Falling Softly: Compass Girls, Book 4

by Mari Carr

  Chapter Four

  And wasn’t that just fucking perfect?

  Viho banged his head on the bed of the truck. Not only had he managed to break down near the one town in the whole damn state he’d tried like hell to avoid, but he’d also fucking fucked the daughter of one of the very few men on Earth that he hated. And not in some messed-up revenge scheme sort of way, either. He wasn’t that kind of asshole.

  He stared at his still half-hard dick—which really appreciated the view of Sterling’s pert ass peeking from behind the door of her Jeep despite the bomb she’d inadvertently dropped—and cursed it for liking the young woman so much.

  Young.

  Woman.

  She had to be fifteen years his junior. Had he let that stop him when she’d offered herself up like the most delicious and unexpected treat he’d ever devoured?

  Sure hadn’t.

  Now he would pay. This is what happened when you ignored common sense.

  Yet some part of him figured it’d probably been worth all the trouble sleeping with her was about to cause him. Because it had been amazing. She had been. The sex too, but mostly her. Adventurous, sweet, generous, wild…everything he’d ever wanted in a woman.

  And she had to be a damn Compass Girl.

  Fuck my life.

  At least his mother wasn’t around to see him screw up so majorly after being cautious the rest of his life. He fingered the blanket she’d woven, one of her favorites. Heart heavy, he didn’t hear Sterling scrambling back toward him until she’d leapt into the truck bed.

  She snatched her skirt and delicate top from the floor and dusted them off as best she could before slipping into them. He mourned the loss of the view while she covered up her pale, petal-soft skin.

  “Aren’t you going to get dressed?” She gaped at him. Every hint of the doe-eyed innocence she’d aimed at him minutes ago vanished. “Seriously, Jade texted me Code Red twenty-five minutes ago. My dad probably stopped by the main house for something, ran into my cousins and figured out what was up. He could be here any second.”

  “I’m not ashamed of what we did. But I don’t want to cause you any trouble either.” Viho hated the disappointment creeping in. He tried not to allow people to let him down anymore. He reached into a giant duffle bag behind him and withdrew a clean shirt, tugging it over his head.

  He hopped over the side of the truck, then snagged his jeans and boots. He tugged them on, fastened the button with one hand, then vaulted back beside Sterling.

  She attempted to straighten her hair, which didn’t do much to erase the effects of their romp or the wind that had whipped through her open window earlier. He dug into the bag again and withdrew a bone comb.

  “Let me.” He sat with his legs crossed, tugging Sterling into the diamond between his crotch and his ankles. She fit perfectly in his hold.

  Taking his time, he swiped the stray hair from her forehead, aligning it down her back. It would have to suffice as a thank you, and a goodbye. At least from a personal perspective. Because in a few minutes, he’d have to put a hell of a lot of distance between them.

  It wasn’t safe for them to associate with each other.

  The least he could do was tend to her, soothing the disturbance he’d caused in her world in the past hour. Starting from the bottom, in the small of her back, he gently worked the tangles from her silky strands. Having long hair himself, he knew what it felt like to catch a snarl on a hastily wielded brush and he didn’t dare subject her to even that minor discomfort.

  It was bad enough that their afterglow had been obliterated.

  Sterling relaxed into his care as he hummed softly and tended to her. He admitted to himself that he made several unnecessary passes through her hair simply because he didn’t want to let her go any sooner than he had to.

  “Viho?” she asked softly.

  “Yeah.”

  “Why do you have all your things back here?” Her hand wandered blindly backward until she squeezed his knee. “Are you living out of your truck?”

  “I guess you could say I’m in transition.” Evasive maneuvers were in order.

  “Does that mean homeless?” she wondered. When she tried to turn and face him, he held her shoulders in place, pretending to comb imaginary knots.

  “Temporarily. I haven’t found where I’m supposed to be yet.” That was the truth. Drifting. He’d lost his anchor, like he’d told her before. Except he didn’t ever expect he’d find another home when the one person he’d cared about was gone. His mother. Dead.

