Under His Protection

Chapter 60: Adventures and Agitation

The morning sun poured golden light over the Italian villa, casting long shadows across the garden where Taylor stood with Bronze. His small hand was tucked in hers, his face lighting up with excitement as they prepared for their little adventure.

"You sure about this, Mama?" Bronze asked, glancing up at her with his wide, curious eyes.

Taylor crouched to his level, brushing a stray curl from his forehead. "Absolutely, baby. We'll be back before you know it. Just a quick walk to the olive grove, okay?"

Behind them, Brittany and Ross stood on the terrace, both holding one of the twins, who were still sleepy from their morning nap. Sterling darted around their legs, her giggles filling the air as she played with a ball.

"Taylor," Ross called, his voice laced with hesitation. "You know Travis isn't going to be thrilled about this."

Taylor sighed but smiled at him. "Ross, we'll stay within the villa grounds. I've got my phone, and it's just a stroll. Besides," she said, her gaze softening as she looked at Bronze, "someone here needs some one-on-one time."

Brittany adjusted Ethan in her arms, smirking. "You've got a point. Bronze's been glued to you like a little shadow. If you don't take him now, he might stage a protest."

Bronze grinned mischievously, clearly enjoying the attention. "Mama promised!"

Ross rolled his eyes but relented. "Fine, but I'll be keeping an ear out for the slightest noise." He nodded toward Brittany. "We've got this covered here. You two enjoy your adventure."

Taylor gave a mock salute. "Thank you, Sergeant Ross. Don't let Sterling teach the twins how to cause trouble while I'm gone."

Sterling giggled from her spot near Brittany. "I'm a good teacher!"

Bronze tugged on Taylor's hand. "Let's go, Mama! The trees are waiting!"

The olive grove was a short walk from the villa, and as they strolled under the shade of the ancient trees, Bronze chattered away about everything from his favorite snacks to the stories Patrick told him at bedtime. Taylor listened intently, occasionally squeezing his hand or brushing a branch out of their path.

"Mama," Bronze said suddenly, his voice quieter now.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Do you think Uncle Twavis is mad at me?"

Taylor stopped walking, kneeling down to face him. "Why would you think that, Bronze?"

He shrugged, his small shoulders drooping. "Because I don't call him Daddy. I know he's not, but... I don't want him to be sad."

Taylor's heart ached at his earnest words. She cupped his face gently. "Sweetheart, Uncle Travis loves you just the way you are. He knows Patrick is your daddy, and you don't have to change that for anyone. Okay?"

Bronze nodded, leaning into her embrace. "Okay. I just really like spending time with you."

"I like spending time with you too," she said, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "Now, how about we find the biggest olive tree and take a picture for Uncle Twavis?"

Bronze's face lit up again. "Yeah! He'll love that!"

While Taylor and Bronze explored the grove, Brittany and Ross juggled the rest of the children. Sterling was a whirlwind of energy, running circles around Ross while Brittany balanced the twins, alternating between feeding and soothing them.

"Remind me again why I agreed to this?" Ross grumbled as Sterling dashed past him with a triumphant shriek.

"Because you're a saint," Brittany said with a smirk.

Ross snorted. "More like a sucker. Travis owes me for this."

Brittany laughed but softened as she looked at the twins. "He'll owe all of us once this is over. But at least Taylor gets a breather. She deserves it."

Miles away in Kansas City, Travis was pacing the room, his phone pressed to his ear. Patrick and Isiah sat nearby, watching with varying degrees of amusement and exasperation.

"They did what?" Travis's voice was a mix of disbelief and irritation.

"Relax," Ross's voice came through the line, calm and steady. "They're just walking through the olive grove. They haven't left the grounds."

"That's not the point, Ross!" Travis snapped. "I told you to keep them in the compound. What if something happens?"

"Nothing's going to happen," Ross replied firmly. "They're safe, Travis. This place is locked down tighter than a vault. You need to focus on what you're doing there and trust us to handle things here."

Travis ran a hand through his hair, his jaw tightening. "I just... I don't like being so far away."

"I know," Ross said, his tone softening. "But they're fine. Taylor's fine. Bronze is fine. Everyone's okay."

Patrick spoke up from across the room. "Ross, put Brit on. I need to know if my baby girl is behaving."

Ross chuckled. "Hang on."

There was a brief shuffle before Brittany's voice came on the line. "Patrick, everyone is fine. Sterling's her usual firecracker self, the twins are napping, and Bronze is getting some Mama-Taylor time. Stop worrying."

Patrick exhaled audibly. "Okay. Just... keep me posted."

Brittany smirked, though he couldn't see it. "Will do. Now go take down Santino so we can all sleep better at night."

When Taylor and Bronze returned to the villa, they were greeted by Sterling running to meet them.

"Did you see any monsters?" she asked, her eyes wide with excitement.

"No monsters," Taylor said with a laugh. "But we found a tree big enough to fit all of us under!"

Bronze held up the small camera they'd taken with them. "We took pictures! Uncle Twavis is gonna love them!"

As they stepped inside, Taylor glanced at Ross, who nodded subtly. All was well, for now.