Soul Bound (Completed)

What to read next

Thank you so much for reading Soul Bound. If you're looking for something to read next, please consider my debut novel, Above all Else. It's available on Amazon, and links are on my profile!

Here's the blurb:

April Mansten: nineteen years old, blonde, beautiful... and also daughter to Mario Mansten, a renowned bounty hunter, and as badass as they come in the bounty hunting world.

Kellan Reed: twenty-three years old, dark, dangerous, and deadly... at least according to some. April's always thought of him as a complete and utter jackass. He's come far in the few years he's been bounty hunting thanks to Mario, the only father figure he's ever really known.

The two are polar opposites when it comes to their upbringing. April having grown up in a loving and caring home, until tragedy breaks it apart. And Kellan, who has been through foster home after foster home, the only stability he's ever experienced coming through the Manstens and the kindness they extended towards a troubled teenager. Mario was great to him; first as an adviser while he was in school, and later as a mentor as he eagerly embraced the bounty hunting world.

This is their story, one which is filled with deplorable betrayal, unspeakable heartache, and a fragile truce that blossoms into... love?

And here are the first three chapters. Enjoy!

CHAPTER ONE

- THEN -

Eight years ago

When I was eleven years old, my life changed forever though I didn't know it at the time.

I was in my favorite black leotard, a baby pink tutu secured around my waist, as I sat on a bench in front of my father's classroom. I was wide-eyed as I looked at my surroundings. I'd never been inside a high school before. So far, the experience was an intimidating one.

Usually, Dad would pick me up straight from whatever after school club I was attending that day and we'd head straight to the hospital to visit Mom for a few hours. However, my ballet class for today had been cancelled at the last minute. So I was stuck here. Waiting for Dad to finish work.

I liked Ballet, and even Karate, but piano lessons were the absolute worst. I hoped Mom would get out of the hospital soon; then she'd be able to come get me from school at a normal time. I wouldn't have to go to so many extra classes, or stick around waiting for Dad to finish work.

I'd told him repeatedly that I could walk home by myself. Loads of my friends did. But he wouldn't listen, and he couldn't really afford to pay anyone to look after me. He had to pay Mom's hospital bills, and the mortgage on the house, as well as Nana's bills at her nursing home. I'd overheard him worrying about it over the phone to Uncle Luke one day. I wasn't a baby, and it frustrated me that Dad insisted on treating me like one.

I could have been at home right now, watching my favorite dance show on the TV. Instead, I was growing increasingly bored sitting around with nothing to do. The elementary school had called Dad after our Ballet instructor hadn't shown up for the after school class. He'd spoken to me over the phone and told me to come to his classroom as soon as my friend Anna's mom dropped me off. But I could see that there were three other teachers in there with him, and I wasn't sure if I should interrupt.

I sighed, yanking at my hair, as I slumped further down the wooden bench. I'd pulled the long blonde strands of my hair into a tight bun for ballet, and it was beginning to hurt my head. Mom always did my hair much nicer, and it never hurt when she did it.

I couldn't wait for her to come home. The house had gotten a little messy, with the dishes and the laundry piling up, and Dad said that we'd have to stay indoors this weekend to clean everything up, but I didn't mind at all. I was just happy that she was coming home, and I wanted everything to be nice and perfect for her.