb
Prologue
1. Read Him Well
2. Less Sidestepping
3. An Old Soul
4. A Hot Man
5. First Date
6. Look Forward To
7. Best Kind of Cook
8. Hot Body
9. Calm To The House
10. A Slow Tango
11. Personal Preference
12. Having His Way
13. Cocky Men
14. Nothing To Hide
15. Good News
16. New Home
17. Funny and Mean
18. Perfect For Her
19. Different Around Me
20. Family History
21. The Stable One
22. Walks of Life
23. Always Want It
24. Lying To Herself
25. Weight of the World
26. A New Thing
27. Stand Up Tall
28. Happy To See You
29. Find Myself
30. A Caring Soul
31. Stand Up Person
32. Worth the Nerves
33. More Than Enough
34. Slush Fund
35. To Be A Dream
36. Measure Up To People
37. Everything Changed
38. Found Me Gone
39. Fought Back
40. Make That Woman Yours
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
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
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
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
Amore Island
Family Bonds- Hunter and Kayla
Family Bonds- Drew and Amanda
Family Bonds – Mac and Sidney
Family Bonds- Emily & Crew
About the Author
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Blurb
Mac Bond, Chief of Police. He comes from the black sheep side of the family and he wears it like a noose around his neck. He is tough, he is strong, and he’s cocky. Women love his hard side at first, then ditch him when they realize he can’t be anything but. He is sick of feeling like he’d never measure up and figures he’ll be alone for a long time.
Sidney Hollister has a few secrets in her life. She likes being alone and minding her own business. When good old Mac Bond, Chief of Police, starts to flirt with her one night, her eyes are opened to what a great guy and wonderful personality he actually has. And when a past threat enters her life, she finds out he’s also that tough, strong, and cocky guy that other women complain about.
Prologue
“You’re later than normal.”
Sidney took a deep breath, prepared to put up with more shit tonight. When she decided to study abroad for her senior year of college she never expected the headache of feeling trapped when she should be enjoying her time. Poor choices on her part once again.
“It was busy tonight.”
“Or you were too slow,” Rod said back. Rodney Enfield was older than her by five years. But at just twenty-seven, his law degree and family money were turning him into a colossal douche. She wished she’d realized it months ago before she moved in with him and gave up her spot in her cramped shared apartment. Now she was stuck with him for another month until the semester was up and she could get the hell out of London.
He
didn’t seem so bad at first and maybe it was the newness of the relationship, but the longer she was with him, the more she wondered who the hell he was.
“I have no problem keeping up,” she said back and moved to the kitchen. The flat she shared with Rod was three times the size of the one she’d shared with two other people. She’d take those close quarters back if she could. Instead she had to walk on eggshells to see what kind of guy he was going to be tonight. Loving, sweet, funny or downright rude and in your face asshole. Sometimes scary if he’d been drinking, but she’d been able to handle him most times.
And whenever the undesirable attitudes came out and she told him to cut the shit, he’d apologize and give her gifts the next day. After she’d walked away from him, proving he’d pushed too far.
She was pretty much over it now.
“Oh, then maybe someone wanted a bit more action than a drink tonight?” he asked, grabbing her arm when she tried to walk away.
“No.” She said, pulling her arm away. “But you’ve been drinking tonight I see.”
She knew enough to stay away when he had been. Looked like the asshole was out tonight. Long gone was the guy that was trying to romance her back to his place. She fell for his English charm and would always regret it.
The first time he put her down, she just figured it had to do with his upper crust personality. That he was making a joke and she wasn’t getting it. She even called him out on that and he’d confirmed it.
But then she started to realize that, no, he actually enjoyed putting her down. And when she was pissed off enough, he’d apologize and try to make it up to her and tell her she was too sensitive.
She’d never felt she was a sensitive person. That was Anne. Sidney was more pragmatic and realistic. Then why had she fallen for someone telling her she was more like her twin when he didn’t even know she had one?
Knowing she didn’t have much time left, she was trying to keep the peace as best as she could. He seemed to think she was going to stay here when the month was up even though she’d been talking about going back to Montana. Yep, she was the backwoods country girl he’d called her a few times too.
If there was an insult he could throw at her or demean her, he’d done that.
Sidney didn’t care. The simple life was all she ever wanted. Somehow she got sucked into more here and wished she hadn’t. She just thought it was the chance of a lifetime and did it more because Anne couldn’t. She was doing it because her twin never had the chance.
A stupid reason she’d have to live with.
“Nothing more than what you’ve been serving all the blokes that were hitting on you. I know I’m right,” he said, his hand gliding down her cheek.
She turned her head away and went to move, but he gripped her arm harder and held her in place. “Let go of me. It’s been a long night and I’m tired.” He was scaring her but she didn’t want to let on. Lately he almost seemed like multiple people to her.
“Don’t walk away from me, bitch. You should know better than that.”
