Amid the storm, two patrol boats sped their way through huge, angry waves and thunderous rain. In one were Sebastian, Darcy, Conrad, and Tristan, while the other held Nicolas, Hayden, and Logan. Both Sebastian and Darcy prayed silently that they’d get to their beloved woman in time to save her, as the vessels sped toward the location of the flare.

“Faster, Tristan!” Sebastian shouted, his eyes fixed on the bright light lingering in the sky ahead.

“I’m doing my best!” Tristan yelled.

“We’re close!” Darcy shouted at the top of his lungs.

With his eyes fixed on the dying flare, Sebastian couldn’t believe what had happened. They’d been scouring the sea for what seemed like hours, losing hope, thinking they’d never be able to find another vessel in such a vast sea, especially in this bad weather.

Then they saw the flare shoot up into the sky, and Sebastian knew instantly it was Sakura who had sent the signal. By God, he had no idea how she’d managed it, but he thanked the Lord she had.

That’s my girl, he thought proudly, as the vessel came into view.

“The yacht!” Conrad shouted, pointing to the boat before them. “Hurry!”

It wasn’t long before they came upon the yacht, and Tristan blasted the light at full power, scouring haphazardly, searching for Sakura. Then he did his best at maneuvering their boat toward the vessel and got as close as possible. On the other patrol boat, Logan did the same.

Conrad pulled out the transmitter and said loudly and urgently, “Sakura! Where are you? It’s the Princeton brothers! Sakura!”

The speaker echoed out Sakura’s name repeatedly. Suddenly, they spotted her, and Tristan and Logan directed the lights on her.

Sakura was standing on the treacherously slick side deck, holding tightly to the rail as she watched them from afar. Behind her was Mrs. Clark, who had a gun pointing at her temple. Not far away were Tara, who had a knife in her hand, and Ray Woods.

“Fuck!” Sebastian and Darcy uttered in unison.

Darcy shouted, “Tristan! Move the boat in closer!”

“Roger!” Tristan yelled back.

Sebastian said, “Darcy, what are you doing?”

Darcy moved back as he said, “I’m going over.”

Sebastian was about to stop him when Darcy started running at the same time Tristan sped the boat up and moved in. At the right time, Darcy climbed onto the rail of their boat and quickly grabbed the rail of the other vessel. Then he pulled himself up and over. Miraculously, he landed safely on the deck.

“Shit!” Sebastian uttered in disbelief.

Conrad could only watch with his mouth open in surprise. When he saw Sebastian start walking back, he knew the brother was about to do the same thing and prayed for his safe landing.

Sebastian took a deep breath. Then he sprinted, climbed over the rail of their boat while at the same time reached for the rail of the other vessel. Then he pulled himself up and over, thus landing safely on the deck beside Darcy.

“Fuck!” This came from Tara, who was watching the brothers in disbelief.

On the other side of the vessel, where no one was paying attention, Nicolas and Hayden climbed onto the yacht via the side ladder and silently made their way toward the front where the commotion was taking place.

Back at the front, Ray at once rushed over to the cockpit and started the engine, thinking only of escape. Once the machine was on full blast, he pulled up the accelerator, and the yacht lurched forward, speeding away.

Tristan and Logan accelerated their boats as well, following the vessel.

While this was happening, Darcy and Sebastian were eyeing Mrs. Clark, who had Sakura in her grasp, a gun pointing at the girl’s temple.

“Let her go!” Darcy shouted.

Mrs. Clark tightened her hand around Sakura’s throat as she pressed the gun harder against her temple in warning. “I can’t believe it. I just can’t. You brothers came all the way here just for her?”

Sebastian said darkly, “If you hurt her, I swear I will not let you and your family get away with it.”

Mrs. Clark sneered. “As if I give a fuck,” she said. She nudged Sakura’s face up by tightening her fingers around her throat and digging her fingernails deep into Sakura’s skin.

