Page 64 of Christmas with Four Tattoo Artists

Silence settled between us, thick and tense, and I steeled myself for whatever was to come next.

Klaus leaned back, the creaky chair protesting under his weight. He crossed his legs, placing one heavy boot over a knee, his eyes never leaving mine. That triumphant, self-assured glint in them sent a fresh wave of fury through me.

"You know, Julia," he began, his tone dripping with casual malice, "I have to admit, you're full of surprises." He paused, waiting for a reaction, which I refused to give him. "The baby, for instance."

For a brief moment, my world tilted. My heart lurched into my throat. How the hell did he know? I'd barely had time to process the news myself, let alone share it with anyone beyond Maddie.

Seeing the shock on my face, Klaus grinned wider, clearly delighting in the upper hand he seemed to think he held. "Oh, you didn't think I had sources? People who talk? The evidence I found in your purse only confirmed it.”

It took all my strength to maintain some semblance of calm, but I could feel the edges of panic creeping in. "What do you want, Klaus?"

His grin became positively predatory. "It's simple, really. Your precious boys give up the studio by midnight tomorrow, or you and that little unborn surprise of yours become shark chum in the Atlantic."

I inhaled sharply, willing my racing heart to calm, but it was a losing battle. He'd just played a card I hadn't expected, and the implications of it were terrifying.

With a smug satisfaction that made me want to lash out, he continued, "See, darling, it's not just about the studio. It's about power. About control. It's about making sure everyone in this town knows who's really in charge."

Biting the inside of my cheek to keep from screaming, I managed a brittle retort. "And you think this is the way to do it? By kidnapping a pregnant woman?"

Klaus laughed, the sound hollow and cold. "Whatever it takes, hot stuff. The Crimson Devils aren’t your regular Sunday bike club. We have reach, influence." He leaned closer, so close I could count the yellowing stains on his teeth. "I've got police officers, local politicians, all in my pocket. Your little band of tattoo artists doesn't stand a chance."

Anger bubbled up, overriding my fear. "So why covet our studio so much, Klaus? You’re telling me in this big fucking empire of yours, a single tattoo shop matters that much?”

His eyes hardened. "That studio sits on prime real estate, baby. It's about expanding my empire, controlling the territory. That spot? It’s the last piece I need."

I stared at him, taking in every detail. The man was a monster, and he had me right where he wanted me. But I wasn’t about to let him see how deeply he'd rattled me. Drawing a shaky breath, I locked eyes with him. "You might have me, Klaus, but you’ll never break me."

His eyes darkened. "Time will tell."

I said nothing, staring him down as best I could, trying to convey every ounce of hate and defiance in my gaze. Whatever came next, I was going to fight with every fiber of my being.

Klaus, seemingly satisfied with the terror he'd sown, rose from the chair, the echo of his boots on the cheap linoleum sounding out.

The dim lighting of the room did nothing to diminish the terrifying gleam in Klaus's eyes. His smile was nothing short of sadistic as he slid a large knife from its sheath on his hip, brandishing it with a twisted delight. Every inch of me wanted to recoil, to scream, to flee, but I was bound. His gaze drifted to my belly, and a cold, dread-filled pit opened up in my stomach as the tip of the knife drew closer.

"Don't think for a moment I wouldn't," he hissed, voice dripping with menace.

I closed my eyes, waiting for the sharp bite of pain. But instead, the biting pressure of the zip ties around my wrists vanished. My eyes snapped open, and there was Klaus, a smug, self-satisfied smirk plastered across his face.

"See how nice I can be?" he purred mockingly. “All you need to do is be a good little girl.”

I rubbed my wrists, my heart beating so hard I felt like it might explode. Never in my life had I been as scared as I was in that moment. Knowing there was a life inside of me took my sense of self-preservation to another level.

"Remember, sweet thing," he sneered, "you're here onmyterms. No one leaves this place without my permission." His gaze settled on me for a long moment, and I felt like a rabbit caught in a snare, a meal for a ravenous wolf. "Behave yourself, and maybe, I’ll think about letting you see another sunrise."

With that, he turned and strolled to the door, but not before throwing one last glare over his shoulder. The door slammed shut with a finality that made my stomach churn, the bolt on the other side driving the point home. I was trapped.

As his footsteps faded, replaced by the distant hum of the Devils’ motorcycles and the low, muttered conversations of the guards outside, I finally let the walls come down. I crumbled, tears stinging my eyes and spilling over.

It wasn’t just the fear or the anguish over my situation. The burning question, the one that was gnawing at the edges of my sanity, was how? How in the hell did Klaus know about the guys and me? The only person I'd confided in was Maddie, but even she didn’t know who exactly it was that I was seeing. Or had she seen something? Figured us out? My heart didn’t want to believe it, but my mind kept playing the traitor, circling back to her again and again. Did Maddie, my only friend, betray me?

I choked back a sob. Maddie had been by my side since my first day at Blackjack’s, through thick and thin. The idea that she might've turned on me, even inadvertently, was a wound deeper than anything Klaus could inflict.

The more I thought about it, the more the doubt grew. I told her because I trusted her. Memories of our conversations, of her seemingly innocent curiosity about my relationships and her surprise when I told her about the baby, danced in front of my eyes. Was it all an act? Or did she innocently mention it to someone, having no idea the chain of events it would set off?

But, another voice whispered, maybe it wasn’t Maddie at all. In this fucked-up world of gang rivalries and backstabbing, there were a hundred ways Klaus could have found out. He’d bragged about his sources, after all.

Taking a shaky breath, I forced myself to calm down. Crying wouldn't get me out of there. I needed a plan. I needed to keep my head down, bide my time, and above all, hope that my guys were coming for me.

---