“Lauren?” Sakura smiled prettily at the younger girl. “Why don’t you give these drinks to them and introduce yourself?”“What? Really?” Lauren asked, doubt in her voice.“Really. You are, after all, the birthday girl, and it’s only natural you welcome your guests,” Sakura said, giving the tray to Lauren. “Here.”“Oh, but I can’t!” Lauren said, pushing the tray back and shaking her head at the same time. “I don’t know how to hold this thing.” She pointed to the tray. “I might drop it, and it’d be embarrassing.”“You won’t drop it,” Sakura said firmly. “Here, spread your palm.”“No. No. No.” Lauren shook her head.“Yes. Yes. Yes. Look! You’ll be all right. I promise,” Sakura urged.“Are you sure?” Lauren asked uncertainly.“Very sure,” Sakura confirmed and handed Lauren the tray.With hands that shook, Lauren held tight to the tray, praying she wouldn’t send it crashing to the floor—or on anyone, for that matter.“See? You’re doing fine,” Sakura said. “Now go and offer the drinks to the
When the girls reached the ground floor, the brothers were still there waiting for them. Conrad grinned like an idiot. Nicolas nodded appreciatively. Logan whistled. Tristan winked. Hayden cocked his head and said, “Not bad.” And Sebastian and Darcy had impassive expressions their faces.Sakura wasn’t pleased the brothers had to be there, witnessing her awkwardly descending the stairs in her heels and short skirt.“What do you think, Conrad?” Lauren asked. “Doesn’t she look great? I wore that dress on my sixteenth birthday. Do you remember? But it fits her perfectly.”“Yes, it’s beautiful,” Conrad said, his eyes on Sakura.“Do you really remember me wearing that on my sixteenth birthday back in New York?” Lauren asked him.Conrad chuckled uneasily, remembering no such thing.“You look nice, Sakura,” Nicolas said.The brothers didn’t miss Nicolas saying Sakura’s name for the first time, as though he were cherishing it.Darcy turned on his heel and headed toward the drawing room to join
She stood up straight and prepared the tubes and needle. She wiped his skin clean with an alcohol swipe and then put a tourniquet around his arm. She told him to fist his hand to pump out the vein. He did as he was told, all the time watching her closely.Sakura felt quite nervous by the fact that he was always looking at her. She didn’t know why, but she had the feeling he’d done that before when they were children. There was something in the way he was staring at her that made her nervous. Something that stirred her on the inside, making her restless.“This will hurt a bit,” she said, leaning down toward him, and then she slowly inserted the sharp needle through his skin and into to his vein.He didn’t even flinch. In fact, it didn’t look like he felt the needle going into his skin at all as he sat there watching her.Sakura hoped he was only staring at her because he didn’t want to see the needle, like most people do, and so he concentrated his attention on something else. But it w
Sakura tried not to breathe—or move, for that matter—since she was being squeezed in the back seat like a sandwich between Logan and Conrad. Honestly, she thought, why did she have to return home with them? Why couldn’t Mark have dropped her off? Why had Mary taken her car away without telling her? Why, oh why?She pulled Sebastian’s large jacket—the one he had unceremoniously dumped on her person the moment she’d taken off her lab coat back at the lab—across her front tighter. Then she folded her arms across her chest, trying to relax. But how could she relax when Conrad kept staring at her and giving that dazzling smile of his? To be honest, she found it rather funny since he reminded her so much of Toby when the dog was trying to please her. She wondered if Conrad was trying to do the same thing.“Sakura,” he began, “what interesting things have you been doing?”Sakura wanted him to stop bothering her and thus gave him a good scowl.“Stop frowning, my sweet Sakura,” Logan said, whi
Sakura collapsed onto her bed once she got into her room. She sighed in exhaustion and could still feel her body trembling from the encounter.Oh, God! She couldn’t believe she’d just stood up to Tara. She knew she was no longer afraid of people, of what they thought of her, or of her displeasing them. But to see Tara again right in the face and fighting with words with her was truly an experience.She touched her chest, feeling the hard thumping of her beating heart. Toby barked to get her attention. She sat up and leaned to face him up close. “So,” she said, “you don’t like her much, do you?”“Woof,” was Toby’s reply.“Hum, thought so,” she said, nodding. Then she cocked her head to one side. “Tara!”Toby barked aggressively and growled.“Alaina!”Again, Toby barked aggressively and growled.Sakura had to laugh. “Good boy.” And then to test the little dog even further, she said, “Nicolas!”Toby gave her a friendly bark and then stuck his tongue out.“Huh?” She cocked her head to the
