Commitment Collection 2- Ignition; Turbo Charged; Pole Position
Contents
Hello from London
1. Ignition
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
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Kyle
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
2. Turbo Charged
Kyle
Elliott
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Kyle
Elliottt
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Kyle
Elliott
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Elliott
Kyle
Kyle
Elliott
3. Pole Position
Elliott
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Elliott
Kyle
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Kyle
Elliott
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
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Elliott
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Elliott
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Elliott
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Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Kyle
Elliott
Other books by Karen Botha
THANKYOU
4. special thanks
About the Author
Hello from London
Hi everyone,
You’re still here, thank you so much for loving these two boys as much as I do. But, if this is your first foray into the Commitment series, don’t worry, you’ll be fine, you’ll understand what’s going on as all the stories are standalone, but if you read Buckle Up first, you’ll understand the people a little better.
This series was real fun. I’d had a few months between finishing Jump Start and I was desperate to get back to Elliott and Kyle after penning a few spin off series. I had so many ideas of what the couple could do next, that my brain was working faster than my fingers could deliver.
As always, don’t take Elliott and Kyle’s lives too seriously, and if some facts don’t tie in with our lives, what does it matter? These guys have their own universe which is way better than the reality we’re all trying to escape.
Likewise, this is total fiction, do not for whatever reason think that these guys are based on anyone in motor racing. They are not, they are figment of my imagination, created from pure personal pleasure.
So, all that’s left is for me to wish you happy reading and I’ll see you on the other side.
Mwah
Karen x
Ignition
Commitment 4 by Karen Botha
Elliott
“Has the jury reached its verdict?” The judge directs his query to the timid-looking juror standing with less authority than he should considering the power which he now holds in his hands.
The insurance company has settled, but the suit against my old race team for the injuries I suffered is about to wrap up. My heart is pounding so hard that I’m surprised anyone can hear the resounding sound of the judge over it.
If this goes my way, and that’s by no means a sure thing, then I will stand to win the highest injury settlement in UK history. The fly in the ointment is that I’ve already had a significant pay out and while I’m not bitter enough to bring my former boss, Chase, to task in the criminal courts, his negligence and pettiness ruined not only my health, but my career when I was at the top. And for that, I’d very much like him to pay.
“We have, your honor.” The man with my destiny in his hands transfers his weight from one foot to the other as he fidgets with the buckle of his too tight belt. His substantial beer belly hangs over and I speculate as to whether he is a fan, if he grew his girth cheering in front of the TV for me to win my race while downing a pint. Did he see the accident that rendered me incapable of walking for less time that it should due to hours of grueling physical therapy and made me hobble down the aisle on my wedding day? Did he see me cast out on the tarmac, unmoving?
The judge peers over his half-moon spectacles, as he asks, “Do you find the defendant in this case guilty or not guilty?”
The gallery hushes and I hold out my palm to locate Kyle’s which is as clammy as mine. Neither of us dare to look at each other for fear of missing any detail of this pivotal resul
t. But, his chest expands and falls with the same rapid precision as my own and our connection has never been stronger.
Time slows as we stand by. The head juror‘s mouth seems to take forever before it moves to form his answer. I try to second guess what will come out, a ‘G’ makes a different shape than an ‘N’, but then my eyes swim and not only is my hearing drowned out by the thump of my heart, I’ve now also lost the privilege of my sight.
A bead of sweat pops onto my forehead and leaves a trail as it bows to gravity and travels down the side of my cheek.
Kyle snatches his palm away and hugs me. His grasp around my back is tight as he lifts me to my tip toes and off the floor until I’m hanging with my arms plastered to my sides. “We won!” he whispers in my ear above the crowd’s din which tunes through the static in my brain. Kyle’s tone is an octave higher than normal and it’s only then I realize our dream will now become a reality.
Kyle
Elliott stands there, dumbfounded. He doesn’t move when the verdict is given. He stares ahead with a vacant expression and that’s the moment that I understand just how much this trial has sucked out of him. It’s the culmination of two years of heartache, being spilled out on the courtroom floor. Bitterness which until now was hidden under politically correct press releases, has come flooding out on both sides of the argument. Elliott had to relive the crash which that destroyed his career and left him rebuilding his entire vision of himself and what his fate held.
But, he’s a fighter, and he had a plan. He knew if he won this case that’s when his future would begin. This will be the catalyst to propel us forward in a way we would never otherwise have thought possible.
I plop him back on the floor, and his blank eyes are staring at me, unblinking.
“El, we did it. You won. You won the case.” I clasp his face in both hands and plant a kiss on his lips.
