Under His Protection

Chapter 14: Breaking Point

The air in the warehouse felt heavier than usual, thick with the kind of silence that came just before all hell broke loose. Travis stood at the edge of the room, staring at the blueprints spread across the table. Ross and Patrick were talking, laying out the final details of their plan, but all Travis could think about was Taylor.

He had left her at the penthouse this morning, her eyes full of concern as she kissed him goodbye. She had tried to hide her fear, but he could see it in the way her fingers clung to him for just a second longer than usual. The guilt of leaving her behind, of dragging her into his world, gnawed at him more than any of Santino's threats ever could.

Patrick's voice broke through his thoughts. "You with us, man?"

Travis blinked, pulling himself back to the present. He glanced at Patrick and then at Ross, both of them watching him with concerned expressions.

"Yeah," Travis said, his voice rougher than usual. "I'm here."

Ross raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that? You've been somewhere else all morning."

Travis clenched his jaw, the tension coiling tighter inside him. "I'm fine. Just want to get this done."

Patrick exchanged a look with Ross but didn't push further. "We're hitting Santino tonight. His security's weaker than we expected—he's getting sloppy. We'll hit him hard and fast before he has a chance to regroup."

Ross nodded. "Our guys are in position. The moment we move in, it's game over for Santino."

Travis leaned over the table, staring at the blueprint of Santino's hideout. He could feel the adrenaline starting to pulse through his veins, his instincts sharpening. This was what he was trained for—taking down men like Santino who thought they were invincible.

But despite the confidence in their plan, something felt off. The itch at the back of his mind wouldn't go away, and it wasn't just the threat of Santino—it was Taylor.

He had to protect her, no matter what. She was his now, in every way that mattered, and he wasn't going to let anyone take her away from him.

Patrick's voice cut through the quiet again. "We need you focused, Travis. I get that you're thinking about her, but if you don't keep your head in the game, we're all screwed."

Travis straightened up, his eyes locking with Patrick's. "I'm focused."

"You better be," Ross muttered, arms crossed. "Because once this starts, there's no going back."

Travis nodded, the tension rolling off him in waves. "Let's get it done."

Hours later, the warehouse buzzed with low voices as Travis's men prepared for the raid. The air was thick with anticipation, everyone knowing that tonight was a turning point. Either Santino would fall, or they'd be facing an all-out war.

As Travis stood by the exit, Ross approached him, his expression unreadable. "Everything's in place. You ready?"

Travis nodded, but before he could respond, his phone buzzed. He pulled it from his pocket, his heart skipping a beat when he saw Taylor's name on the screen.

Found something. Check your email ASAP. Love you.

He frowned, his thumb quickly navigating to his email as he pulled up the file Taylor had sent. His eyes scanned the document, his heart rate spiking as he realized what she had found. It was a list of transactions, linking Santino's financials to a name they hadn't considered—a man who had been working for them, feeding them information this whole time.

Travis's blood ran cold.

"Ross," he said sharply, waving him over. "Look at this."

Ross frowned as he scanned the email, his eyes widening as the pieces fell into place. "Shit. This changes everything."

Patrick came over, noticing the shift in their demeanor. "What's going on?"

"We've got a rat," Ross muttered, his voice low and dangerous. "Someone on the inside, feeding Santino information. And we're about to walk right into it."

Patrick cursed under his breath, pacing as he processed the information. "Who the hell is it?"

Travis's jaw tightened. "It's Malone. He's been working both sides. If we'd gone in without knowing this, we'd be dead in minutes."

Ross ran a hand through his hair, clearly agitated. "That bastard played us. We need to deal with him before we make any move on Santino."

Patrick nodded in agreement. "I'll get the word out to our guys. Malone's going down tonight, one way or another."

Travis's mind raced as he stared at the email again. Taylor had saved them—again. If she hadn't found that information, they would have been walking into a trap. His gut twisted at the thought of how close they'd come to disaster.

He needed to talk to her.

"I'll be back," Travis said abruptly, pushing past Patrick and Ross as he headed toward his car.

Patrick called after him, but Travis didn't stop. He needed to hear her voice, to know that she was okay. And after what she'd just done, he owed her more than he could ever put into words.

When Travis got back to the penthouse, he found Taylor in the kitchen, sitting at the counter with her laptop open. She looked up as he walked in, her eyes immediately searching his face for any sign of trouble.

"Did you get my message?" she asked, her voice soft but steady.

Travis nodded, his expression unreadable as he approached her. "You saved us, Taylor. That intel... you have no idea what you just stopped."

Taylor exhaled, a mixture of relief and tension washing over her. "I just wanted to help. I couldn't just sit here, knowing you were out there walking into God knows what."

Travis stopped in front of her, his hands coming to rest on the counter as he leaned down to meet her gaze. "You did more than help. You saved my life. You saved all of us."

She swallowed, her eyes flicking between his, searching for something. "I love you, Travis. I'm not going to stand by and let something happen to you."

The words hit him hard, but not in the way they had before. This time, they felt like a promise, like a vow. He realized then that this wasn't just about protection—it was about trust, about letting her into his world in a way he'd never let anyone else before.

Travis cupped her face, his thumb brushing over her cheek as he stared into her eyes. "I love you, Angel. More than I ever thought I could love anyone."

Taylor leaned into his touch, her eyes closing briefly as she absorbed his words. "Then don't shut me out, Travis. Don't keep me in the dark."

His grip on her tightened slightly, the intensity of his emotions overwhelming him for a moment. "You're in this with me now. But that means you've got to trust me when I say I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe."

Taylor nodded, her eyes opening again to meet his. "I trust you. But I'm not going to sit on the sidelines anymore."

Travis's gaze darkened, not with anger, but with a fierce kind of love. "You're mine, Taylor. And as long as you're with me, I'll protect you. But you've got to promise me you won't do anything reckless."

Taylor's lips curved into a soft smile. "No promises. But I'll be careful."

He pulled her into a deep kiss, pouring every ounce of his feelings into that moment. She was his, and he was hers, and no matter what came next, they'd face it together.