Taylor was spiraling. Her heart raced, and every breath felt like a gasp for air. She couldn't believe Dr. Caroline was still here, lurking like a shadow trying to rip Travis away from her.
"Security should have already taken care of this," Taylor hissed to herself, pacing back and forth. She hugged Travis's hoodie closer, as if his scent could ground her.
She couldn't trust anyone, not even herself. Only Travis. Only Bronze. They were the anchors keeping her afloat in a sea of chaos.
But then, a faint knock at the door snapped her out of her thoughts.
"Taylor?" It was Brittany's voice.
"What do you want?" Taylor barked, her tone defensive.
Brittany hesitated. "Can I come in? Just me."
Taylor faltered. She didn't want anyone near her, but the sound of Brittany's voice-gentle, calm-nudged something inside her. With shaky hands, she unlocked the door and let Brittany in.
Brittany immediately noticed how pale Taylor looked, her eyes puffy and red from crying. She was wearing one of Travis's old hoodies, and her hands clutched the fabric tightly.
"Taylor..." Brittany began, sitting on the edge of the bed cautiously.
"I can't do this," Taylor blurted out, cutting her off. "I can't keep pretending I'm okay. I'm not. And I hate her. Dr. Caroline. She wants to ruin everything. She wants to take Travis away from me."
Brittany frowned. "Dr. Caroline isn't trying to take Travis away. She's trying to help."
"She doesn't understand!" Taylor's voice rose, her hands trembling. "Nobody does! Travis is the only one who gets it. If I lose him... I'll lose everything. I can't-"
The sound of security radios crackling outside the room interrupted her. Brittany froze, her eyes darting toward the door.
"Taylor..." Brittany started, but Taylor was already on her feet, storming to the door.
She yanked it open to find two security guards escorting Dr. Caroline out of the house. Taylor's fury boiled over.
"I told you to get her out of here!" Taylor screamed at the guards. "Why is she still here?"
Dr. Caroline looked at Taylor with a mix of sympathy and frustration. "Taylor, please-"
"No!" Taylor cut her off. "You don't get to talk to me. You're not welcome here. You're the reason I can't breathe. You're the reason everything feels worse!"
Dr. Caroline tried to respond, but Taylor stepped forward, her fists clenched. "If you ever come near me or my family again, I'll-"
"Taylor!" Brittany grabbed her arm, pulling her back.
Dr. Caroline sighed, shaking her head. "Taylor, you can't keep pushing everyone away. This isn't just about Travis. It's about you. You're drowning, and if you don't let someone help-"
"Get her out!" Taylor screamed, pointing at the door.
The guards quickly escorted Dr. Caroline outside. The door slammed shut, and Taylor collapsed onto the floor, shaking and sobbing.
Brittany knelt beside her, unsure of what to say. "Taylor... you're going to push Travis too far. You're going to push everyone too far."
Taylor shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "I don't care. I just need him. I just need him to love me."
YOU ARE READING
Under His Protection
RomansaTravis Kelce (22) is a powerful mafia boss who controls the city from the shadows. While feared and respected by everyone, his life is a lonely one. He often visits a specific bar as a way to escape his dangerous world. Taylor(21) is a bartender wor...
