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Jane was helping her with evening wear gown of gold and black silk when Sakura asked, "So did Luke tell the brothers?"
Jane looked behind before answering. "I'm afraid so, Sakura."
A lump formed in her throat. "Well, I guess it won't be too long before they go to the gallery."
"Sakura," Jane said, zipping up the gown. "They already went."
"What?" Sakura spun around so fast she got a little dizzy in the process. "They what?"
Jane took a deep breath as she eyed her friend. She was concerned, as Sakura looked like she was about to drop. There were dark circles under her eyes and her skin looked awfully pale. She wondered if Sakura had been working too hard.
"I'm so sorry, Sakura. But Luke, that stupid brother of mine, he told the brothers where the gallery is. He told me they've went there two weeks ago."
Sakura did a quick calculation within her head and groaned. That must have been the same day she and Jane had been to see both Haruka and Mr. Tachibana. The day she returned home and--
"No wonder I smelled colognes," she said softly, remembering what Ned had said. Boys! There had been boys visiting the gallery.
"Colognes?" Jane asked curiously. "What does colognes have to do with the brothers?"
Sakura sighed. "Nothing, Jane."
As she came out of the dressing room, Ned's statement about how a woman could smell her soulmate even when he wasn't in the room echoed within her head.
For two hours, Sakura tried on different outfits for Mr. Tachibana, Haruka, and Ms. Ruka to inspect. She was just changing the last one when her phone rang. Clutching the material of the gown against her breasts so it wouldn't fall off her person, she reached out for her bag.
With the cell phone in one hand, she put it to her ear. "Hello?"
"Sakura? It's me, Akira."
Sakura blinked and her heart skipped a beat. The panicky voice she heard made her worry. Instantly, her mind rushed to Toby. Her friend did promise to take Toby to the vet today, and she wondered if they had found something wrong with the dog. She hoped it was nothing serious, but Akira's voice on the other side of the line made her wonder if--
"Sakura, I've lost Toby!"
Sakura found her throat dry when she said, "What?"
"Let me explain. I took the dog to the vet, right? And things happened. Mainly with that arrogant dragon Nicolas. He accused me of stealing your dog, Sakura. The gall of him. And anyway, now I've lost the dog. I can't find him anywhere in the apartment."
Sakura frowned over this. Who was this dragon Nicolas Akira was talking about? The guy up at the penthouse? But she didn't dwell on that particular person and what he had to do with Akira. She was more worried about Toby.
"Have you tried the third floor?" she asked as she now shuffled the gown down her person and grabbed for her bra. "He was there the last time he went missing."
"No, I haven't. I'll go and do that now."
"You do that," Sakura said. "I'm on my way."
"Okay, see you soon."
"Bye," Sakura said. She rested the phone in her bag and quickly grabbed her clothing.
She got dressed in a minute flat and then rushed out of the dressing room. She came across Haruka and begged an apology. "Toby is missing. I'll come back the moment I find him and am sure he's okay."
Haruka nodded and ushered her out the door.
*
Conrad thought he was going nuts. For two weeks now, he kept hearing Toby barking. Tristan had told him it was his hallucination, mistaking other dogs' barks for Toby's. This only spurred Conrad ever more to want to go to the gallery to see Sakura. Of course, that bloody Ned had decided to avoid them by staying in Los Angeles, so nothing was done about making Sakura come around and let them back into her life.
When he'd suggested they just up and go to see her anyway, Logan had said, "You'll frighten her with your unpleasant appearance, Conrad. We've agreed with Ned not to bother her until he makes her come around."
Of course, he knew both Sebastian and Darcy had been doing their rounds through Soho, just to get a peek at the gallery, hoping to see Sakura. It was odd lately that Sebastian seemed so chummy about something. He was grinning to himself all the time, which annoyed both Conrad and Darcy equally. When Darcy had asked the brother if he had a secret to share, Sebastian just said, "Just thinking of my conversation with a friend."
"Bloody hell," Conrad muttered under his breath, storming into the living area where everyone was getting ready for lunch.
Beth looked up. "What's bothering you, Master Conrad?"
"Toby. Is it really just me? Didn't you guys hear the bark?"
Tristan laughed. "Your imagination again."
"We heard the barks, Conrad. Dog barks along the streets," Hayden said, turning the page of the newspaper in his hands. "It's not unusual."
"Are you sure you're all right, bro?" Logan put in, looking at Conrad over his bland coffee. "Need to see a doctor or something?"
"Don't be ridiculous," Conrad snapped. He took a seat beside Tristan and changed the subject. "Where's Nicolas and Sebastian?"
"Nicolas is at the hotel doing some stuff. He's elbow deep in paperwork, apparently. Sebastian is doing a deal with some new business partner in Brooklyn."
"Darcy?"
"At his loft," Hayden said. "He's dealing with some issue with the art and design for our new game."
"Seven Knights?"
"Lame," Tristan said. "Seven Knights."
"Eight now," Hayden said. "It was Darcy's idea. He wants eight now. And don't you say it's lame. If it's lame, it wouldn't be still selling in the millions."
"Does it have more moves and weapons?"
"Shitload," Hayden replied. "Katana."
"Sick!" Conrad laughed. "I love katana."
It was then Conrad looked up and saw a white dog run across the length of the courtyard. "Toby!" he shouted, pointing a finger at the window.
The brothers turned to look but didn't see any dog. Tristan pulled Conrad down to sit again and placed the back of his hand against Conrad's forehead.
"You're not sick," he said, noting his temperature was okay.
Conrad slapped his brother's hand away. "Who the hell says I'm sick?" He was obviously so upset he shot up and headed out the room in annoyance.
Tristan said, "What did I say?"
Hayden shrugged his shoulders as if to say he didn't have a clue, and Logan laughed.
Conrad came out into the garden and went about searching for the little culprit who made everyone think he was going mad. There, the barking was getting louder. The corridor? Conrad rushed over to the other side and, taking a deep breath, he jerked the door open.
Woof! Woof! Woof!
Conrad staggered back as he stared wide at the little dog jumping around his feet with excitement. When the shock finally receded, the man bent down to his knees and gathered the pup into his arms.
"Toby?"
Woof! was the reply.
Conrad couldn't help himself. He laughed and squeezed the white furry canine in his arms. "Toby, how the hell did you get here?"
Another bark came as a reply.
"Conrad, what are you doing there?" Logan called out from the house. He even sported a suspicious look on his face.
Conrad turned and shouted, "It's Toby! I found him."
"Don't shit with me, Conrad!" the brother swore loudly.
"Jesus, man, I'm not shitting you. It really is Toby," Conrad yelled back. To Toby, he said, "See? They don't believe me. Well, let's show them. See who's the one going crazy now! Let's go, Toby."
At Toby's bark of agreement, Conrad turned on his heel and headed back across the garden to the house.
The moment Logan saw Toby at the door, he stared at the dog in shocked surprise and nearly spilled his coffee. Beth, who was carrying two plates of sandwiches, froze in her spot. The sight of the little beast was too much for her to bear, and the plates and food crashed to the floor.
"Shit! It really is Toby!" Logan sh
outed.
