Page 19 of Christmas with Four Tattoo Artists

I nodded, looking at each of my crew in turn. We were more than just business partners, more than friends. We were a pack, and we looked out for our own. "We keep our eyes open," I said, my voice low and steady. "Gauge the situation, adjust as needed."

A silence fell over the table, thick and heavy with unspoken promises and unshakeable resolve.

One thing was for certain: Klaus, or anyone else who threatened our business, our family, would learn the hard way that the four of us were a formidable team.

I could feel the collective shift in the conversation, an easing of the tension as we all allowed the reality of our situation to sink in. But Andrew, always the quickest to recover, sported a wicked grin as his gaze locked onto mine.

"Speaking of dirty business," he drawled, raising an eyebrow provocatively, "Who do you think Julia will pick next?”

I chuckled, the images of our night together flashing behind my eyes. "Hard to say. Got the feeling she wants all of us, but…”

“Is she ready for all of us? That’s the question,” Kai said.

Andrew leaned back in his chair, the devilish grin never leaving his face. "We need to ease her into it, see how much she can handle at one time, make sure she’s comfortable. Adele could only deal with two of us before she started getting green eyes, trying to claim us like fuckin’ property.”

“No kidding,” I replied. “She wanted all the good parts of the arrangement, but none of the hard ones.”

Andrew nodded in agreement. “So far, Julia seems like she’s on board. But it’s all the more reason to take things slow, not overwhelm her.” He grinned. “All the same, I can’t wait to see what kind of animal she is. Got a feeling no man’s even come close to pleasing her in the way she needs.”

Kai chimed in. "You always did have a knack for spotting the wild ones, dude."

"I’m just saying, the girl has layers," Andrew retorted, holding up his hands in a defensive gesture.

I couldn't help but laugh, their banter lightening up my mood. "Well, gentlemen, we'll just have to see what layers Miss Julia wants to peel off for us."

Every one of us was excited about the prospect of getting to know Julia more intimately, and I couldn’t help but feel a certain sense of anticipation and satisfaction at what the future held.

Chapter 8

Julia

As I locked up the door at Blackjack's, I had to laugh at my reflection in the glass door. My grin was ridiculously wide, my cheeks flushed. It was like I was some giddy teenager going on her first date, not a grown-ass woman who'd just spent the night in the most sinfully delightful ways with four of the most tantalizing men she’d ever met. And I was about to get a repeat performance.

No sooner had I turned the key in the lock and stepped out onto the sidewalk than I saw them—Andrew and Kai, leaning nonchalantly against the wall, looking like they'd stepped straight out of a billboard ad for all things forbidden and tempting.

Andrew was all charm and charisma. His short blonde hair glinted in the fading sunlight but what really did me in were his eyes. A strikingly clear blue, they held a sparkle that was hard to miss, full of mischief and flirtation. Every time he smiled, I swear it got a little hotter, that sizzling grin of his absolutely lethal. If smiles could melt panties, Andrew was a walking, talking inferno.

“Evening, gorgeous,” he said, his voice low and deliberate.

Next to him, Kai was the perfect contrast. His dark hair was slicked back in a textbook blend of professional and rebellious. His eyes, a mesmerizing gray, were enigmatic, a perfect blend of stormy clouds and polished steel. His personality was as captivating as his looks. He was the silent observer, the intense listener, the man who knew how to say more with a single look than most could with a thousand words.

“There’s the woman we’ve been waiting for,” he said.

Seeing them both sent my heart pounding, a rapid staccato against my ribs.

"Evening, fellas," I greeted them, my voice steady despite the butterflies in my stomach.

The playful grins I got in return let me know right away just how the boys felt about seeing me.

Andrew looked me up and down, shaking his head. "It’s the goddess herself."

I laughed at his exaggeration. "Goddess? You sure know how to lay it on thick."

Kai chuckled, a low rumble that sent delicious shivers through me. "The man’s just saying what we’re both thinking.”

I shot him a sidelong glance, heat pooling in my belly at the intensity of his gaze. "Is that so?"

Andrew's grin was positively devilish. "Oh, definitely. Our thoughts about you have been pretty sinful."

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