Eastern Lights (Compass 2)

She stood tall in her petite frame and pushed out an uncomfortable smile. “You must be Damian. I’m Catherine. I was Kevin’s wife. And this”—she gestured to the woman in a state of panic—“is Wilma. My sister.”

I would’ve said it was nice to meet them, but I wasn’t in the mood to lie. I wasn’t there to make nice; I was there to find out information about me, about my past. So I got straight to the point.

I brushed my thumb against the side of my nose and shrugged. “I was told you’d have another letter for me when I arrived.”

“Oh, yes. Yes. Of course. But first, do you want to go give your respects?” she asked as she looked down the aisle toward the casket.

“Nope.”

Wilma frowned as she tilted her head and studied me. “It’s remarkable. Truly. You are Kevin through and through.”

“I’m not him at all, lady,” I coldly shot back. I already knew she annoyed me, and I’d only spent five seconds in her company. I was pretty good at that—not liking people from the jump.

I looked back to Catherine. “The letter.”

“Oh right, I…” Her words fumbled off as she began sniffing the air. Yup. She was sniffing around like a damn dog trying to find a place to shit.

“What is that?” she asked.

“It smells like cigarette smoke!” Wilma expressed in an overreactive tone. “Oh, my goodness, Stella!” she screeched, turning to look at a woman around my age, sitting in a chair with her legs crossed, openly smoking a cigarette.

She was dressed in white.

If that wasn’t enough to give my cock a wakeup call that morning, nothing would.

“What in the hell do you think you’re doing, Stella?!” Catherine barked, rushing over to the girl, then snatching the cigarette from between her lips. She quickly exposed of it, and then pulled the rebel from the chair in haste. “What are you thinking? And what are you wearing? I put out a dress for you this morning!” she scolded.

Stella didn’t say a word. She just tilted her head and smirked in amusement.

Catherine stayed flustered as she pulled the woman my way while Wilma tried to fan the smell of smoke away. I should’ve given her a peppermint to put toward her actions.

“I apologize on the interruption caused by my daughter, Stella. She was Kevin’s step-daughter. Stella, this is Kevin’s son, Damian,” Catherine explained. “He’s your step-brother.”

Like hell I am.

Stella’s eyes fell on me, and fuck, did I feel them. It felt like being pierced by darkness. A beautiful darkness at that. Full lips. Long, straight black hair. Curves that made me follow them—step-sister, folks. Emphasis on the word step. Then there were her eyes. Dark, shadowed eyes that seemed to look straight through a person. Straight through me. I wondered what she saw on the other side.

She didn’t speak, but she appeared curious as she stared. Almost as if she was trying to figure me out.

Good luck with that.

I cleared my throat and slid my hands into my pockets. It was obvious she wasn’t going to speak up, so that left the floor open for me to take lead. “Hey, sis.”