Page 16 of The Laughing Game

He hurried back to the kitchen.

I tried a bite of the egg salad. Flavor burst in my mouth. I tasted something spicy and something sweet, and the texture of the egg was just right. It was delicious.

“Wow,” I commented.

“Good, aren’t they?” Vihaal said with a smile. He was looking at me in a way that made me feel self-conscious. “You’ve really surprised me today, Angel.”

I swallowed the bite of sandwich I’d taken. “You thinkyou’resurprised,” I said, smiling at the unexpected turn my life had taken.

Chapter Four

Gideon came in with a tray on which was a large tea kettle in a flowered knit cozy, surrounded by an arrangement of three china teacups and saucers with various designs on them.

“Can you tell, I like flowers?” He placed the tray on the coffee table and looked at Vihaal. “How are the sandwiches?”

“Wonderful. You spoil me.”

Gideon looked at me. “Do you like my sandwiches, Angel?”

“This egg salad is really good. It’s…” I shrugged, taking another bite and chewing slowly. “Zingy.”

“There’s some sweet onion and minced gherkin, and chili powder in there. But don’t tell anyone.” He leaned forward and spoke in a whisper. “It’s my secret recipe.”

“Hmm,” Vihaal said, “Angel, you’ll soon find that Gideon has quite a few secrets.”

“Not as many as you,” Gideon said, making a face at Vihaal.

Vihaal smiled. “And not as many as Angel’s been keeping.”

“Touché,” I said, picking up my tuna sandwich. “I’ve kind of been on autopilot, not really spending time on self-examination.”

There were things they weren’t telling me. Important things about them, their relationship. But I didn’t give a fuck at the moment. And a part of me couldn’t wait to find out.

“Shall I play Mother?” Gideon asked, lifting the teapot and a saucer and cup, and pouring the dark amber liquid into it.

“Can I possibly stop you?” Vihaal asked, grinning, and taking two more sandwiches from the platter. Ham this time. “Angel? Still hungry?”

“Oh yeah.” I was famished, and the sandwiches didn’t seem to be filling me the way they should.

“Here you go,” Gideon said, passing me the filled teacup on its pretty saucer.

I took it carefully. Vihaal waited until I’d put it down.

“Plate?” he said.

I held it out, and Vihaal placed two small sandwiches on it. Gideon filled a cup for Vihaal and passed it to him, and one for himself.

“Do you need sugar, Angel?” Gideon asked, lifting a silver holder from the tray.

“But he’s so sweet already,” Vihaal murmured, sipping his tea and staring over the edge of his cup at me.

I rolled my eyes. “Look, I don’t know what Sebastian and Jacob told you, but I’m far from sweet.”

“Now that you mention it, Jacob said—and I quote—Angel never sleeps with the same woman twice.”

“Oh, come on. How on Earth would he know that? Honestly.”

“Is it true?” Gideon asked, regarding me with interest.

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