“This one deserves to die. She belongs down there.” She directed her gaze toward the sea.

It was then Sebastian and Darcy saw Nicolas looming behind Mrs. Clark. The eldest brother signaled for them to continue distracting the woman. Meanwhile, on the other side, Hayden silently made his way toward Ray in the cockpit.

“Let her go,” Darcy said, his voice hard. “Sakura hasn’t done anything to you.”

“She hasn’t done anything to me, you say?” Mrs. Clark asked sarcastically. “Of course she hasn’t done anything. But her mere existence pisses me off. Her mere existence turns my world upside down.”

Sebastian said, “Just because you’ve fucked up your own life doesn’t mean you should just dump the blame on Sakura.” He turned his gaze to Tara, who was watching them. Luckily, the girl was facing toward them and, therefore, couldn’t see Nicolas or Hayden behind her.

Tara glared at Sebastian in outrage, as she knew the man was directing those harsh words toward her as well. She was so pissed she couldn’t control herself, and spit out her innermost feelings.

“She did fuck up my life, Sebastian. If she hadn’t turned up last year for Mary’s wedding, you and Darcy wouldn’t have changed. None of you brothers would have changed. You all would still love me and care for me, and...” Tears rolled down her cheeks as she screamed in agony.

“Oh, God! It’s so painful here.” She clutched at her chest. “So fucking painful. Why? Why did you both have to fall in love with her? It’s not fair. I was doing my best to make you all love me. Why can’t you see that?”

Sebastian said, “You’re deluded, Tara. We did love you once, as a sister.”

“You are selfish,” Darcy said. “And that’s what really screwed you up.”

Mrs. Clark snapped, “Stop it! Why are you hurting my daughter?”

Sakura, with a gun pointed at her temple and her mouth and hands still bound tight, watched her two beloved men taunting her captors.

What are they doing? Are they trying to draw away the women’s attention?

God, she had felt so much relief the moment she’d seen the two patrol boats heading their way. After Mrs. Clark had grabbed her throat and pointed a loaded gun at her, Sakura wanted to scream, but couldn’t. Then, when she’d seen first Darcy and then Sebastian jumping over to this yacht, she felt as though her heart was going to drop to her shoes, so afraid for them. Now, they were confronting a demented woman who was bent on murder, and Sakura felt overwhelmingly terrified for their safety.

Suddenly, Tara started screaming, and Mrs. Clark shouted at her to shut up. It was then Hayden barged into the cockpit and swung his mighty fist into Ray’s face, sending the man toppling sideways. Another punch came forward, forcing Ray instantly unconscious.

Hayden took over the wheel and turned off the engine, which brought the vessel to an abrupt halt. At the same time, Nicolas took the opportunity and grabbed Mrs. Clark’s hand, forcing the gun away from Sakura. The two struggled for the weapon as Tara mindlessly charged forward, knife in the air, intending to murder Sakura then and there.

Sebastian and Darcy rushed forward—Sebastian to stop Tara and Darcy heading for Sakura.

Sebastian grabbed hold of Tara’s wrist and stopped her in her tracks.

Tara continued to scream her head off as tears flowed down her cheeks.

Suddenly, the gun fired, and the surprised Mrs. Clark loosened her grip on the weapon, which allowed it to topple and land a short distance away, near Tara’s feet.

Sakura, on the other hand, felt a forceful shove, which threw her sideways. She collided against the rail of the boat at the same time she heard a loud bang go off. Oh, God! Had she been shot? Was she dying?

Then she suddenly felt a man embracing her. His body, though wet, was still warm against her icy cold one. When she opened her eyes and looked up, she found she was in Darcy’s arms.

“Are you okay?” he whispered softly, his eyes roaming passionately over her with concern.

Honest to God, Sakura didn’t know if she was all right or not as tears rolled down her cheeks, her heart thumping loudly in her chest.

Darcy saw the terror in her eyes and said soothingly, “You’re fine, sweetheart. It didn’t hit you.”

