They were nearly at the door, and Sakura knew she had to act now if she wanted a chance at surviving this precarious ordeal. She took a deep breath, and before either Mrs. Clark or Tara were aware of it, she moved and, with all her might, rammed herself at Mrs. Clark, thus throwing the woman to the side.The unsuspecting Mrs. Clark found herself lunged to the right. Her heavy body collapsed onto the dining table and then tumbled down into the booth. Meanwhile, Sakura took her opportunity and scurried over to the kitchenette where she hastily knocked over the knife holder, scattering the sharp utensils haphazardly on the benchtop. With her hands shaking and her body pumping with adrenaline, she grabbed for a weapon.Tara, who had already opened the door, turned around after she heard the thudding of a person crashing into hard furniture and then the clattering of metal. When she saw Sakura grabbing for the knife, she swore, “Fuck!” Then she rushed forward, only to stop in her tracks as
Amid the storm, two patrol boats sped their way through huge, angry waves and thunderous rain. In one were Sebastian, Darcy, Conrad, and Tristan, while the other held Nicolas, Hayden, and Logan. Both Sebastian and Darcy prayed silently that they’d get to their beloved woman in time to save her as the vessels sped toward the location of the flare.“Faster, Tristan!” Sebastian shouted, his eyes fixed on the bright light lingering in the sky ahead.“I’m doing my best!” Tristan yelled.“We’re close!” Darcy shouted at the top of his lungs.With his eyes fixed on the dying flare, Sebastian couldn’t believe what had happened. They’d been scouring the sea for what seemed like hours, losing hope, thinking they’d never be able to find another vessel in such a vast sea, especially in this bad weather.Then they saw the flare shoot up into the sky, and Sebastian knew instantly it was Sakura who had sent the signal. By God, he had no idea how she’d managed it, but he thanked the Lord she had.That
With a blanket wrapped securely around her and in the warm, comforting embrace of Sebastian, Sakura watched the helicopter hovering above them. In the distance, she glimpsed Darcy lying on a stretcher and Nicolas, accompanying his brother, sitting on the seat beside him. A moment later, the chopper started flying away and then disappeared amongst the light-gray clouds.Sakura shivered and snuggled her face against Sebastian’s chest as she heard sirens of the patrol boats approaching. She knew it was the police here to take custody of Mrs. Clark, Ray Woods, and Tara.Suddenly, she felt exhausted and simply wanted to shut her eyes and sleep, though her mind wouldn’t let her. All she could think about was Darcy. Her beloved man had taken not one but two bullets for her. At the very thought, tears started brewing in her eyes once again.Sebastian must have felt her body stiffen and tightened his arms around her in response. “Darcy is going to be fine,” he said softly as he kissed her fore
Sakura was so exhausted that she slept soundly throughout the morning, her body snuggled comfortably in Sebastian’s arms. When she woke again, it was to an empty space beside her and Akira’s voice calling her name.“Hey, Sleeping Beauty,” Akira said softly. “It’s time to get up.”Sakura fluttered her eyes open as she yawned. Then she asked, as she rubbed her tired eyes, “Is it morning already?”Akira chuckled. “No. It’s not morning, Sakura-chan. You went to bed in the morning. Now it’s noon. Just about time for lunch. Anyway, don’t you remember last night? But never mind about that, we’re departing for Honolulu in an hour.”Sakura sighed, still feeling exhausted. “Departing for Honolulu? But why? Didn’t we just arrive on St. Thomas Island yesterday? We’re supposed to be here for two weeks, aren’t we?”Akira wasn’t surprised Sakura had completely forgotten about what had happened last night. The girl had been through a lot, after all, especially when she’d been kidnapped in the middle
Michael cocked his head to one side as he thought about this for a moment. Then he widened his eyes. “Oh, I get it. Darcy loves Sakura, too, right? And Sakura loves you both. Man, that’s hard. If Sakura marries you, then Darcy can’t. And if she marries Darcy, then you can’t.” He giggled. “Like Katherine says to Dad sometimes, you’re stuck in a pickle, aren’t you?”Sebastian smiled.Marriage, eh? He knew, for now, the arrangement was out of the question. He and Darcy would have to work it out at a later date, once they had everything settled. They needed to take one step at a time. After all, they didn’t want to scare Sakura away.Nicolas was right in that the Princeton brothers were hard to deal with when it came to romantic relationships. Despite that, Sakura had known them since they were young. She hadn’t been that close to them until very recently and, in fact, had never seen any of them in a serious romantic relationship before. It’d be a big surprise for her how possessive they
When Sakura and the party arrived back at the holiday house, she collapsed on the bed in her shared room with Akira.Akira asked, “Are you still tired?”Sakura shook her head. “That sleep on the yacht was good. I feel a lot better.” She sighed. “I was actually hoping to see Darcy as soon as we got here.”“Why can’t you go see him now?”Sakura rose into a sitting position. “He’s still in recovery.”“Of course,” Akira said. “Then how about we go down to help Beth prepare dinner? It’ll take your mind off Darcy.”“That sounds like a good idea.” She smiled, and a moment later, the two girls left the bedroom.It was busy in the kitchen with Sakura, Akira, and Katherine helping Beth and the maids prepare dinner. By the time they were done some two hours later, the sun had already set, and of course, being so busy, Sakura’s mind wasn’t preoccupied with the thought of Darcy.While Sakura was bringing trays of delicious sustenance outside and setting them on the picnic table where everyone coul
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
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
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