The abstracted gaze fades and a twinkle of realization burns through. “We won?”
“Yep, you did it.” I slam my mouth on his again and on this occasion, his lips move as he kisses me back. His arms creep from his sides, encircling my broad back and then the result sinks in. He crushes me against his chest as our lips part and our teeth bump together with his force.
His lips leave mine as quickly as they met as Elliott stands back before blasting into me again for another hug. His chin bristles against the soft skin of my neck as he screams in my ear. “I can’t fucking believe it Kyle. This is going to change everything.”
And I’m excited, I am, but the reality of what this means hits me in the solar plexus like a double-decker bus in the solar plexus. This means Elliott and I will be living apart. I’ve gotten so used to us being together the last few years that while this is every bit as much what I want as it is for Elliott, the life it means we will now have to adopt signals a huge change.
Sure, I’m prepared for it. But that doesn’t have to mean I’m looking forward to it.
The right thing can sometimes feel so wrong and now, for the first time faced with the reality of living day to day without the love of my life at my side, I’m overcome with a complex mix of emotions which take the bite out of the happiness today’s success should deliver.
I adore my man. We’re happy and now well, I’m just not so sure we’ll ever be this happy again. Caught slap bang in the middle of a catch twenty-two, my decisions have been snatched away from me by the authority of excited agreements made when we were planning pipe dreams.
But now, that pipe dream is our reality. There is no going back.
Elliott
We go out to celebrate after the judge delivers his official verdict that my former employer and Kyle’s current one, will pay the damages we have been holding out for.
It was a tough decision to hold out for what we wanted. Previous offers were put on the table by the opposing counsel but there was no point. We needed this figure in order to be able to go ahead and purchase the racing team that I want to set up in competition to the one I used to drive for.
To make the last two years’ worth it, something positive must come out of the pain and heartache that I’ve gone through. And so, I have vowed that I will not only buy and re-brand a struggling team, but it will be the best there is within five years. And I’m not just talking on the track. We will never treat any team member the way Kyle and I were.
In time this will be a family business with principles at its core.
But, in order to do that, there was a base line figure we would accept and nothing else would do. A smaller amount wouldn’t support our dream.
We chink clink our glasses together in Kingsley’s off Berkley Square, my private member’s club of choice.
“We can get back to being us now. I’m sorry I’ve neglected you the past few months,” I say as I lean in and place my hand over Kyle’s as he fiddles with the base of his crystal champagne flute.
“Hey, it’s fine. You’ve had a lot on your plate. You’ve been in the middle of one of the most high-profile civil suits that the country has ever known. I think I can cut you a bit of slack.”
“Oh, so you’re not looking forward to us having some well-earned down time then?”
He lifts his fist and jabs me in the ribs, “Now, I didn’t say that. It’s just I don’t hold the fact that you’ve been busy against you. But, I certainly could enjoy some us time before I head back on the road again. I’m assuming you won’t be coming with me anymore?”
Instead of answering him and dragging down a mood which is already spiraling south, I kiss him. A brief brush of our lips communicates the strength of my love. For the first time since we met, and since I was seventeen, I won’t be hitting the circuits this season. And if I do, my focus will be diverted away from Kyle. He still works for who will become my key rival and although we don’t know the details as yet, we’re fully expecting there to be restrictions on who and where he can socialize with when the shit hits the fan and people start to find out what we’re planning. But it’s only temporary.
When our lips part, I change tack. “Hey, we can get back to where we were now though.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, with my accident and then getting myself fit again, there wasn’t a lot of time for making out was there?”
Kyle’s dark eyes glitter. “Erm. Uh, no. I guess not.”
“And then with me being consumed with winning this lawsuit, things took over.”
“You were a bit tired, but I forgive you.” He winks.
He’s bloody flirting with me. Half a glass of champagne and the mention of the opportunity to fool around and we’re back where we were two years ago before I crashed out.
Kyle
“I think we should get out of here.” I hear the huskiness in my voice myself, and the way that Elliott snaps his glowing face back up at me tells me he hears it too.
“Let’s get a hotel.” His eyebrows dance at the possibility of getting back on track sooner than he anticipated.
“Sure, we can make a weekend of it.”
And with that, my better half needs no further encouragement. We abandon our bottle fizzing in the cooler and head outside to find a cab. That’s one good thing with Elliott’s fame declining over the last few years, he has at least been able to drop the close protection. — although no doubt that will change again soon when the masses hear that with all of his combined assets, he’s well on his way to billionaire status.
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