Page 83 of Kings of the Campus

Max swings back, catching me in the side and knocking me to the ground. I roll to absorb the impact and spring back up, ready for the next move. Alec and Max are already in a furious grapple, rolling in the dirt and trading blows.

I charge back in, aiming a kick at Max’s ribs. He grunts, momentarily distracted, and Alec manages to land a solid punch to Max’s face. But Max is relentless. He sweeps Alec’s legs out from under him, causing him to hit the ground hard.

Alec cries out, a cloud of dirt bursting around him as he makes contact with the ground. He rolls to the side but it’s not fast enough. Max throws himself at Alec, punching him in the back of the head. Alec cries out and something burns inside of me.

I growl and throw myself at Max again, trying to land a series of quick punches. He’s not going to get away with this. I can’t let him defeat us. Not when Tessa’s life is at stake.

Max deflects most of them, but one of my hits connects with his gut. He grunts and attempts to grapple with me, his arms like iron bands. I use my weight to push him back, trying to gain the upper hand.

Alec gets back on his feet, shaking off the daze and joining the fray. Together, we manage to overpower Max. We land a series of blows that finally force him to the ground. I hold him down, pinning his arms with my weight, while Alec delivers a few more sharp punches to his face, making sure he’s not getting back up anytime soon.

Max’s defiant smirk fades, replaced by a grimace of pain. His struggles weaken as he realizes we’re not going to let him escape.

“Find something to tie him up!” I shout at Alec as I pin him to the ground. Max gives a feeble attempt to throw me off, still conscious enough to fight back.

Alec runs back to the car and comes back with a roll of duct tape, holding it up. The tape makes a satisfying crackle as he peels the end off the roll and approaches Max with an almost maniacal gleam in his eyes.

Max continues to try to throw me off even as Alec approaches. We shove him down into the dirt hard and yank his arms and legs behind his back as we tear strips off, wrapping them around and around so he’s securely tied up.

Rolling him onto his back, the two of us stand over him with matching grim expressions. “You’re done,” I say, wiping my face and leaving behind a smear of dirt across my nose. “It’s done, Max. It’s over.”

Smoke is filling the air and I look up, unable to tear my eyes away from the sight of the cabin. An inferno of flames licks higher into the sky, smoke billowing in its wake.

My chest is tight and I look at Alec. “We need to go after them!” I shout. Alec grabs me, pulling me back. His grip on my shoulders is ironclad. “It’s too dangerous!” he yells back, his voice nearly drowned out by the roaring fire.

“Let me go! We can’t just leave them!” I struggle against him, my heart racing with desperation.

Before Alec can respond, the cabin erupts in a deafening explosion. The roof collapses in on itself, sending a torrent of sparks and debris into the night. The windows explode outward, raining down sharp, glinting shards.

I’m thrown to the ground by the force of the blast, the heat scorching my face. Alec and I hit the dirt, covering our heads as debris flies overhead. The smoke thickens around us, swirling in choking clouds as the fire continues to rage.

Alec and I stare at each other. Tessa and Devin are still inside.

“There’s no way they could’ve escaped that,” I say, my voice hoarse. My eyes are locked on the burning wreckage, searching for any sign of life.

Alec’s face is full of determination. “We have to believe they’re still alive. They might’ve found a way out.”

I shake my head, my throat tightening with fear. “How? The explosion was massive. They should’ve been outside by now if they’d gotten out.”

Alec’s eyes are red, his face set in a grim line. “We can’t know for sure. We need to wait for the fire department. They might be able to get in and check.”

I nod, though my stomach churns with dread. “But what if they’re not? What if?—”

Alec cuts me off, his voice strained. “We can’t think like that. Not yet. We have to hold on to hope.”

The fire rages on, consuming everything in its path. I glance at Max, bound and struggling on the ground, and then backat the inferno. My heart pounds with fear and uncertainty, the thought of whether Devin and Tessa made it out alive hanging over us like a dark cloud.

48

DEVIN

The second I see the cabin in flames, something overtakes me. I fly out of the car, running past Max to get to Tessa. The smoke and flames are growing, even as I cross the small yard and rush into the cabin, not caring how much danger I might be in, only focusing on one thing—Tessa.

I have to get to her. I have to know she’s still alive. I have to save her if there’s even a slim chance that she’s survived this long.

“Tessa!” I call out, the smoke and flames making it hard to see. I squint, the fire raging all around me. It’s hard to hear anything over the crackling of the fire and the creaking and groaning of the house.

“Tessa!” I yell again, covering my face with my arm. I cough again, smoke prickling in my lungs. I strain my ears, hoping that she’s still alive.