Page 27 of The Laughing Game

Vihaal chuckled softly. “If everything is going to plan, then yes.”

“When have things not gone to plan? Except for that one time that I had food poisoning?”

“Oh, God, don’t remind me,” Vihaal muttered. “A tragedy in three parts.”

“And then it hityouon the ride home.”

“Yes. That was awful. I haven’t had octopus since.”

“Same. Have you ever eaten octopus, Angel?”

“No. Never tried it.”

“Vihaal makes the most delicious fish curry. V, you should make it for Angel.”

“Certainly.”

“I’d love that.”

I sat back and watched the city go by as Vihaal drove us to Maverick Molly’s. His driving style was steady and controlled, and he handled the car with practiced ease. When we arrived, he found a spot a block away, deftly parallel parked, and shut off the engine.

We emerged into the frosty evening.

Vihaal wore a long black coat, with a black and gray striped scarf wrapped casually around his neck. Gideon’s royal blue thigh-length wrap coat, with his bright orange beret tipped at a jaunty angle, stood out against the darkness and he reminded me of a tropical bird or a sunrise. I would never have thought to put those two colors together but it worked. Then again, he could have worn anything and it would look good.

Gideon reached out and took my hand, his gloved fingers tugging me along. “Come on! Bet you’ve never been here to have fun, right? Only for business!”

“Only for business,” I echoed, gazing up at the familiar club, and wondering why it seemed a magical place today, when I’d been through those doors many times before.

But Gideon was right. I’d only been here to discuss the accounting with Jacob and Sebastian. I may have caught a glimpse of activities in the gaming parlor on my way to the back office, but that was as far as I’d gone.

“Full house tonight,” Vihaal murmured as we went through the doors and started hanging our coats. A loud hum of voices from the gaming parlor flooded the space, with laughter and the sounds of jazz mixed in.

“Here, let me take that,” Vihaal said, reaching out for my jacket.

At least I had a decent leather coat to wear, so I wasn’t embarrassed to hand it to him.

Vihaal was dressed in tapered, wine-colored pants, paired with a gray button-up shirt with a banded collar that was tuckedin at his trim waist. He looked effortlessly sexy in a distinguished way.

I had expected to feel out of place, but I didn’t, even as a dozen eyes turned to look at us as we walked in.

“There’s a new bartender,” Gideon whispered to Vihaal as we stepped into the gaming parlor.

A stunning person with long curly black hair, olive skin and strong features in a movie-star-attractive face, worked behind the bar. They were wearing a pin-striped white blouse with a high collar and a chain watch attached at the neck. They saw us and smiled, gesturing to a table by the window that was free.

Vihaal raised a hand in thanks and we went over to it.

“Ah, perfect,” Vihaal said, sitting where he could see the whole room. Gideon took a seat beside Vihaal and I grabbed the one that was left.

One of the molly boy servers, in corset and bloomers, with a velvet band circling his throat, came over.

“Good evening, gentlemen,” he said. “Do we need a drinks menu? Or do you know what you’d like?”

Vihaal smiled, looking the attractive server over. “Gideon and I are due in the Bordello in an hour or so, and we’d like to keep things non-alcoholic. So, two ginger ales, please. And what would you like, Angel?”

“Oh…a Coke will be fine.”

“Perfect. Back in a moment,” the young man said, and twirled away.

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