Page 45 of Christmas with Four Tattoo Artists

The guys turned to look at me, their eyes filled with worry.

"You okay, Julia?" Andrew asked, his brow furrowed.

I forced a smile, though I knew it didn't reach my eyes. "I'm fine. Just need some time to think things over. This whole situation has me on edge."

"You're not the only one," Maddie said, her voice weak.

"We'll get through this," Kai assured us, his tone confident but his eyes betraying his concern. "We've faced challenges before. We'll face this one together, like we always do."

I wanted to believe him. I wanted to wrap myself in his arms and pretend that everything would be fine. But the truth was, we were in uncharted territory, and the path ahead was murky at best.

“Hey, Jules,” Finn said. “Why don’t you come back to the office while the rest of the crew gets the place ready to close up. We’ll catch you up on what you missed during the meeting.”

Maddie squeezed my arm one last time as I stepped over with the guys, the five of us heading back. In spite of the tension gripping my gut, being in the middle of my men as we formed up and headed back put me at ease. I could feel Adele’s gaze burning me, but I put that out of my mind as best I could.

Once inside the office, Kai shut the door and the guys turned toward me. They wore matching expressions of determination, their eyes filled with a warmth that melted my resolve.

"You aren't going anywhere, Julia," Kai said, stepping close and taking my hand in his.

"Except Montana," Finn added, a mischievous glint in his eye.

I blinked, confusion muddling my thoughts. "Montana?"

James grinned, his arm wrapping around my waist. "That's right. We've got a special trip planned for you this Christmas."

Andrew chimed in, his voice gentle. "We want to take you away from all this craziness, even if it's just for a little while."

My heart swelled, and tears burned my eyes. But even as excitement bubbled within me, doubt lingered, a shadow in the back of my mind.

"You guys really don't have to do that," I said, my voice soft.

"We want to," Finn insisted, his eyes searching mine. "We want to spend this time with you, away from all the stress and worry."

"And we think it'll be good for you, too," Kai added, his thumb gently rubbing the back of my hand.

I couldn't help but smile, touched by their thoughtfulness. A part of me still held back, wary of giving myself over completely to the unconventional relationship. My heart had already become more entangled than I'd intended. What if I ended up getting hurt?

"Promise me something," I said, looking at each of them in turn.

"Anything," James murmured, his eyes sincere.

"Promise me that no matter what happens, we'll always be honest with each other. That we won't let anything come between us."

They nodded, their expressions solemn.

"We promise," Andrew said, his voice firm. "We're in this together, Julia. All the way."

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. These men were my rock, my safe haven. And I was theirs.

I leaned in, kissing each of them in turn, feeling a renewed sense of connection and trust.

"Montana it is," I said, smiling. "And thanks, guys. I know you’ve got a ton on your minds, but the way you’re taking the time to think about me, it means a lot. Whatever this thing is that’s happening between us, it’s making me all kinds of happy.”

"We wouldn't have it any other way," Kai said, his voice filled with conviction.

Still, as we settled our plans for our Christmas getaway, I couldn't shake the nagging doubt that still lingered in my heart. I wanted to believe that everything would work out, that we could have our happily ever after. But life had taught me to be cautious, to guard my heart.

One thing was clear—I was in deeper than I'd ever been before. And no matter what happened next, there was no turning back.

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