Safe and Sound

four - travis

I tossed my keys onto the kitchen counter, not pausing for an even a second as I headed straight to my office. How had I missed this? The man running one of the most dangerous mafias in the country had a child - a child, and none of our background checks had picked up a single thing about it. His past was completely blank. He'd buried it so deep our technology hadn't found it, which was unbelievable.

I opened my laptop, pulling up Scott Kingsley's file. His cover was running a restaurant with his wife, Ashley - a laughable disguise, really. Who tries to hide behind a family-owned diner when you're running an empire of crime? At least my front was somewhat linked to the world we operated in. His, though? Pathetic.

I spent the next few hours hunched over my laptop, eyes straining against the glow of the screen as I sifted through endless layers of files and documents. I used every trick I knew, everything about hacking and digital software, refusing to stop until I found something. Then finally, I did. Taylor Swift's birth certificate and registration, signed by a Scott Kingsley Swift. I sighed, a hint of disappointment sinking in as the name stared back at me. It wasn't that I didn't believe Taylor when she said he was her father - I just hoped she might have gotten the name wrong. Maybe after all these years, the details had slipped her mind. But no, there it was, undeniable proof. She was his daughter.

My stomach dropped, and I suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to protect this woman. She had no idea the danger she was in just by being his daughter. And sure, linking Scott to Taylor had taken every ounce of my skills and an insane amount of patience, but if I could do it, someone else could too. And if the wrong person found out about her, I wasn't sure she would be safe.

I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my temples as the weight of everything settled over me. With her Father being who he was, I had no doubt she would eventually inevitably be used as some sort of leverage.

I blinked, my eyes sore from being in a dark room with a bright screen, and I glanced at the time. It was well past midnight, and the adrenaline from the past few hours was starting to fade. I wouldn't be able to do anything else productive tonight. So, reluctantly, I closed my laptop, and pushed myself away from the desk. I hadn't eaten or showered or anything, since I'd been so caught up in proving this to myself.

I went to the kitchen and did something I rarely ever do - I made a microwave meal. I would be sure to make it up with extra carbs and protein tomorrow. I ate quickly and in silence, then cleaned up my dishes and went upstairs. I turned on the shower, and got undressed as it automatically adjusted to the perfect temperature.

Carefully, I peeled the old dressing off the wound on my side. My skin beneath was still tender, red and sore, but I knew it would settle down in a few days. I applied a fresh dressing, and a waterproof bandage for while I was in the shower. I didn't usually do much of the dirty work anymore, but when I wanted to - or had to - I still did. That's how I ended up getting myself stabbed a few days ago. Not my finest moment, but hey, at least I'm not dead.

I showered, then when I got out, peeled off the waterproof bandage, leaving the dressing on. I pulled on a pair of boxers and slid under the covers of my bed, exhausted. The past few days had been huge, and after today, there was nothing I wanted more than a long, deep sleep to clear my mind.

-

The next day, like I promised, I went back Taylor's store. I felt awful about how abruptly I'd left yesterday, and I felt even worse that I wouldn't be able to explain why. I just hoped she'd forgotten about it, and it would all brush over. She'd give me a new recommendation today, and maybe, if I worked up the courage, I would ask her out to dinner. Putting aside her Father - I wanted to get to know Taylor, and being able to keep her safe was a bonus.