James rested his body against the leather seat. “I am. And to answer your question, Conrad, yes. Tara knows about her mother, according to Erick’s report.”
“Since when?” Sebastian asked with narrowed eyes.
“Since she was a teenager.”
That got the brothers staring wide-eyed in shocked surprise.
“What?” Tristan expressed in astonishment.
“Since she was a teenager?” Logan asked. “Like fifteen?”
James nodded. “During her high school years in New York in the private academy.”
“Which you paid for,” Darcy said.
James chuckled.
Nicolas said, “Dad, that academy wasn’t cheap.”
“At least she kept Alaina company,” James admitted.
Darcy said darkly, “And helped fuck up her brain, too.”
James became sober instantly. “Yes, that, too. And I blame myself for what happened. I’m her father, yet I didn’t see the danger and allowed those two to become close.”
Tristan said, “Dad, it’s not your fault. Tara is a very good manipulator. We’ve experienced it firsthand.”
Logan nodded in agreement. “She’s good at what she does.”
Darcy asked, “So how did Tara know about her mother being alive? Didn’t the police report her dead after the incident? Which was why Tara became an orphan and you adopted her.”
James nodded. “That’s right. As to Tara finding out about her supposedly dead mother being alive, I don’t know and neither does Erick. He’s still investigating that. However, Erick’s report stated there were several meetings between the two women when Tara was in high school at the academy. He even has footage and photos of them from surveillance cameras to prove it, along with witnesses, girls who went to the academy at the time.”
“I see,” Darcy said. “And what about Alaina? She didn’t know about Tara and Mrs. Clark back then, I assume.”
James nodded. “I can only guess Tara kept that secret to herself until very recently when Alaina incidentally found out.”
It was Hayden’s turn to ask a question. “Talking about Alaina, Darcy told us you’ve reconciled with her?”
“A few weeks ago, thanks to Darcy. But returning to the family will be hard for her, considering she doesn’t like Sakura much.”
Sebastian said, “Well, Sakura won’t be leaving just for her to come back. If she does come back, she will accept Sakura as part of the family.”
The brothers nodded in agreement.
James chuckled. “I’m proud of you boys for sticking by Sakura’s side. Searching for her and…” He became silent again as a dark frown appeared across his face.
The brothers knew their father must be thinking about what happened a year ago back on St. Joseph Island when Sakura and Darcy had nearly died. Then, of course, Sakura’s mysterious disappearance.
Nicolas said, “We won’t let that happen again.”
James sighed, as if he were tired all of a sudden. “I’m getting too old for that sort of thing.” He chuckled, his eyes bright with expectation. “All I want now is my sons to get married, settle down, and give me and your mother some grandchildren. Brenda was complaining, you know, seeing Mary pregnant.” He watched his sons with amusement.
At this, the brothers became uncomfortable, eyeing one another.
Conrad said, “Nicolas is the oldest. He should settle down and give you grandkids first. He has the hots for Akira, so it shouldn’t be long before there’s wedding bells and then babies.”
Nicolas frowned at the youngest brother. “Shut it, Conrad.”
The other brothers chuckled as they nodded in agreement.
Nicolas, however, wasn’t pleased with the idea. Well, not yet anyway. “Can we get back to the topic at hand now?”
James nodded. “Back to Mrs. Clark, then. Per the report, she booked a flight to Hawaii a few days ago.”
That got the brothers’ attention, and Sebastian asked, “Hawaii? Here?”
James nodded. “Not only that, but she’s apparently supposed to be with her right-hand man. His name is Ray Woods. The man used to belong to one of the underworld gangs, so he knows what he’s doing.”
“Ray Woods,” Sebastian said. He swiftly flicked through the documents, and when he came across the name, he stopped. Then he scrolled down farther, and when he saw the various photos of the guy, he felt his gut oozing acid.
His face dark, he turned his gaze to Darcy.
Darcy noticed the brother looking at him and straightened up. “What?”
Sebastian said, “Come here.”
Curious as to why Sebastian looked so tense suddenly, Darcy headed over. Once he was beside the brother, he leaned in to look at the screen. When he saw the pictures of Ray Woods, he swore. “Fuck!”
