Chapter 34
Brothers’ Conflict
“Shit! Sebastian, you don’t have to kill me for the ball,” Tristan shouted in the distance.
Sebastian wasn’t paying his brother any attention, though, as he raced to the other side of the court, colliding with Logan and then thrusting Conrad to one side, causing the younger brother to fall. Finally he jumped high and slammed the basketball through the hoop.
Sakura and Darcy came out into the clearing just then and found almost everyone at the basketball court near the house.
“Over here!” Conrad shouted to Richard. “I’m open!”
Sakura was fascinated as Richard threw the ball toward Conrad, but before Conrad could get his hands on it, Sebastian intercepted his brother and caught the ball first. He then dribbled it as he raced to the other side of the court again and threw forcefully. The ball went into the hoop straight on.
“No fair!” Conrad shouted.
“Bloody hell!” Tristan shouted.
“He plays like someone stole his girlfriend,” Logan said to Tristan.
“As if he has one,” Tristan chuckled.
“I heard that!” Sebastian shouted, his face a hard mask. “Quit moaning like an old woman just because you’re losing.”
Logan ignored Sebastian and shouted, “Darcy! You’re back. Join our team and beat the crap out of Sebastian!”
Sebastian turned to Sakura and Darcy at that moment. His eyes were blazing with blue fire, though no one saw it. He fisted his hands, his heart thumping loud and fast.
Richard ran to Sakura and hugged her tight. Darcy scowled darkly. So did his brothers on the other side of the court. Sebastian wanted to punch Richard in the face. Then he decided he’d do that on the court instead since they had a game to finish.
“Richard, you’re suffocating me,” Sakura said. “And you’re very sweaty.”
Richard pulled back and laughed. “We’re losing. Come on, let’s play.”
Sakura chuckled. “Me? What makes you think I want to play?”
“Because I know you want to play,” he said teasingly.
He was right. She did want to play. She hadn’t played basketball with him, Mary, and Katherine for ages. Then she saw Mary talking to Peter on the other side of the court, who had obviously played hard in the game because he was sweating quite a bit.
“Come on, then,” Richard said, pulling her along to the other side.
As she came to Mary, Peter, and the brothers, she noted that both Alaina and Tara were on the sidelines, sitting elegantly and watching the game.
Tara sneered at her. Alaina frowned.
Sakura didn’t give a care about their hateful stares. She kept moving toward Mary.
“All right. We’ve got a new team member,” Richard said to his teammates, who were Tristan, Logan, and Conrad.
“Wait a minute,” Sakura said. “I didn’t say I’d join in.”
Conrad said, “We’re never going to beat them. They have Darcy as well as Sebastian. That’s no fair!”
Tristan cocked his head to one side and said, “How about Richard, you swap with Darcy?”
“Huh?” Richard shook his head. “No.”
Tristan, however, ignored him and shouted to Darcy, “Oi, Darcy, wanna join our team?”
“Good with me!” Sebastian shouted back, his eyes dark on Darcy.
Darcy was very aware that Sebastian had something against him and was only glad they weren’t going to be in the same team. He ran over to where the other team was. The moment he got there, he said, “Hey,” to Sakura and gave her a handsome smile.
“Hi,” she replied, giving him a lovely smile in return as if she were very glad indeed to see him.
The brothers noticed and were instantly suspicious.
“Did you see that?” Logan asked Tristan quietly.
Tristan nodded. “They’re friendly,” he said in awe.
Conrad frowned at Darcy and instinctively moved closer to Sakura, as if to shield her from Darcy.
“I have to work harder,” Tristan said to himself.
Logan chuckled at Tristan’s statement. “Seems so,” he said, then turned to Richard. “That means you’re now on Sebastian’s team, Richy boy.” He slapped Richard’s shoulder and nudged him to start heading that way.
“I got it,” Richard reluctantly said and ran over to the other side.
Logan turned his attention to Sakura. “Ready?”
“I’m not playing,” Sakura said, moving back a step. “Go find someone else. What about Mary?”
Mary laughed from behind. “I’d love to, but my wedding is in five days, my dear friend, and Peter won’t tolerate any accidents.”
“You’re expecting an accident on the court?” Sakura asked.
“From the looks of things,” Mary said.
“Sebastian is ready to kill everyone,” Tristan said. “Even his team members.”
“He’d better not touch Peter,” Mary said, “or he’ll have me to answer to.”
“Oi!” Sebastian called out, frowning darkly from the other side. “Are we playing or not?”
“Yeah!” Tristan shouted back.
Sakura noted that all of the men on the other team—Nicolas, Sebastian, Hayden, Richard, and Peter—were taking off their shirts. Holy shit! She blinked and tried to breathe as normally as she could.
She noted that Tara and Alaina were giggling on the other side of the court. They were obviously enjoying the view.
“All right, let’s go,” Tristan said, taking off his shirt too.
Sakura wondered what was going on when Darcy and Logan took off their shirts as well.
