Once Sakura was out of their sight, the two brothers finally relaxed. Damn, but it was challenging to keep an impassive face and not show any emotion when the woman one loved finally professed her feelings.
Sebastian leaned his body against the palm tree as he gazed at the glistening dark water of the sea before them, a striking smile playing about his lips.
Darcy chuckled. “That was unexpected.”
Sebastian folded his arms across his chest as he nodded in agreement. “Yep. She’s so beautiful and unique. And then that.”
Darcy said under his breath, “Yes. That.”
“She was so nervous it was adorable,” Sebastian said, remembering Sakura’s blush, fluttery gaze, and those sensuous lips she kept licking and biting during her confession. Then, of course, there was her gentle, heart-warming ranting about her profound love for them. How she wanted them both and was ready to be with them.
Her words had poured out from deep within her heart like gentle rain, washing over the brothers’ emotions with tenderness, devotion, and passion.
At the time, Sebastian had felt overwhelmed, as he couldn’t believe this was really happening, that she wanted them both. Well, he always knew she loved both him and Darcy, but to decide to go into a relationship with both of them, which was unconventional at best, that took guts.
“She’s considerate enough to let us think it over,” Darcy said, a dashing smile playing about his lips. He remembered her gentle tantrum, desperate for them to understand where she was coming from and how she felt about them deep in her heart. That, of course, affected Darcy in the most heartwarming way. She had said she wanted to be greedy, implying she wanted to have what she desired most.
To go into an open relationship between the three of them, that was unconventional at best, and Darcy admitted that it took guts to haughtily announce that to the two men she loved.
By the end of the confession, Darcy surprisingly found he was even more in love with Sakura—if that was even possible, considering he already loved her with his heart and soul—for her braveness and, oddly enough, her greediness where he and Sebastian were concerned. This told him indirectly that they were loved and wanted by her, which was the best thing that could ever have happened.
Sebastian chuckled. “Well, there really isn’t anything to think about.”
Darcy nodded. “Shall we head back?”
“Hmm.”
When the brothers arrived at the house a few minutes later, it was to meet with Nicolas at the door.
“It’s time,” the eldest brother said, reminding them of the meeting they’d be having with their father.
Sebastian and Darcy nodded, and a few moments later, the three headed toward their father’s office at the rear of the house.
Suddenly, Nicolas asked, “What were you two doing when you left before?”
Sebastian and Darcy looked at each other, and Nicolas didn’t miss the gleam in their eyes nor the smiles playing about their lips.
“We had personal business to discuss,” Sebastian said evasively.
Nicolas raised a brow, though he had a vague idea as to what had happened. He had seen Sakura consciously leaving the house, after all. And when she returned, she was flushed red, nervous, and worried.
“I see,” he said. “I hope Sakura knows what she’s getting herself into.”
That drew both Sebastian’s and Darcy’s attention to him.
Sebastian asked, “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Nicolas smiled with amusement. “I mean exactly that. None of us Princeton brothers are easy to handle, after all, especially in the romantic sense. But seriously, to handle two at the same time… I hope Sakura knows what she’s up against.”
Darcy said, “Nicolas, you don’t sound very supportive.”
Nicolas smiled darkly. “I am very supportive,” he said. “Of my adopted sister Sakura. As for you two, if you hurt her, I swear you’ll be in a world of pain. And that won’t be coming just from me either. You’ll have all the other Princetons to deal with.”
Sebastian laughed. “So you’ve figured out what happened?”
Nicolas shrugged. “More or less.”
Darcy said, “We have one request, then.”
Nicolas raised a brow at the brothers. “What is it?”
Sebastian said, “Don’t tell anyone. At least not yet.”
Darcy took over. “We haven’t officially declared our decisions to Sakura yet.”
“Why not?” Nicolas was intrigued.
Sebastian said, “We wanted to tell her when we’re on St. Thomas Island.”
Darcy nodded. “At the beach house.”
Nicolas nodded in understanding. The beach house was a beauty of a bungalow located right at the sea front, a little away from the great house. The place also had a stunning view of the ocean, too, especially during sunset.
“I see. But if you plan to confess to Sakura tomorrow evening, I suggest you reconsider because there’s bad weather coming. It will last the whole night, I assume.”
Darcy said, “We know about that. We’ve planned to do it the evening after tomorrow.”
Nicolas said, “Sounds good to me.” He paused and added, “Take care of Sakura, won’t you both?”
Sebastian and Darcy nodded firmly in unison.
Their discussion closed, and the brothers reached their father’s office. Once inside, they noted that the others were already there, along with their father, who was sitting on the leather chair behind the desk. On the sofa to the left sat Tristan and Conrad, while to the right were Hayden and Logan.
Sebastian came to stand on the right side of James and Nicolas to the left. Meanwhile, Darcy shut the door and leaned his body against it. He folded his arms across his chest as James looked up to see all his sons present.
A moment later, the head of the Princeton family began. “I’m sure you understand why we’re all here.”
The brothers nodded. Logan said, “To discuss Mrs. Clark.”
James nodded. Then he pulled out his tablet and passed it to Sebastian. “These are files of information about the woman.”
Sebastian took it and flicked through the documents.
James continued. “Mrs. Margaret Clark, previously known as Mrs. Byrd, is currently on the run from the authorities. She’s wanted for fraud, tax evasion, and voluntary manslaughter.”
“Voluntary manslaughter?” Tristan asked. “That’s deep shit.”
James nodded. “The woman did a lot of nasty things, sons. She needs to be brought to justice as soon as possible.”
Darcy shook his head. “And to think she was the headmistress of Queen Mary Orphanage years ago.”
Hayden said, “Remember she was also the arsonist who burnt the orphanage down back then.”
Sebastian said, “And left Sakura for dead in the fire.”
“What was her motive in burning down the orphanage?” Nicolas asked. “Surely not money? Because there wasn’t much, was there?”
James shook his head. “I was the sole sponsor of the facility. No, there wasn’t much to gain there, which raises the question why.”
Darcy said, “Remember, Lady Haruka said she sent money to Sakura years ago. We can assume Mrs. Clark had her hands on that and ran away with it after burning down the orphanage. Then she was free to start a new life with a new name without anyone questioning her.”
The brothers nodded at that supposition. It certainly did sound crazy enough an execution for the likes of Mrs. Clark.
“And Tara?” Conrad asked suddenly. “Does she know about her mother’s background? Or what had happened back then?”
James nodded. He even smiled, which confused the brothers.
“Dad, you look amused,” Logan said.