Sakura mindlessly nodded while her whole body trembled. God, she had thought that was it, that she was a goner.

Hastily, Darcy unbound her hands and then her mouth. Freed, Sakura sighed in relief and was about to hug Darcy, just to confirm to herself that he and his brothers were really here to save her, when he moved back and took off his life jacket. She watched as he put it on her instead, which confused her.

“You can’t swim very well in the sea,” he said.

She nodded mutely as he zipped her up.

While all that was happening between Sakura and Darcy, Nicolas was struggling with Mrs. Clark and Sebastian with Tara, who was still screaming.

Once Sebastian managed to restrain Tara, he asked loudly over his shoulder, “Sakura, are you okay?” At Sakura’s confirmation, he continued. “Darcy, get her out of here.”

Sakura shook her head. “What about you and Nicolas? We can’t leave you guys,” she shouted, her voice quivering with worry.

Nicolas said, “We’re big men, Sakura. We’ll be fine, but you really need to get off the yacht ASAP. You’re their target. Not Sebastian. Not me. They won’t dare do anything to us.”

Sakura nodded in understanding, and she and Darcy started heading toward the patrol boat.

Mrs. Clark, who was still adamantly struggling, shouted, “The gun, Tara. Get the gun and shoot her. Shoot Sakura!”

The panicked Tara mindlessly slung the knife sideways at Sebastian, which sliced through the skin along his arm and then his life jacket. Injured, the man released her from his grasp as he staggered and fell onto his back. Tara then picked up the gun by her feet and pointed it toward Sakura and Darcy, who were heading away.

“Shoot her!” Mrs. Clark shouted.

Tara’s whole body shook as she said, “I can’t. I can’t. Darcy is in the way. If I shoot, it’ll hit him.”

Gritting her teeth in frustration, Mrs. Clark muttered, “You useless daughter.” She returned her attention to Nicolas, opened her mouth wide, and bit into the man’s arm. Nicolas released her in response. Mrs. Clark took the opportunity and shoved him away from her. Then she grabbed the gun from Tara and pointed it at Sakura.

At this point, Hayden rushed out the door of the cockpit to stop Mrs. Clark, but he wasn’t fast enough.

Half lying on his back, clutching his bleeding wound, Sebastian shouted, “Sakura! Darcy!”

Mrs. Clark pulled the trigger. Bang! Bang! Bang!

Sakura screamed as Darcy pulled her under him.

“Darcy!” Sebastian yelled as he watched him fall to the side. In an instant, he saw blood seeping through his brother’s shirt.

Once the banging noise stopped, Sakura rose and pulled Darcy into her arms as her heart pounded loudly in her chest. Her whole body shook in dread as she inspected the man’s body.

“Darcy! No! Please, no!” she said under her breath as she held on to his heavy body. “Look at me. Look at me, Darcy!”

Oh, God! No, please don’t let my dear Darcy die. Not now. Not ever. Please. The blood now covering her hands was thick and warm.

Sebastian got to his feet and rushed over, his hands now stained with his own blood. Before them, he kneeled and said, “We need to stop the bleeding.” He took off his life jacket and stripped off his shirt. Then he tore the clothing to pieces and tied the material around Darcy’s shoulder and arm, where the brother was shot.

“Sakura...” Darcy weakly whispered her name. “Sakura...”

“Darcy,” Sakura whispered back. “Please don’t die. Please. I love you. Please, don’t die. I won’t be able to live without you. Please.”

Nicolas, who now had the gun, which he had managed to retrieve from Mrs. Clark, came over to Sebastian. Behind him, Hayden was restraining the woman, while Tara simply stood there, mumbling nonsensical words like a zombie.

Nicolas took out his walkie-talkie. “We need help ASAP! Darcy has been shot. Over,” he said to Logan on the other side.

“Shit!” Logan replied. “Got that. Chopper coming. Over.”

