Chapter 4: Sebastian Princeton, Prince of Hearts – Part 2

Nicolas sighed. Of course, all the brothers knew their dad had been asking him to take over the business, but Nicolas didn’t feel he was ready to take on such a big job as CEO of their family empire, the Princeton Group—aside from the fact that he had three of his own businesses to take care of, even though they were mostly online and his employees were outsourced.

“I’ve been thinking about it for a while now,” he said. “I’ll take a look at it this spring and decide then.”

“Aside from that,” Alaina said, “none of you are bringing any girls home to meet Mom and Dad?” She turned to Hayden. “Where’s your girlfriend? What’s her name? Judith or Julie or something?”

“We broke up,” Hayden snapped.

“He got dumped.” Tristan gladly offered. This of course welcomed a death-ray glare from Hayden.

“And you, Darcy?” Tara asked. “What about Kate?”

Darcy frowned at Tara, telling her to piss off and mind her own business.

Tara thought Darcy’s dislike of her had grown even more in these past few years. This frustrated and pissed her off because she couldn’t understand why he was like that toward her. These feelings multiplied since she had a crush on him. Well, she couldn’t help herself, and what woman could? Especially with him looking like that… with dark hair and smoldering mauve-gray eyes. Not to mention his tall, lean body—toned and well maintained via years of training and hard work. Any woman would want that body in her bed—Tara included.

“He got dumped.” Tristan supplied.

Darcy grabbed a towel and threw it at Tristan. The force of the throw caused the towel to smack right on the side of Tristan’s face. Instead of cursing, the older brother laughed and said, as he watched Darcy walking past him toward the stairs that’d lead him up to the high-diving platform above, “Get over it, Darcy boy. She’ll come begging for you again like all of your other ex-girlfriends did.”

Darcy was over it. He was 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 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 cheating on her. 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. 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 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 body. She had to admit he had one of the best 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 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 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 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. 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. 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 spring to work on it. Sooner or later Sebastian—or Darcy, 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 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 Princetons’ hometown since 1750 when the first generation had arrived from England and made this island theirs.

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 Manor, which was located on the other side of the island, about twenty-five minutes’ drive from town.

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 next to Darcy.

Sebastian frowned when both Tristan and Logan waved at him from the other car, 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 continuously, waking up Conrad.

“That bastard is annoying as hell,” Conrad muttered, glaring at the car in front of them.

“I see trouble coming,” Darcy murmured under his breath, knowing very well how Sebastian would respond to the challenge.

On cue, Sebastian 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.

“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.