“Yeah,” Sebastian said. “Fuck is right.”
James asked, “What’s the problem?”
Sebastian slid the tablet back onto the desk toward their dad as he said, “This man, Ray Woods, we’ve met him.”
At this, all the brothers came forward to look at the photo. They noted the dark hair and bright-blue eyes. Obviously, the man was rather good-looking and, no doubt, quite charming. They didn’t miss the fact that the man was similar in appearance to both Sebastian and Darcy, as if the brothers were combined into one person.
“So that’s Ray Woods,” Tristan said. “And you both have met him? When? Where?”
Sebastian said, “Yesterday.”
Darcy nodded. “He was harassing Sakura when she was alone on her way back to the bungalow.”
“What the hell?” Logan said in outrage. “He was harassing our princess sister?”
Hayden looked pissed. “Did this happen in the afternoon yesterday?”
Darcy nodded. “Before our photo shoot.”
Hayden’s voice was hard when he said, “I was going to accompany her back to the bungalow, but… Was Sakura okay? I mean, she was fine when we returned, but…I mean, back when it happened, was she fine?”
Darcy nodded. “I got there on time. She was a little shaken. He didn’t get very far.”
Sebastian said, “I wish I was there sooner. I would have beaten the man senseless.”
Tristan nodded. “Me, too.”
Logan said, “Me, three.”
It was Nicolas’s turn to speak. “So he’s targeting Sakura. That means he knows who she is.”
James nodded.
Conrad said, “He’s probably stalking her, too. Remember how she looked a little panicky yesterday as well?”
Darcy nodded. “Like she was being watched.”
Sebastian said, “Does that mean she’s seen or met him before?”
Nicolas frowned darkly. “Without our notice? We’ve been with her almost all the time since we’ve got here.”
Hayden interjected. “Almost. But not all the time.”
Sebastian had to agree with that. He remembered the first day they had arrived in Hawaii, when Sakura went walking along the beach alone. Well, not really alone since she had been with Michael. However, none of the brothers had been with her, and that in itself was chancy at best.
“There were a few times when she was out walking along the beach alone when we were busy,” he said.
Logan nodded. “She could have met him then.”
Conrad suggested. “We’ll know for sure if we ask Sakura.”
The brothers agreed with Conrad’s sound opinion, and Sebastian made the move. “Then I’ll go and get her.”
A moment later, Sebastian dashed out the door and headed up the stairs. On the third floor, he made his way to Sakura’s room and knocked three times. When the door opened, it was Akira poking her head out.
“Sebastian?”
Sebastian took a step back as he asked, “Is Sakura in?”
Akira cocked her head to one side in curiosity. “Yes. But she’s asleep. I think the modeling work really tired her out.”
“I see,” Sebastian said. Then he was about to suggest waking her when Akira put her hands up in a gesture to imply no.
“She looks exhausted, Sebastian, especially after her evening walk. I mean, she was all red and flustered.”
Sebastian raised a brow. “Is she that exhausted?”
Of course, he had no doubt it was partially due to her confession and his and Darcy’s lack of answer. That tugged at his heartstrings, and Sebastian smiled. They’d have to hurry up and profess their feelings for her. The sooner done, the better because he didn’t want her to endure the torment of waiting and not knowing what their decisions were. God only knew that he and Darcy had experienced that, and damn, it wasn’t pleasant.
Akira said, “She looks a little worried, too. And anyway, if you want to talk to her, you’ll have to wait until tomorrow. She’s snoozing so soundly, and I would hate to have to wake her up.”
Sebastian nodded in understanding. “Then I’ll talk to her tomorrow.”
“Yes,” Akira said with an affirmative nod.
Sebastian said, “Good night, then, Akira.”
“Good night, Sebastian-san,” Akira replied.
Once Akira closed the door, Sebastian headed back downstairs. A few moments later, he entered the study and shut the door. “She’s asleep.”
James said, “Then we’ll talk to her tomorrow before we depart for St. Thomas Island.”
Nicolas said, “Now, let’s discuss Mrs. Clark, Tara, and this Ray Woods.”
The brothers nodded, and the meeting continued.