Page 13 of The Laughing Game

“It’s Turkish,” Vihaal said, in a neutral tone that didn’t indicate any kind of show-offy vibes. “You seem more…present today.”

“I noticed it before. It’s very soft. Is it from the store?”

“Well, it never made it to the store. I saw it before it was tagged and immediately had it delivered.”

“It’s beautiful.”

“Yes, well, I like beautiful things,” he said, staring at me in a way that made my balls pull up tight and my cock thicken.

“Oh?” I said, flushing. “You said you had some work for me?”

“Oh no. Don’t try to distract me. I want to know what you told Sebastian.”

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

“Ha ha ha, what do you mean?”

Vihaal leveled a gaze at me and my bravado shriveled. He reached for his phone and showed me the screen. The text I’d sent was on there.

Did you talk to Sebastian? He wasn’t supposed to say anything…

“Explain this.”

It sounded like an order, because he didn’t say ‘please’.

“Oh, I, uh, nothing…” I said, feeling very brave for defying him.

I laughed again, but it sounded like a choke. Then Ididchoke on a bit of spit I’d inhaled. I held up my hand and leaned forward, coughing uncontrollably.

“Sorry…” I rasped. “Spit…down my wind…pipe.”

I gasped, sucking in air when I could.

Vihaal stepped forward and took my elbow, then helped me to the antique settee.

“Goodness,” Vihaal murmured. “Are you all right?”

Fuck no. I wasn’t. I had to come clean. I hated being deceptive to people I cared about. And it was becoming obvious to me that I did care about Gideon and Vihaal.

“Sebastian—” I began, then had another coughing fit just as Gideon returned, wearing more appropriate clothing.

“God, what is happening? Is he dying?”

“Please get Angel a glass of water, Gideon. He’s simply choking on secrets. Secrets that he’s about to tell us. Isn’t that right, Angel?”

God, he was good.

I nodded. “Water. Please.”

Gideon dashed away to the kitchen and returned with a tumbler of water as Vihaal and I had a stare down. It wasn’t aggressive per se, but there was a challenge in his blue-eyed gaze.

I took the glass from Gideon and tipped it to my lips, sipping a bit of water.

“If it helps,” Vihaal said, “I’m pretty sure I know what you’re hiding.”

His gaze landed on my groin, where, despite the coughing fit, my dick was still filling out my pants.

“Or…not hiding very well,” he continued.

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