Colt by Simone Elise is now available to read on Galatea, a reading app recognized by BBC, Forbes and The Guardian for being the go-to place for explosive new romance novels. Keep scrolling to read the first chapters or download the app for the full uncensored version.
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Colt
Chapter 4 - For*play
My marriage had been a burning house for so long that there was nothing left I could do but wait for it to crumble to ash. However, the very day I was expecting it to go up in smoke, Elliot came along and threw water on the smoldering remains of our marriage. Now, he was doing everything possible to fix the damage.
I had expected him to give up. I had expected him to walk. He surprised me, though. He stopped drinking. I watched him pour every bottle of liquor in our house down the sink, and then he went one step further and started going to meetings. He was doing everything possible to prove to me that he had heard me, that he was in this completely, and that he wasn’t giving up on us.
As the days moved to weeks and he remained sober, my faith in him increased. He was keeping his word, and I was seeing glimpses of the man I’d fallen in love with.
Today felt like a clear example of Elliot’s progress.
He’d blown off work and his meeting, saying it was too nice of a day to spend inside, and brought us to one of the golf resorts he was a chairman of for a friendly game of golf.
I came to the resort all the time. Little did he know that I hadn’t just been taking spa treatments at the resort, but I was actually taking golf lessons.
I always liked a challenge, and golf was certainly a challenge of patience.
So, when I took my drive on the third hole and it shot straight up the fairway, I couldn’t help but giggle at Elliot’s expression. My first drive he’d called a fluke, the second one was “a good shot”, and the third had him speechless.
Despite my effort, I was still losing by the eighteenth hole.
“You know what I find so funny?” Elliot couldn’t hide the amusement in his tone as he watched me line up my final putt. “You can out-drive me, but your short game is terrible.”
“Well, I don’t understand why the hole has to be so darn small!” I exclaimed. Over the years, I had gotten better at golf, but I was still terrible at putting.
Reading the gradations of the green to get that small ball in the hole was basically rocket science to me.
“Come on, sweetheart, I’ll give you a few tips.” Elliot came up behind me and nudged my legs farther apart with his thigh.
“Says the man who has spent more times in the bushes than on the fairway,” I muttered.
“Yeah, but who is on the green for nearly a birdie?” Elliot hugged me from behind, his chest against my back, his hands over mine on the putter.
“Loosen your grip,” he instructed and then started to show me how to do a slow motion. “Remember, babe, that the follow-through is as important as the takeback.”
His hands guided mine for a few strokes with the putter, and then his mouth went to my neck, planting a small kiss on my skin.
“You know what my favorite part of today’s game is?”
My heart was racing from his close proximity. “That I stick to the fairway and you don’t?”
“No.” He spun me around, a grin on his face. “You studying the green and still misreading it.”
I pouted, and he was quick to kiss me again before stepping away so I could take my shot.
Determined, I putted but missed the hole twice, only to sink it on the third try.
Elliot bent down and studied the green, and I knew he had this in one putt. But he missed three times before getting it on the fourth try. I didn’t buy it for a second.
“You missed that on purpose,” I said, bending down to pick our balls up out of the hole.
He gave me a wink. “You know what I think?”
I arched my eyebrows for him to continue.
“You should wear more skirts when we play golf.”
I rolled my eyes. “You are such a typical male.” I frowned for a moment, looking around the empty course.
“Have you noticed that we haven’t come across anyone else on the course?”
“Babe, when I saw what you were wearing when we left, I banished everyone to the clubhouse.” Elliot grinned, his eyes running the length of my body.
I gasped. “You did not!”
“I wasn’t having every man on the course following us just so they could watch you swing,” he teased.
I slapped him lightly on his shoulder. “You’re a pxrv, husband.”
“It’s my right as a husband.” He twirled me around, taking the club from me, and planted a kiss on my lips. “You ready to head back to the clubhouse? I booked us in for a couple’s massage at two.”
“Let me guess…” I smirked. “My masseuse is a female?”
“Dxmn straight. I’m the only man who gets to put his hands on you.”
He took my hand as we walked back to the golf cart.
I’d forgotten how much I missed this Elliot. His playful bantering and easygoing nature were what drew me to him initially. Now, out on the course, everything felt right between us again.
There were signs that held me back from giving my whole self over to him, though. Like the letter I’d received earlier in the week.
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I’d been tiptoeing about when to bring it up, scared that the smallest argument between us would cause a setback. I knew that it would be worse for Elliot if I wasn’t honest, though.
