Three Fates

opened the door, and he forgot the beer and his carefully outlined approach.
    “You’ve cut your hair.” Without thinking, he reached out to dance his fingers over the short ends of it. “Just look at you.”
    She didn’t jerk back. That was the willpower she’d been working on for hours. But she stepped back, stiffly. “Come in, Malachi. Set your bags down,” she invited. “I hope your flight went well.”
    “It was fine. It suits you, you know. The hair. You look wonderful. I missed seeing you, Tia.”
    “Do you want a drink?”
    “I would, please. I’m sorry, I haven’t even thanked you for fronting me the means to fly over.”
    “It’s business.” She turned and walked into the kitchen.
    “You’ve changed more than your hair.”
    “Maybe.” Assuming he’d prefer a beer, as his brother did, she pulled one out of the refrigerator, shifted to get a glass from the cupboard. “Maybe I’ve had to.”
    “I’m sorry, Tia, for the way I handled things.”
    Proud of herself, she popped the top of the beer and poured it into the glass without the slightest tremor in her hand. “The way you handled me, you mean.”
    “Yes. I could make excuses for it.” He took the glass she held out to him. Waited for her gaze to meet and hold his. “I could even make you accept them, but I won’t bother. I regret lying to you more than I can tell you.”
    “There’s no point in hashing it over at this stage.” She started to walk back into the living room and stopped when he stepped over to block her.
    “It wasn’t all a lie.”
    Though her color came up, her voice was cool and brisk. “There’s no point in discussing that either. We have a mutual interest, and a mutual claim, on a particular piece of art. I intend to use my resources, and yours, to get it back. That’s all there is to discuss.”
    “You’re making it easier on me.”
    “Oh?” She cocked her head to what she hoped was a sarcastic angle. “How?”
    “By not being vulnerable, I don’t have to worry so much about bruising you.”
    “I had thin skin once. That doesn’t seem to be one of my problems anymore. Now, house rules.” This time she skirted quickly around him and began to breathe easier as soon as she had some distance. “No smoking in the apartment. You can use the terrace or, as Gideon is just now, the roof. He and Cleo had a good case of cabin fever working up, so I suggested they use the roof for a while. It’s not as confining as the terrace, and it’s safe.”
    He started to tell her he and his brother would go to a hotel, then changed his mind. If she wasn’t bothered, why should he be?
    “I quit smoking two years ago, so it’s not a problem for me.”
    “Good, you’ll live longer. You clean up after yourself, and that includes dishes, laundry, papers, whatever. I like a tidy space. You’ll have to sleep on the couch, as Gideon and Cleo have the spare bed. That means you’ll have to be prepared to get up at a reasonable hour in the morning.”
    Because she was starting to sound more like Tia, he began to enjoy himself and sat on the arm of the couch. “What’s reasonable?”
    “Seven.”
    “Ouch.”
    “You and Gideon will have to work out a shower schedule. You’ll have use of the small bathroom. Cleo can share mine, but it and my bedroom are off limits to you and your brother. Clear enough?”
    “Crystal, darling.”
    “I’m keeping a record of expenses. The flight, of course, and food, any other transportation. You will pay me back.”
    That irritated him enough to have him push to his feet. “We fully intend to pay you back. We’re not leeches. I can get a bank loan and clear it up straightaway.”
    Feeling small, she turned away. “That’s not necessary. I’m angry with you. I can’t help it.”
    “Tia—”
    “Don’t.” Alerted by the gentle tone, she whirled back. “Don’t soothe me. I can be angry with you and do what needs to be done. I’m very good at working around unstable emotions. Now, do you cook?”
    He raked a hand through his hair. “After a fashion.”
    “Good, Cleo doesn’t. That leaves you, Gideon, me and takeout. Now we can—” She broke off, glancing over as she heard the key in the lock.
    Cleo came in first, looking a bit sweaty, outrageously sexy and suspiciously rumpled. Her smile was slow and considering as she sized up Malachi. “So, this must be big brother.”
    “Mal.” Gideon strode in behind her, and the two men caught each other in a hard,