Under His Protection

Chapter 55: The Call of Duty

The Italian villa had finally settled into a rhythm. With the twins growing stronger every day and Bronze basking in Taylor's constant attention, there was a rare sense of calm among the group. But peace was fragile, and Travis knew it.

Early morning light filtered through the windows when his phone buzzed on the bedside table. Travis stirred, careful not to wake Taylor, who was curled up beside him, or the sleeping twins in their bassinets. The name flashing on the screen—Aunt Karen—sent a pang of unease through him.

"Hello?" he answered in a low voice, stepping out of bed and into the hallway.

"Travis," Aunt Karen's voice cracked, heavy with emotion. "Your dad's had a heart attack. He's stable now, but it was serious. You need to come home."

Travis clenched his jaw, the weight of her words settling on his shoulders. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

When he returned to the bedroom, Taylor was awake, propped up on one elbow with a concerned look on her face. "Bear? What's wrong?"

Travis sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed. "It's my dad. He had a heart attack. He's stable, but I need to get back to the States."

Taylor sat up fully, her expression softening with sympathy. "Oh, Travis. I'm so sorry. Of course, you have to go. When will you leave?"

"As soon as I can," he said, already mentally calculating logistics. "I'll take Patrick with me. Ross will stay here with you, Brittany, and the kids."

Taylor nodded, placing a comforting hand on his. "We'll be okay. Your dad needs you right now. Go."

Despite her reassurance, Travis hesitated. Leaving Taylor and the kids—even with Ross and Brittany there—felt like walking away from the fortress he'd built to protect them.

By midday, the plan was set in motion. Patrick had packed, and arrangements for their flight were finalized. The villa was a hub of activity as Travis prepared to leave.

In the living room, Bronze sat cross-legged on the floor, coloring with Sterling. When Patrick called his name, the boy looked up, his expression curious.

"Come here, buddy," Patrick said, kneeling to Bronze's level.

Bronze toddled over, looking up at his dad with wide eyes. "Are you leaving, Daddy?"

Patrick nodded, smoothing a hand over Bronze's messy curls. "Yeah, buddy. Uncle Travis and I have to go back to the States for a little while. But I'll be back before you know it, okay?"

Bronze's bottom lip trembled for a moment before he nodded. "Okay, Daddy. But you promise?"

Patrick smiled, his heart squeezing. "I promise. You be good for Mama and Aunt Taylor, alright?"

Bronze nodded, then surprised Patrick by throwing his arms around his neck. "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, bud," Patrick said, his voice thick.

When it was Travis's turn to say goodbye, Bronze simply waved, already climbing back into Taylor's lap. "Bye, Uncle Twavis."

Travis chuckled, ruffling Bronze's hair. "Bye, Bronzy. You keep Mama company, alright?"

Bronze didn't even look up from where he was cuddling into Taylor's arms. "I will. Mama's better than you anyway."

The room erupted in laughter, Brittany covering her mouth to stifle her giggles as Travis shook his head in mock exasperation.

"You're killing me, kid," Travis muttered, his smile betraying his amusement.

The flight to the States was somber. Patrick sat beside Travis, giving him space to process the situation. As they crossed over the Atlantic, Travis's thoughts drifted back to Taylor, the twins, and the kids. Leaving them wasn't just hard—it felt like he was leaving a piece of himself behind.

When they landed, Travis's phone buzzed with a message from Ross:

All good here. Taylor's resting, twins are perfect, and Bronze is glued to her side. Kid's loving all the Mama time.

Travis chuckled softly, relieved by the update. At least Bronze was making the most of his absence.

Santino's POV

Santino paced the dimly lit room, frustration etched across his face. His efforts to locate Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce had hit dead ends at every turn.

A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. "Enter," he snapped.

One of his men stepped in, holding a tablet. "Kelce just landed in Kansas City. He's traveling with Patrick Mahomes."

Santino's eyes narrowed, a sly grin spreading across his face. "So, he's left her somewhere. He wouldn't travel without her unless he thought she was safe. But no one's safe from me."

He leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers against the armrest. "Let's see what we can dig up in Kansas City. If we can't get to her, we'll make him regret ever crossing me."

Back in the States, Travis rushed to the hospital to be with his dad, unaware of the danger creeping closer. Meanwhile, at the villa, Taylor adjusted to life without Travis, Bronze happily taking advantage of every moment with his Mama. But as Santino set his sights on Travis, the peace they'd fought so hard to maintain teetered on the edge of chaos.