The feeling of being squeezed in like a sandwich between two men just did not feel comfortable, Sakura thought. Honestly, why did she have to return home with the brothers? Why couldn't Mark have dropped her off? Why had Mary taken her car away without telling her? Why, oh why?
She pulled Sebastian's jacket—the one he had unceremoniously wrapped around her the moment she'd taken off her lab coat—across her front and then tried to relax. But how the heck could she even do that when Conrad kept glancing her way and giving her that dazzling smile of his? Although, she found it rather amusing since he reminded her of Toby when the dog was trying to please her.
"So," he began, "what interesting things have you been doing?"
She said, "I haven't been doing anything interesting, apart from the usual." Why were they interested in her life now when they'd never given a damn before? She wondered.
"Give it a rest, Conrad," Nicolas said.
Once they finally arrived at Princeton Manor, Sakura quickly made her escape and rushed into the house. At the entrance, she was promptly greeted by Toby, who raced toward her. She chuckled as she bent down to pick him up. "You miss me?"
Toby barked excitedly in response and then licked her cheek.
"Ugh!" a voice expressed. "Finally, somebody shut that stupid dog up."
Sakura automatically hugged Toby against her chest protectively and headed toward the stairs. When she thought she would escape unscathed, Tara emerged from the drawing room. Of course, she wasn't surprised to see that the woman was still as beautiful as ever.
At the hallway, Tara spotted Sebastian looking very handsome indeed in jeans and a blue formal shirt. She wondered where he'd been and without inviting her at that. Then she noticed Nicolas, Logan, and Conrad.
"Where have you guys been?" She demanded, pouting her lips akin to a girl being denied candy. "Should have invited me."
Tristan, Hayden, and Darcy happened to walk in through the doorway at that moment. Tristan was chuckling about something, and Hayden was giving Tristan a friendly punch on the arm. Darcy simply shook his head at the brothers' irritating behavior. They'd been talking about women and the best methods to get them in the mood for sex.
They came to a stop when they noticed the other brothers were still dallying in the hallway. Darcy spotted Tara, and his face darkened.
Tara's eyes lit up the moment she saw Darcy, though he didn't give her any indication he appreciated her presence. Sakura, on the other hand, chose that moment to leave quietly. If only Toby didn't bark, she would have been gone without anyone noticing. But the dog did bark, and Tara finally turned her attention to Sakura.
Tara stared at her for a moment, as if trying to recollect who she was. Then her eyes seemed to blaze with fire and said, "What the fuck are you doing here? I thought you were long gone. So what? You're here to destroy our family again? Who invited you here?"
The brothers held their breath at the sarcastic statements fired at Sakura. The scene took them back to their childhood when Tara had unleashed her temper on little Sakura, who hadn't been able to do anything except endure the bullying.
Sebastian narrowed his eyes dangerously. Nicolas pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, a gesture the brothers knew well, which meant a serious action was about to be taking place. Darcy scowled while Hayden's, Tristan's, and Logan's faces became serious.
Conrad, who'd never encountered this faceoff, was shocked at Tara's despicable tone toward Sakura.
"That's not very nice, Tara," he said.
Tara ignored him and continued glaring at Sakura.
Sakura tilted her head to one side and then gave Tara a lovely smile. With her voice soft and calm, she said, "I believe I live here. This is, after all, my home. And I am, after all, a Princeton."
Her comeback words and fearless tone stunned brothers. It appeared timid Sakura wasn't going to just stand by and let herself be bullied any longer.
Tara shouted, "Like hell you live here! Princeton? Bullshit! You're not a Princeton. You don't even know your real last name. You're full of bullshit!"
In response to Tara's outrageous screech, Toby barked aggressively, barring his fangs, causing Tara to stumble back with fright. Toby kept barking and growling as the woman swore.
"Shut up, you stupid dog! Shut up!" she screamed. "You're giving me a headache."
"That's enough, Tara!" Nicolas's chilled voice echoed throughout the hallway.
Tara gasped and turned to look at Nicolas, confused. For years, he had never used such icy tone toward her. In fact, Nicolas, who was much like his father James, had never used that particular tone toward anyone except for when he was upset and had to set things in order.
"This is no way to treat your sister," he said, his eyes narrowed dangerously.
"That was mean, Tara," Conrad said.
"Your behavior is uncalled for," Hayden said.
"I concur," Logan added.
"You're not pretty when you act like a bitch, Tara," Tristan stated matter-of-factly.
Sakura was pleasantly surprised the brothers were on her side in this unexpected confrontation. They've changed, she thought. They've grown.
Toby started barking aggressively again at Tara. To calm him down, Sakura stroked his head.
She turned to Tara and said, "I think over drinking causes your headache, not my sweet Toby barking at you." She strolled past the woman as she add, "By the way, you really should lay off those cigarettes and alcohol because they really do give you wrinkles. Not good for a supermodel, don't you think?" With that, she headed up the stairs.
Toby took the opportunity to growl at Tara once again. Sakura couldn't help but smile at her little dog's overprotective behavior.
The brothers were speechless. Sakura had grown—both inside and out—and now nothing could faze her. Conrad couldn't help but laugh.
"What the hell are you laughing about?" Tara snapped at him.
"I think you should stay away from Toby, Tara," he said. "He doesn't like you at all. Not one bit. You might get bitten." With that, he headed into the drawing room.
Tara glared at him as he left, and once he was out of sight, she turned to the other brothers.
Darcy finally managed to relax and eased his fisted hands once Sakura had disappeared up the stairs and was saved from Tara's further onslaught of bullying.
"Did you see her? The way she behaved?" Tara said.
Darcy ignored her outrageous questions and headed past her up the stairs. He wasn't in the mood to interact with a bitch harassing her own adopted sister.
Nicolas, a dark frown on his face, said, "This is a family reunion, Tara. I don't expect such ill-mannered behavior from you. You are a Princeton, and should act accordingly."
Tara bit her lip, her hands fisted tight. Princeton, my ass, she thought sourly. She never considered herself a Princeton. She was only using the name to secure a high life.
"Don't do it again," he warned, nudging his glasses up the bridge of his nose.
Tara didn't reply as she stood there, fuming.
Nicolas dismissed her by saying, "I need a shower," and headed up the stairs. Tristan, Logan, and Hayden all headed into the drawing room.
Finally, Tara turned to Sebastian, who was furious. Tara, however, didn't sense the fury exuding from him. In fact, she thought Sebastian was pissed on her behalf. She asked, "How did you come back with her? I didn't even know she lives here. James and Brenda never told me."
Though she had been adopted by the Princetons, Tara had never gotten used to calling James and Brenda Mom and Dad. She hated calling them by those endearments and had refused to submit to their gentle urging. She didn't care, had never cared, even if it hurt their feelings. For her, Melissa Byrd was her only mom, the woman who had loved her and had sacrificed so much for her to get her this far. Her dad, on the other hand, was someone who had never really existed in her life, and she pretty much didn't care if he was dead or alive.
"We were at Lauren's birthday party," Sebastian said, striding past her. Then, before he disappeared down the hallway, he turned and added, "By the way, you should shower. You stink of alcohol."
Tara stared at him, confused. She cocked her head to one side, wondering why she had the sudden feeling that every one of the brothers was ignoring her. She watched Sebastian walking away, his face impassive.