“I’m staying,” he repeated, glaring at me.
“I’m too tired to argue with you. Fine, stay. You can help Ash make up the couch. You know where the clean sheets are.”
She stomped off through another door which I guessed led to the bedroom.
As soon as the door closed, Collin scowled at me.
“If you lay a finger on my girlfriend, I’ll . . .”
“She said you broke up.”
He stopped mid-sentence, looking irritated and uneasy.
“It was a misunderstanding.”
“She was very clear.”
“Just stay away from her! Or else!”
And he glared threateningly. I shook my head with amusement and disbelief.
“Man, I’ve been beaten up by Bratva and had a gun pushed in my face. But you? Laney has more balls than you. Or maybe you gave her yours. If you find them, let me know.”
Collin’s face turned purple and his lips peeled back from his teeth. If he was trying to look intimidating, he was failing. He just looked like a balloon that was about to burst.
“You punk! You think I’m going to let a slick operator like you into her life? I think you’re making it all up! There isn’t a mark on you!”
I laughed. I couldn’t help it. The prick was pretty damn funny. In fact, I was laughing so hard, I didn’t hear Laney come back into the room.
“What’s going on?”
“Your friend,” Collin sneered. “He isn’t right in the head.”
My laugh died stone cold dead. “You’re a fucking prick!”
“Boys!” Laney yelled, raising her arms between us. “Stop this! I’m tired and really, really past this juvenile macho posturing nonsense.” She pointed a finger at Collin. “One more word, and you’ll be out that door so fast you’ll have rug burns on your ass. And you,” she scowled at me, “just . . . stop.”
She threw a pillow which I caught one-handed.
“The bathroom is through my bedroom, so if you want to wash up, go do it now or you can pee out the window for all I care!”
I tossed the pillow onto the couch and walked into Laney’s bedroom. I frowned at the sight of her bed. I didn’t like the idea of the prick sleeping with her. Especially not while I was on the couch next door.
I grabbed my toothbrush from our Vegas bag and washed up quickly. I peeled off my shirt and almost dropped it in the clothes hamper before I remembered that this was just a temporary stop. I wondered where I’d be sleeping tomorrow night. In a cell, if Laney’s father had his way.
Then I ran a hand over the thick stubble covering my cheeks and chin that was starting to itch. I decided to go buy a razor in the morning . . .
Fuck! I’d have to ask Laney for the money to buy a fucking disposable razor until I could access my bank account and transfer some money. And I had no idea how that was going to work without ID, but I was too tired to worry about it now.
I walked out of the bathroom, glaring at Laney’s bed again, then headed for the couch. I saw Collin’s eyes widen and his cheeks flush as he took in the black, yellow and purple bruises covering my chest, stomach and arms.
I glanced at Laney and saw her watching me with concerned eyes.
“How’s your back?”
I shrugged. “Okay, I think.”
“Let me look. Sit on the couch—I’ve got some antiseptic cream to put on.”
“I’m fine.”
“Shut up. Sit down. And stop pissing me off!”
I sat, ignoring the shocked gasp as Collin saw my back for the first time. I figured it must look pretty bad. I just knew that it hurt like a bitch.
Collin left the room, and I didn’t know if it was because he was a pussy, or pissed to see his (maybe) girlfriend rubbing ointment onto another man’s back.
Both, I hoped. But her kindness was fresh and unexpected. Touching. She was genuine, real.
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” said Laney.
“What?”
“You’re enjoying annoying Collin.”
I didn’t even bother trying to deny it. “He’s a prick.”
“He’s not all bad . . .”
“You said you broke up with him.”
“Technically, yes.”
“Then tell him to leave.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Why not? It’s your apartment.”
Laney sighed. “Well, for one thing, he’d call my dad . . .”
“Prick.”
“And for another, we really should talk.”
“He’s still a prick.”
“Ash! Stop it!”
I was silent. I could hear the tiredness and distress in her voice. After everything she’d done for me, I didn’t want to hurt her. And I didn’t know anything about their relationship except what she’d said and what I’d seen for myself.
But her hands were soft and soothing as she rubbed in the cream, and it took away some of the pain. I couldn’t help leaning into her touch. She still smelled like coconut, although more faintly now. Her fingers drifted down my back, just above the waistband of my jeans, stroking, healing.
And then her hands were gone.
“I’ll see you in the morning,” she said. “Sleep well.”