Page 39 of Under Kid’s Protection

23

Kid

One Week Later

Standing atop the ladder, Kid completed the finishing touches on the crown atop the skull from their logo, which he had painted on the portico covering the entrance of their new clubhouse. The building had once been a convent, which previous owners had converted into a convalescent home. After a brief stint in the hands of the Bloody Scorpions, it now belonged to the Royal Bastards.

The murals he’d painted on the exterior walls weren’t the only changes made. They’d upgraded electrical, plumbing, and the security. The ironically cross-shaped building with asphalt parking lot surrounding it sat on roughly seven acres of land. They had privacy in spades. However, they still wanted protection, so they’d fenced in the property and mounted cameras in every nook and cranny of the space. No one could get on their turf without them knowing.

Some might have considered what they’d done overkill. Paranoia even. Though, they hadn’t been through or seen what Kev and Kid had. The brothers were of the same mindset when it came to securing what was theirs.

Humming to himself, Kid cocked his head to the side and ran the paintbrush along one of the wings flanking the skull, adding depth and shading. Beneath him, Kevlar and Frog oversaw the final delivery of furniture.

The building was officially inspected and done. Their renovations were complete. The certificate of occupancy was signed. Now for the personal touches.

Leaning back, Kid offered a final nod, approving his own work. He collected the paints he’d brought up with him and the brushes before he descended the ladder. At the bottom, he walked through the main door and entered their home.

In the foyer area, Torch and Lionel were busy hanging photos from the mother chapter and a few from the Knucklehead since they’d arrived. Restrooms were to the left. A storage closet and the combined offices for meetings were on the right.

Ducking through a door and away from the men barking orders at each other, Kid entered their most sacred of spaces in all the clubhouse. Church. He grinned at the only room to be completely set up.

A large hickory table sat with twenty matching chairs around it. The center had the Royal Bastards logo burned into it—a gift from Jameson. At the head, where Kevlar would preside, a gavel lay on its side. Pride made Kid’s chest swell.

They were really doing it. This was their club. Riding back to Oklahoma, their little skirmish with the Bloody Scorpions, recruiting members, and even the renovations to the building hadn’t hit Kid the way seeing the table in its natural environment had. He and his brother were legit in charge. The buck stopped with them.

“This is going to be wild,” he murmured to himself as he ran a hand along the stubble on his chin.

However, he couldn’t just stand there all day. Things needed to get done if they were going to have in order what they needed to for their big Halloween charity bash. Reluctantly, Kid exited church and headed for his room.

What was once the recreation hall for the convalescent home, and perhaps a church when the nuns lived there, was now their entertainment space. A den of debauchery. The religious ladies would be so proud.

Large boxes filled that space. Pool tables, bar supplies, neon signs, stools, and all the furniture required to make this place party central had to be unpacked and assembled. Someone had brought faux leather sofas from the thrift store for lounge areas. Behind the bar on the left was a kitchen with a massive refrigerator, an industrial stove, and everything they’d need to cook for an army.

There was potential here, and Kid couldn’t wait to see it come to fruition.

On either side of the main room were hallways where the officer bedrooms and a guest room were located. Kid went to the right. The first door on the left was Kevlar’s. Opposite that was Kid’s.

Covered in paint, all he wanted to do was take a shower before he headed over to the studio to close up shop. Thankfully, each officer’s quarters had a spacious bathroom with a large walk-in shower.

One of these days, he needed to get around to decorating. Having a place to call his own would be nice. Carrie’s apartment was small, and hers. He wanted something that was all his. Besides, he couldn’t stay with her forever. Eventually, she’d move on from him and live her life the way she was supposed to with a decent man who would take care of her.

As the idea of another guy hugging her, kissing her, being with her crossed his mind, his gut twisted. He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head to rid the images from his brain. He couldn’t think about that right now.

However, he couldn’t deny that she was a good woman who’d fallen in with a bad crowd—Kid included. While he’d always have her back and protect her, she deserved better than to be an old lady. One day, probably soon, he’d officially evict himself from her place. She didn’t need him like she once had. His time with her was on the verge of ending.

Again, his stomach soured as he tugged the clothes from his body.

He didn’t like the idea, but what did that matter? She should be free of the complications that came along with tying herself to a criminal biker. She’d already experienced the danger of it. Remaining in his orbit only brought more risk to her door.

Perhaps the time had already come. As he turned the knob to get the water running in his shower, he considered terminating the arrangement he had with Carrie. A riot of emotions tore through his chest. The last thing he wanted was to end whatever they had, but continuing it wouldn’t be good for her.

They hadn’t discussed their situation beyond the fact that she wanted to feel comfortable in her body again—with her sexuality. All the therapy-speak he barely understood. There wasn’t a relationship between them. Not in a romantic sense, anyway. Kid was a tool for her, another one she could use to get herself healthy and more prepared to face the world.

He was perfectly fine with their arrangement. Assuming roles for the good of others was how he’d lived his life. Whether it be when his sister lacked a mechanic in her shop, his brother needed someone to ride with, and eventually someone to set up a club with, Kid helped others achieve their goals. Why should his position be any different with Carrie?

After stepping into the shower, he raised his face toward the spray. The warm water cascaded over his body, loosening the paint that clung to his skin and hair. Images of Carrie beside him in the shower raced through his brain. Her bare, lithe body covered in soap as he scrubbed shampoo in her hair.

If her shower wasn’t so damn small, he would get to this in person instead of merely fantasizing about it.