Ties That Bind - Amy Blankenship

Ties That Bind

Obsession Series

Author: Amy Blankenship

Copyright © 2012 Amy Blankenship

English Edition Published by TekTime

All rights reserved.

Chapter 1 Sanctuary

Angel Hart glanced out the thick glass of the window, wanting to cringe at the height of the helicopter as it flew toward the resort where she had grown up. She loved this place to death but liked it so much better from the ground. Flying was her one phobia and she had been doing it for the last ten hours.

Blowing her bangs out of her eyes, she glanced toward her brother Tristian, wondering what had possessed him to meet them at the airport knowing he would have to fly in the helicopter on the way back home.

She knew for a fact that Tristian hated flying even more than she did and could see him texting someone on his cell phone to keep his mind busy. Maybe hed faced his fear because they hadnt seen each other in almost two years, even though they had talked on the phone and texted almost every day. She didnt really care why hed done it, because having him here with her had a calming effect on her and she was thankful for that.

To escape the noise of the helicopter, Angel let her mind drift back over the last two years. When their parents divorced, her dad had dragged her to California while Tristian had been forced to stay here at Sanctuary with their mother. Since it was so far to drive and neither one of them liked to fly the distance had been the only reason they hadnt visited in person.

She hadnt realized just how much she had missed Tristian until shed seen him standing there in the airport all by himself. He was leaning against the wall directly across from the door theyd come through. As soon as they saw each other, she took off running toward him as he held his arms out to catch her.

Her big brother Tristian had always been the first one she talked to in the morning and the last one shed seen before closing her eyes to sleep. Growing up, theyd even convince their parents that they had a problem with sleepwalking because they would get up in the middle of the night and fall asleep in each others beds.

Their mother had tried to put a stop to it when theyd gotten a little older by locking their bedroom doors at night. Angels lips thinned remembering what their mother had said the last time shed caught them asleep in each others arms.

Its sinful, the way you two behave you act more like lovers than brother and sister. Isabel Hart's voice had changed from motherly love to loathing that night.

Tristian had quickly found a way around those stupid locks. Hed cut a place out of the wall in the back of his closet so he could easily step into the small thin corridors that secretly ran through the walls of the hotel they lived in. Hed done the same to her closet and every night he would sneak into her room and sleep with her setting the alarm clock so they wouldnt get caught.

Hed told her that it was their mother that was the pervert thinking their relationship was wrong and dirty. He had even pointed out that in a lot of smaller countries, the whole family would bathe and sleep together, and that in others, it was perfectly normal to even marry your sibling. Tristian had convinced her that it was mother who was the sinner by trying to keep them apart.

Angel had decided a long time ago to keep her and Tristians secrets and that it was no one elses business she trusted him.

Tristian hadnt changed much since she had last seen him, retaining his young, innocent appearance. But, at the same time, she could see changes that she had missed happening. His blond hair had darkened some at the roots highlights of platinum blond and lowlights of strawberry blond looked really well on him with his light tan and green eyes.

She smiled thinking he would fit in with the California surfer dudes with his alternative haircut. It was the same length almost all the way around and parted off to one side, leaving it to hang down over one of his eyes, way past his chin. She could also see the black leather of the cross necklace she had sent him for Christmas peeking out near his collar.

She felt like it was her that had changed the most though. When shed left Sanctuary, she had only been sixteen. After being with Tristian, Hunter, and Ray almost every single day of her life she had felt so lost and alone in LA. Shed never even been to a real school because their grandmother had always hired private tutors to home school them.

Going to high school in LA had been quite a culture shock. It was then that shed realized, her family having so much money had only enabled them to keep her completely in the dark as to what was normal. Then she had met Ashton Fox. Every time shed left her fathers penthouse, Ashton would be there or he'd show up wherever she was like fate. He quickly made her smile and started showing her a whole new world.

Angel made the mistake of glancing back out the window just as they passed over a low valley, making her feel like they were sky high.

She squeezed Ashtons hand even tighter, deciding to look at him instead of the dizzying sight. His ice blue eyes were laughing at her nervousness but she didnt care not really. She was almost glad he hadnt listened to her when shed tried to keep him from following her back to Sanctuary for the week.

Using the little com-link built into her ear guards she asked, Ash, have you ever been in a helicopter? You seem to be handling this very well.

Nope, but Im loving every minute of it, Ashton grinned at her. Your family is just a touch eccentric, dont you think? Having a helicopter pick us up from the airport while a limousine brings our luggage. And here I thought my family was wealthy. He wiggled his eyebrows trying to make her laugh.

He knew she was nervous by the way she was cutting the circulation off in his hand. Her vulnerability only endeared her to him that much more. She was nothing like the L.A. tramps he had always dated. His thoughts were derailed when her brothers voice came over the com-link.

Its always like this, Tristian glanced at his sister knowing she would agree with him.

They had seen the adults of the Hart family play this stupid game all their lives. The Hart family just has to try to outdo each other. The fact that our grandmother owns this helicopter and all of Sanctuary is her little victory over her three children and the world, he mumbled the last part with a little more sarcasm.

Thats enough, Tristian. Malcolm Hart gave his son a disappointed glare then turned back to his latest girlfriend, Felicia. He decided to dominate the com-link for the rest of the ride so his son wouldnt have a chance to say anything else damaging about the family in front of their guest.

He smiled at the pretty redhead hed started dating just a couple weeks ago. Hed seduced her with money just so he could bring her and show her off in front of his ex-wife, Lily. She had been the one who insisted on the divorce so he was about to viciously rub her nose in it.

Going into tour guide mode, Malcolm pointed out the window seeing they were almost there. Thats the resort just over the rise, Sanctuary known best for its famous wedding chapel and bridal suites. Malcolm gave Felicia a sly grin. He knew if he kept her hopes up then she would play her part quite well in front of Lily.

Since the top of the mountain is pretty much flat, this place has everything you could possibly think of including a spa, a huge pond, and indoor-outdoor swimming pools among other things. We own everything for about 30 miles in all directions and have labeled the land as a game preserve so no one can ever build on it and spoil its beauty. Theres only one road leading up the mountain and the gate at the bottom keeps out trespassers.