Sakura flashed her eyes open to see Tristan smiling at her—that flirty smile of his that any girl found most irresistible. His face was also only inches from hers. She could feel his warm breath on her skin.She licked her dry lips and stammered, “No… nothing. I… I was just looking for Toby.”Tristan cocked his head to one side, not believing her one tiny bit. “You’re blushing, Sakura. Why? Has one of my brothers harassed you?”“I… I said it was nothing,” she muttered, her cheeks flaming hot. Then, before he could ask her any more questions, she hastily moved to the side, away from him, and rushed off with Toby in her arms.Tristan watched her go, grinning knowingly. He cocked his head to one side, wondering which one of his brothers was responsible for his adopted sister’s weird reaction.Ah! She was blushing. A pretty blush, he thought. And her eyes, the deep-brown color, were exceptionally bright this evening. Not to mention the lips. They were full and very red as though they were
James was pleased Sakura had decided to join them for dinner this evening. He gazed at her across the dining table, noting she wasn’t nervous or uncomfortable with the brothers surrounding her as she had been this morning. Mary, who kept up a constant chatter, was sitting on her right. To her left was Conrad. The moment he’d seen Sakura sitting down, his youngest son had snaffled that particular chair before anyone had a chance to steal it from him.Tara and Alaina, who were sitting on the far end of the table, were both glaring at Sakura as though they couldn’t stand to be in the same room as her. Sakura, on the other hand, paid them no heed. She continued to enjoy her meal and now and again gave some chicken to Toby who was sitting on the floor behind her.“The wedding is going to be beautiful, Mary,” Brenda said. “The cherry blossoms by the pond will be in full bloom.”“That’s why I waited until spring to get married. Sakura kept telling me how beautiful cherry blossoms are in spri
The moon was bright and high above the dark gray sky. It was quiet and peaceful, and Sebastian stood there gazing out of his bedroom window, deep in thought. In the distance across the garden, he could see the slight figure of a woman. It was Sakura, and she was walking along the dragon bridge that stretched across the pond. Her gait was slow, as if she were strolling through a park, enjoying and appreciating the scenery. Then once she got to the middle of the bridge, she stopped and turned her eyes to gaze up at the moon. A moment later, she leaned both her elbows on the railing of the bridge and gazed down at the pond instead. He could sense her smiling even though he couldn’t see her face from this far, and he imagined just how beautiful she’d be. His heart glowed with delight at the thought.He noted it was quite breezy outside, with petals of cherry blossoms floating around her, and Sebastian felt his blood warm. She looked so at peace, and he felt his heart radiate with love tow
Six Months LaterWhen Sakura woke up, it was to the sound of birds chirping and morning light shining in through the windows. She blinked a couple times to get used to the brightness as she lay there feeling exhausted, as if she had just finished running a race. Once she’d gotten used to the light, she searched about her surroundings, wondering where she was. Because this certainly wasn’t her room.Her eyes lingered on the beautiful chandelier dangling in the center, the crystals exuding an array of rainbow colors about the space. A moment later, her gaze shifted to the king-size bed that she was currently in.She sat up, her mind still reeling over what had happened last night. When she moved, she realized she was naked under the sheet. She frowned for a moment, and then everything came flooding back.Instantly, she blushed and clutched the sheet against her.“Oh God,” she whispered softly. “I’ve done it again, haven’t I? With Sebastian and Darcy?”She licked her lips as she pulled t
The moment her hands were removed, the two men stared, marveling at the sight. Sure, they had seen many women’s breasts before, and in fact, to them, they were just part of the female anatomy. Nothing more. But with Sakura, her pair of exquisite beauties, the perfect-size mounds of pale, smooth flesh topped with cute pink nipples perking at just the right angle—they were something marvelous.Sebastian tittered with excitement, which drew Sakura’s attention to him. She gazed at him, wondering why he had such a passionate look in his eyes as he stared at her breasts. When he flicked his gaze to hers and their eyes met, Sakura swallowed hard at the raw passion she noted radiating from him.“Wow,” Darcy said, his voice deep and hoarse, which sent a delicious shiver down her spine. “Just wow.”Sebastian nodded. He couldn’t find words to describe how happy he was.Suddenly, Darcy cupped her breasts, one in each hand. Sakura gasped at the intimate contact as her body squirmed in his embrace.
