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)
His feathers unruffled for half a second at the use of beautiful, but he shoved aside that warmth. “It’s not insurance fraud if I die. There’s a sizable life insurance policy held by a company in London on each member of the royal family. The payout on my life isn’t enough to fix all of our problems, but it will buy us enough breathing room that my father and brother won’t be forced to do something truly horrible.”
“More horrible than you dying?” West snapped.
“Yes! Something like giving in to pressure from China to be annexed and put under their control. Or giving in and accepting predatory loans from other countries that will eventually steal away our sovereignty.” Jin twisted in West’s arms and placed his hand against the mattress so he could lever himself up enough to look West in the eyes. “I realize I am well loved by my people and I have no desire to cause them pain, but that pain would be temporary compared to the future that awaits if I don’t do this. This is for the best.”
“It’s not.”
“It is.” Jin’s shoulders slumped, and he leaned into West a little. “I don’t think I would have been as good an emperor as my father. Or even Ming Tao. He’s had the chance to study longer than me. Both are stronger than me. My father says I was born with my mother’s soft heart. My death will do more for my people than my living another several decades.”
“Your father got your people into this mess, and there’s not a damn thing wrong with your heart. The world could use a hell of a lot more compassion,” West snarled with such viciousness that Jin’s heart jumped into his throat. He wanted to argue that his father had no choice and that he would have made the same choices if he’d been emperor, but West continued, stealing his words away. “I’m not letting you die. Call off the contract.”
“No.”
“Then you’re killing me too.”
“Wh-what? What are you talking about?” A shiver ran through Jin, and he gripped the front of West’s black shirt in both hands. Fear and panic closed off his throat, threatening to choke him.
West leaned forward so their foreheads bumped. “I’m not leaving your side. I promise to be right there between you and whatever bullet comes your way. If this assassin gets you, it’ll only be because he killed me first. You’ll have the blood of an innocent man on your hands.”
“I-I’ll have you kicked out of the country,” he threatened, scrambling to come up with some way of keeping West safe.
That only brought a wicked grin to his lips. “Do you think I’ve never sneaked into a country? I spent years as a sniper for the US Marines. I am very good at being sneaky. You’ll never know I’m here, and you will never get rid of me.”
Jin didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He didn’t want to get rid of West. But he also didn’t want the man risking his life to keep him alive when he needed to die to save his people.
With a frustrated growl, Jin shoved out of West’s arms and to his feet. There was no point in attempting to go back to bed. He was now wide awake and contemplating ways to do bodily harm to the man on his floor. Did he think he’d come to this decision so easily? That he hadn’t suffered and debated other options for months until he no longer had time to dawdle over it?
“I don’t know how your friends tolerate you. I’ve never met anyone so infuriating in all my life,” Jin grumbled as he stomped to his closet. He needed clothes. If he were at least dressed in something other than pajama pants and a robe, he might feel more commanding and pulled together. Then he could think of some way to get Westin St. James to butt out of his business.
West’s low laugh sent goose bumps skittering down his arms, and he shivered, thankfully hidden from view as he stepped inside the walk-in closet. The man’s laugh was intoxicating. Jin wanted to wrap himself up in it.
No!
Bad, poor neglected libido.
He didn’t need West’s laugh. He needed him out of the country.
Where he would never see those lovely hazel eyes and crooked grin again.
Where he’d never feel those amazing arms wrapped around him again.
Standing in the center of the closet, Jin tipped his head toward the ceiling, closed his eyes, and breathed deeply, trying to find the inner strength to let go of West and not be tempted by his promise of alternative solutions. He’d examined his options and made the best choice possible.
A muffled noise from deeper within the closet had Jin opening in eyes just in time to see a man surging at him with a knife held high in the air. He sucked in air to shout, but the man clamped a hand on his throat and squeezed tight before more than a little “Eep!” escaped him. Jin caught the man’s wrist, stopping the knife’s descent to his chest.