Page 58 of Christmas with Four Tattoo Artists

I’d made a solemn vow to myself—never again would I pick up a gun with the intent to kill. It was a promise I’d clung to, a lifeline to my humanity in a world that had often felt devoid of it. But with danger casting its dark shadow over those I cared for, I could feel the boundaries of that vow blurring. The chilling realization that I might have to break it weighed on me, a familiar dread settling in the pit of my stomach.

Pulling myself away from the window, I moved to the dimly lit corner of the living room. Hidden beneath a stack of clutter, was a custom case, a part of me I thought I'd buried. It took only a moment's hesitation before I popped open the case. The cold metal of the sniper rifle gleamed, untouched since my last mission.

The fact that I even had my service weapon was a sick joke; my CO had given it to me to keep off the record, marking it as lost in action. “A sniper with your skills should never be without his weapon of choice,” he’d said.

In quiet moments, alone in my apartment, I'd often find myself staring at the rifle case. Many nights, I'd question why I still held onto it. It wasn't nostalgia or a memento of the past; rather, it was a tether. A symbol of the brutal necessity from a time when my life—and the lives of those around me—depended on my skill with it. It was a reminder that, no matter how hard I tried to escape, some facets of my past were anchored too deeply within me.

Its familiar weight settled in my hands as memories flooded back. If I was considering the rifle, it wasn’t for show. James had tried handling things the legal way, as he always did. But it seemed the law wasn’t enough for Klaus. Maybe my way would be.

I worked through the process of assembling the rifle, muscle memory guiding each movement. I never thought I'd actually be holding the weapon again, but for my family, for my brothers, I'd wade back into that world of shadows.

Looking out over the rain-soaked city, one thought filled my mind.

Klaus, you've just made the biggest mistake of your life.

Outside, the rain began to ease up on the streets of Miami, but the real storm, the one brewing inside of me, was only growing stronger.

All of the anger, frustration, and desperation swirling within became a pang of something deeper, something raw, and something that gripped me the hardest—love. Love for Julia.

She was a hurricane, bold and fierce. And yet beneath that tough exterior, I'd glimpsed her vulnerabilities, cracks in her armor that drew me in deeper, especially after sharing her story. We all had, in some way or another. But she had this uncanny knack to make me feel seen,reallyseen, in a way I hadn’t felt in years.

The thought of losing her felt like a weight on my chest, making each breath labored. And it wasn't just the love; it was also the fear. Seeing Adele worm her way back into the group, especially around Kai and Finn, left a bitter taste in my mouth. And what if Julia saw that as a reason to keep her distance, to retreat from the chaotic world we were embroiled in? The very thought sent a shard of ice through my heart.

Every moment, every laugh, every touch we'd shared replayed in my mind. That soft glint in her eyes, the way she'd lean into my touch, the joy in her laughter—it all felt like a dream I was on the precipice of losing.

My hands tightened around the weapon. I found myself at a crossroads where the line between right and wrong seemed blurred. For my friends and for her, I was willing to cross that line.

The weight of the rifle was both a comfort and a dread, a tool that could protect but also destroy. Would I use it? Could I? If it meant securing a future with Julia and my friends by my side, the answer was clear. And yet the thought of ending up behind bars and losing everything cast a dark shadow over that clarity. A tough cross to bear.

I found myself pacing the length of the room, wrestling with my conscience. Jail was a tangible consequence. But the intangible ones—the loss of self-respect, the haunting memories, the irrevocable change it would mean for who I was—that's what truly terrified me.

I took a deep breath, my reflection in the window distorted by the streaks of rain. The neon lights below painted a picture of a Miami that was alive and vibrant. But it would become hollow if that life didn't have Julia in it.

Collapsing onto the couch, I buried my face in my hands. I'd been trained to face the harshest of enemies, to navigate the most treacherous terrains. Yet there I was, torn asunder by love, loyalty, and the grim choices that loomed ahead.

Chapter 26

Julia

The hum of the coffee shop was a comforting melody against the chaos of my life. Maddie and I found a cozy corner, out of the eavesdropping range of anyone who might be interested in our conversation. God knew the last thing I needed was more rumors circling about.

I took a sip of my decaf black coffee, the bitterness reflecting my current mood. Maddie looked at me, her eyes filled with warmth and concern. “So what’s going on, Jules? You’ve been off lately.”

Where did I even start? I was an absolute trainwreck between the tangled mess with the guys, what was going on with Klaus, and the biggest secret of all—the baby growing inside of me.

I stared into my coffee cup. Maddie was quickly becoming my confidante; somebody I'd grown inseparably close to over the last couple of months. And for someone like me who didn’t exactly make friends easily, let alone hold onto them, it was a foreign dynamic. I felt a weight in my chest, a mixture of excitement and fear. Telling her and speaking it aloud meant acknowledging the reality of the situation.

Could I trust her with my monumental secret? My hand instinctively touched my abdomen, a gesture of comfort and protection. A deep breath, and the words were on the tip of my tongue, waiting for the courage to let them out.

I let out a shaky breath. "I'm pregnant, Maddie."

Her eyes widened, and for a moment, she seemed at a loss for words. I half-expected a judgmental reaction or a 'told you so' remark. But Maddie surprised me, as she always did.

"Julia," she began gently, reaching across the table to squeeze my hand, seeming to sense my worry. "First, breathe. Everything is going to be okay."

I choked back a sob. "I don't even know how to handle this, Maddie. The guys, they have so much going on right now. And with the shop, and Klaus, and everything else...” I trailed off, feeling the walls closing in on me.

“The guys?” she asked.

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