Nicolas turned to Sebastian and said, “Help is coming.”

Sebastian pressed down on Darcy’s wounds to reduce the bleeding, disregarding his own injury. Meanwhile, Sakura cradled Darcy and continuously kissed his forehead, silently praying as he slowly lost consciousness.

Suddenly, they heard a bang, which was followed by a flare shooting into the sky from where Conrad stood in one of the patrol boats. A moment later, they heard a helicopter heading their way.

Nicolas waved as the transporters approached.

---

With a blanket wrapped securely around her and in the warm, comforting embrace of Sebastian, Sakura watched the helicopter hovering above them. In the distance, she glimpsed Darcy lying on a stretcher and Nicolas, accompanying his brother, sitting on the seat beside him. A moment later, the chopper started flying away and then disappeared amongst the light-gray clouds.

Sakura shivered and snuggled her face against Sebastian’s chest as she heard the sirens of the patrol boats approaching. She knew it was the police; here to take custody of Mrs. Clark, Ray Woods, and Tara.

Suddenly, she felt exhausted and simply wanted to shut her eyes and sleep, though her mind wouldn’t let her. All she could think about was Darcy. Her beloved man had taken not one, but two bullets for her. At the very thought, tears started brewing in her eyes once again.

Sebastian must have felt her body stiffen, and tightened his arms around her in response. “Darcy is going to be fine,” he said softly as he kissed her forehead. “The bullets didn’t hit any vital organs or major blood vessels. It was the arm and shoulder.”

Sakura nodded. “I know,” she said weakly. “I know.”

In the cockpit, Tristan said, “Should we start heading back? The police can take over now.”

Sebastian nodded, and Tristan started the engine.

An hour later, they arrived back at St. Thomas Island, and by then, the storm had completely died down and dawn was approaching. Upon landing, Sakura found she didn’t have the strength to walk and was thankful that Sebastian picked her up and carried her, without her having to ask.

Once they entered the warmth of the great house, everyone rushed over, obviously in relief, shedding tears of joy at the sight of her. When they heard of Darcy’s injury, they were silent once again, praying for him.

After Sakura had adamantly confirmed to both her mothers, Haruka and Brenda, and her adoptive father James that she was fine and had no serious injury, Sebastian then carried her to her bedroom. Meanwhile, the other brothers, particularly Tristan, recounted the tale of their misadventure and heroic acts to everyone.

Upon entering her bedroom, Sakura sighed and felt extremely exhausted. Sebastian gently laid her on her bed and then kneeled in front of her. “Are you okay?” He softly stroked her face.

Sakura gave him a smile. “I’m fine, but I’m very tired.”

Sebastian nodded in understanding. “How about a warm bath and then some sleep?”

Sakura frowned. “What about Darcy? Aren’t we going back to Honolulu today to see him?”

“Yes, we are. But you need a bit of sleep first. Besides, Darcy will be in surgery, and Nicolas is with him. He’ll keep us updated. We’ll leave this afternoon. But first, you need rest.”

Sakura reluctantly nodded. Of course, she knew even if they hurried, there weren’t much they could do where Darcy was concerned.

“All right,” she said.

A couple of knocks came at the door. Sebastian said, “Come in.”

The door opened, and Lady Haruka and Brenda entered the room.

“Moms,” Sakura said in surprise.

Brenda said to Sebastian, “Darling, we’ll take care of Sakura. Why don’t you get yourself cleaned up and rest?”

Sebastian observed Sakura for a moment, noting her pale face and tired eyes. He reluctantly nodded.

He was just about to walk out the door when Sakura said, “Please come back when you’re done. I...” She licked her lips nervously. “I want you with me. Please.”

Sebastian smiled gently at her. “Don’t worry. I’ll be back.”

Sakura nodded, and Sebastian then left the room.

After Haruka had drawn her a warm bath, Sakura gladly hopped in and took her time soaking in the lavender-scented water. When she was done and dressed in her pajamas of shorts and T-shirt, she headed back into the bedroom.

