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Darcy was over it. He was simply sick of women smothering him with what they thought was love but was in fact lust, clinginess, and jealousy. When he’d started dating this last one, Kate Anderson, he hadn’t known it was one of Alaina’s friends. If he had known, he wouldn’t have gone out with the damn woman in the first place. As a matter of fact, he hadn’t had a choice since the beginning. Alaina had cunningly gotten him drunk, and the next thing he knew, he was in bed with Kate. The next day, she practically moved in with him.
Now he was only too glad to be rid of her. Well, more specifically, she had gotten rid of herself, since she hadn’t been able to control herself from screwing another guy in their apartment, which he happened to witness by accident. Her reasoning? He hadn’t had sex with her since that first night, and it had been five months. Then of course she had the gall to accuse him of being gay. He hadn’t said a word—just coldly stared at her and then walked out again. The next day, he had texted her and told her it was over, and if she wanted to stay in the luxurious apartment, she could since he’d already paid the rent until the end of the year.
Now he felt as though a heavy burden had lifted off his chest. Standing there on the diving platform and gazing off into the endless blue horizon, he breathed in the salty ocean air. He closed his eyes, his handsome face serene, and then he jumped and expertly did a beautiful somersault as his body soared down into the pool below.
Tara and Alaina applauded after Darcy slipped into the water with barely a splash.
Logan said, “Who wants another drink?”
Most shook their heads, and Tara turned her attention to Sebastian, now rubbing his wet, blond mane with the towel. She admired his masculine body. She had to admit he had one of the best bodies she’d ever seen, with firm muscles and toned six-pack abs. What girl didn’t want to run her fingers—oh ever so slowly—down those abs of his? And those azure-blue eyes, the color of the summer sky, so vibrant they took a girl’s breath away. She was sure if she dated him every woman would envy her. Of course, she was sure guys secretly envied him as well. Not to mention, he was very smart and rich and at only twenty-six years of age had accomplished so much. With his real estate business and investments going international, now he was planning to get another business up and running.
Deep down she was very glad all the brothers were still single because it made her feel special, like all those times when they’d been children when she was the center of their worlds. Now she wanted that again. She wanted all seven of them around her. But most of all, she wanted Sebastian Princeton. She wanted him to love her as a woman. She wanted him in her bed, making love to her and calling her sweetheart. But then again, she also wanted Darcy—despite he was a year younger than her and didn’t seem to have any interest in her whatsoever, which of course made the chasing even more exciting. Oh God! The choices. They were so hard to make, and she felt just like a kid in the candy shop.
Tara grinned and lay back, feeling the warm sun on her skin. She had this whole spring to work on it. Sooner or later Sebastian Princeton—or Darcy Princeton, for that matter—would be hers.
“I can see South Hampton from here,” Darcy said from the high-diving platform, drawing everyone’s attention to the one and only town on St. Joseph Island that suddenly appeared in the distance.
It was a picturesque island with Mount St. Joseph standing grandly in the middle, the lush, green woods surrounding it and the historic, Victorian town securely nestled against its bosom to the west side.
This was their hometown, had been the Princeton’s hometown since 1750 when the first generation had arrived from England and made this island theirs.
Darcy felt his heart do a somersault, and an odd pain spread out across his chest. It wasn’t physical pain, but a type of emotional pain he was sure he’d had before that was now buried deep within his heart, forgotten. Now it was there again, and he didn’t have a clue why. He fisted his hands, feeling frustration building up within him as he watched the island getting bigger as the yacht sailed closer.
Sebastian strode to the side of the deck and gazed out at the island in the distance. Suddenly, he felt an odd thump in his chest, as if there were something on the island that made him pause, and he wondered why.
Not long after, the luxury yacht, the Lady Elizabeth, came into the harbor of St. Joseph Island, and soon they were ready to drive home to Princeton Mansion, which was located on the other side of the island, about twenty-five minutes’ drive from town.
The brothers decided to split up into the two out of the three Mercedes-Benz they’d brought along in the yacht. Tara and Alaina, on the other hand, decided they’d stay in town and do some shopping before driving home.
Once they were out of the busy, tourist-infested town, they pretty much had the road to themselves, and Tristan being Tristan went over the speed limit and, just to annoy Sebastian, dangerously overtook his brother.
“He’s being bloody childish,” Sebastian said under his breath.
“He wants to annoy you—again,” Nicolas commented matter-of-factly, his attention on his tablet.
“Tell me when we get home.” Conrad informed them before closing his eyes and making himself comfortable on the back seat, resting his head on Darcy’s shoulder.
Darcy grunted and shoved him back. “Oi, find another pillow.”
Conrad pulled a face, made himself comfortable on the other side, and closed his eyes again.
Sebastian frowned when both Tristan and Logan waved at him, urging him to try to overtake them if he could.
“There they go again,” Darcy said, shaking his head.
Sebastian wasn’t taking the bait. He knew better than to get lured into his brother’s trap. Then just when he thought it wouldn’t get any more annoying, Tristan honked at him five times, waking up Conrad, who also got very annoyed.
“I think I want to kill him now,” Conrad muttered, glaring at the car in front of them.
“Stay calm now. There’s no need to be childish,” Nicolas said, typing away on his tablet, pretty oblivious to his surroundings.
“I see trouble coming,” Darcy murmured under his breath, knowing very well how Sebastian would respond to the challenge.
On cue, Sebastian felt adrenaline rushing in his blood. He stomped his foot on the accelerator. He quickly changed lanes and overtook the black car in front of them with ease. When he saw the shocked look on Tristan’s face, Sebastian smiled with satisfaction and sped up even more. He laughed, knowing very well he had left his brothers in his dust once again.
“Good job, Seb.” Conrad chuckled.
“You guys still haven’t grown up,” Nicolas said under his breath.
“Better slow down, Seb,” Darcy said, noting they were going way too fast.
A split second later, it happened. The car turned a corner onto a narrow road, which was covered by thick woods on both sides. Before he knew it, Sebastian quickly stepped on the brake, his heart pounding with dread as the car headed straight toward the person who suddenly materialized as if out of the blue
onto the middle of the road.
“Holy shit!” Conrad shrieked.
“Watch out!” Darcy shouted.
