by Alexia Praks
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CHAPTER 4
The Princeton Brothers
She stared at them, one by one. First, there was Sebastian with the typical Princeton looks that dated back for generations and had caused many hearts to flutter recklessly and perhaps even swoon with longing. He was also way too tall, broad at the shoulders, and handsome for her liking. Not to mention the fact that he was wearing one of those studs in his left ear, the stone the same color as his eyes. It made him look like a rogue and way out of any girl’s league.
Then there was Nicolas, so much like his father, James, who looked as though he could take on the world and would still come out on top with his leader-like demeanor.
Next was Tristan with his ridiculously handsome smile, the Prince of Flirt in the family. Sakura wondered how many females he had bedded already and how many hearts he had broken along the way.
The same went for Logan with his very charming smile and devil-may-care manner. Sakura wouldn’t be surprised if he had bedded at least a dozen women within the past few months.
Hayden, the handsome Prince of Rebel, with features inherited from their mother’s side of the family, had that rogue look about him that any good girl found extremely hard to resist. This was enhanced by the fact that he had one golden earring in his left ear. He looked like a bloody pirate—a very handsome one—and Sakura was sure any girl wouldn’t mind being captured by him and imprisoned in his bed.
Then there was the handsome, mysterious Darcy. Again, her heart decided to do an unwelcome somersault, which caused her to grit her teeth in annoyance.
Darce! My Darce! The sound kept echoing within her head. Sakura suppressed the urge to scream out just so the little voice would stop bothering her.
Yes, the Prince of Darkness was staring at her now without recognition, as if he found her interesting. Sakura herself couldn’t help staring back at him. God, his hair was long and black. And those unique eyes of his that had always fascinated her, those eyes he inherited from his legendary great-great-grandmother, St. Helena Princeton, who’d married the famous Luke Princeton. Darcy had that aloofness and darkness about him that any intelligent girl knew to avoid but couldn’t resist and ended up falling crazily in love with him anyway.
Then there was nice, sincere Conrad. He had a cute, boyish, friendly smile any female, young or old, couldn’t help falling for.
Then it hit her. Oh Gosh! They’d changed so much—grown so much—that the mere sight of all of them together took her breath away. Not to mention her neck was beginning to hurt because she had to tilt her head back to glare at them, conveying she was pissed with them. But none of them seemed to register that fact, however, and Sakura began to grow more annoyed. Then there was the way in which they looked at her, which caused her to shiver. There was this bizarre sensation rushing through her.
“Toby,” she called.
The dog barked back at her.
“So that’s his name? Toby?” Nicolas asked.
Toby barked again, which annoyed Sakura even more. When they got home, she thought she’d teach him a lesson that succumbing to the enemy was not something one should ever do to one’s allies.
“Come on,” she said, frowning at the dog for being disobedient all of a sudden. “It’s time to go home.”
Toby ignored her as Sebastian started scratching his head. Toby’s eyes glazed over as he stuck his tongue out in pleasure.
“Ah. You like that, don’t you?” Sebastian chuckled.
Tristan came forward and offered to help her. “Are you sure you can get home? We can give you a ride.”
Sakura turned to him. The thought of sitting next to them in a car didn’t sit well with her.
“I’ll be fine, thank you,” she said, reaching out for Toby. She took the dog from Sebastian, turned on her heel, and began to walk away from them.
“There she goes,” Conrad said, disappointment echoing in his voice.
Darcy watched her go, his eyes intent on her slender form. There was something about her that he couldn’t quite place.
Sebastian narrowed his eyes. “I suppose since I’m the one responsible…,” he said, and without further ado, he was behind her and pulled her around gently by the arm.
Sakura gasped, and before she could protest, she was being lifted up midair and into the arms of her adopted brother once again.
“What are you doing?” she shrieked.
“Taking you home,” he replied calmly, heading back to the car. “I can at least do that much after I nearly killed you.”
