Page 6 of Christmas with Four Tattoo Artists

Kai came out of the office and greeted the rest of the guys.

“Come on,” he said, sweeping his hand back toward the meeting area. “Got plenty of shit on the agenda and I want to get right into it.”

None of the guys said a word as they formed up into a group, the foursome striding through the studio like gods as they made their way back into the office area. They briefly vanished behind the tinted windows until the flick of a switch turned it off.

The guys typically liked to have their meetings hidden away from the eyes of customers and the rest of the staff, but a quick glance from Kai let me know he likely wanted anyone who might try to bother me to see that the whole crew was there. Relief rushed through me at this small gesture of protectiveness.

My attention was abruptly stolen from the retreating figures of my bosses by the jingle of the front door opening again. Spinning around in my chair, I found myself looking into the mischievously twinkling blue eyes of Maddie Jones.

Maddie was one of the artists at Blackjack's. Her short, jet-black hair was always styled to perfection—a short bob with perfect bangs that framed her face, somehow balancing between the lines of punk and chic. A myriad of colorful tattoos danced across her skin.

Her ears glittered with an assortment of piercings, one eyebrow and her lip sporting silver hoops. Her style was bold, a declaration of her rebellious spirit and the passion for her craft. But it was her eyes, those expressive blue orbs, which truly defined her. They held an irresistible sparkle, an infectious zest for life that warmed you from within.

"Morning, Jules!" she called out, her voice a pleasant chirp that cut through the studio's usual hum. Maddie was a force of nature—a hurricane of sassy comments, contagious laughter, and an endless source of hilarious stories. She brought a vibrant lightness to our sometimes intense workplace.

"Hey, Mads," I replied. Her arrival helped ground me back in reality, her presence like a shock of cold water, a welcome relief from the whirlpool of feelings that had threatened to drown me.

Maddie, however, was like a bloodhound when it came to sniffing out gossip. She had a knack for it that was both comforting and annoying at the same time. It didn't take her more than a couple of moments to catch the offbeat rhythm of my behavior.

"Alright, spill it," she demanded, propping her hip against my desk, arms folded across her chest. Her blue eyes were sharp and inquisitive.

"Maddie, I don't—"

"You're not fooling anyone, Jules. You're as transparent as the front of this store." She smirked, flicking a rebellious strand of black hair from her face.

Defeated, I relented, recounting the episode with Steve, choosing to conveniently omit the part where Kai laid one hell of a kiss on me, instead telling her that Kai had simply told Steve to get out. I watched as Maddie's expressions shifted between disbelief, annoyance, and finally settled into concern.

"Thank God Kai was here.” She sighed, shaking her head. “Damn it, Jules, you can't let creeps like Steve get to you. Next time, just call one of us, okay?"

“I know, I know.” I nodded as I spoke, appreciating her concern, but not really feeling up to a long conversation.

But Maddie wasn't one to let a conversation die so easily. "Speaking of men," she began, a teasing glint in her eyes. "How's the love life? Any new conquests from the online realm?"

I rolled my eyes at her and shrugged. "Conquests? Funny. More like endless scrolling through profiles while trying to figure out why the hell I even bother. Part of me feels like I should just take a vow of celibacy at this point.”

She laughed at that, a bright, ringing sound that echoed through the studio. "Well, maybe we should work on your online profile. Spruce it up a bit, make you irresistible. Here, let me see it…”

I handed her my phone and we went through my dating profile together, Maddie offering suggestions here and there. I tried to keep an open mind, knowing that Maddie was the type of girl who never seemed to have trouble attracting guys. I, on the other hand, seemed invisible to the few guys who happened to catch my eye, yet had a neon sign over my head for the worst ones imaginable.

Throughout the conversation, I kept stealing glances at the meeting area where the four guys were congregated, their voices a low murmur of conversation. Each time I looked, it seemed as though one of them was looking back, their eyes meeting mine with a level of intensity that had my heart racing. It was disconcerting, exciting, and terrifying all at once.

Something feltdifferent, almost like the guys had picked up that I was into them. I didn’t know what to make of it.

"Maddie, do you ever..." I began, trying to voice the confusing jumble of emotions swirling inside me. But the words seemed to get stuck somewhere between my brain and my mouth.

I gasped, realizing I’d come dangerouslyclose to bringing up my little crush on the four bosses.

"Do I ever what?" she asked, tilting her head at me, her brow furrowed in concern.

"Never mind," I quickly said, shaking my head. I knew it wasn't something I could voice, not without sounding like a teenage girl with a crush on her teachers.

"All right," Maddie said, her eyes narrowing slightly as if trying to see into my thoughts. "Anyway, we’ll get you a man before you know it. Just keep hope alive, you know?”

I smiled at her, appreciating the sentiment. But I couldn't shake the feeling that things were about to get a lot more complicated than anyone could anticipate. And I couldn't help but wonder if I was ready for the storm that was brewing.

Maddie's next client walked through the door, a curtain of silence descending on our conversation. She excused herself, a professional smile on her face as she welcomed the customer. Once she was out of sight at her workstation, I found myself alone once again at the reception desk, my attention drifting back to the meeting area.

Finn was the first one I noticed. How could I not? He was a beautiful paradox, a blend of raw power and brooding intensity that left me breathless every time I caught sight of him. Even from my spot across the studio, I could appreciate the rugged appeal he oozed.

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