  “Do you hear a motor?” Sterling perked up. She stood, glancing out onto the horizon. “Yep. Incoming. There they are.”

  “They?”

  “That’s Jake’s truck. He’s my dad’s best friend. Anyway, his rig is better for towing. My dad is the ranch’s business manager. Should have figured they’d come together. As if I need both of them giving me grief.”

  “Jake?” Viho would have banged his skull some more if Sterling hadn’t turned to look at him with her cute head tipped just a bit to the left. “Jake Cartwright?”

  “Yes. He’s worked on our ranch forever. More than twenty-five years. Even before my mom moved there while my dad was working in New York City. You seem to know a lot about our set up. Were you hoping for work? I’d be glad to put in a good word—”

  “No!” He waved her off. “No way. That’s not what this was about.”

  “Of course not, you didn’t know who I was… Well, I guess Sterling isn’t exactly a common name.” She frowned. “You didn’t know. Did you?”

  “Hell no.” Viho accidentally knocked into her shoulder as he bolted past and jumped down from the truck. “I don’t need to fuck the boss’s daughter to land a job. I wouldn’t take it even if they offered. Not in a million years. I just need a ride into town. I’ll figure something out from there.”

  “Hey, don’t freak out. It’s like you said, they don’t know what we were doing out here. And it’s not like my dad would shoot you for sleeping with me or something.” Sterling crossed her fingers mostly behind her back, probably thinking he couldn’t see.

  “We’re about to find out.” In approximately twenty seconds, the shit was going to hit the fan.

  If Jake recognized Viho…

  Odds were he wouldn’t.

  Viho prayed the guy wouldn’t.

  Over and over. And over.

  Because a confrontation of that magnitude was definitely not on his agenda for today.

  Then again, neither breaking down in the middle of nowhere nor finding an angel and fucking her on the side of the road had been either. Only the awesomeness of that last one helped ease the sting of the rest.

  Behind him, Sterling had realized she still was barefoot. She sprinted gingerly to her boots and stomped into them, hopefully behind the cover of his oafish body. Dual slams echoed through the wilderness, setting birds into flight from nearby scrubby bushes.

  “Sterling!” Sam Compton bellowed. More in question than greeting. The man glared at Viho as he approached, his face contorted into something mean until he caught sight of his daughter, who trotted over to meet him, perfectly unharmed.

  “Hi, Dad!” She hugged the tall guy—fit for his age and supposed bookishness—around his middle. “Thanks for coming.”

  “What the hell have you been doing out here that you couldn’t stop and answer your damn phone?” Sam returned his daughter’s hug with interest, nuzzling the crown of her head even as he berated her. He paused, sniffing her hair as if he could detect Viho’s scent on her.

  Don’t be paranoid, Chief.

  “I was trying to fix his engine, but it’s no good.” Sterling attempted to shrug where her father smothered her. “Be nice, Daddy.”

  The man looked up and his eyes held no sliver of the warmth he’d reserved for his daughter. Menacing, he practically snarl
ed.

  Viho took a deep breath and manned up. He approached the pair with his hand extended. “Nice to meet you, sir.”

  “Sam Compton.” He enveloped Viho with a grip that didn’t kid around. Viho returned the shake with interest.

  “Viho.” He didn’t dare give his surname. Not with Jake closing in from the other side of the truck. Viho didn’t dare so much as glance at the man. Though he had a desperate urge to steal a peek. It was too dangerous.

  If they recognized him, they’d surely leave him there to rot. And despite his wishes otherwise, he admitted that he needed their help. Damn them.

  Having met two of the cursed Comptons now, he could understand the draw. Part of him would never truly forgive Jake, but he could see where the whole family, their operation and this place, did have some allure.

  How could he think that? After a lifetime of bitterness, one interlude with a Compass siren couldn’t possibly alter his perspective, could it?

