Jasper (Devil's Ranyne MC Book 3)

chapter 2

Present day
Jasper

"Hey, man long time."

"Hey, jay" I hear Abel say on the other side of the phone. "I'm back in Georgia visiting my parent. I went to the hotel to check in..."

"Okay?" I'm not sure why he's telling me about checking into a hotel.

"The one Adeline manages." He sighs.

"Ohh" is my only response as I look over at the sleeping woman in my bed. I didnt know addie was working at a hotel, all she ever talked about was being an  addiction counselor, thats a pretty far leap.

It feels wrong talking about addie after spending the night buried in someone else. I stand and make my way out into the hall. "Yeah man, ummm I haven't been in town for a few years. I know I promised to keep in touch with her, but she stopped taking my calls. Whenever I was in town I'd call Cara, but she always said addie didn't want to see me."

"What's going on abel?"

"I don't know man, all i know is she's beat up. The bruises on her face are barely visible through the make up, but the ones I saw on her wrists when she reached for my keys look bad." He sighs "I'm sorry man, i don't know what's going on. I just wanted to call and tell you. I know it's been over fifteen years, she's not really your problem. I just couldn't keep it to myself."

"No I'm happy you called. What did she say to you?" I ask him as I look down at my right hand where the pinky promise ring still sits after all this time. Addie might think I broke my promise to her, but I didn't. I never stopped loving her, I did what was best for her by never going back to Georgia, or so I thought before this conversation.

"She really didn't say much, she's so.... different. Like I know she had a really shitty childhood, but she was always happy back then. She just seems so detached. She just checked me in and told me to have a nice stay before focusing back on the computer."

"I'm coming," i tell him.

"Here?"

"Yeah, back to Georgia. I just need to know she's okay."

"You think she's going to be alright with that?" He ask and I can tell by the sound of his voice he knows as well as I do she won't.

"Doesn't matter." I shake my head like he can see me. "If she's in some type of trouble I need to help her."

"Okay," he sighs.

After getting the girl out of my room and packing a bag I know I have to talk to prez. He wanted to know who addie was to me. I told him the truth, the girl I should have never pushed away. Even after all these years I wish things could have been different with my peach.

He insisted I take snow with me. Honestly, it's probaly for the best five years in prison was enough for me. Prez made sure we both had bikes waiting for us at the airport too. After a two hour drive we pull into the hotel parking lot.

There's a teen boy sitting at the front desk. "Hey, kid." I say when we walk up.

He looks up from his phone briefly before responding. "She'll be up here in a minute."

"Okay then..."

"Mom!" The kid yells.

"Just a minute!" I hear the voice I still recognized after all these years. Then I look from the boy to where her voice came from. Did he say 'mom'? She has a kid? When the fuck did that happen?

"Hi, I'm sorry. What can I-" she stops speaking when she makes eye contact with me. "Why are you here?"

I smile at her, "Hey peach. Been a long time."

She narrows her eyes. "Don't call me that." I notice the marks on her face abel mentioned and my fists immediately ball up. I look to the kid. His face seems bruise free but his knuckles are another story.

"What happened to you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. I don't have a reservation for you and we're booked for the night." She says looking down at her computer screen letting her hair fall to cover her face.

"It's under Lukas Myers, ma'am" snow steps in placing his license on the counter.

"California" she huffs after looking at the license, but refusing to look at me. "Okay I have you down for two king rooms. Is that correct?"

"Yes, ma'am" snow answers. I watch as she types away in her computer.

"Okay, could I please see the credit card you put on file?" He hands it over to her when her blazer sleeve rises I see the bruising on her wrists. I grab her hand before she can pull it back over the counter and push her sleeve up.

"What happened to you Adeline?"

I see the kid rise to his feet uut of the corner of my eye. "You're gonna let go of her." He narrows his eyes at me. I'm sure there's allot of people who are actually intimated by this kid. His face is the only thing that gives away his age, he's tall and well built, he could probaly pass for twenty if he grew some facial hair.

Addie pulls her hand from my grip and ignores my question "You're in room 104 and 106. Breakfast starts at six AM. The pools open twenty four hours along with the gym. Press zero on your phone if you need anything it will connect you to the front desk." She says swiping the key cards to activate then she hands them along with the license and credit card all to snow. "Enjoy your stay" she says with fake enthusiasm.

"Peach," I whisper trying to mask the pain in my voice.

"Enjoy your stay, Mr. Marchetti." She says trying to dismiss me.

I move my attention over to her son who looks confused. "Hey, I'm Jasper. I used to be friends with your mom." I hear addie scoff but continue anyway. "Mind telling me why she's got all the bruises on her?"

"I have it under control." He crosses his arms over his chest.

"You see, I got a call from a concerned friend. I can help."

"Fucking abel" I hear her sigh. "If you're here has anything to do with me, I suggest you do what you're good at and walk the fuck away. I don't need your help, more importantly I don't want it."

"Well I'm not leaving until I find out what the hell is going on."

"It's none of your God damn buisness" she sneers before moving her attention to her son when the phone rings. "Mav can you get that?"

"Sure," he says turning around d to grab the phone.

"Please, just go," she whispers to me.

"I can help, addie."

"Please," she asks again.

I give her a shrug. "I'll go to my room, but I'm not leaving Georgia until I know you're safe." I tell her with so much conviction in my voice there's no denying the truth in my words. I will stay here as long as I have to.

"Just go home, jay " she sighs.

"Have a goodnight, peach." I tell her as I grab my bag and make my way down the hall towards my hotel room.

"You think it's the kid?" Snow asks once we're out of their ear shot.

I shake my head. "No he seemed protective over her. If I had to guess, I'd say her face is the reason his knuckles look like that. Maybe his dad or someone addie is seeing. I'm not sure."

"Okay, so what's the plan then?"

"I have to get her to trust me again."

Snow snorts, "good luck with that."

"Yeah," I sigh. "See you in the moring."