Under His Protection

Chapter 18: Reckoning Ahead

The night air was thick with tension as Travis and Taylor made their way out of the warehouse, the distant sound of gunfire still ringing in their ears. Santino was out there, running, and even though they had disarmed the bomb, the danger was far from over.

Travis kept his arm protectively around Taylor as they moved toward the edge of the docks. The adrenaline was still pumping through his veins, his mind laser-focused on the next steps. He knew Patrick and Ross would be hot on Santino's tail, but he couldn't shake the feeling that there was more at play—something deeper that they hadn't yet uncovered.

"Where do we go from here?" Taylor asked quietly, her voice laced with both concern and determination.

Travis glanced down at her, his gaze softening for just a moment. She had come into his world—one of violence and betrayal—without hesitation. But he couldn't deny the nagging fear inside him that she was in too deep now, that their lives were becoming irreversibly intertwined.

"We have to regroup with Patrick and Ross," he said, leading her toward one of the hidden pathways that snaked through the docks. "But first, we need to get you somewhere safe."

Taylor stopped, pulling on his arm until he turned to face her. Her expression was serious, her eyes searching his. "I'm not running, Travis. I'm staying with you. No more 'keeping me safe' while you handle things alone."

Travis's jaw tightened. Part of him wanted to argue, to shield her from everything that was happening, but the look in her eyes told him she wasn't going to back down. Taylor had made her choice—to stand beside him, no matter what the cost.

He sighed, nodding. "Alright. We stick together."

Taylor smiled, a flicker of relief crossing her face. But before either of them could say another word, a sharp voice cut through the night.

"Well, well. Isn't this a cozy little scene?"

Travis spun around, his instincts flaring. Standing at the far end of the alley, just emerging from the shadows, was one of Santino's top men—Marco. He was tall, broad-shouldered, with a cruel smile playing on his lips and a gun loosely held at his side.

"You thought you could just walk away?" Marco sneered, stepping closer. "Santino's not done with you yet, Kelce."

Travis's body tensed, his hand automatically moving to the gun tucked into his waistband. He pushed Taylor behind him, shielding her from Marco's line of sight. "Santino's done, Marco. The bomb's disarmed. It's over."

Marco chuckled, the sound low and menacing. "You think that was the only plan? You're more naive than I thought."

Taylor peeked out from behind Travis, her heart pounding. She could feel the danger radiating off Marco, and her mind raced, trying to figure out their next move. They were out in the open, exposed. They needed to get out of here.

Travis's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"

Marco grinned, his eyes glinting with malicious amusement. "Santino's been playing you from the start. The docks, the bomb, all of it—it's just a distraction. You're not the only one he's after."

Travis's heart skipped a beat, his mind working to process the words. "What do you mean?"

Marco's smile widened, enjoying the suspense. "Let's just say, Santino's got something else planned—something that hits a little closer to home. But by the time you figure it out, it'll be too late."

Without warning, Marco raised his gun, aiming it directly at Travis.

Time seemed to slow. Travis reacted instinctively, pulling his gun and firing off a shot before Marco could get his finger on the trigger. The bullet hit Marco square in the chest, and he staggered backward, his eyes wide with shock before collapsing to the ground.

Taylor gasped, her heart racing as she clung to Travis. The silence that followed was deafening.

Travis stood still for a moment, his body humming with adrenaline. He hadn't wanted it to end this way—not with more bloodshed—but in his world, sometimes there were no other choices. He turned to Taylor, his eyes searching hers.

"You okay?" he asked softly.

Taylor nodded, though her heart was still pounding. "Yeah. I'm okay."

Travis exhaled slowly, his mind already shifting to what Marco had said. "We need to figure out what Santino's next move is. If this was just a distraction..."

Taylor looked up at him, her brow furrowing. "What do you think he meant by something 'closer to home'?"

Travis's mind raced. Santino was known for playing long games, for using people's loved ones to manipulate them. And if he was after more than just control of the docks, there had to be something bigger at play.

"He's targeting more than just me," Travis muttered, his eyes darkening. "He's going after my people—my family."

Taylor's stomach twisted at the thought. "Who?"

"Patrick. Brittany. Everyone close to me. He's trying to hit us where it hurts."

Without wasting another second, Travis pulled out his phone, dialing Patrick's number. The line rang once, twice, before Patrick picked up.

"We've got a problem," Travis said, his voice tense. "Marco's down, but he said the docks were just a distraction. Santino's planning something bigger."

There was a pause on the other end before Patrick responded, his tone grim. "Where are you?"

"Heading back to the safehouse," Travis said. "We need to regroup."

"I'm on my way," Patrick replied. "Stay sharp. This isn't over."

Travis hung up and turned to Taylor, his expression hard. "We need to move. Now."

As they made their way through the winding streets back toward the safehouse, Taylor couldn't shake the feeling that things were spiraling out of control. Santino wasn't just playing for power—he was playing for revenge. And if they didn't stay ahead of him, more lives would be at risk.

When they finally reached the safehouse, Patrick was already there, his face set in a grim expression. Brittany was beside him, her eyes wide with concern, and Ross was pacing near the windows, keeping a lookout.

"We've got intel on Santino's next move," Patrick said, wasting no time. "He's targeting one of our safehouses. One where a lot of our families are."

Travis's blood ran cold. Santino was going after their loved ones, using them as leverage. And he was ruthless enough to follow through.

"We need to get them out," Travis said, his voice low but firm. "Now."

Patrick nodded. "Ross and I will handle it. You stay here with Taylor."

Travis shook his head. "No. I'm not sitting this one out."

But before the argument could escalate, Taylor stepped forward, her voice calm but determined. "We're in this together, Travis. Whatever happens, we face it as a team."

Travis looked at her, his heart tightening at the sight of her standing so strong in the face of danger. She had become his anchor in the storm, and no matter how chaotic things got, he knew one thing for sure.

He couldn't do this without her.