Conrad said, “Show off!” And he, too, disrobed.
Tristan turned to her. “And you.”
Sakura glared at him. “Not me, and I’m not playing.”
“Oh, come on.” Mary chuckled. “Remember how we used to play back at the farm? You always beat us despite your small frame.”
Tristan laughed. “Is that so? Now don’t disappoint me, Sakura. Come help me beat the crap out of them.”
Sakura mumbled under her breath. “Fine. If we win, you owe me. Both of you.”
Mary laughed. “Not me, just Tristan. I’m voting for Sebastian and his team since Peter’s there.”
Sakura sighed.
“Oi!” Sebastian shouted impatiently.
“Coming,” Tristan yelled back and pulled Sakura along with him onto the court.
Sebastian, Nicolas, and Hayden stared in shocked surprise to see Sakura with them.
“What the hell?” Sebastian growled.
“Sakura is our team member,” Tristan announced.
“She can’t play,” Sebastian said coldly. “Sakura, go back to the sideline. Tristan, find someone else or you forfeit.”
Tristan laughed. “Forfeit! No way in hell.”
Darcy, who now stood beside Sakura, asked, “Why can’t she play?” His eyes were intense on his brother. Their stances indicated they were ready for a fight.
“Sakura knows how to play,” Richard put in. “She’s very good at it.”
Sebastian glared at Darcy, and he had the urge to punch his brother in the face. That sneaky bastard, he thought. Just because he’d kissed her didn’t mean they were a couple and that he had to defend her.
Sakura wasn’t happy with the way Sebastian was talking to her. To show him that she wasn’t going to back out, she stood her ground and said, “I’m playing.”
Sebastian gritted his teeth and stared at her long and hard. Darcy, feeling protective over Sakura, clasped his hand over hers. Sebastian noticed and nearly exploded.
“Let’s start!” he snapped.
For the first half of the game, Sebastian and Darcy were at each other’s throats. They were neck to neck, intercepting and stealing the ball from one another and throwing it into the hoop. It was like they were at war playing basketball. It was like they were the only two people on court, and everyone else were just bys
tanders.
Nicolas shook his head and knew those two had a score to settle, though he had no idea what the reason was. Then when he noticed both brothers constantly kept checking up on Sakura to see whether she was all right, he knew.
When halftime was over, the teams were even. Sebastian refused to lose and told his team members to step up. Nicolas chuckled and wondered if it was really the game Sebastian wanted to win or Sakura.
It was the second half of the game that Tristan’s team started losing because Sebastian was even more aggressive, and it seemed the rest of his teammates decided to join in the aggression.
Sakura wondered how they were going to win with Sebastian, Hayden, Nicolas, Richard, and Peter being such good players. Not to mention they were very tall. They kept stealing the ball from her.
“Look at him go,” Tristan said behind Sakura as they watched Sebastian expertly throwing the ball into the hoop once again.
“That’s it!” she said, walking back to Mary.
On the other side, Tara and Alaina laughed.
“How stupid. A girl playing basketball with men,” Alaina said.
“Serves her right,” Tara said.
Sebastian watched her heading back to the sideline, glad. He was glad she wasn’t playing anymore. Glad that she wasn’t there to torment his mind and his heart. Yes, now his heart could slow down its beating, even just for a bit.
On the other side, Sakura asked Mary, “Can I borrow your hair tie?”
Mary laughed. “Sure.” She pulled her hair tie and gave it to Sakura.
Sakura pulled her shirt off as Mary laughed. “You’re getting serious.”
“We’re losing,” Sakura said. “And I’m not losing to the likes of that man.”
“Which man?” Mary asked.
Sakura didn’t answer. She was now only wearing her white tank top and super skinny jeans. She breathed a sigh of relief because her body was covered with sweat. She pulled her hair back and formed it into a loose bun at the top of her head. She didn’t know she looked rather fetching with her skin glistening with sweat, her cheeks blushed a perfect pink color, her lips dark red, and her eyes bright with determination.
Mary hid a smile. Gosh, Richard was going to have a hard time concentrating again, like always when they’d played basketball.
Mary wasn’t wrong. Richard swallowed hard the moment Sakura returned to court. Conrad blinked and then couldn’t stop staring. Tristan and Logan chuckled and eyed each other. They suddenly realized there was a possibility they could win the game.
Sebastian wasn’t pleased, and his scowl darkened. Hayden whistled. Peter grinned. Nicolas took his glasses off the bridge of his nose, gave the lenses a good rub, and put them back on again.
Darcy felt his stomach flip. Suddenly, he wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her again until they were both breathless.
Sakura stood in the middle of the court, her hands on her hips. “Are we playing?” she asked no one in particular.
Sebastian wanted to lift her over his shoulder and take her away—where, he didn’t know. Just away from here, and he wanted to kiss the hell out of her because at the moment she was taunting him with her exquisite beauty. Then the image of her kissing Darcy back in woods flashed in his mind, and he saw red. He gritted his teeth and growled, “Let’s go!”
