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Yes, she was enchanting. She would tease any man’s senses. Oh, bloody hell! She was practically begging for a man to ravish her.
Sebastian felt his whole body shuddering in pleasure. Shit! He had to get control of himself. He moved closer to her, blocking his brothers from taking in her enticing sight. Sakura glanced up at him, wondering what his problem was since he was now scowling at her again. She wasn’t in the mood for his nastiness and took a step to one side.
He blocked her by taking a step as well.
“What are you doing?” she asked tiredly.
He noted her weary expression and the weakness in her voice. Damn! Why was he being so unreasonable? She had just had a near-death experience, and here he was, scowling at her because she was wearing what Conrad had found for her. He didn’t even have the sense to give her underwear. And apparently, neither did he.
He softened his face and gave her a smile instead.
“Go back in,” he said, gently nudging her around and back into the bathroom. “I’ll find underwear for you.”
Sakura twisted around so fast her head spun. “No!” she said. “I mean, I’ll do it myself. Why don’t you guys go down? I’ll be there soon.”
Darcy wasn’t having any of it. He folded his arms across his chest and told her with his stern expression that he wasn’t going anywhere.
Conrad nodded. “Can I sit on your bed, Sakura?”
Sakura sighed. “Look, I’ll be fine.”
“They might come back,” Darcy said. “I won’t allow them to—” He broke off, glancing away. His heart wrenched with pain at the thought that she might have just died if he hadn’t happened to be there at the pool. That just meant Alaina would be a murderer too. His face became even grimmer at the thought.
“Go back in. Sebastian will find your underwear. You don’t look presentable enough to come down for dinner,” he said.
Sakura sighed. “Okay.”
“Can I sit on your bed?” Conrad asked again. “I like your bed.”
Sakura couldn’t help herself. Despite being so tired, she smiled at Conrad and said, “Yeah,” before turning back into the bathroom.
Once she closed the door, Conrad happily made himself comfortable on the bed, Toby with him. Darcy sat on the chair by the study desk while Sebastian went through her wardrobe, searching for her bra and panties. Once he found some in a small drawer, he lightly knocked on the door.
Sakura poked her head out and quickly grabbed the underwear, her face flaming red from embarrassment. Then she hastily closed the door again.
Sebastian noticed the blushing but kept his face straight as he knew she was very sensitive. That, of course, made him wonder if she was still a virgin. She surely did act like one. That made him smile. He didn’t know why, but he liked the fact that she was still a virgin.
Darcy picked up Sakura’s photo album sitting on the desk and flicked through. He was impressed, noting the many beautiful pictures of nature she had captured. The latest one was of a cherry tree in the woods. It looked very professional, and he liked it. As he gazed at it, something triggered within his mind. Then the images flashed before his eyes.
The summer breeze. The dark hair dancing in the wind. The warm smile. The small, gentle hand stroking his hair. The warm lips on his cheek. The tree! It was the same tree he and she—
Sakura opened the door and came out. Darcy put the photo album back in place and stood up, his whole being tense.
“Do I look much more presentable for dinner now?” she asked.
Darcy felt his heart pumping a bit too fast for his liking. He gritted his teeth. Calm down, you old beast! Why was it so painful looking at her? But why did he feel pleasure, too? And why did he want to be with her so badly? Only moments before—when she came out wearing that dress without underwear, her porcelain skin glistening wet, and her long hair in a wild mess—he had felt surges of pleasure through his veins and his heart somersaulting. Yes, the pleasure and thrill mixed together was utterly intoxicating, exactly like when he was diving—his body flying and twisting and turning in midair before hitting the water in the pool. It was truly wonderful, and she made him feel wonderful. But at the same time, he felt so much pain.
He cleared his throat. “Yes,” he said and then walked out the door.
Sebastian turned to her. He touched her arm and said, “It would be better to lock your door from now on.”
Sakura wasn’t happy with that idea. “What? Suddenly I’m not safe in my own house anymore?”
“That’s not it,” Conrad said from the bed. “You are safe. But it’s them.”
“They’re your sisters, Conrad,” Sakura said. “As I am.”
Conrad didn’t know how to response to her remark. Yes, Alaina was his real sister. Tara was his adopted sister. But Sakura? The reality suddenly hit him. She was also his adopted sister, wasn’t she? But that wasn’t what he wanted.
His face was serious, and he hugged Toby tighter.
“Sakura,” Sebastian said, noting that Conrad had gone silent. It only meant either one of two things: he was thinking deeply and seriously, or he was hurt emotionally.
She turned to him, tears in her eyes. He wiped the wetness with his thumb, her skin soft against his touch. Sakura shoved away his hand, furious at the whole situation.
“Please be careful from now on. We can’t protect you—”
“No!” She cut him off. “I can look after myself. After all, I didn’t have you guys to look after me when I was younger. I’m sure I won’t die just yet. Now please leave because I’m tired and need to rest. And please tell Daddy James and Mom Brenda that I’m not feeling well. Good night.”
She took Toby from Conrad and walked to the window, staring out, tears in her eyes.
Sebastian was pissed because he hadn’t protected her when she was younger. He was pissed because she had been so used to being alone and dependent on herself that she didn’t want his or his brothers’ help. He was also pissed because she had called his parents Mom and Dad. Yes, technically they were her mom and dad, too. The truth was, however, he didn’t want them t
o be her mom and dad and neither did he want her to be his adopted sister. The reason? Because—
Shit! Could he really deny this to himself? Could he? Why didn’t he want her to be his adopted sister? Why didn’t he want her to call his parents Mom and Dad? Why did it hurt him when she said that she, too, was his sister?
His heart still burning with pain and his head still pounding with confusion, he headed out the door.
Conrad got off the bed. He desperately wanted to hug her. He wanted to take her into his arms and tell her that everything was going to be all right. Yes, Conrad didn’t care that he had to be her adopted brother. All he knew was that he wanted to protect her. So he came up behind her and hugged her, his arms wrapping around her form.
“It’s okay, Sakura,” he whispered into her ear. “You can cry. It’s only me here.”
Sakura didn’t need any more encouragement. Tears poured from her eyes, and her whole body trembled once again. Conrad stood there hugging her while she hugged Toby in her arms. When she had finally used up all her tears, she turned to him and gave him a weak smile.
“You’re so nice to me, Conrad, even when you were very small. Your brothers ignored me, pretended I didn’t exist. But you were different. You knew I was here. You secretly played with me when they weren’t around, and I thank you for that.”
Conrad gave her a smile. “Well,” he began, his eyes twinkling, “I don’t actually remember much of that.”
She managed to laugh, and he liked that. Yes, he made her smile and that was enough for him. For now at least.
“It was because you were very small, so you wouldn’t remember.”
He wiped her tears from her cheeks and chuckled. “Like Darcy said, you need to look presentable for dinner.”
“Do I have to go down?” she asked weakly.
“Are you afraid?”
Sakura automatically lifted her chin a notch higher. “No, I’m not afraid.”
Conrad smiled. “Good. Then let’s go.” That said, he grabbed her hand and led her out the door.