“I… I can walk home by myself!” she stammered. “I’m not hurt, as you can see. And you didn’t kill me. I’m still breathing.”
Sebastian refused to respond to her logical argument and headed straight to the car.
“Why does he have to be the one to carry her?” Conrad asked no one in particular.
“Because he’s responsible,” Nicolas replied.
“I’m responsible,” Tristan put in matter-of-factly. “I made him lose his cool back there so, yes, I’m responsible.”
“Just shut up and get in the car,” Sebastian said to Tristan.
Sakura watched the brothers, who were still staring at her. She couldn’t believe it! She just couldn’t believe it! None of them remembered who she was. Not one of them. And here she was this close to them. She couldn’t decide if she was disappointed or pleased with that realization.
Actually, she had decided. She’d run away as soon as Sebastian put her down.
When he did put her in the back seat, however, Conrad quickly slid in beside her, followed by Logan. Hence both of her exits were blocked, and she wanted to scream.
Nicolas got into the front seat followed by Sebastian in the driver’s seat.
Outside, Tristan chuckled merrily and slapped Darcy on the shoulder. “Looks like you’re riding with us, bro.”
Darcy narrowed his eyes dangerously at Logan, who had stolen his seat in the car. Logan, however, didn’t see the death ray his younger brother gave him because he was too busy trying to please their new acquaintance.
“So,” Nicolas began charmingly once Sebastian started the engine, “where do you live?”
Sakura panicked. Oh God! What should she tell them? She couldn’t possibly tell them she was living at Princeton Mansion where they were heading, could she? Well, she could, but she refused to let them know she was Sakura, their adopted sister that they had entirely forgotten ever existed.
Suddenly, she realized all four of them were watching her, waiting for her answer. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
“Just drive straight,” she began. “It’s a long, narrow road. Then when you get to the intersection, turn right and then left and then left again.”
Conrad cocked his head to one side. “That’s pretty close to Princeton Mansion, isn’t it?”
“Good,” Sebastian said with double meaning and started the engine.
“So what’s your name?” Logan asked, moving closer to her.
Sakura glared at him. “I don’t tell strangers my name.”
Logan laughed and Conrad said, “We’re not strangers. We’re your neighbors. We live at Princeton Mansion.”
Sakura wanted to shout at him that she knew that. But of course she didn’t, and she refused to pay them any more attention.
Toby looked up at her, sensing her unsettled emotions. He started whimpering at her and licking her hand.
“It’s all right, Toby,” she said, patting his head. “I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine,” Sebastian countered. “You’re in shock.”
“I’m not in shock!” she retorted. “I’m afraid. How do you think I feel when all seven of you refuse to leave me alone and are now taking me for a drive?”
The moment she had said those words, realization dawned on them.
“Shit!” Sebastian muttered under his breath.
Nicolas, always the calm and levelheaded one, turned to her and said, “As the eldest Princet
on brother, I take full responsibility for our unthinkable actions. I’m very sorry that we’ve frightened you. However, I guarantee you none of us meant you any harm. We want to see you home safe and sound.”
Both Logan and Conrad nodded furiously.
Sakura went quiet once she saw the sincerity in Nicolas’s eyes. He reminded her so much of Daddy James, and she couldn’t help but relax. The brothers smiled when they saw she had accepted Nicolas’s apology and promise. Toby stuck out his tongue then, pleased.
A few minutes later, the car turned at the intersection as Sakura had told them, but it also surprised them when the black car behind them turned as well, instead of going straight to Princeton Mansion.
“What are they doing?” Sebastian said under his breath.
Logan laughed. “Tristan!”
Nicolas sighed. “He’s interested.”
Sakura didn’t have a clue as to what they were talking about and pretty much didn’t care. All she cared about now was whether Ned was home or not. If he was, then she hoped he wouldn’t call out her name or, worse still, greet the brothers and tell them all about her.
“Is it just me or are there more cherry trees around here?” Conrad commented.
“It’s nice,” Nicolas said. “Though I don’t remember ever seeing that many on the island before.”
