Page 179 of Axis of Fire

“Near Baltic Triangle.”

Ethan’s gaze immediately found Mike.

“I heard one of you used to have experience with that before deciding to become all serious about studying.”

Mike pressed his lips together.

He’d been participating in illegal street races since he was seventeen.

Not for fun.

For money.

Back then, his family desperately needed it because his father had been battling leukemia.

But once his father recovered and their financial situation improved, Mike had quit racing entirely.

“He’s done with that life,” Dwayne cut in sharply.

For the first time, the carefree mask he always wore cracked visibly.

Realizing that, I quickly stepped in.

“What if we prove you stole Dwayne’s painting idea?” I asked, drawing Ethan’s attention toward me. “Maybe the police won’t matter then, but your reputation as an artist will be destroyed permanently.”

“Or,” Airis spoke beside me, “we could simply take the keys from you.”

His voice remained frighteningly calm.

“Doesn’t it seem stupid trying to threaten people trained to fight since childhood?”

I froze for a moment, glancing sideways at him.

For some reason, I had absolutely no doubt he meant every word.

“Because luck happens to be on our side today,” Ethan yawned theatrically before signaling something to the two guys beside him.

Both pulled guns from beneath their sports jackets.

One pointed his weapon directly at Airis and me.

The other aimed at my friends.

And suddenly, everything inside my head went silent.

No anger.

No fear.

Just one horrifying realization.

If anyone started fighting, somebody was going to get hurt.

And nobody would be able to stop it.

“I’ll do the race,” Mike said firmly.

Gwendolyn immediately shot him a furious look, but he ignored it completely.