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)
“Dianxia!” he gasped and bowed low.
“Ge!” Ming Tao said, as if he couldn’t believe his brother would just walk into his rooms, but then his gaze narrowed on West. “What is he doing here?”
Jin ignored the question for a second and nodded to the person who was likely Ming Tao’s assistant. “Mao, could you excuse us? I wish to speak to my brother alone.”
Mao nodded, bowed again, and ran out of the room, closing the doors behind him.
“Dianxia said alone. Or do you not understand our language?” Ming Tao sneered.
West widened his stance and crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m not going anywhere until you apologize to your brother.”
Ming Tao gasped and rocked back a step as if West had struck him. “Apologize? He’s the one who’s-who’s having sex while our father is dying in the hospital, as if he doesn’t possess a single shred of decency in his body. Like he’s just celebrating the idea that the emperor will be dead soon and he’ll get the throne.”
Jin swayed and sucked in a harsh breath. West didn’t hesitate to close the distance between them, wrapping him in a tight embrace as if he could physically protect him from his brother’s cruel words.
“Do you hate him that much? He’s spoken about you with only words of love, pride, and admiration. Do you hate him so much that you begrudge him even a tiny shred of happiness while he’s been left here alone to shoulder the weight of your father’s illness and protecting an entire country? Dianxia has given everything of himself to battle the fears of millions of people and give them hope in these trying times. He wakes before the sun to fulfill his duties to the kingdom and falls asleep at night surrounded by work. And where have you been? You barge into his one moment of private happiness and steal it away.”
“West, please. Stop,” Jin choked out softly. He squeezed West’s forearm. “It’s okay.”
“It’s not okay,” West snapped, tightening his hold on Jin as if he could absorb his pain through their physical connection.
“He’s right. It’s not okay.” They both looked up at Ming Tao as he spoke those dull words. The younger man bowed low to his brother. “I am ashamed of the things I said to you, Dianxia. They are unforgivable. I am so very sorry. I shouldn’t…I shouldn’t…” His voice cracked and Jin pushed out of West’s arms. He hastened to his brother and pulled him into a tight hug.
West caught whispered words of warmth and love as the two brothers held on to each other. Some of the tension squeezing West’s lungs eased as he watched them clinging to one another, sharing tender words of fear and reassurance back and forth. At Ming Tao’s initial explosion, he’d been afraid Jin’s brother was a total evil asshole despite his loving description of the young man. It was more likely that Ming Tao was upset over their father’s failing health and embarrassed that he’d caught his brother in such a position. The combination had sent him into an emotional meltdown.
He was considering stepping into the hall to leave the brothers alone when Jin released Ming Tao enough that they could turn to face him together.
“So…boyfriend?” Ming Tao inquired, one thick eyebrow raised in a skeptical question.
West placed his hands flat at his sides and bowed low—though it felt too little too late for that—to the other prince of Gaoxing. “Westin St. James. I apologize for my rude behavior.”
He lifted his eyes at the sound of the amused snort to see Ming Tao grinning at him with still red-rimmed eyes. “I’m just grateful that you did nothing more than a bit of shouting. If I’d been interrupted at such a moment, I would have given in to acts of violence.” As West straightened, Ming Tao gave a small but extended bow. “I am the one who is sorry to you and my brother for interrupting and saying rude things.”
Jin released his brother and returned to West’s side. He shocked him by taking one of West’s hands in both of his. “As for your questions, things are…complicated.”
Ming Tao let out a rough bark of laughter. “Of course it’s complicated. It’s complicated because the crown prince of Gaoxing is involved and only made worse because the emperor is ill. Reading between the lines of all your cheerful messages, I’d guess he’s likely to pass soon, which would put you on the throne with…” He held out both hands toward West and winced. “With what I’m guessing is an American at your side. Complicated, ge. Very complicated. No offense, Mr. St. James.”
“None taken,” he murmured. He glanced at Jin, who was watching him with worried eyes. “But I’m not really your brother’s boyfriend. It’s all an act.”
Ming Tao snorted again. “That was damn convincing.”