Sakura gazed out the window, watching the beautiful clouds of pink flowers in the air.
“It’s spring,” she murmured.
“Cherry blossoms are beautiful,” Sebastian remarked. “Too bad we don’t have them up at the house.”
Sakura wanted to laugh. Really? Not one cherry tree up at Princeton Mansion?
“I think we’re here,” Nicolas said, eyeing the small cottage ahead of them.
It was a picture-perfect cottage with a pretty English garden full of roses, lavender, and honeysuckle.
“That’s your house?” Conrad asked in awe. “It’s pretty nice.”
“No,” Sakura said, meaning it wasn’t her house. “Not really.”
None of them paid any attention to the meaning of her words, however, and they all got out of the car. Conrad took care to aid her even if she didn’t need help.
Tristan and Hayden got out of the car as well since they didn’t want to miss the chance to talk to Sakura again.
Darcy stayed back, pretending to be busy with his phone, which he wasn’t, and stole peeks at the beauty. Who is she? Why did she look at me so intensely back on the road? Her chocolate-brown eyes stirred something deep within his soul, awakening him from his slumber. She seemed oddly familiar to him, yet her identity eluded him, and this frustrated Darcy greatly.
Outside, Sebastian frowned at Tristan. “Why the hell did you follow us?”
“You might get into an accident again,” Tristan responded. “Seeing as though you’re pretty reckless and irresponsible at driving.” He turned to Sakura then, giving her a dashing smile that would make any young female’s heart flutter with happiness. “My brothers didn’t harass you, did they?”
Sakura cocked her head to one side. “No,” she said. Then before they insisted on coming with her into Ned’s house and perhaps even opting to stay for afternoon tea, because she knew they’d want to, she went on. “And thanks for the ride. Bye now.”
Sebastian was about to stop her, but she was quick and walked briskly away.
Sakura hoped they’d disappear before she got to the door because she didn’t know whether Ned was home or not and whether the door was locked or not.
Logan whistled. “That’s one hot chick.”
“Wonder what her name is,” Conrad said, smiling pleasantly.
“Conrad! You like her!” Tristan chuckled.
“She’s nice,” he said. “Totally my type.”
Sebastian didn’t like the sound of that and frowned at his brother. “You haven’t got your career sorted out yet, young pup,” he warned. “No time for girls.”
“Plenty of time for girls,” Conrad retorted. “I’m on my break, after all. Anyway, she’s way too young for you guys.”
“I like younger girls,” Tristan said as they all headed back to the car.
“Wonder if she has a boyfriend,” Hayden murmured. “Hope not.”
“Okay, boys, time to get going,” Nicolas said, opening the door.
The brothers took their leave without ever seeing Sakura enter the house. In fact, she had disappeared around the corner while they’d been busy negotiating who got to ask her out on a date.
* * * * *
CHAPTER 5
Coffee & Cherry Blossoms
Sebastian was forced to eat his own words when they stared wide-eyed in disbelief at the sight before them. The Princeton Estate was in full bloom with cherry blossoms. Clouds of pink flowers stretched endlessly beyond them, and the road leading to the house was carpeted with pink petals.
“We don’t have to go to Japan to see cherry blossoms in full season,” Conrad said, smiling.
“It’s nice,” Nicolas remarked.
Sebastian couldn’t say a thing. Then a gust of wind swirled past, releasing a myriad of flowers from the trees, petals raining down on the car, some landing on the windscreen. He was too stunned to turn on the wiper and continued driving until they reached the front courtyard of the two-hundred-year-old stately mansion, which most foreigners liked to call the Grand Castle of St. Joseph Island, made of massive gray stone that had stood up against many winters.
The estate was immaculately maintained with lush, green lawn and neat, pretty flowerbeds their father loved. The grand water feature of cupids and fairies, their father’s pride and joy, stood proudly in the middle of the courtyard for them to admire, though the brothers didn’t notice it as they drove past.