This was new...and frightening. Talking down to her was one thing. Insulting her too. Threatening was another. She didn’t take shit from anyone. This country girl knew how to fight back.
“Let go of me now,” she said, her voice low, her eyes narrowed.
It was the wrong thing to do. His arm came up and backhanded her.
Stumbling a few feet back, she tasted blood, felt it pooling in her mouth from where her lip cut on her teeth. She turned and swung at him, but he blocked it and wrapped her up in a bear hug. She started to scream and kick, fight with everything she had. She wasn’t going down without leaving some of her own marks.
She was making enough noise that the tenants next door started banging on the wall and wanting to know what was going on.
“That was stupid,” he said low in her ear, releasing her and shoving her away. She caught herself before she hit the wall.
Marching to the bathroom, she slammed the door, locking herself in for now and trying to get control of her shaking.
An hour must have gone by as Sidney sat in there and cleaned up, hoping he’d pass out. There were tears in her eyes and she let them fall while she figured out her next move. First thing in the morning she’d be out of here when he left for work.
When she thought it was safe, she opened the door and saw the lights out in the flat, knowing Rod must have gone to bed.
She grabbed a blanket and curled up on the couch hoping to fall asleep.
When morning came, she pretended to be sleeping as she heard him moving around. He stood over her, looking at her, she knew. She could feel his eyes on her.
His hand came out and touched her arm lightly, and he whispered, “I’m so sorry, Sidney. Please forgive me. I don’t even remember much of last night. I hope you can forgive me. I must have blacked out. I just love you so much and the thought of you working last night while I was here alone sent me to drink more than normal.”
She battled back the snort along with the tears. He liked to make that excuse, but she knew better.
And when the door shut behind him, she jumped up and turned the deadbolt, then packed up her stuff. She would be gone within the hour and he’d never touch her again.
1
Read Him Well
Five years later
“If it isn’t Mac Bond, Chief of Police. Business or pleasure?”
Mac walked up to the barstool and sat down. “Pleasure,” he told Sidney Hollister. Anytime he got to walk in here and see her working it was pleasurable. Not that he’d ever say those words to her.
Nope, he was known to be quiet, gruff, and private. Hadn’t plenty of the women he’d dated in the past complained about his lack of romantic words and gestures? They sure the hell had and there was no reason to change now.
“What can I get you?” she asked, wiping down a glass. Her brown hair was straight and just past her shoulders. Light brown eyes that had some flecks of gold in them, unless it was the lighting around the bar. Her black shirt was her own, not a business one. It was fitted just fine to her body but not overly sexy.
Shit, everything was sexy on Sidney in his eyes. But her black cotton shirt just fit her body and was tucked into a pair of jeans that showed off the rest of what God had given her.
She was young and stunning, but she never amped it up for more tips.
Heaven help any man if she did. Stopping traffic might be the least of the things she’d do. Maybe stop time? Was that possible?
“Whiskey, neat,” he said.
“Change of pace for you,” she said, her voice nice and smooth. She set the drink in front of him and he picked it up for a sip, the heat hitting the spot on this cold windy late January night.
“Some days call for a bit more than others.”
She smiled at him, but she smiled at everyone.
The bar wasn’t really packed just yet. It was only seven on a Wednesday night. He knew Sidney’s schedule for the most part. Wednesday through Sunday, five to closing. He wasn’t stalking her by any means, but on Amore Island—the one his family founded and built—as chief of police, he knew most of what was going on.
“Tell me about it,” she said back, then nodded her head to move to the end of the bar where the waitress just came with her order.
It gave him a chance to survey the room in the guise of really wanting to get a better look at Sidney.
He didn’t come in as often as he’d like, not enough to give away that he was attracted to her. Then he wondered if he ever gave much away about himself anyway. Plenty had told him in the past that he did not.
But he’d taken one look at Sidney over a year ago when she moved to this island and started working in McKay’s. One of the few businesses not owned or operated by a member of the Bond family.
As if being drawn to Sidney wasn’t bad enough, he wouldn’t really look into her past, even if he wanted to.
By all intents, there was nothing to see. She lived here, held down a
job, and was a law abiding citizen.
That her two roommates were with other Bond men in his family was just icing on the cake, helping him learn more.
Only he realized there wasn’t much to learn other than he couldn’t get her out of his head and, unless he wanted more eyes on him, he couldn’t question his cousins either.
But a few weeks ago, he had the pleasure of seeing Sidney all dressed up at her roommate Kayla’s wedding to Hunter Bond.
He’d been walking around and chatting with everyone, not letting anyone know where his eyes were going. Until his cousin Emily Rauch called him out when he moved over to talk with her and the date that won her at the auction months ago.
He’d done a background check on Crew Ackley but wanted to meet the man in person. The minute Emily asked if his eyes were on Sidney he’d taken off.
Sidney wasn’t in the bridal party, she wasn’t wearing a gown, but she had on a killer little black dress that made him remember why all men can fall sucker for a hot woman.
