Page 71 of Lords of the Campus

“I wouldn’t even let them get close enough to try,” Levi promises.

“It’s not only the Sigmas we have to worry about,” Zane says. Levi glances at him, and he sighs. “Madison threatened Lyric at the library.”

He briefly explains what happened, how Madison revealed her true colors and Levi looks murderous. “She’s such a skank,” he mutters. “She was always trying to throw herself at us back then, but we ignored her. We should have put her in her place sooner. Then none of this shit would be happening.”

“She was the reason we stopped talking,” I tell them. “She did everything to break us up, and she succeeded once. What if she succeeds again?”

Archer growls. “Ain’t gonna happen. We’re prepared this time. We know she’s gonna try something, so we’re going to be ready for her.”

Anxiety coils in my stomach, though, worried for myself, my son and the boys now. We’ve made some serious enemies and they seem determined to ruin our lives just as we’re finally starting to come together.

“I promise you that I won’t let anything happen,” Archer murmurs, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. “You have our word that we’ll protect you with everything we’ve got.”

I can’t help the shiver that runs down my spine, though, wondering if that will be enough to hold off the oncoming storm that seems to be brewing.

Leaning against Zane, I nod into his chest. “Okay. I’m going to trust you guys,” I say. “I have faith that we can get through this, together.”

Whatever Madison or the Sigma’s throw at us, we can handle it. I wish I knew what was coming so I could be prepared.

41

ARCHER

I’m at the gym, working off some steam. The steady rhythm of weights clinking together and the hum of treadmills surround me. I lift the barbell, my muscles straining with each repetition, but it's the tension in my mind that's harder to shake.

The threats from Sigma Lambda and Madison replay in my head like a broken record. They've made it clear that they won't back down, trying to intimidate us and ruin Lyric’s reputation even more. But I’m not going to let them scare me. We’re not about to let them hurt Lyric or our son.

I set the barbell down with a clank, wiping sweat from my brow. Max’s sneering face flashes in my mind. Those dudes think they have power over us, that they can manipulate us like pieces on a chessboard. But they have no idea who they’re dealing with.

I move to the punching bag, imagining it is Max’s smug grin. Each punch lands with a satisfying thud, my knuckles aching from the impact. I won’t let them take away the peace we've fought so hard to achieve. I won’t let them touch Eli or Lyric. They’re my family now and I’ll protect them at any cost.

As I pummel the bag, my resolve hardens. They can throw whatever they want at us, but I’m not backing down. I’ll stand my ground and I’ll make sure they regret ever threatening what’s mine. I finish my workout, determination coursing through my veins. It’s time to take action, to fight fire with fire. Madison has been the mastermind behind the attacks on Lyric and us. She’s the one who’s been manipulating everything and I’m going to take her down first.

I head back to the dorm, my mind racing with possibilities. Once in my room, I pull out my laptop and start digging. Madison’s social media accounts, public records and anything that might give me an edge. It doesn’t take long to find something interesting—an old family photo tagged on her Facebook profile. I zoom in, recognizing one of the faces immediately. Cameron.

They're standing side by side, smiling at a family reunion.Madison and Cameron are cousins. I sit back, the revelation sinking in. It makes sense now. Have they been working together from the start?

Frustration boils up. If Madison thinks she can manipulate us and get away with it, she’s got another thing coming. I’m going to expose her and Cameron, show everyone what they’ve been hiding. Madison’s about to learn the hard way that she picked the wrong people to mess with.

I leave my laptop open with the photo on the screen so that when Lyric comes, I can show her. It’s not long before I hear a knock on my door and she walks in, her face lighting up when she sees me.

“Hey,” she says softly.

“Hey,” I respond, my tone serious. “Come here. I need to show you something.” I pull her into my lap and point at the screen, showing her the photo of the duo together.

“That’s Madison and Cameron,” I explain, jabbing at them with my finger. “I just realized that they’re cousins. Now I think the two of them have been working together to hurt you and hurt us. It explains why Cameron targeted you.”

Lyric’s eyes widen in shock, then narrow in anger. “I knew she was up to something, but this…”

“Don’t worry,” I reassure her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. “We’re going to stop them. You’re safe, Lyric. I’m going to make sure they can’t harm you or Eli.”

She looks up at me, vulnerability in her gaze. “Thank you, Archer. I trust you.”

“We’re in this together,” I say firmly. “I won’t let them hurt our family.”

She nods and I can see the determination in her eyes matching my own. It does something to me, sending off sparks in my belly. I like this side of Lyric, the strong, protective side.

I lean down, kissing her softly. It’s been a while since the two of us have had any alone time together. Classes and studying have kept us busy for the most part. Even our family dinners have been scaled back.

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