"You okay?" Colby asked as I got back in the car with Juniper's teddy bear.
It was now wet since I washed the blood off of it in the sink since I didn't want Juniper to see her favorite bear covered in blood.
"Yeah. Here, love." I said and reached back to give the bear to Juniper. "Where are we going?" Sam asked with a yawn.
"We're gonna drive for a while then we're gonna stay at a hotel." Colby explained and started to pull out of the driveway.
I had to admit that I was close to breaking down again, feeling the anxiety of knowing we were leaving and being open to the public.
Everyone knew where we were and they could always be watching us.
I trusted Colby with my life and I knew the kids did also.
We drove for a while before Colby pulled into the parking lot of a nice looking hotel. "I'm gonna go get us a room, wait here." Colby said and looked over at me.
"Okay." I said quietly and looked back to see that Juniper, Sam, Carter, and Maisie were fast asleep.
"Jen, I'm so sorry." I said quietly as she shook her head. "It's not your fault, Julia. I know it feels like it, but you aren't at fault." She said as I sighed.
"If I was more careful this wouldn't have happened." I said and looked down at my swollen wrist.
"I promise I will make things right." I said as Colby came back with a cart for us to put our stuff on. I got out of the car so I could get all the kids up and situated.
I would need help carrying Juniper in since we also had Maisie but I assumed Colby would grab one of the girls.
"Carter....Sam..." I whispered and shook their shoulders gently as Jenna helped Colby get everything out of the car. "Where are we?" Carter mumbled as they both slowly woke up.
"The hotel. You just have to get up to the room then you can sleep." I said and started unhooking Maisie's carseat so I could bring her upstairs.
I knew she would probably be waking up soon to eat but I wanted her to at least be upstairs before she did.
Once our stuff was packed onto the cart, Colby grabbed Juniper and we made our way up to the room.
I wasn't expecting anything fancy but in true Colby fashion he got the biggest and most luxurious room possible.
"Goodnight guys." I said to the three older kids as they each found their own rooms. "Goodnight, Jule." They all mumbled then went into their rooms while Colby brought Juniper to hers.
"Looks like it's just us." I said to Maisie as she began to fuss. "I know you're hungry. Let's let you eat." I said then brought her to the master bedroom so I could feed her.
I sat on the bed and closed my eyes, trying to calm myself down from the terrifying night we all had.
"How's our girl?" Colby asked as he came into the room with the basinet and Maisie's stuff. "She was hungry." I said quietly and kept my eyes on her.
"I bet. She was sleeping really well in the car." He said as I nodded. "She usually does." I hummed as he set the basinet up.
"Did you wanna talk about it?" Colby asked after a moment of silence. I shook my head, keeping my head down.
I just wanted to live in this moment.
A quiet moment where I was feeling my sweet daughter.
I didn't want to talk about what happened because it would make it all the more real. It would remind me that there was always going to be violence and fear in our daughter's life.
Even if I tried to stay away from the crime world.
Once Maisie was fed, we got her changed and got her situated in her basinet.
It had been such an eventful night that she was quickly rocked asleep, so we were left in complete silence.
"I'm gonna get a glass of water." I said quietly then made my way out of the room. I walked down the hallway and went towards the little kitchen.
I grabbed a glass then filled it before walking towards the windows overlooking a city I didn't know.
My heart ached and my soul was cracking at the fact that I felt so out of control. I was scared to death of the future because I didn't know what we were supposed to do.
I felt a tear trickle down my cheek as Colby wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me flush against his body.
"I know you're scared." Colby said gently as I started to actually cry. "Shhh...I've got you." He said and tightened his grip on me.
"I don't know what to do." I said as tears trickled down my cheeks. "About what, sweetheart?" He asked as I turned to face him.
"I clearly have to make a choice and fast. We have to make decisions and move faster than expected." I explained.
Colby looked at me with concerned but soft eyes as he gently took my hand, causing me to flinch from the pain.
"Your wrist is bothering you." He said with a matter of fact tone. "Yeah, it is." I said then sniffled.
"I just don't want to drag the kids to the hospital and frankly I don't really want to go to one." I said as he sighed slightly.
"Just wait right here for just a minute. I'll be back and we can talk more about this." He said as I frowned.
"Where are you going?" I asked with more fear than I was intending.
"I'll be right back, darling. Don't worry." He said then kissed my forehead before turning towards the door that would lead him out of the hotel room completely.
I sighed then went to put my water back in the kitchen before going back to the room so I could check on Maisie.
Life felt like it was crumbling once again but seeing my sweet daughter peacefully sleeping gave me a sense of comfort.
"Jules." Colby whispered, causing me to turn to him. "Come on." He said then nudged his head so I could follow him.
"Where'd you get that?" I asked and gestured to the first aid kit in his hand. "I keep it in my car." He said then led the way to the couch in the living room area.
"Smart." I said as he sat down then patted the couch next to him.
"I don't know if you'll be able to fix it." I said and held up my limp, swollen, and bruised wrist. "Probably not but when we get back to LA Nate can fix it up for you." He explained.
"Is that our plan?" I asked as he gently took my wrist, straightening it out. I whimpered at the pain, closing my eyes.
"I know, I'm sorry." Colby whispered and kissed my hand, before grabbing a large bandage wrap. "It's fine. I went through labor without pain meds." I said with a sigh and opened my eyes.
"So...our plan is to go to LA?" I asked again.
"I think for the time being it's the best way to protect Maisie and the kids. I know it sounds dumb because we're going right into place the people who are out to get you are. The guys are also there though and they can help us." He said as I nodded.
"It makes sense. While we are there we can look for houses. I just have to assert my dominance again so people learn to stop fucking with me." I said as he chuckled.
"I think everyone should know by now to not fuck with you but some of these guys are hard headed." He said and carefully wrapped my wrist up.
"I just need you to promise me you won't go off and do anything stupid again. I know you can handle it but we're a team, Jules. We do things together." He said as I nodded. "You and me forever." I said causing him to grin.
"I'm sorry it has to be like this, Jules. I really am." He said as I nodded. "I know you are. It's not your fault though. We just need to protect Maisie." I said as a shiver ran down my spine.
My mind raced with the possibility of someone taking her away from us.
I knew we would get her back and kill anyone and everyone in the process, but I didn't want to live with the possibility of her being away from us for even a second.
"I know that look." Colby said gently, finishing up my arm. "What look?" I asked as he leaned over and kissed my cheek.
"Nobody is going to hurt or take Maisie. Neither of us will let that happen." He said as I nodded. "I don't like even being away from her right now. What if someone is here?" I asked as he stood up.
"Nobody is here. We're gonna get to bed then we'll wake up and start our journey back to LA. We'll figure this all out together." He said then helped me stand up. "Okay." I said quietly and took his hand.
I didn't like the idea of going back to LA so soon and with our two week old but Colby and I both knew it was going to have to happen.
We would get through it though.
Together.