  His mother had always discouraged his rage. But he couldn’t help it.

  Despite her protests that Jake had never known. That she’d run off before telling him the truth. Viho just couldn’t understand. Because if he found someone to love, he’d never let them go so easily.

  And standing there now, all he could think was that his mother would have done anything to have witnessed this moment. While he would do anything to avoid it.

  “Viho?” Sterling nudged him, making him aware that he’d spaced out for a moment. “You okay?”

  “Sorry, it’s been a long day out here. Not as hot as it has been, but dry.” He offered up a lame facsimile of a smile and shrugged.

  He would have turned away but Sterling had to display her manners. “This is my honorary uncle, Jake.”

  And Viho couldn’t avoid it for another moment.

  The guy proffered his hand.

  Viho swallowed hard. He took a huge breath, then shook, allowing his gaze to wander up to the man’s face. He prepared for a million different emotions.

  Rage. Rejection. Disbelief. Sorrow.

  Instead, there was nothing.

  No hint of recognition.

  Polite indifference cut deeper than anything else could have.

  “Nice to meet you, son.” The guy shook hard.

  “Don’t call me that,” was all Viho could manage before yanking his arm back as if scorched. He spun on his heel and acted busy so he didn’t lose his mind. Hell, he was probably closer to Jake’s age than Sterling’s. Or at least it seemed that way. This whole situation was fucked up beyond belief.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sam shrug at his best friend. Sterling jogged to catch Viho as he rounded the hood and slammed it closed.

  “Play it cool. You’re acting weird for nothing.” She touched his elbow lightly. Again he shook her off.

  “It ain’t nothing. Maybe you all should leave me here and head back home,” he grumbled.

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” Sterling said at the same time her father approached and asked, “You worried about money?”

  Viho grunted, “Can’t say I have anything to repay you with.”

  It was true.

  Plus, it might get rid of them sooner. There had to be a better Plan B.

  Except it seemed the ruder he was, the more they tried to kill him with kindness.

  “You look like a strong worker to me,” Jake piped up. “I’m always looking for guys willing to earn an honest paycheck. What do you do?”

  “Uh.” Somehow that caught him off guard.

  “If you don’t have skills we can train you, no problem.” Sam smiled kindly, not unlike his daughter. “It doesn’t take a lot of experience to muck stalls.”

  “I’m plenty capable of using a shovel. Actually, I do landscaping.” He wasn’t sure why he admitted that as he knocked his fist on the faded outline of the lettering he’d peeled off his truck last week when he’d left the reservation for good.

  “Did you hear that shit, Sam?” Jake laughed as he thumped himself on the chest.

  Was his ruse up? Did Jake actually know the truth?

  Viho froze.

  But Sterling twirled on her toes, grinning. “This is perfect! My grandmother has been harping on my dad to hire a gardener. Someone to restore her flowers around the main house. She…”

  Sterling went pale.

  “She’s ill,” Sam finished for her, reaching out to put a hand on his daughter’s shoulder. “Alzheimer’s. She keeps forgetting that we let the vegetable patch and flower garden go years ago.”

  He swallowed hard and looked to Jake.

  “Mrs. Compton would love to see her handiwork restored. What do you say? We’ll haul your truck in, give you a place to stay and a steady paycheck.” Jake offered. “It’s so late in the season now, you’ll have to order and place mature plants. Get everything winterized in a few months. Maybe stay on until spring to tend to the blooms. By then you’ll have yourself a new truck and can continue on your way.”

  Sterling grinned as she hugged Jake.

  The sight stole Viho’s ability to think rationally.

  Surreal.

  The whole day overwhelmed him.

  And he started to believe that childish dreams could come true. It was like he’d fallen down a rabbit hole. Part of him didn’t want to leave again, returning to a cold and empty world.

  So he watched from outside his body as some foolish part of him surrendered to wishful thinking and he muttered aloud, “I don’t have many other options, do I?”

