It was forty minutes later, after he’d shown her the mega yacht thoroughly, that he proudly presented to her his Harley-Davidson motorbike.“What do you think?” he asked, his chest puffing with pride like a peacock.Sakura cocked her head to one side. “It’s nice.”Hayden blinked. “That’s it?”Sakura turned to look at him. She knew nothing about motorbikes, and she was certainly not a motorbike fan, so what did he expect her to say?A moment later, after he realized he wouldn’t get any more out of her, he made her put on a helmet and told her to sit behind him. “Hold on tight,” he said through his own helmet.Yes, they were going to ride his motorbike home, and hopefully they wouldn’t crash. But then again, Hayden was now an expert motorcyclist, so the chance of them crashing was next to zero. Yet this was Hayden, and he liked to live dangerously.Sakura felt rather nervous and hastily tightened her arms about his waist. Hayden secretly smiled behind his helmet, pleased with their clos
James eyed Beth’s standard coffee warily and wondered where Sakura had gone off to. He needed her delightful, full-flavored, aromatic coffee—not this tasteless, muddy-black water that didn’t deserve to be called coffee.Beth saw the sour look on his face and said, “I’m sorry, Mr. Princeton, but Sakura isn’t here. My standard coffee it is this afternoon.”“Where is she?” James demanded, scowling darkly. “I thought she would have been back by now.”Brenda, who was sitting beside him, knew her husband was having his craving once again. She chuckled and said, “James, do control yourself. Your sons are here after all. I’m sure Sakura will make you a cup after dinner.”James didn’t like the sound of that. Dinner was still four hours away, too long for him. He turned to Mary, who was busy going through the many suitcases that Richard and Peter had brought along from New York. Katherine was beside her, also searching through the mountain of interesting contents that were for the wedding.Mary
Approximately fifteen minutes later and in her own bedroom, Sakura found herself being inspected by Beth’s critical eyes. Mary and Katherine, on the other hand, left once again after informing her they had to help Brenda prepare dinner since Sakura had stolen Beth away from the kitchen. Sakura chuckled and said loudly before they closed the door, “Not my fault. Yours, Mary, yours!”“Stop talking, missy,” Beth muttered under her breath. “And stay still.”Sakura hid a smile as Beth pinched the silk material out from the side of her waist.“What did I tell you?” She went on. “You never eat right. What with you missing lunch here and there. Now you’ve lost weight and who’s to blame but yourself?”“I didn’t think I’d missed that many lunches,” Sakura murmured.Beth stood straight, her plump face sour. “It’s all that Ned’s fault. If he hadn’t taught you how to draw and paint, then you wouldn’t have become so obsessed and spent hours on them.”“I like my paintings, Beth,” Sakura said. “And y
Sakura felt pain burning her cheek. She closed her eyes and counted to ten because otherwise she’d surely explode and retaliate. She didn’t want to do that. Not yet anyway. She could still handle this. She didn’t want to make a big deal out of this. After all, they’d only be here for another week, and once the wedding was over, they’d be gone, out of her life once again. Yes, she could do this.“I’ll let it go just this one time,” she said under her breath.“Let what go this one time?” Alaina snapped. “Why are you being such a bitch? Don’t you get it? No one wants you here. Everyone hates you.” Sakura didn’t respond to that. She simply glared at Tara, who was sniggering behind Alaina.“Do you have something to say, Tara Byrd?” Sakura asked, knowing the other woman hated it when people reminded her of her real last name.“Shut the fuck up, bitch,” Tara shouted at her. “Who do you think you are? Living here like you own the place. And of all things, rubbing in with James and Brenda as
“Shit!” Darcy swore under his breath. He shouldn’t have picked up the phone. Shouldn’t have at all, and now, what was he supposed to do? Hang up! That was what he was supposed to do.“Hello? Darcy, is that you? Darling, please, I’m so sorry. Please talk to me. I’ve missed you. I’m very sorry for what happened. There’s no excuse for what I’ve done. I know I slept with the guy, but I swear I’ll make it up to you. I swear, Darcy, sweetheart. Please talk to me.”Darcy tightened his hand around his cell phone as he stared at the number on the screen. Kate Anderson. It was her again—his ex-girlfriend. The ex-girlfriend whom he’d never had any feelings for, the ex-girlfriend who had cheated on him. Now she expected him to go crawling back to her? Just like that? Did she consider him stupid? He would never go back to her. Not now. Not ever!He’d never liked her. In fact, he’d never understood why he’d gone into a relationship with her in the first place. Well, to be honest, the relationship h
“Stop it! You’re ruining my dress!”Darcy flashed his eyes open.Sakura? No. Surely he hadn’t been daydreaming and was now hearing Sakura’s voice? Surely not.He heard a woman’s voice chuckling away merrily.“We’re just fixing it for ya. Now don’t move, dear sister. You’ll look very beautiful in a minute. Isn’t that what you want?”“You bitch! You slapped me!”Darcy jolted up and rushed over to the edge of the diving board. He hung his head over and looked down. From his vantage point and to his great surprise, he saw Sakura standing dangerously close to the pool. Before Sakura were Tara and Alaina, threatening her. He watched in horror as Alaina marched forward and sent her hand smashing on Sakura’s left cheek. Tara, meanwhile, held on to Sakura tightly so the girl wouldn’t be able to escape. Alaina slapped Sakura again.“Have you learned how to swim yet, my silly girl?” Alaina asked. “You haven’t? I can’t believe that. After all these years, after what happened that last time, you s
Sakura Princeton was more than a little humiliated at the circumstance she found herself in and blushed a becoming pink. She stole a peek at her adopted brother Sebastian Princeton to see if he was pissed because he had to carry her or if he was repulsed by her state of disarray and wetness, which she thought would really bother him because she was messing up his clothing.Sebastian, aware of her eyeing him, glanced at her and gave her a sympathetic smile.Sakura didn’t like the compassionate look he was giving her one bit. She knew he felt sorry for her after what had happened. Her being maliciously shoved into the deep pool by Alaina in an intention to cause harm. Instantly, she was pissed with the whole situation. She didn’t want Sebastian—or any of the brothers for that matter—to feel sorry for her. She wasn’t weak. She was a strong woman. Well, at least she thought so anyway. For sure, she wasn’t a child who needed strong men to support her. Nor did she need a man like Sebastian
Sakura was so shocked to see three men in her bedroom waiting for her that she couldn’t do anything but stare, momentarily forgetting why she was in such a rush to get out of the bathroom with her wet hair in a wild mess and her skin not yet dried properly.Yes, once she had gotten hold of herself from the fear of her drowning, showered thoroughly, and gotten out, she realized Conrad hadn’t given her any underwear. And why would he? He hadn’t a clue as to where they were and probably didn’t think she needed any too. And here she was, standing there with only the dress on, her skin still wet and her hair still wild, looking at the three uninvited men in her room.Sebastian had a good, thorough look at his very pretty adopted sister. That white dress was rather fetching on her, showing off her very slender figure. The top bit, however, was designed in such a way as to hug the breasts. The neckline was rather low and showing porcelain-white skin that begged for a caress. Not to mention t
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