Page 40 of Fallen Flame

“Either way,” Alice said, “we don’t want to miss it.”

Everyone seemed to migrate in the same direction, so I followed along with my rum and Coke in hand.

Four targets stood side by side, each already peppered with deep cuts from years of use. Wrecker, Pipe, Brinks, and Maniac stood in the throwing lanes with axes in their hands like they’d been born holding them.

“They’re really making a competition out of this?” I asked.

Alice snorted. “They make a competition out of everything.”

We stopped behind the safety line with everyone else. I leaned against the railing, lifting my rum and Coke to my lips.

Without thinking about it, I ended up beside Oliver.

He didn’t acknowledge it. He just stood there with a glass of water in one hand, his attention fixed on the four men lining up their throws.

Four axes flew almost simultaneously.

Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.

The room erupted.

Wrecker’s landed dead center. Pipe’s was close enough to make him curse under his breath. Brinks smirked as he took a sip of his drink. Maniac just grunted before grabbing another.

“Told you,” Wrecker said.

Pipe pointed at the target. “That board’s crooked.”

“The board ain’t crooked,” Wrecker answered.

“It moved.”

Brinks barked out a laugh. “You’re blaming the wood now?”

“I’m blaming old age,” Pipe shot back.

Wrecker snorted. “Funny coming from you.”

Maniac finally spoke. “You both throw like shit.”

Pipe looked over. “Says the guy who missed.”

“I didn’t miss.”

“You literally did.”

“It was strategic.”

Brinks shook his head. “The only strategy I see is making Wrecker think he’s better than he is.”

Wrecker took a long drink from his beer. “I don’t have to think it.”

A chorus of groans and laughs rolled through the crowd.

Nikki cupped a hand around her mouth. “Pipe!”

Pipe didn’t even look at her. “What?”

“If you lose again, you’re taking me out to dinner.”