Page 54 of Christmas with Four Tattoo Artists

Chapter 23

Julia

"Son of a bitch. They didn't hold back, did they?" Barely contained rage painted James’ face as he took in the sight of the ruins of Blackjack’s.

The exterior of the shop was enough to rip my heart out. It was as if a storm had torn through the place, leaving nothing but devastation in its wake. The once vibrant and artistic front had been marked with crude spray-painted curses. The windows were shattered, fragments of glass littering the sidewalk, glinting in the harsh sunlight. The door was off its hinges, leaning grotesquely to the side.

“Those motherfuckers.” James growled the words, his hands clenching into tight fists.

The men formed up around me protectively as we stepped through the threshold.

The smell of charred wood and chemicals hit me the moment we stepped inside. Miami had never felt so cold and unwelcoming. The place that had been a second home to me was now a war zone. A chill ran down my spine as I took in the extent of the destruction.

This was Klaus's doing. There was no doubt about it. They'd started a fire inside, but thank God, the automatic sprinkler system had stopped it from spreading beyond the lounge area. Everything else had been tossed and thrown around, the artwork defaced, the equipment destroyed. The windows were smashed, obscenities and threats spraypainted all over the walls. My front desk was a disaster, the computer flipped onto its back, the monitor smashed as if a big, gloved fist had been brought down onto it.

"They wanted to send a message," Kai said, his voice tight. "They wanted to make sure we get that they’re serious."

"Oh, we get it," Finn growled, his eyes blazing. "We get that they're a bunch of cowardly pricks who don't know how to fight fair."

Andrew was quiet, his face pale, his eyes wide as he took in the wreckage. It was clear that he was struggling to come to terms with what he was looking at.

"It's going to take at least a week to clean up," I said, my voice cracking. "Just to clean up. That's not even considering the repairs, the rebuilding."

"We'll do it," James said, determination bracing his words. "We'll do whatever it takes. We're not letting them win. We're not letting them take this from us."

"But at what cost?" I asked, my voice rising. "How far is this going to go? How much are you willing to risk?"

"We're not backing down," Finn said, his voice filled with conviction.

Kai agreed. "We'll do whatever it takes to protect what's ours."

But as they spoke, as they made their declarations of strength and resolve, I couldn't shake the feeling of dread that settled in my stomach. I knew that they were right. I knew that we had to stand up to Klaus and his gang, that we couldn't let them win.

But I also knew that this was becoming dangerous. That it was a game that could have serious consequences, a fight that could ultimately cost us everything.

The guys were furious, their faces contorted with rage and disbelief, cursing under their breath as they looked over the wreckage of their shop. I could feel their anger, their frustration, their helplessness, but I was too numb to share in it. I was lost in my thoughts, unable to shake off the sudden feeling of being an outsider, a stranger in a place that had once felt like home.

As we stood there, surveying the wreckage, the sound of hurried footsteps drew our attention to the entrance. Adele, breathless and eyes wide, rushed toward us.

"Finn! Kai!" she exclaimed.

Finn turned to her, his eyes flashing with surprise as she ran over and threw her arms around him.

“I came as soon as I heard,” she said. She let go of Finn, hurrying over to Kai and giving him the same tight hug.

Finn put his hands on his hips. “This is a fucking nightmare. It's all ruined."

"It's going to take forever to clean up and rebuild,” Kai added.

Adele's eyes shimmered. “Oh, my boys. I’m so, so sorry. I know this place was everything to you.”

Her words were pumped full of sympathy, but something about them seemed off, almost calculated.

"We'll figure it out," Finn said, his voice tight. “We always do.”

Adele pulled back and looked at them, her hands lingering on their arms. "You know I'll help in any way I can. We've been through so much together."

Kai nodded, but his eyes were distant. "Thanks, Addy. We appreciate it."

---