Page 49 of Property of Kevlar

“I don’t know.” Kelsey reached for a mug. “I don’t want to see him again. That should be enough. Right? So, can you stop pushing the issue? Please?”

“I’m going to talk to Mike about it.”

“What?” Kelsey nearly dropped the mug. “Why would you do that?”

“Because they’re in the club together. That can’t be how they want things to be.”

“You don’t have to get anyone else involved.” Too many people knew about it already.

“He should be aware of what his friend did,” Carrie said. “He’ll get him to apologize.”

“I don’t want—”

“I’ll take care of it.”

“Carrie!” Kelsey shouted. “Stop. Leave Mike out of it. Please accept that Pete and I aren’t happening and that will be the end.”

“They aren’t all like that,” Carrie offered softly.

Bikers? Kelsey was learning that. Kev was nothing like Pete.

“Mike isn’t.”

Kelsey surely hoped that was true.

27

Kevlar

Doing this was risky. They shouldn’t go into the lion’s den. Technically, there wasn’t a den yet. A lot of work needed to be done before the building could function as a clubhouse. Kevlar and Kid blended in with the slew of contractors milling about easily.

Especially because they left their bikes at Remi’s shop. The pickup, which desperately needed an oil change, wasn’t on the schedule until later that evening, which left it available for borrowing. She shouldn’t know it went missing. They’d take care of the maintenance when they got back. That way she couldn’t be mad at them.

She would be, but only if she discovered they’d used the truck without permission. However, he had a plan to make the situation right. He wasn’t a complete asshole. Not in his mind anyway.

Sitting in the cab of the borrowed vehicle, Kevlar and Kid ducked so that they wouldn’t be noticed as Yogi and his club brother strolled past. Shortly after, the sound of rumbling Harleys filled the silence, and they left.

Kevlar and Kid pulled off hiding in plain sight. Now that the Scorpions were gone, the two could get an in-depth inspection of their enemy’s new compound.

The door squeaked as Kevlar opened it. When they got back, he’d make sure to hit the hinges with WD-40.

“Not a terrible location,” Kid commented, walking around the truck.

Kevlar nodded as he surveyed the property. “Building looks like shit.”

Kid shrugged. “All cosmetic.”

Kevlar peered at him. “Do you not see the cracks in the foundation? This place has been neglected for a long-ass time.”

“Easy fixes.”

Kevlar snorted a laugh. “Oh, with all your extensive construction knowledge, you’re saying it’s no big deal? Tell me more.”

His brother glared in his direction. “Whatever. All I’m saying is for what they paid for it, they were smart to convert it into a clubhouse.”

Kevlar couldn’t argue. There was more useful infrastructure in this place than an old warehouse. Which had been his original plan. That was how his father had done it. Using something like this building had never occurred to him.

With his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jeans, Kid trudged closer to the structure.