Laney’s father looked annoyed to hear his own words thrown back at him. But he wasn’t giving up. In fact, I was certain he was only just starting.
“According to Immigration records, Alja? Novak left the country a month ago. You have no idea who this man really is.”
“They took my passport,” I growled, starting to stand.
“Sit down!”
Laney’s dad barked out the command, but Laney stared angrily.
“Dad,” she said in a warning voice.
I glanced at her again before sitting on the edge of the couch, hot blood hammering through my body. Those fucking bastards! God knows who was using my passport. Hell, it could be anything, drugs, guns, people smuggling. I felt sick at the thought.
“He can’t prove who he is,” Laney’s father snapped.
“I can!” I spat out. “Go to the Slovene Dancesport Federation website—they’ll have my picture.”
Laney pulled out her phone and did a quick search, smiling when she immediately found my photograph, showing it to her father.
“Well,” he coughed. “That’s something. We can check the rest with your Embassy.”
“I’m not a liar,” I said angrily, staring right back at him.
Suddenly the front door swung open, making everyone jump.
The newcomer was the guy from the photograph. He was bigger than me, but whatever muscle he’d had was now lost in a large gut and two chins.
“Collin!” Laney’s mouth dropped open. “What are you doing here?”
He froze mid-step and glared at her.
“Are you serious?”
“I asked him to come,” said Laney’s father, a puzzled look on his face as he studied his daughter’s anger.
“I came because I care about you,” Collin said stiffly, his gaze shifting to me.
I tried to keep a neutral expression, but hell, after three seconds I could tell that the guy was a first class prick. Any man worthy of the name would have been on his knees with relief, telling Laney that he loved her and would kill anyone who hurt her, then move heaven and earth to be with her. Not standing there like he had a stick up his ass. Douche.
I liked swearing in American, and my vocabulary had grown since I’d roomed with Gary.
Assface. Dickwad. Douche canoe.
I leaned back and folded my arms, staring at Laney’s tool of a boyfriend, or ex-boyfriend, or whatever the fuck he was.
Collin turned to look at Laney. “I thought I should be here after what you’ve been through. You shouldn’t be alone.”
“I’m not,” she said coolly. “I have Ash.”
Laney’s father and the prick started shouting while I looked at Laney in surprise. Again.
“Well, where did you think he was going to stay?” she asked impatiently when the yelling had calmed a bit. “He can’t exactly check into a hotel.” Then she pinned her father with a fierce stare. “And please don’t tell me you were thinking of accommodating him in a cell for the night!”
“He’s not staying here!”
“He most certainly is!”
“But . . .”
“I’m not arguing about this, Dad.”
Her father jutted his chin out. “All the more reason for Collin to be here,” he grunted. “You’ve no idea what this man might . . .”
“We’ve just spent the last two days together,” Laney replied tersely. “Including sharing a hotel room last night. I think I know Ash pretty well by now.”
Collin was silent but his face turned bright red.
“Oh for goodness sake,” Laney sighed. “We didn’t sleep together!”
I shifted uncomfortably on the couch, drawing all eyes to me.
“Fine, we shared a bed because that was all the hotel had,” Laney confessed. “But that’s all!”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Collin ground out.
“Neither is Ash,” Laney replied.
Her father coughed and looked at his watch.
“You both need to come in and make a statement about the gun incident . . .”
I felt a flare of anxiety. I still wasn’t sure I trusted the police.
“And about what happened to Ash,” Laney said quickly.
“Fine,” said her father, narrowing his eyes at me. “Be at the station at oh-nine hundred and . . .”
“Dad! It’s two in the morning! I’m going to sleep late, followed by a very long soak in the tub. Don’t expect us until after lunch, and don’t send anyone over because I won’t be answering the door.”
Her dad growled and huffed some more, but then he pulled her into a tight hug and muttered something in her ear that made Laney’s eyes turn glassy with tears.
“Love you, too, Dad. And don’t worry, I’m fine. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Her father left, and the three of us were alone.
Laney held up her hand as Collin started to speak.
“Collin, I’m tired and kind of pissed at you right now. I’m fairly sure that the last thing you said to me before I went to Las Vegas was ‘I’m done’.”
Yep, proved what I thought: Collin was a douche.
“I was angry,” Collin muttered.
“I already got the memo on that,” Laney shot back. Then she relented, rubbing her eyes until they were red. “Look, we’ll talk in the morning.”