  “Say yes,” Sterling urged him. The wicked light in her eyes alone should have scared him away. This was too dangerous of a game. And she didn’t even know they were playing it.

  But Viho supposed it didn’t matter. He could take the job if Jake really didn’t know who he was. Working on the ranch would be like stabbing himself repeatedly with a rusty knife. Some sick part of him was curious, though. What was the guy really like?

  Viho would find out. He’d do what he had to and then move on like he’d originally planned.

  With no one the wiser.

  Especially not Jake.

  “Okay.” He nodded. Against all his better judgment he croaked, “Yes. I accept. Thank you.”

  Sam Compton smiled. He squinted a bit as he looked from Viho to Jake then back again, but Sterling’s squeal distracted him. She clapped, then beamed up at her father. “This is going to be great. I can’t wait to tell Vivi.”

  And then her face fell.

  Her bottom lip trembled.

  All three men reached for her.

  “Shit. Dad.” Her voice broke. Viho wanted to hug her, but Sam beat him to it. “There’s something I have to tell you. I—I almost forgot.”

  She pressed a hand to her forehead as if she couldn’t believe it. And Viho knew that whatever had driven her into his arms was about to be out in the open.

  As intimate as they’d been with each other, he knew the other two men would think it weird if he butted in on family business, so he busied himself with preparing the truck for towing.

  Sam and Sterling stepped aside, lowering their voices as they shared whatever bad news it was she had to break to her father. From the way the guy sat, hard, in the dirt, Viho figured it was pretty terrible.

  Jake clearly wanted to join them, if the thousand times he glanced over his shoulder was any indication. Instead, he busted his ass, setting up the tow, presumably so they could get the hell home and figure out their business. In private.

  Quietly, the two guys worked together, Viho’s mind reeling from the sheer oddity of the feeling. He stepped in time to Jake, both of them doing things in the same way, as if they’d learned them together. In no time, they were ready to go.

  It was impossible to miss the trail of tears making silver streaks down Sterling’s face when he glanced over a
t her.

  “Ride with me?” she asked Viho as she passed by.

  “Of course.” He didn’t hesitate for a moment.

  “Thanks. I’ll be in the Jeep.” She sniffled, then strode away.

  Sam Compton joined Viho and Jake, looking rough himself. Gone was the jovial guy and the protective father. Instead, he kind of looked like he could use a hug himself.

  Viho could relate.

  The guy made it hard to hate him.

  Hard, but not impossible.

  They’d finished hooking the truck up and were rounding the back end when Sam glanced up in one final double-check. The way he stutter-stepped gave him away. He’d seen something he didn’t like. Viho couldn’t afford a disaster. The truck might be junk, but it—and the meager belongings it held—was all he had. Salvage value might get him a couple hundred bucks closer to the exit in this screwed up situation.

  He glanced at the connections, finding them solid, then tracked the Compass Brother’s line of sight. Straight to the torn wreckage of Sterling’s panties, which waved like a flag from the bed of the truck. When they’d jacked it up, the shifting gear had revealed the lacy carnage as clearly as a neon sign.

  Viho whipped his head around to find Sam staring at him now, with crossed arms that made him look more like an asskicker than a nerd. Viho offered up an awkward shrug before glancing away from the accusation in Sam Compton’s eyes and found something even more threatening in the knowing stare of Jake Cartwright.

  While Viho could brush off the raised hackles of a protective dad, it was a hell of a lot harder to dismiss a condemning glare from the one man who should have had his back unconditionally.

  Then again, he’d always known his father—Jake fucking Cartwright—had hated the very idea of him because the loser had never bothered to meet his own son. Or cared enough about the lovesick woman he’d ruined for life to find out why she’d disappeared in the middle of a random night and raced back to a family who’d disapproved of her “sordid” affair with someone outside their inner circle.

  Viho spun on his heel before he did something rash. Like deck the guy.