“I got a letter the other day.” It was difficult to look him in the eye as he slid my club into my bag. “It was from the IRS. They said that they wanted to investigate my businesses for potential tax fraud.”
Elliot froze for a second, then replied, “That’s nothing, babe. It’s a routine investigation.”
“I didn’t know I owned any businesses…but I guess I do. Why are your businesses in my name?” I pushed.
Elliot placed his hands on my shoulders, looking me straight in the eyes. “In case anything was to happen, I need to know that you would be okay. That the nightclubs would be okay.
There are some people I work with whose hands I wouldn’t want the businesses to land in.” He gave me a reassuring smile. “I trust you, my wife. We work well together. There is no one else I’d rather have on my team. Okay?”
I nodded. Elliot kissed my forehead, and then we climbed into the golf cart.
I thought over his words as we drove back to the clubhouse.
His response sounded reasonable.
Elliot had proved to me that he wanted everything to work out between us. That meant I needed to trust him, too.
The lobby was full of other club members when we entered. My eyes ran over Danielle, one of my girlfriends, there with her husband. They were sitting in a group with more of Elliot’s friends, who all greeted us as we approached.
I couldn’t help but notice how they all had drinks in their hands.
“Why don’t you two join us for an afternoon cocktail?” Danielle purred as I kissed her cheek. She signaled for a waiter.
My stomach began to tighten. Was this it? Was this when he would break his promise?
“Nah, thanks. We have an appointment to get to.” Elliot turned down the drink, and my heart sprang with pride. I knew that wasn’t easy for him.
Without thinking, I moved my hand to his neck, and I brought his lips to mine. It was quick but passionate at the same time, and when I withdrew my lips, I locked my eyes with his.
“I love you.”
I had never meant those few words more. I was so utterly proud of him.
Our friends all smiled appreciatively.
Elliot’s lips twitched up, his hand going to my cheek. “I love you, too.”
Then his phone buzzed in his pocket and pulled his attention away from me.
“You should get that. You’ve ignored work all day for me.” I gave him a reassuring smile.
Elliot winked, then pulled his phone out of his pocket and put some distance between him and the group while he dealt with whatever fire needed putting out at work.
the fxxker blew up half the clubhouse
7 of my men are in the hospital
the fxxker got away
I gave you a job to do.
I want the same mate
the man isn’t easy to take out
Well “mate” your inability to do as you are told is making me rethink our business arrangement.
I’ll get it done. i just need more time
Forget it. I will find someone better suited to the job.
u can’t fxkin do that to me
your whole operation would be destroyed without me
I’ve done it before. I can do it again.
Our business is done.
I walked down into the bar. One of the walls had caved in after the explosion, but I knew he would still be here. He never sobered up, didn’t give a sxit what people thought about it either. He lived on a liquor diet. His breakfast was a beer.
“Dive,” I called for his attention and his eyes went off the drink in front of him. “Need your advice.”
Over the years, Dive’s service and role as club priest had earned him the right to know elements of business that most wouldn’t.
“Gonna lose Elliot’s business.” I pulled up a stool and slammed my phone down on the bar. “If I don’t kxll Colt, Elliot will take everything I’ve been working for. This club’s ability to earn, my power—all of it.”
Dive tilted his head back, looking deep in thought for a moment. “I’m gonna tell you something that has taken me most of my life to learn, and something Colt knows all too well.”
I arched my eyebrows for him to continue.
“Usually, men like Elliot can’t be touched. He has all the power, but he has a weakness, too. The man’s weakness is what ya need to target.”
He set his beer down, which was a clear indication that he was serious. I don’t think I’d ever seen him put a drink down.
“Get control over Colt, or”—his eyes locked with mine—“…there’s another solution maybe…involving Scorp.”
“Scorp, eh?” I was still hoping Scorp would come back to us.
After all, the man was my enforcer for a reason. Though I never could fully trust him and his reaction to Colt getting out proved to me that my gut was right. Scorp’s loyalty lay with the former president.
Dive leaned in closer, his eyes darkening just slightly. “Scorp’s loyalty to Colt could become questioned if anything were to happen to…someone special to him.”
He leaned back in the stool, picking up his beer. And now I understood what the old bxxtard with all his puzzles was saying.
“I think you’re onto something there,” I said, nodding.
“Two birds with one stone, Pick,” he said. “You have more power than you think.”
He was right. What was precious to Elliot and to Scorp at the same time? Why, that pretty little thing they called Summer, that’s what.
Dive gave me a toothless grin. “I’ll organize another meeting.”
I nodded, getting to my feet. Going after Scorp’s sister just might do the trick.
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