The game continued, and Sakura somehow found that the men weren’t as tough as she thought they’d been. Even Nicolas was toning down his aggression. But not Sebastian. He was still as hostile as ever.
Conrad threw the ball at her. Sakura caught it. Sebastian materialized before her as if out of nowhere. She knew he was going to take the ball from her. Not this time, though. She twisted and jumped. Sebastian wrapped his arms around her waist and got his legs twisted against her. The ball fell from her hands. Sebastian tightened his arms around her, and they both fell down, rolling together across the court.
They came to stop on the other side, Sebastian on top of her.
Sakura could feel his manly strength above her. She could feel his naked skin, warm and sweaty, against her palms. She fluttered her eyes open to see his face close to hers, his eyes watching her intently.
“Are you all right?” Nicolas asked from above, his voice loud with concern.
“Get off her, Sebastian,” Conrad said, pulling Sebastian back.
Sebastian sat back and watched her. Sakura tried to sit up, but pain shot through her ankle. She gasped.
“You sprained your ankle?” Tristan asked.
Darcy rushed over and came to support her from behind. “You okay?” he asked with concern.
“I’m all right,” she replied brokenly, giving him a reassuring smile.
“Bloody hell!” Sebastian grunted, and without further ado, he scooped her in his arms. Before anyone could say anything, he carried her back to the house.
“Game over, then?” Logan said to no one.
“Game over,” Tristan said. “We lost.”
“Shit!” Logan swore.
Darcy watched Sebastian go, his eyes dark.
On the other side of the court, Tara gritted her teeth and wanted to scream. “Bitch!” she hissed under her breath.
Sebastian came into the drawing room and put her down on the seat near the empty hearth.
Sakura sighed. “I’m fine. No need to fuss.”
Sebastian ignored her.
“I’ll find an icepack.” Hayden volunteered.
Conrad came to sit beside her and put his arms around her shoulders.
Sakura chuckled. She thought he looked rather cute so worried about her. “I’m fine,” she said. “It’s not serious.”
A moment later, Hayden returned with the icepack. He handed it to her, but Sebastian took it instead. He gently placed it about her ankle, his hand brushing against her skin. Sakura bit her lower lip after gasping out, not from pain, but from the uncontrollable sensation that rushed through her every nerve.
Conrad noticed her hiding her gasp. “Is it painful?” he asked.
“Be gentle with her, Sebastian,” Tristan said. “Look, how about I do it.”
Sebastian shoved him off by saying, “I’m not hurting her.”
“I’ll be all right, seriously,” Sakura said, looking up. Suddenly she had the urge to laugh. Oh my gosh! Eight shirtless men were surrounding her. This was of course ridiculous. She shook her head and leaned back against the sofa.
Toby chose that moment to jog into the room. He barked a greeting. Conrad picked him up and laid him on Sakura’s lap.
“Hey,” she said. “Did you miss me?”
Toby barked again and rubbed his head against her chest, his tongue licking her collarbone. She giggled. “Stop that. It tickles,” she said.
Sebastian increased the pressure on her ankle. She gritted her teeth at the pain.
“It should go away by tomorrow,” he said.
James and Brenda came in at that moment.
“Good Lord, what’s going on here?” Brenda asked, taking in her sons—all shirtless. Then she spotted Sakura on the sofa, with an icepack at her ankle.
Conrad explained. “Sebastian knocked her over.”
James hid a smile.
“Why are you being so aggressive, Sebastian?” Brenda asked. “It’s unlike you.”
“His girlfriend dumped him.” Tristan volunteered.
Sebastian gritted his teeth. “I don’t have a girlfriend.”
“Well, you sure did act like you just got dumped.” Logan teased.
Brenda came to the other side of Sakura and did a good fuss. “I do hope it’ll heal by Saturday. We can’t have you limping on Mary’s wedding day.”
“I’ll be fine, Mom,” Sakura said.
The brothers all looked at her, silent, as if the president had just announced to them that World War III had just begun. None of them liked the sound of Sakura calling their mother Mom.
Brenda noticed the dead silence and cleared her throat uncomfort
ably.
James said to the room at large, “Shouldn’t you boys go and shower? Dinner is in half an hour.
Nicolas nodded and headed out the door. He was followed by a string of his brothers, Hayden, Tristan, and Logan.
Darcy hesitated. Sakura caught his eyes and gave him another reassuring smile. He smiled back and then left the room as well.
Richard said, “It was my fault. I persuaded Sakura to play. Now look at what happened.”
“It’s all right, Richard,” Sakura said. “Go.”
Richard obeyed and left the room.
“You be careful with your leg, okay?” Conrad said. When she nodded, he got up and left the room as well.
Sebastian moved her so her legs rested along the length of the sofa. Then he arranged the icepack on her properly.
“Thanks,” she said, avoiding looking at him directly.
Sebastian didn’t reply. He stood up and left the room.