Travis' eyes flew open as he lay panting in his bed, the humid Miami air feeling as though it were suffocating him in his sleep, perspiration dripping from his forehead.
It must have been a nightmare that had woken him from his sleep but he couldn't remember it he was aware of his heart hammering against his chest though as his fingers gripped the best sheets tightly.
Kicking his legs over the side of the bed he forced himself into a sitting position and tried to stead his breathing.
He closed his eyes, 'in and out' 'in and out' he repeated the action over and over again until he his heartbeat began to settle and his pulse returned to normal.
Reaching for his glass of water, his fingertips had just made contact when a scream the likes of which he had rarely heard before echoed around the compound causing the glass to drop to the cool tiled floor and shatter into thousands of pieces.
"Travis!"
He was up and racing down the corridor in a heart beat but as he reached Taylors room he found the door locked and 2 guards and the maid he had spoken to in the kitchen a few days before standing with concerned looks on their faces
"What's going on?" Travis reached for the door handle and pulled but it was locked, he could hear grunting and thrashing on the other side of the door and Taylors garbled speech"
"Dile que no es asunto suyo" Said a short, stocky man with black, thinning hair and a whispy black mustash
"He said this is none of your concern" repeated the maid in more polite terms
"I am in charge of Taylors safety" Travis rattled the handle once more, a sense of unease growing in his stomach "who has the key?" the maid didn't answer she just looked between the two guards and then back to Travis and shrugged "Get me the fuckin key right now" he demanded as another terrified scream tore through the place.
"Mommy! Mommy!"
Grabbing the handle Travis shook it over and over again as Taylor continued to cry and scream.
Using his foot he began to kick and pound on the door "Taylor it's Travis, I'm here Taylor but I need you to open the door!"
"She's okay" the maid placed a hand on his arm but he just pushed her away
"Get me the key".
"This happens all the time"
"I said get me the fuckin key!" Travis barked in the woman's face and she stepped backwards as a guard stepped between them
"Dile que vuelve a su cuarto" he spoke calmly as Travis looked to the maid for a translation
"He says you are to return to your room" she spoke and then lowered her head as Taylors cries continued to fill the night air
"Is someone In there with her?!" Travis asked, placing both of his hands on the woman's shoulders and she shook her head "She's in there alone, terrified, screaming out for her dead mother and you have locked the door and just left her to it?"
"It's Alejandros instructions, she can't be reasoned with when she's like this"
" Mommy!!! Please don't touch her!!! Don't take her!!! Mommy don't leave me!!!"
"You told me no one knew if she'd seen or heard anything. Listen to that!! Listen to her! she saw fuckin everything!! Get me the key"
"Mr. Kelce..."
"GET ME THE FUCKIN KEY!!! before I tear this place to pieces to find it" his eyes burned between the two guards and the maid and when she reached into her pocket and brought out a large silver key he snatched it from her grip before she could change her mind
"Señor... " again she reached for his arm as he inserted the key into the lock "It's for her own good" she said ominously and then took a step back so she was between the guards, her face looking nervous and Travis felt uneasy about what was to come.
Turning the key in the lock he was hit but a rush of heat mixed with perspiration.
The room was black apart from a small lamp that sat on a table in the corner of the room. He could hear Taylor mumbling, the word Mommy and Austin spilling from her lips over and over.
"Taylor?" he stepped in to the room, attempting to get his bearings in the darkness
"NOOOO!" She screamed and Travis felt himself duck down in shock "No! NO! NO!"
He searched frantically for Taylor but her bed seemed to have been moved and then he caught sight of her
"Fuck!" he yelled running to her.
Her wrists and ankles were bound to the bed, the flesh red and bruised where the binds had been digging in as she thrashed backwards and forwards.
Her eyes were closed, her damp blond hair stuck to her forehead, cheeks, chest and her face red and shiny with exertion "Taylor..." he reached for one of the binds to free her but again she started thrashing and sobbing "Taylor its me Travis. I NEED SOME HELP IN HERE!" he yelled but no one came.
Grabbing her wrist he struggled but finally managed to free one hand "Some help!!!" he looked down at Taylors fragile body, convulsing so much her blankets were now on the ground and her white night dress was so damp with perspiration it had become see through.
Reaching for her second wrist he fought against her has he battled to free it from the restraint "YOU FUCKIN ASSHOLES!" he screamed at the guards and the maid and finally the women appeared in the doorway
"It for her own good" she repeated
"She's a traumatised human being not a fuckin animal!!" he yelled, finally freeing her second hand
"She's a danger to herself and everyone else"
Look at her wrists, look at them!!"" This is abuse I could have you all thrown in jail for this shit! Turn on the light!" the maid flipped the switch and Travis managed to remove the final restraint, allowing Taylor to thrash so violently she almost fell from the bed.
Grabbing hold of her, Travis threw her over his shoulder and strided from the room, down the corridor and then down the stairs and outside to the patio area.
Sitting next to the pool he held her arms by her side and began splashing water gently onto her face
"Wake up Taylor honey, come on wake up" he shook her gently and continued splashing her with the cool water until her body began to still, rocking only when the sobs began to take over.
Wrapping his arms around her he brought her to straddle his waist and allowed her head to drop to his shoulder as her body convulsed against his, her nails digging into his back
"Sush, Sush, you're safe Taylor. I'm here, I have you, I'm not going to let anything happen to you, I promise" a few minutes passed by and then her body seemed to go soft in his arms, she was calming, her terror was passing.
Reaching up, Travis smoothed a hand over her hair, he could feel her heart hammering against his chest and her tears running cold over his shoulder
This was a human being, a tiny vulnerable human being and they had tied her up and left her in the dark to do battle with her own mind.
He squeezed her more tightly, aware even more than ever that it was his job to keep her safe from people outside and now inside of her own home
"I miss her" Travis continued to smooth her hair "I miss my mommy "
"I know, I know you do" seconds later he was aware of her breathing evening out and deepening and he sobs being replaced by gentle breaths
