Under His Protection

Chapter 4: Crossing Lines

The next morning, Taylor woke up with a tight knot in her stomach. The bar was closed today, giving her time to breathe, but her thoughts were consumed by last night. Travis Kelce wasn't a man you could easily forget, and now that things between them had shifted, she wasn't sure where that left her—or them.

She pulled the blankets up around her shoulders, trying to shake off the memory of his lips on hers, the feel of his hands at her waist, pulling her into him like he couldn't get close enough. Her pulse quickened just thinking about it. There was no denying the chemistry between them, but chemistry with someone like Travis came with consequences. Big ones.

And yet, she couldn't stop herself from wanting more.

Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, breaking through her thoughts. She reached for it, her heart doing a little flip when she saw the message.

Travis: We need to talk.

Taylor stared at the screen, a sinking feeling settling in her gut. Of course they needed to talk. What happened last night wasn't something that could be brushed under the rug. But part of her wasn't sure if she was ready to face whatever Travis was thinking. Would he regret it? Was it a mistake?

Another message came through before she could reply.

Travis: Meet me at the bar. 2pm.

There was no question, no suggestion. Just a statement. That was Travis—always in control, always calling the shots. But what surprised her was how her body reacted to it, that subtle thrill of anticipation curling through her.

She quickly typed back, Taylor: I'll be there.

By the time 2 p.m. rolled around, Taylor was already pacing the bar, nerves tightening with every step she took. She had tried to prepare herself for this, rehearsing the conversation in her head a dozen times. But none of those scenarios felt right because Travis Kelce wasn't predictable. He was chaos wrapped in calm, and that made him impossible to prepare for.

The door swung open, and just like that, her heart skipped a beat.

Travis stepped in, looking every bit as composed as he always did, his sharp gaze immediately finding hers. For a moment, they just stood there, the air between them crackling with the same tension as last night. But now, in the daylight, it felt heavier—like there was something more at stake.

He walked toward her, his expression unreadable, and the closer he got, the more Taylor's nerves ratcheted up. He stopped just a few feet away, hands slipping into his pockets, and for a moment, neither of them said anything.

Finally, it was Travis who broke the silence. "About last night..."

Taylor's throat tightened. Here it comes. The regret. The 'we can't do this' speech.

But what came next surprised her.

"I don't regret it," he said, his voice low but firm, his eyes locked on hers. "But I need you to understand something, Taylor. What happened last night...it complicates things."

Taylor let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She hadn't expected him to be so straightforward, and part of her appreciated it. But the weight of his words settled over her like a dark cloud.

"I know," she replied quietly. "But I'm not sure where that leaves us."

Travis took a step closer, his expression softening just slightly. "It leaves us with a choice. This thing between us, it's real. I can't deny that. But I need you to know what you're getting into. I'm not the kind of man who can offer a simple life."

She almost laughed at that, but the truth in his words hit hard. "Trust me, I know that. I'm not asking for a fairy tale, Travis."

He tilted his head slightly, studying her. "Maybe not. But being with me means living in my world, Taylor. And my world is dangerous. I don't want to put you in the middle of that."

"You think I haven't already made that choice?" she shot back, feeling a fire stir inside her. "I'm not naïve. I know who you are. I know what you do."

Travis's eyes darkened, the intensity of his gaze making her breath catch. "You don't know everything."

Taylor hesitated, the weight of those words sinking in. She had seen glimpses of his life, but she knew there was so much more. So much darker. And yet, something inside her still pushed forward. "Then tell me. Show me what I'm getting into."

For a long moment, Travis didn't respond. His jaw tightened, his eyes locked on hers, as if he was trying to decide whether to let her in. Whether to trust her. And then, with a resigned sigh, he nodded.

"Fine," he said. "But once you're in, there's no turning back."

Taylor swallowed hard, her heart pounding. She wasn't sure what she had just agreed to, but she knew that whatever it was, there was no going back now.

That evening, they met again—this time in a quiet corner of the city, far away from the bar and the usual buzz of people. Travis had brought her to one of his safe houses, a place so hidden that she wouldn't have found it if she tried.

Taylor stood in the doorway, taking in the bare walls, the sparse furniture. It wasn't what she expected for someone like Travis, but then again, nothing about him fit neatly into any box. This place felt like him—private, guarded, but not without its own kind of weight.

Travis moved around the room, not speaking much, but Taylor didn't miss the way his shoulders were tense, like he was on edge. He had brought her here to show her something—to give her a glimpse of what his life was really like. And even though she was nervous, she was ready.

Or at least she thought she was.

"Why did you bring me here?" she asked, her voice soft but steady.

Travis didn't answer right away. Instead, he walked to the window, staring out into the darkness. "I need you to see what being with me means. This isn't just about us, Taylor. This is about the life I lead. The enemies I have. The danger that surrounds me."

She stepped closer, her heart pounding in her chest. "You think I can't handle that?"

Travis turned to face her, his expression hard. "I know you can handle it. But can you live with it? That's the question."

Taylor crossed her arms, meeting his gaze head-on. "I'm still standing here, aren't I?"

For a moment, Travis's eyes softened, and she saw something in them—something raw, unguarded. But just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone, replaced by the cold, calculating mask he usually wore.

"There are things you don't know about me. Things you wouldn't want to know," he said quietly, stepping closer until he was just inches away from her. "But if we're going to keep doing this, I need to know you're all in. Because once you're in my world, Taylor, there's no walking away."

The weight of his words settled over her, but instead of fear, Taylor felt something else: resolve.

"I'm all in, Travis."

He searched her face for a long moment, and then, with a sigh that seemed to release all the tension from his body, he reached for her, his hands resting on her hips as he pulled her closer. His lips brushed against hers, soft at first, but then deeper, more urgent, as if he was finally letting go of the restraint he had been holding onto for so long.

Taylor kissed him back, her arms wrapping around his neck as she pressed herself against him. The heat between them flared again, just like the night before, but this time there was something more—an unspoken agreement, a shared understanding of what this meant.

They were crossing a line. And there was no turning back.