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possible to stay in the same apartment with Egan after this, she thought miserably. She’d just have to check into a hotel until he left. Having to put up with his incessant verbal aggression was bad enough; but when he started threatening to make it physical, that was the end. The very end.
    The conceited beast—to accuse her of being so vulnerable that she’d jump into his bed at the first opportunity. She groaned as she recalled the touch of his hands on her hips, the wild tremors that had run through her untried body. She gritted her teeth. She’d have to get away from him. Because what if he did that again? The real problem was telling Ada she was leaving without spoiling the poor girl’s Christmas.

Chapter Four
    K ati had half her clothes in her suitcase by the time Ada came home from her tryout. She still hadn’t decided what she was going to do, beyond checking into a hotel down the street. She knew for certain that she couldn’t take one more night of Egan.
    “What are you doing?” Ada asked hesitantly, pausing in the doorway of Kati’s room.
    “Cleaning out my drawers,” came the terse reply.
    Ada cleared her throat. “Where are you taking what was in them?”
    “To a hotel.”
    Ada leaned back against the doorjamb wearily. “Egan came home.”
    “How did you ever guess?” Kati asked pleasantly. She closed the lid of the suitcase.
    “You’re adults,” Ada argued. “Surely you should be able to get along just during Christmas holidays? Peace on earth?”
    “There is no peace where your brother is,” Kati said vehemently. She tossed back a strand of hair and glared across the room. “I find it no less than miraculous that he can get people to work for him at all!”
    The other woman sighed. “Amazingly enough, most of the hands have been with him for years. He has hardly any turnover.” She glanced at Kati. “And he gets along wonderfully with women, as a rule. Polite, courteous, attentive—”
    “We are talking about the same man?” Kati had to ask. “The big ugly one who’s been staying here for two days and one night?”
    Ada shook her head, laughing. “Oh, Kati. Kati.” She moved out into the hall. “You win. I’ll pack, too. We’ll let Egan have the apartment and we’ll both go to a hotel.”
    “Now hold on,” Kati protested. “It’s Christmas, and he’s your brother, and the whole point of asking him here—”
    “Was not to ruin your Christmas, believe it or not,” Ada said gently. “You’re like a sister to me. How can I let you leave alone?”
    Kati bit her lower lip and stared helplessly at the suitcase. She didn’t know what to do anymore.
    “Maybe if you pretend he’s not here?” Ada suggested softly.
    Kati looked up. “He won’t let me. He keeps making horrible remarks, he says…” Her face flushed, and she couldn’t meet the curious look in her friend’s eyes. “He has this strange idea about where I get material for my books.”
    “Suppose I talk to him?”
    “That would make it worse.” She moved the suitcase aside and sat down heavily. “I’ll stay. I can’t come between the two of you, not at Christmas.”
    “You’re a doll.” Ada grinned.
    “I wish I were. Maybe then he’d let me alone,” came the muttered reply.
    “Just treat him like someone you’ve never met before,” Ada suggested.
    “That’s an idea.”
    “Anything’s worth trying once.”
    “Yes. Where do you keep the arsenic?”
    “Shame on you! It’s Christmas!”
    “All right, I’m easy,” Kati agreed. “Where’s the holly stake?”
    Ada threw up her hands and left the room.
    It was late that evening when Egan came in, looking disheveled and out of sorts. He glared at Kati as if every ill in the world could be laid at her feet.
    “We, uh, saved you some supper, Egan,” Ada said.
    “I’m not hungry,” he returned gruffly, but his eyes still didn’t leave Kati.
    “I’ll bring you some coffee,” Kati said pleasantly and with a polite smile.
    Egan