Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 88487 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88487 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
“Gabriel!” West snarled as Jin gasped.
Jin grabbed his hand on his shoulder, holding it tight. “No, it’s okay. He’s only speaking the truth. The emperor is vulnerable in the hospital, no matter how many precautions we take.” He turned his full attention to the assassin. “Do you think my brother is also a target?”
Gabriel held up his hands in front of him in a sort of shrug, then folded them together in his lap again. “A possibility. If the money men can’t manipulate him in the direction they want, it’s likely he would be disposed of after a short period of time.”
“K, you any closer to tracking down these money men?” West growled, wishing Gabriel was just a touch less blunt with the crown prince.
“Can I just get a moment of thanks for locating Deng Rong’s offshore bank accounts in the first place?” Kairo snapped.
That broke the tension humming through Jin and he coughed as if hiding his laugh.
“I am very grateful,” Jin murmured. “You and Justin have worked miracles to save the Jin family and protect Gaoxing.”
“Shit,” Kairo whispered. “Now I’m fucking blushing.”
“Tell me about it,” Justin added. “How the hell does he do that?”
“I don’t know. Isidore is the same way. It’s how he’s able to get away with so much.” Kairo groaned and lifted his voice a little. “Be warned, West. If the prince is as much like Isidore as I think he is, you’re so very screwed.”
West smirked. “I certainly hope so.”
There was some moaning and choking that filled their ears, and West didn’t even try to figure out who was making the noises. He didn’t care. The only thing that mattered was the grin that grew on Jin’s lips as he looked over his shoulder at West. He welcomed all his lover’s sweetness, compassion, and unrelenting warmth. He wanted to spend the rest of his life wrapped in it. And if that meant that Jin pulled the wool over his eyes here and there, so be it. Let him be a pushover for the crown prince of Gaoxing. He was in love.
A soft knock on the door had their brief laughter evaporating. It was showtime.
Qin stuck his head in the small opening. At the crown prince’s nod, he entered with the finance minister on his heels. West drifted across the room to take a space out of the man’s line of sight, but would allow him to catch the bastard if he tried to run from the office. Gabriel remained in the chair in front of Jin’s desk and would be the prince’s first and only line of defense.
A cold sweat broke out across West’s spine, and he wiped his palms on his slacks. Gabriel was more than capable of keeping Jin safe. He just hated the idea of leaving Jin’s protection in the hands of anyone besides himself.
While Jin remained seated, shuffling papers around on his desk, Gabriel rose as Deng Rong drew closer.
“Thank you for finding time for this brief meeting, Minister Deng,” Jin began. His lover lifted his face toward Deng Rong and even from across the room, West could see that Jin’s pleasant smile didn’t reach his eyes. Usually so warm and kind, there was only cold and the hurt of betrayal.
“Of course, Dianxia. I am always at your disposal,” Deng Rong answered. When he was within a few feet of the desk, he bowed to the crown prince and then turned to the newcomer.
“Minister Deng, we would like to introduce you to Mr. John Abrams. Mr. Abrams, this is Gaoxing’s most trustworthy Finance Minister Deng Rong,” Jin introduced, and West had to bite the inside of his mouth. There was something suspicious in the crown prince’s tone.
West wanted to chuckle and hug his lover at the same time. If anything, Jin did not have a future in acting. The crown prince was very good at putting on a smile for his people to hide his inner pain and worry about his family and kingdom. He could do it to protect other people from worry, but he could not act when it came to facing the person who had betrayed him. Not that West could blame him. He was ready to put his fist through Deng Rong’s face.
Deng Rong shook Gabriel’s hand and accepted a fake business card Gabriel appeared to keep handy. Which brought up a question: how many governments had Gabriel toppled in the past? The assassin had spoken so easily about the motives and actions of the people acting against the Jin family. Was he able to do that because he was speaking from personal experience?
Thank God Gabriel and Justin were fighting on their side…this time.
“A pleasure, Minister Deng,” Gabriel greeted.
At Jin’s direction, both men sat and Jin flashed Gabriel a more genuine smile. “Mr. Abrams has approached the crown with an interesting business proposal. He has offered to purchase a small island from Gaoxing.”