Sakura grabbed Sebastian’s hands that were about to cup her breasts, stopping him. She looked from one man to the other, her mind reeling at what was going on. She licked her lips nervously and then finally managed to ask, “What are you two doing? Aren’t you going to order room service?”Sebastian’s eyes glinted with that mischievousness that Sakura found both vexing and endearing at the same time.He said, with a hint of a laughter in his deep timbre, “Oh, but you are our room service.”Sakura wasn’t accepting it. She knew they both were toying around with her. She demanded, “The dessert?”Darcy said, his voice sensual and deep, “You are our dessert. That’s why it’s the best kind, one we’ll remember for the longest time.”It was only then that she understood what they meant. She. Was. Their. Dessert. As in they were going to make love to her?That pushed her into a panic attack, and she struggled in Sebastian’s arms, desperately wanting to break free. The damn handsome man, however,
Darcy said, “Sakura, remember the night you confessed to us?”Slowly, Sakura nodded.“You told us you’d either have both of us or none at all,” Sebastian said.Sakura jumped at the sound of his voice. She didn’t realize he was standing behind her, so close to her in fact that she could feel the heat of his body warming her against the coolness of the night.She nodded again. “Yes, I did say that, and I meant it. I can’t…” She sighed, her heart now racing furiously. “I can’t live with the knowledge that I picked one of you and not the other. That I’d be living with one and not the other. That I’d be showering my love on one and not the other when I love you both. It just isn’t fair.” Her body and hands were shaking now, even her voice, quivering softly under the two men’s scrutiny.“I won’t be able to handle the guilt, the pain of not having both of you in my life. I know I’m greedy. I know… It’s weird to love two men and want both in my life…living like a family like it’s nothing.” Sh
Sakura relaxed back in her seat and then put on the safety belt. A moment later, Sebastian started the engine and then they were off.It was dark, and the city lights glittered beautifully against the backdrop of the night sky, competing with the stars. It was indeed breathtakingly beautiful, and Sakura was mesmerized.“It’s beautiful here, isn’t it?” Sebastian said.Sakura nodded. “After what happened…” she said, her throat feeling a little dry. “After what happened, I appreciate what’s around me more.”Sebastian reached out his free hand and cupped her face. “Nothing like that is ever going to happen to you again. I’m here with you, and Darcy, too.” He chuckled. “In fact, all of us Princetons. We’re family.”She smiled, appreciating his comforting words. “Thanks.”It was a few more minutes when Sakura realized they were heading toward the hotel. Of course, she was a little confused as to why they were going there and was about to ask Sebastian as he parked the car when he intercepte
Darcy was discharged from the hospital five days later, and, in Princeton style, a big Welcome Home party was launched at the holiday house.The moment Darcy stepped foot out of the car, he was treated and pampered like a king by everyone, especially his brothers Tristan and Logan, who acted as his butlers. Of course, being the down-to-earth person he was, Darcy didn’t want that kind of attention and found it rather tiring. Deep down, all he wanted was for Sakura to be by his side.Damn, but he wanted to kiss her and, most of all, confess his love for her properly, along with Sebastian of course. But that was not to be as the house was almost always full of people coming and going, and not one moment had he had the chance to be with her. At least not until a day later when he and Sebastian had a good talk and made arrangements for things to start moving forward to make it official.Now sitting on the couch, drinking coffee, both Sebastian and Darcy watched Sakura as she animatedly cha
Sakura and Sebastian stayed with Darcy throughout the morning, with Sakura entertaining Darcy by telling him about her family reunion and that Ned was actually her biological father and Beth her aunt. Of course, Darcy wasn’t surprised with this outcome, as he had known how much Ned loved Sakura. The same went for Beth.It was some time later when Darcy asked the question he had wanted answered since he’d seen the news on the television early that morning. It was about Mrs. Clark, Tara, and Ray Woods, who had been taken into custody.Sebastian said, “Tara might get a lighter sentencing than Mrs. Clark and Ray Woods. She’s only an accomplice.”“And Mrs. Clark?” Sakura asked, her body tense.“Probably life in prison for first-degree murder or something along those lines,” Sebastian said.“For murdering Mrs. Taylor?” Sakura asked.At this, both Sebastian and Darcy turned to look at her, surprised. Sebastian asked, “How did you know she was one of the victims?”Sakura cast her eyes downwar
Sakura woke with a start, gasping and whimpering and her skin soaking with sweat. With her heart beating loudly in her chest, she stared up at the ceiling, her mind racing as tears welled in her eyes.Dream. It was only a dream. It wasn’t real. She hadn’t lost Darcy. She hadn’t lost Sebastian. Both men were still here with her.“Sebastian. Darcy,” she whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks.Just moments ago, she had dreamed of them—she and the Princeton brothers—once again on that yacht in the middle of the ocean, the storm raging above them. Mrs. Clark, Tara, and Ray Woods had been there, too, torturing her.Sakura shut her eyes as she remembered the nightmare vividly.Mrs. Clark had shot her, only to hit Darcy instead. As Darcy lay there in her arms, dying from the gunshot wounds, Tara slayed Sebastian with her knife and then pushed him off the boat into the rampant sea.The thought of losing her beloved men made her feel sick to her stomach, and she whimpered softly. She shook he
Across the distance of the sitting room, Sakura silently watched her biological mother being embraced in Ned’s arms as the woman recited her story to her first love. And Sakura had no doubt that she, too, must have played a part of that tale when she had been a baby.Once again, she still couldn’t believe the fact that she, Sakura, had been by her biological father’s side all along, since she had been seven years old in fact. Could this explain why she had always felt connected to the man deep down? Was that why she’d always felt safe and comforted when he was around? And the fact that he had always been there for her and helping her when she had needed someone like a parent the most reminded her again of how important Ned was in her life.When Haruka finally finished telling Ned her tale some fifteen minutes later, Sakura saw Ned comforting her, telling her that he didn’t blame her for what had happened and what she’d done. He told her that he understood what she’d gone through and c