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)
Jin had nothing for that.
Luckily, Qin provided the perfect distraction.
“What?…Are you kidding me? When?…What do you mean now? Like right now, right now?…Oh, God. No. Yes. Okay. I’ll-I’ll warn him.”
They were all watching Qin. His face had become deathly pale as he turned to look at Jin.
“What’s happened, Qin?” Jin demanded.
Qin swallowed hard. “I just received a call from Shen Xiao Dan to give me a heads-up.”
Shen Xiao Dan was the emperor’s trusted advisor and assistant. He’d been the emperor’s right-hand man for more than two decades.
Jin shoved to his feet. “What’s wrong? What has happened to my father?”
Qin shook his head. “No. Nothing is wrong with the emperor. At least, nothing new. It’s-it’s just that he’s requested a meeting.”
“Now? That’s fine. Call a car. We can leave—”
“No, Dianxia. He wants a meeting with Westin.”
That nearly knocked Jin’s legs out from under him. His father knew about West. It had to be from the news reports. Shen Xiao Dan must have shared the latest reports with him when he was supposed to be keeping his father from any kind of stress.
Of course, it would have only been a matter of time before his father uncovered the truth. Jin had just been hoping to put it off until they had some positive news to soften the blow.
“It’s fine. We’ll pick West up from his lessons, and then we can give him some pointers on the ride to the hospital. I’ll also be in the room to assist him with any complicated questions.” Jin nodded to himself. This was a solid plan. Everything was going to work out.
“No, Dianxia. You don’t understand,” Qin almost whimpered, wringing his hands around his cell phone. “Shen Xiao Dan already has West with him. He called as they were arriving at the hospital. It’s too late.”
Jin dropped into his chair, his knees giving out as his head started spinning. In a matter of minutes, Westin St. James would be introduced to the Emperor Jin Jiang Yu of Gaoxing with zero preparation, coaching, or even protection. Even lying in a hospital bed with a broken heart, Emperor Jin Jiang Yu could be an intimidating man.
And he could be the one thing that kept Jin from holding on to the only man he had ever loved.
19
WESTIN ST. JAMES
They did not prepare him for this.
West couldn’t imagine any world in which he’d be prepared for a meeting with the emperor of a foreign country, though, especially without Jin at his side.
But he got it.
Somehow, the emperor had received word that his son was dating someone. And not just any someone, but a man he’d never met from another country. This unknown man had sneaked in while illness trapped him in a hospital bed and his kingdom was going through a massive bout of turmoil.
He’d be livid, too.
And West was pretty damn sure that he’d go for a sneak attack to catch this interloper off guard, hoping to protect both his kingdom and his eldest son.
Despite knowing all the logic behind this strategic move, it did nothing to calm his racing heart or the growing panic that he’d seen Jin for the very last time. That he’d kissed his perfect lips for the last time. Heard his laugh for the last time.
No, even if this went to hell in a handbasket, he’d find a way to Jin. It didn’t matter if he had to sneak into the palace yet again, he’d find a way to at least tell him good-bye.
To tell him that he loved him with every breath in his lungs.
The walk through the quiet hospital hall to the emperor’s wing was nerve-wrackingly long and short at the same time. He followed a man he’d only caught glimpses of during Jin’s visits to see his father in the past ten days, but West had been careful to hang back.
But he should have suspected there was no disappearing when it came to the crown prince.
West had read about Shen Xiao Dan in his research about the royal family. He was fifty-five and unmarried. His entire career had been spent in service to the crown, first in the Gaoxing military and then later as the emperor’s personal advisor.
Shen Xiao Dan had spoken only to tell him that the emperor had summoned him and that he was to come to the hospital immediately. He never spoke on the ride to the hospital. Hell, he hadn’t even looked in West’s direction.
He paused just a few steps away from the emperor’s room and held up a hand at the guards to keep them from opening the door. Glancing over his shoulder at West, he said in a low voice, “Don’t speak unless he asks you a direct question. Don’t ramble. Don’t waste his time.”
West gave the smallest of nods to acknowledge this morsel of advice. At least he didn’t have to worry about rambling. Unless he was with Jin. The only person who ever made him want to talk.