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“Because I’m one man.” He glanced at Qin, who was still on his knees but straightened to stare up at him and Jin. “Qin, on average, how many people move through the palace each day?”
“Two hundred and thirty-five,” he replied without a moment of hesitation.
“One man against two hundred and thirty-five,” West corrected. He lifted a hand and touched Jin’s cheek with the back of his fingers. “I need some help. Checking Qin and your brother means I have two more people to rely on without question.”
“Except on tour days. Then there are another two hundred people on average who go through the palace,” Qin added from his spot on the floor.
West swore. He’d forgotten about the tours of the palace.
“Qin, you get those tours canceled now!” Ming Tao shouted from the other side of the table. “Make up whatever excuse you have to. Tell them the crown prince is sick. No! Tell them I’m sick! Whatever. Say the palace is getting cleaned or going through remodeling. Something.”
West helped Qin to his feet and into the open seat next to him after scooping up his tablet. The man roughly wiped the tears from his still-pale cheeks and started madly typing on his screen.
“West?” Jin’s voice drew his gaze to the man with the target on his head. Now that he knew West didn’t believe Qin and Ming Tao could harm him, the pain and fear were gone from his eyes. In a flash, he’d hardened his resolve and become the strong man West knew he was at his core. “Is there a threat to the emperor?”
He shook his head. “Not that I’m aware of. I think there are ample guards at the hospital. Qin also said they are rigorously checking every nurse and doctor allowed into that room. Only a few people are allowed in to see him. He’s not the target, and I don’t think the assassins will use him to get to you.”
“Thank you,” Jin whispered.
“No, our primary focus is keeping you safe and finding the person who wants you dead. That’s why my friends have come to town. They are going to help me increase your protection and get rid of these assassins.” West sighed. “I need to meet with them so we can discuss strategy, but I’m afraid of leaving you alone. It might be time to pull in your own security team.”
“But you just said that the person trying to kill Dianxia is an insider!” Qin snapped.
“I know, but I can’t leave him alone,” West snarled.
“Then we go with you,” Ming Tao declared.
“What?” West choked on the air he’d sucked in. This was a terrible idea.
“This is an excellent idea!” Jin agreed, perking up.
“What? This is horrible!” Qin said before West could get his tongue to work again. It didn’t feel great that he was agreeing with Qin on this one. It wasn’t so much the danger that came with Jin leaving the palace, but the terrifying idea of Alexei meeting the Jin brothers. No. No. No. This could not happen.
West’s gaze darted from Ming Tao to Jin. Fuck. Alexei was going to want to adopt both of them. This was such a bad idea.
“It would be safer if you both remained in the palace. I can arrange for the meeting to be late at night. I’ll slip in and out of the palace with no one noticing,” West reassured them.
“No, I want to meet them. I need to meet them. These people are risking their lives for my safety.” Jin shifted in his seat and lifted his chin. “Plus, from what you’ve told me, you regard them as family. I wish to meet the people who are so important to you.”
“But…where they are staying isn’t secure enough for you and your brother,” West argued, clinging to the last idea that he had in his head.
“Then we meet at the mountain cabin,” Ming Tao chimed in, appearing very smug. “Besides, I want to meet more people like you. You’re interesting.”
West was ready to chuck food at Ming Tao’s head. This little brother needed to go back to school and stop making his life more complicated.
“Oh, that would be a good place to meet,” Jin agreed.
West turned in his seat to look at Qin, who seemed ready to crawl under the table. “My grasp of your language is failing me. Why do I feel like my definition of ‘cabin’ is inaccurate when it comes to the royal family?”
Qin sighed and slumped in his chair. “It is. Cabin is a joke to them. It’s more of a large mountain villa that has been in the Jin family’s hands for centuries. Very large and private. About an hour outside the city. The royal family hasn’t used it in about ten years, so I would guess most people have forgotten about it.”