“Are you done?” Haruka asked. At Sakura’s nod, the woman said, “Have something to eat before you sleep.”

Sakura came over and noted there was a bowl of Japanese chicken soup for her. She smiled gratefully at her biological mother and said, “Thanks, Mom.”

Haruka hugged her tightly as she whispered, “I’m just glad you’re back. I thought I’d lost you for the second time.”

Sakura felt her heart ache at the woman’s words. Gosh, she was loved, wasn’t she? And that made her extremely happy.

When she drew back and Haruka released her, it was Brenda’s turn to hug her. Once the two women were satisfied Sakura had everything she needed and she’d be all right, they left her to sleep and recuperate from her exhaustion.

Alone, Sakura started eating her soup, which was delicious. When she finished and her belly was warm and full, she sighed in satisfaction and lay back in bed, her mind now on Darcy.

God, she wanted to see him, wanted to be beside him. She whispered his name softly as she closed her eyes, finding it hard to stay awake.

At that time, a couple of knocks came at the door, and Sakura eyes fluttered open again. She knew it was Sebastian and said, “Come in.”

Once she saw Sebastian coming in the door, Sakura felt her heart ache once again. She had an overwhelming feeling of wanting to be in his arms erupt within her. Tears started brewing in her eyes again as Sebastian closed the door and made his way toward her.

Once he sat on the bed, he chuckled in amusement as he wiped the tears from her cheeks.

She sniffed and said, “What’s so funny?”

“Seeing you crying like a baby because you want to be with me so much,” he said teasingly.

She slapped his hand. “Stop teasing me. I’m not in the mood for that right now.” She threw herself into his arms then and buried her face against his chest.

Sebastian felt her slender body shaking like a leaf, and it struck at his heartstrings. He wrapped his arms around her as he kissed her forehead.

“I love you,” he whispered. “And I won’t let that sort of thing happen to you again.”

Sakura finally raised her face to look at him. “I was so scared, Sebastian. I was so scared of losing you and Darcy. If I had, oh, God, I have no idea what I’d do. I’d die. I seriously would.”

“Shh...” He stroked her hair. “Don’t think about that. I’m still here with you. And Darcy will soon join us.”

Sakura nodded. As if to confirm, she said, “Yes, Darcy will join us soon. He’ll be all right. He will.”

Sebastian said gently, “Now then, how about sleep?”

Moving back and resting against the mountain of pillows behind her, Sakura nodded. “But you’ll stay here with me, right? Sleep here with me. You need your rest, too.”

With a gentle smile on his face, Sebastian nodded.

Holding on to his hand tightly—afraid she’d lose him—she moved over to the other side as she nudged him along with her. After noting he was now fully beside her on the bed, she lay back. Once Sebastian did the same, she rolled over and buried her face against his chest.

As she was doing so, she noticed the bandage wrapped around his forearm. She gently touched the white material and whispered, “You’re injured.”

Sebastian said, “It’s only superficial. It wasn’t deep.”

She raised her eyes to him and asked, “Tara?”

He nodded.

Sakura stared at his wounded arm. Then she raised herself up. Sebastian watched as she moved her face toward his. A moment later, he felt her soft lips press against his.

She tasted and smelled wonderful, and he wanted more. Instantly, he urged her lips to part for him, and when she obliged, he plunged his tongue into her inviting mouth.

Their kiss was slow and passionate, and by the time they stopped, Sakura was breathless.

“Good night, Sebastian.”

Even though it was obviously morning and it was gloriously beautiful outside, the sun shining after the night of storms, Sebastian said in return, “Good night, Sakura. Sweet dreams.”

Sakura then moved down again and snuggled her face against his chest as she closed her eyes. Sebastian smiled as he watched her slowly drift off into a slumber. A moment later, he tightened his arms around her slender form and kissed her forehead. Then he shut his eyes.