A Secret Kiss

by Alexia Praks

  Chapter 42

  Confession

  Sakura slowly opened her eyes. Why was she so sore? She groaned in pain as she brought her hand up to touch her forehead. Oh, God, her head was aching something sorely. Suddenly, she realized there were long lines of IV tubes connected to her arm.

  Where am I?

  She tried to sit up but found she couldn’t.

  “Don’t move,” she heard someone say to her softly.

  Sakura turned to see Sebastian moving toward her from where he sat. He touched his warm hand to her cheek, cupping her face. “Lie back,” he said.

  She obeyed him. Sebastian pulled the blanket up to her chin as he watched her.

  “Where am I?” she asked weakly.

  “In the hospital,” he said.

  “Oh,” she voiced, staring up at the ceiling. Then she closed her eyes again, trying to think what had happened. Her head hurt. Why was it so painful? Then slowly everything came back to her. The storm. Kate. Conrad. Her falling from the cliff.

  The last thing she remembered was her flying down, hitting the water, and then drowning. She had thought that she was going to die for sure. The water, it was taking her, wanting to kill her. She whimpered in pain at the reminder.

  Darcy! She’d seen him bleeding on the ground next to her.

  She flashed open her eyes. “Darcy!”

  “Hush,” Sebastian said. “He’s fine. He’s fine.”

  “Tell me what happened to him, please,” she begged, tears in her eyes.

  Sebastian slid in next to her then and pulled the blanket on the both of them. He made her rest her head in his arms, and then slowly, he moved and kissed her forehead. “He’s fine. He’s just across the hall.” He didn’t dare tell her that Darcy had lost a lot of blood and his left arm was broken when he was trying to save her.

  Sebastian rested his chin on top of her head and said, “I was so worried. When I saw you fall, I thought I’d die.”

  Sakura clutched onto him, her body trembling. “I’m sorry.”

  “Why are you sorry? I couldn’t believe Kate would do that to you.” He nudged her face up so she could look at him. “Sakura,” he began slowly.

  Sebastian knew he couldn’t hold back anymore. He had to tell her. After the accident, her life seemed so fragile, and he realized she could be snatched away from him just like that, like yesterday afternoon. He knew for certain he never wanted that to happen again, ever. Yes, he needed to tell her now.

  “I love you,” he said, staring into her dark eyes that had always mesmerized him. “I have always loved you, Sakura. I’m not going to ever let you leave me, ever again.”

  As she stared up at him, tears were rolling down her pale cheeks. She held on to him tightly, her whole body shaking like a leaf. “Sebastian,” she whispered softly. She desperately wanted to tell him that she, too, loved him. But she knew she could not because she knew very well that it would never work out. All too soon, she’d be leaving him. All too soon, she’d be leaving them all, and it pained her to think about it.

  Then before she could say anything, his lips were on hers, kissing her gently and passionately. With tears in her eyes, Sakura submitted to him, letting him kiss her, letting him explore her mouth, letting him have all of her because she knew it would be the last time she’d share a kiss with him. Then when he finally lifted his head and wiped her tears away, she couldn’t help herself and said softly, “I love you, too.”

  Sebastian’s heart burst with happiness. His hands were shaking as he cupped her face. Then slowly he kissed her again. He tenderly kissed her forehead, her nose, her pale cheek, her chin, and then he passionately and wildly kissed her lips.

  When he was finally done kissing her, Sakura laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes, clinging onto him, never wanting to let him go, knowing very well that this would be the last time she’d feel his warm embrace and smell his earthy scent. Eventually she slept in his arms.

  Sebastian stayed with her until well past midnight, embracing her in his arms, thanking God that she was saved. Then, of course, he had to leave because the nurse begged him to.

  When Sakura woke the next morning, she was surrounded with people. Daddy James and Mom Brenda were sitting on one side of the room. Nicolas was leaning against the window, Tristan and Logan at the end of her bed, Sebastian and Hayden on her left, and Conrad on her right.

  She licked her lips and tried to get up. Conrad was fast. He stopped her by putting his hand on her shoulders, telling her to lie back.

  “Don’t move. You’re not well yet,” he said. Then he hugged her really tight, a worried expression on his face. “I was so worried last night, but stupid Sebastian wouldn’t let me stay with you. You scared the shit out of me, falling off that cliff.”

  “Oi, lie down, puppy boy,” Tristan said teasingly. “You’re suffocating poor Sakura.”

  Conrad frowned at his brother but did move back to give Sakura some breathing space.

  Nicolas said, “How are you feeling, Sakura?”

  Sakura managed to give him a weak smile, nodding her head to tell him she was fine.

  Logan cleared his throat and then said, “You really put up a good fight against that sea there, Sakura. I’m impressed.”

  A frown formed on Sakura’s pale face.

  Tristan elbowed his brother, telling him it wasn’t appropriate to mention the incident.

  “Kate?” Sakura asked softly.

  The brothers looked at one another. “Kate has been taken into custody for questioning.”

  “What’s going to happen to her?” Sakura couldn’t help asking.

  “She’s being investigated for attempted murder,” James said, his eyes dark.

  Sakura could feel the pain radiating from his voice, and her heart ached in response.

  “You’re tired. You should rest,” Brenda said, stroking back her hair.

  Sakura nodded in agreement. Then Brenda shooed all her sons out, who finally left after putting up a big fight. Brenda kissed her on her forehead gently. “Get well soon.”

  Sakura nodded, and then before Brenda went, she said, “Mom?”

  “Yes, sweetheart?” Brenda raised her brows.

  Sakura said slowly, her eyes on the older woman’s face, “I love you and thank you so much for everything.”

  Brenda cocked her head to one side, confused as to why Sakura would say those words to her all of a sudden. She replied, “My pleasure.”

  Sakura watched her adopted mother go, tears brewing in her eyes, her heart aching, knowing very well this would be the last time she’d see the woman for a long while. Finally, she turned her attention to James.

  He took her hand in both of his and brought it up to his forehead. “I’m sorry,” he said in anguish.

  Sakura’s tears flowed down her cheeks. “Daddy James, please, you’ve done nothing wrong.”

  James brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. “I’m so sorry, Sakura. I’ve failed as a father. I couldn’t protect you.”

  Sakura shook her head. “No, you didn’t fail. You’re a marvelous father, and I’m your daughter.” She raised up and touched her hand to his face. Slowly, she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. “I love you, Daddy James, and thank you for everything. You will always be my Daddy James.”

  James looked at his adopted daughter and realized the meaning of her words. Yes, she had told them that she was leaving, but this soon?

  “Good-bye, Daddy James,” she said, a sad smile on her face.

  James watched as she slowly rested back and then closed her eyes, tears rolling down her pale cheeks.

  A hollow feeling sat in the pit of his stomach as James walked out the door, knowing very well what was going to happen next. “I love you, my daughter Sakura. You will always be our Sakura no matter who you are or where you are.” Then he was gone.

  Sakura quietly sobbed until she fell asleep. The next time she woke up, she saw Ned sitting beside her bed, waiting f
or her to wake.

  “I was mighty worried, you know,” was his greeting.

  Sakura smiled weakly. “I’m still alive, Ned dear.”

  He suddenly hugged her tightly. “Don’t you ever do that to me again,” he muttered, tears in his eyes. “I’m too old for that sort of bullshit now.”

  She chuckled. Then when he moved back and looked at her, she said, “Ned dear, I need your help.”

  “You know I will do anything to help you,” he replied, noting the determined look in her dark eyes.

  “Thank you,” she said, smiling.