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)
“Yeah, man. Congrats!” Kairo said, though his words were thick as if his throat were clogged.
“Definitely! Lots of congrats! You’ve found a great home here,” Ed chimed in, his warm eyes glistening with unshed tears.
“Great home?” Soren snickered. “They’re already selling Crown Prince and Consort Westin dolls.”
“What?” West gasped.
Jin patted his cheek. “Shhh…it’s okay. Don’t worry about it. The likeness is lovely.”
“Yeah, Alexei has bought a set,” Soren continued, rubbing the side of his nose. “I had to talk him out of the pillow with your faces on them, though. That’s just creepy. I can’t sleep on that.”
Charlie made a dismissive noise and thankfully moved the conversation away from these horrible things. “Besides, it’s not like you’ll never see us again. Will has been chatting with the doctor who worked on you that night, picking her brain on new techniques. I told him to see if he could get on here for a little while. It’d be a nice break from travel and give him a chance to learn some new skills.”
“And you know Isidore and I will be around. We’re going to Greece soon for the olive harvest, but I’m sure we’ll return before it’s time to break ground on the new vineyard,” Kairo added.
Ed chuckled. “Max was just offered a guest lecture position at the university for the next semester. He’s also itching to look for that lost temple. I figure we’ll be bouncing back and forth between here and Egypt for a while.”
All eyes turned to Soren, who stood with a dopey grin and his hands shoved in his pockets. “Eh. You know me and Alexei. We go where the wind blows. But if you guys are all here and his uncles got that new island project to keep them busy, we’ll be around,” he tossed in with a shrug. “Besides, the emperor went to all that trouble of offering us honorary citizenship with our commendation. Might as well make good use of it.”
Charlie stepped forward and squeezed his toes. “So, this isn’t good-bye. Looks like you’re still stuck with us for a long, long time. Get some rest and try not to get shot again.”
The guys filed out after each of them wished him and Jin well in their unique and disturbing ways.
Only when they were alone in the room did West press a kiss to Jin’s forehead. His lover lifted his head to stare at him with the sweetest smile.
“Should I ask how much of a hand you had in that?”
Jin propped himself up on his elbow and wagged a single finger at him. “Very little. The citizenship was my idea, and that’s it. They found their own reasons to linger in Gaoxing.”
“Thank you.”
His sweet prince settled down on his chest and gave a soft yawn. “You nearly gave your life for me. You’ve protected my family. And one day, you’re going to become an official part of my family. The very least I could do was make sure that your family was safe and happy as well.”
“Sleep, baby. You’ve worked enough miracles.”
Jin hummed, snuggling in closer. “The only miracle was you falling in love with me.”
“No, Jin Long Wei, that was inevitable.”
“I love you too, Westin St. James. Welcome to Gaoxing.”1