Under His Protection

Chapter 46: Whispers of the Storm

The days at the villa had passed in a quiet rhythm. The threat of Santino's reach still loomed over them, but with each passing moment, Taylor and Travis found a little more peace. The house, nestled deep in the rolling hills of Italy, became their sanctuary—a fortress where they could breathe, even if just for a short while.

Taylor spent her mornings with the kids, allowing Bronze to cling to her as usual, while Sterling, with her boundless energy, ran around the grounds. The housekeeper, a friendly older woman named Maria, kept the place spotless, always offering the family warm smiles and homemade meals. It felt, in many ways, like a family home—one that Taylor had never imagined she would be able to experience.

Travis was always nearby, his protective presence a comfort. He'd taken to checking in with his security team often, making sure that Santino had not yet caught wind of their location. Patrick and Ross had set up their own network of contacts in Italy, all working to ensure that the group remained hidden and safe.

But despite the calm, something in the air seemed different. The small, underlying tension that never fully left Taylor's chest was still there. It was like waiting for a storm that never seemed to arrive. Everyone was trying their best to enjoy the rare moments of peace, but Taylor couldn't shake the feeling that something was brewing. It was a sense she couldn't explain, just a gut instinct telling her that this wasn't over—not by a long shot.

She sat on the balcony one evening, the cool air brushing against her skin as she gazed out at the distant hills. The sun was setting, casting a golden glow over everything. In the distance, she could see a few lights flickering as the sun dipped lower into the sky. The serenity of it all, the stillness of the moment, felt almost too good to be true.

"Angel?" Travis's voice broke through the silence, and she turned to find him standing behind her, a mug of coffee in hand.

"Hey," she said, her lips curling into a small smile. "I didn't hear you come out."

"I've been watching you stare off into the distance for the last five minutes," he said, his tone light. "Everything okay?"

Taylor took a deep breath, her gaze returning to the horizon. "It's too quiet, Travis," she confessed, her voice soft but heavy with the weight of her thoughts. "It feels like the calm before the storm."

Travis stepped closer, leaning against the railing next to her. He took a sip from his coffee, considering her words. "I know what you mean. I've been feeling it too."

He was always so sure of himself, so confident in his ability to protect her and everyone around him, but Taylor knew he wasn't immune to the same sense of foreboding that had settled in her chest. The world they were living in now—this constant sense of being hunted, of being watched—was something neither of them had ever truly prepared for.

"I wish I could just shake it off," Taylor muttered, her hand absently resting on her belly. She could feel the twins shifting inside her, their movements a reminder of the life she was protecting.

"You don't have to shake it off," Travis replied, his voice steady. "It's natural to feel that way. But you know what? As long as we're together, we can face whatever comes."

She looked up at him, meeting his eyes, and for a brief moment, the weight of everything lightened. He was right. Together, they could face anything. But that didn't mean the fear wasn't still there, gnawing at the edges of her mind.

Just then, Brittany and Ross appeared on the balcony, with Sterling and Bronze in tow. The little boy had, as usual, latched himself onto Taylor's side, his small hands holding onto her shirt as he looked around curiously.

"How's it going out here?" Brittany asked, her eyes flicking between Travis and Taylor.

"Just talking," Taylor replied, smiling at the way Bronze clung to her. "He's not letting go today."

Brittany laughed softly. "He's going to be your shadow for the rest of your life, Taylor. Just accept it."

Taylor shook her head with a laugh of her own, her fingers running through Bronze's hair. "I'm okay with it."

Ross, ever the observer, looked at the two of them and then at Travis. "You two have been awfully quiet lately. Is everything alright?"

Travis hesitated for a moment, his eyes scanning the horizon as if looking for something he couldn't quite name. "Everything's fine," he said finally, though his tone lacked the usual confidence. "Just...keeping an eye out. You know how it is."

The subtle change in his voice didn't go unnoticed by Taylor, but she didn't press him. Not yet. She knew when he was ready to talk, he would. But she could feel it in the air, the undercurrent of unease. It was as though something—someone—was closing in, and it wouldn't be long before everything came to a head.

The next few days passed without incident, but Taylor couldn't shake the sense that Santino wasn't done yet. She could feel it in the way the wind seemed to shift, in the way the house seemed to creak in the stillness of the night. And in the quiet moments, when it was just her and Travis alone, she could hear it in his voice too—the slight edge of worry that he wasn't letting anyone see.

But she didn't let it consume her. Not yet.

Instead, she focused on the small things—on the quiet joy of watching Bronze fall asleep with his little hand tucked into hers, on the way Sterling's laughter filled the house with warmth, on the way Travis always seemed to know just when she needed him.

And when she wasn't focused on the little things, she found herself with her hand resting on her belly, the twins a constant reminder of what they were fighting for.

The calm was not going to last forever, she knew that. But for now, she would hold onto it, savoring the moments of peace while she could. Because deep down, she knew that when the storm finally hit, it would come faster and harder than they could ever imagine.