Falling Softly: Compass Girls, Book 4 by Mari Carr & Jayne Rylon Page B

if she were scum. “Sterling hasn’t lied. I believe you are my father.”
    Sterling wobbled as she got to her feet and crossed the room. She reached out to Viho, but he shoved her away. She tripped, skidding across the polished wood floor, hugging her stomach.
    “Stop this!” Hope draped over her, shielding her. She glared at Viho. “You may hate her right now, but don’t fuck up too badly or you’ll never know your own child. Don’t hurt the mother of your baby.”
    “Excuse me?” Sam whipped around from where he’d braced Jake, either to keep him from rampaging or crushing Viho in a hug; Sterling had no idea at this point.
    “Sterling?” Cindi’s eyes were wide and her mouth hung open at the chaos around them all.
    Sterling crawled out of the midst of the insanity, then clung to the doorframe as she found her feet. A room full of Comptons had never managed to be so quiet. Until now.
    Good thing too because she could hardly manage a sarcastic whisper. “Yes, I’m knocked up. Hooray.”
    When it seemed like everyone in the room would rush her, except Viho, who might as well have been turned to stone for all he moved, Vivi headed them off. She stepped in between Sterling and the rest of the commotion. “You will leave her alone. Let her think. Everyone calm down. This is not how I raised my family to behave. Sit your asses down. All of you.”
    Even Sterling took a step forward, but Vivi shook her head. “I think you should go outside and get some air. The barn has a good track record for helping people think things through.”
    Dazed, Sterling nodded.
    She dodged Viho without meeting his stare and bolted before anyone could stop her.

Chapter Eight
    “Why don’t you come in, Viho?” Cindi Compton reached out to him, drawing him into their nest. He’d never felt so out of place in his life. Not even on the reservation, where he knew people feared him and what his leadership could mean to their conservative ways, though he never planned to stake any claim. That was why he’d left.
    “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” He shook his head, keeping his feet planted.
    “What the hell were you doing here?” Jake stood, his fists balled.
    “I heard shouting. I thought something might be wrong with Sterling. Or Mrs. Compton.” He blinked, speaking as mechanically as a robot. Was this really happening?
    “Did you come to Compass Ranch to extort me? Or to make me pay by hurting Sterling? Because I’ve treated her like my own daughter when I thought…” Jake swallowed hard.
    “What?” Viho rocked onto his heels. The last of his childish hopes for a cheerful reunion smashed as surely as the blooms scattered on the floor. His own father thought so little of him. He supposed he’d given the guy no reason to think otherwise. “I wouldn’t—”
    “Jake,” Sam Compton barked at his friend, grabbing the guy’s arm. “Think about what you’re saying. This isn’t you.”
    “Where is she?” Jake pressed on as if he hadn’t heard the sage advice.
    “Sterling?” Viho could hardly think of anyone else. She was pregnant? Right now. With his child? She’d looked so scared. Horrified, actually.
    “No. Your mother. Where is Haiwee?” Jake leaned forward, straining the limits of Sam Compton’s strength as he snarled.
    More sadness piled on Viho’s shoulders. They were ox-like, but they could only take so much. This might be his limit. “Gone. Dead. Two months ago. Cancer.”
    “No!” Jake howled. He smashed his fists into the table repeatedly. “No.”
    The longer Viho stood there, watching the surreal scene in front of him, the angrier he got. At the selfish man he no longer cared much about knowing. At the woman he’d respected and duped himself into thinking he might be falling for—or could, if he stuck around.
    All his life he’d worked on keeping his temper in check, knowing people mistrusted him simply because of who he was and how overgrown he was. His mother had drummed the