“Phew!” Tristan voiced the moment he was out of the car. “We’re finally here. Really need a drink.”
“Non-alcoholic,” Darcy said, remembering the hangover he had yesterday.
Just then the housekeeper, Beth Faber, a plump woman with a stern look on her face, came out and screamed, “Oh Mother of God!”
The brothers turned to look at her, surprised by her voice.
“Beth!” Logan greeted. “Surprise!”
“My goodness! This is a very big surprise,” Beth said. “Now I really have to get all your rooms ready.”
Tristan chuckled. “As if that’s hard for you.”
“All seven of you, mind you,” Beth replied. “And where’s Miss Alaina and Tara?”
The brothers started filing into the house, causing the two maids, who were busy carrying trays of savories into the drawing room, to come to a standstill. They were shocked and at the same time pleased to see them. They simply couldn’t believe the handsome seven brothers were back. It was going to be an interesting and entertaining spring, all right.
Hayden nodded at them, Logan winked, and Tristan blew them a kiss. Nicolas just shook his head at his brothers’ flirtatious nature and followed them into the drawing room, followed by Conrad, who gave the maids a friendly wave and smile. Darcy—darkly handsome and totally hot with his I don’t give a shit about the world look—nearly sent the girls to Nirvana. He glanced at them, which caused the maids’ hearts to flutter with joy and their knees to turn into jelly.
“He’s so handsome,” Anna, with red hair and massive freckles on her face, said dreamily, her voice quivering with delight. The other maid, Helen, nodded in agreement, her eyes large with love as they followed Darcy strolling into the drawing room.
Sebastian was the last to enter through the immense double door. When the girls saw him, they nearly dropped their trays because he was so gorgeous, just like an archangel with blond hair and blue eyes.
Sebastian didn’t pay them any mind and in fact didn’t even see them. He headed straight into the drawing room to see his mother, Brenda Princeton, hugging and kissing her sons.
“You boys have changed so much since I last saw you,” she said, tears in her eyes.
“Oh, come now, Aunt,�
� Mary Collins, the bride-to-be, said from the other side of the room. “It couldn’t have been that long.” She turned to Sebastian. “What happened? I heard you caused an accident.”
That was fast. Sebastian eyed Tristan, who winked at him. “Just a minor accident,” he said mildly.
“Minor?” Conrad stated loudly from the other side of the room. “You nearly killed her!”
“You’ll have a lot to answer for if you did hurt her, you know,” Tristan said.
“Don’t scare your brother, Tristan,” Brenda said, coming over to Sebastian. “Now give me a kiss,” she demanded, tiptoeing so her cheek could reach his massive height.
“No sooner than you’re all here, there’s trouble,” James Princeton said at the door. At nearly sixty years of age, he still looked amazingly handsome, with a tall, lean body and charming, aristocratic demeanor. His eyes were still as sharp as ever and his wit even sharper.
He sat on the sofa near the window and grinned. Nicolas came to sit next to him. Side by side, they looked almost identical, except Nicolas was a younger version, and James had more lines on his face and a head full of gray hair instead of blond.
Finally, trays of savories arrived. The two maids nervously put them down on the coffee table. A moment later, Beth came in with coffee.
“Thank God,” Conrad said, pouring himself a cup.
James looked none too pleased at the coffee. Brenda chuckled, and Beth noticed James’s dark frown.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Princeton,” Beth said, “but it’s standard coffee this afternoon.”
James sighed. “Well, there’s always tonight.”
The brothers didn’t have a clue as to why their father was upset about the coffee. It didn’t taste half-bad.
“We’re expecting your grandparents for dinner tonight,” Brenda announced to her sons.
“Yeah!” Conrad remarked. “I haven’t seen them for ages.”
“I suppose I better inform Sakura to prepare for seven more,” Beth muttered to herself before she left the room. No one was paying any attention to her mentioning the name “Sakura” as they continued to enjoy their afternoon tea.
