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Which would make it a wonderful place to meet.
Jin had him beat, and he knew it. At least if Jin and Ming Tao were with him, he would know they were safe.
West nodded. “Could you write up some directions for me as well as any necessary security codes? I’ll send them over to my friend. They can go there ahead of us and make sure it’s all locked down. Assuming things remain quiet today, we can leave at about ten tonight.”
Jin reached out and placed his hand on West’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. It’ll be okay. Ming Tao and I will be on our best behavior.” One corner of the crown prince’s mouth quirked in a devilish smile. West nearly gave in to the temptation to kiss that smile off his lips.
Fuck it.
Things were going to hell already, and his time with Jin was dwindling by the day.
West lunged forward and stole a rough, demanding kiss that lasted only two seconds, but it was enough to make Qin squawk like a chicken and Ming Tao cackle so hard he almost fell out of his chair.
Jin blushed and lowered his eyes to his plate. “Never mind those lessons. You’re not allowed to change anything.”
Yeah, lessons were on hold. The only thing that mattered was Jin’s safety.
14
JIN LONG WEI
It had been a while since Jin was this nervous about a meeting.
No, wait.
He’d been this nervous meeting West for the “interview” in the park.
Wonderful. Anything relating to West just had a way of making him anxious.
Getting out of the palace was a bit of a hassle as West had demanded they sneak, which wasn’t easy considering Qin was grumbling and Ming Tao was giggling. It was a tempting idea to ditch them both, but he knew neither would allow him to leave the palace with only West as protection. Plus, when it came to coordinating what was happening in the palace and security, there were few who knew better than Qin.
At just after eleven in the evening, they pulled through the gates and down the long, winding gravel driveway of the Jin family mountain villa. Pine trees crowded close, blocking out the view of the night sky and the building. The air was colder up in the mountains, carrying with it a kiss of snow. Some of the higher peaks had already received the first snows of the new winter season, but their family mountain retreat was untouched.
“Damn, how big is this place?” West murmured in the silence.
Jin smiled as he made out the first peak of the tiled roof with the upward curve at the end, guardian dragons standing at the various corners and peaks. Most of the building looked dark and desolate, but there was a hint of light past the front courtyard, coming from the large main room.
“Eh. Probably a couple dozen rooms,” Ming Tao answered with a shrug on Jin’s left.
“Qin?” West prodded, searching for a more detailed response.
“I don’t know. The royal family has been here only once during my employment, and I couldn’t accompany Dianxia.”
Jin leaned against West, who sat on his right, resting his head on his shoulder. He should have been exhausted, but nervous energy was keeping him wide awake. “It’s a vacation home. Work isn’t permitted here; that’s why this is Qin’s first visit. Only the royal family and a handful of palace guards.”
Wasn’t that a lovely image? A vacation away from the entire world with West. Just the two of them. No meetings. No one watching them or interrupting them. And no requirements for clothes.
But that daydream had to be put on hold. Qin stopped the car in front of the house but didn’t turn off the engine. West slid forward to the edge of his seat and grabbed the door handle.
“Just like we arranged. If I give the signal, Qin gets the hell out of here, taking you straight to the palace.”
“Got it,” Qin confirmed, both hands gripping the steering wheel.
“I’m trusting you, Qin,” West growled.
“Yes, I know, and you’re plenty scary. I’m going to have nightmares until I’m eighty about all the things you could do to me if something happens to either of the princes,” Qin complained.
Jin folded his arms over his stomach and glared at West in the darkness. “I still don’t like this plan. We’d be leaving you alone with assassins.”
West smiled at him while he pulled a gun out from under his jacket with his left hand. “No, Dianxia, the assassins would be left alone with me. Pity them.”
Before Jin could argue further, West stepped out of the sedan and closed the door with only the smallest click of noise. Jin frowned at the bulletproof window that separated them as West walked into the shadows. Smirking, he rolled the window down a handful of centimeters so he could hear.
