Ruthless Kings of Obsession (Leighton Royals University #3)

18. When Masks Shatter

When Masks Shatter

~ G EMINI~

The descent into the private dressing rooms beneath the ballroom feels like sinking underwater. Each step sends ripples through my consciousness as Hannah's medicine begins to fade, reality's edges softening like watercolors bleeding into parchment. The voices in my head, temporarily silenced by chemical clarity, start stirring again – whispers becoming murmurs becoming screams.

What did I just do up there?

The Blind One's name had fallen from my lips with absolute certainty, though I couldn't explain why I knew it would carry such weight. Another fragment of myself I can't quite grasp, like trying to catch smoke with bare hands. The shocked faces in the crowd, the way even Saint Joaquin seemed momentarily thrown off balance – it all suggested power I don't understand but somehow knew to wield.

"I have to say," Ren breaks the tense silence as we reach the bottom of the stairs, his usual playboy facade cracking slightly at the edges, "that was quite the performance up there. Though I'm curious how you knew about?—"

The rest of his sentence disappears in a blur of motion as Ares moves with devastating speed. His fist connects with Domino's jaw hard enough to spray blood across the expensive wallpaper. The perfect model's mask shatters completely, revealing something dark and feral beneath the designer suits and camera-ready smile.

Time seems to fragment as everyone moves at once. Ren grabs Domino before he can retaliate, while Marcus wraps his arms around Ares's chest, struggling to contain rage that seems to radiate from him in waves.

"You fucking murderer!" Ares snarls, fighting against Marcus's hold with strength I've never seen him display. Gone is the careful composure of the runway, replaced by pure, animalistic fury. "You shot him! You put two bullets in our brother and left him to die alone in the rain!"

Blood drips steadily from Domino's split lip, mixing with the water still soaking his ruined clothes. "Let me go," he growls, though the words lack their usual bite. The fight in the warehouse, the emotional toll of the ceremony – it's all catching up to him. His legs tremble with exhaustion even as he tries to break Ren's grip. "You don't understand?—"

"Understand what?" Ares's voice cracks with something raw and painful. "That you murdered one of your own? That Zander trusted you, protected you, called you brother?—"

The pain in my head spikes sharply enough to make the room spin. Memories flash like strobe lights: Zander bleeding out on wet concrete. Zander's last kiss tasting of blood and rain. Zander's voice growing weaker as darkness claimed him.

"We need to take this somewhere else," Ren suggests, still maintaining his hold on Domino despite obvious strain. "This place isn't secure, and we're not out of danger yet. Too many eyes, too many ears?—"

"Already handled." Hannah's voice cuts through the chaos from where she's been silently observing. She holds up a small device that glows with subtle blue light. "Security systems are compromised, cameras are on a loop, and this room is completely soundproof." A small, dangerous smile plays at her lips. "Amazing what you can accomplish with the right tools and proper motivation."

"Ares," Marcus's voice carries that quiet authority that somehow cuts through rage and reason alike, "you need to calm down. At least Zander's alive."

The words hit like a physical blow, stopping everyone mid-motion. Domino and I gasp in perfect synchronization, both of us freezing as the implication sinks in.

"What..." My voice emerges barely above a whisper, hope and disbelief warring in my chest.

"He's alive?" Domino echoes, looking as stunned as I feel.

Ren glances between us, eyebrows raised in something between amusement and concern. "Okay, that was legitimately creepy. Are we absolutely sure they're not actually blood related?"

Marcus groans, momentarily loosening his grip on Ares who seems too shocked to keep fighting. "Did you somehow miss the part where she literally announced they're step-siblings to the entire society?"

"Oh no, I remembered," Ren's signature smirk returns, though it doesn't quite reach his eyes. "But sometimes you need to point out the obvious to break tension. Speaking of which—" He gestures to where he's still restraining Domino, who looks about ready to collapse. "Little help here? Our newest King isn't looking so royal at the moment."

"Zander..." I try again, tears blurring my vision as hope battles with crushing fear. "He's really...?"

The question trails off as my knees buckle, the last of Hannah's medicine deserting my system completely. The world tilts dangerously, but Ares moves faster than thought, catching me before I can hit the floor. His arms wrap around me securely, earlier rage forgotten in favor of instinctive protection.

"Yes, Sweet Canary," Ares whispers against my hair, all traces of earlier violence gone from his voice. "He's alive and recovering. Still in critical condition and it'll take time, but he's breathing." His arms tighten around me as a sob tears from my throat. "The hospital has him stabilized. He's not going anywhere – not this time."

The dam breaks. Every emotion I've been holding back – the grief, the rage, the bone-crushing despair – comes crashing through at once. I collapse against Ares's chest, my entire body shaking with the force of my sobs. The voices in my head join the chorus, a cacophony of relief and vengeance and desperate joy.

He's alive. He's alive. He's alive.

Behind us, Domino makes a sound somewhere between a laugh and a sob, sliding down the wall to sit heavily on the floor. His clothes leave wet trails against the expensive wallpaper, blood from his split lip mixing with rainwater to create pale pink patterns on his shirt.

"Why do you look relieved?" Ren asks, genuine curiosity coloring his tone as he studies Domino's reaction. "You're the one who tried to kill him."

Domino's laugh holds no humor – just raw, broken emotion that makes something in my chest ache despite everything. "I didn't want to," he admits, voice barely above a whisper. His hands shake as he runs them through his wet hair. "Well, part of me did. In that moment, I had to. It was like... like something else took control. Something darker. More primal."

He looks up, meeting my tear-filled eyes with an expression of such genuine torment it takes my breath away. "The me now didn't want to kill him. Zander's always had my back, even when I didn't deserve it. Even when it made no sense." His voice cracks. "But I couldn't stop myself. It was like watching someone else use my hands, my gun. Like being trapped behind glass while another version of me pulled the trigger."

The admission hits too close to home. How many times have I felt that same disconnect? That sensation of being a passenger in my own body while something else – someone else – takes the wheel?

"I've regretted it every second since," Domino continues, seemingly unable to stop now that the words have started flowing. "But how the fuck do you explain that? 'Sorry I shot you, some other version of me did it'? Who would believe that kind of insanity?"

Ares and Marcus exchange a loaded look over my head. "You both have it," Marcus mutters, something like understanding dawning in his expression. "All this time, and I never made the connection."

"Have what?" Domino and I ask simultaneously, making Ren snort.

"Okay, that twin speak thing is getting seriously unsettling now."

"I'll explain everything at the recovery center," Marcus says, his tone carrying that clinical precision that means he's already forming theories and treatment plans. "You both need immediate medical attention, and this isn't the place for that particular conversation."

The pounding in my head becomes unbearable, the voices growing louder with each passing second. ***"He lives! Our King survives! Make them suffer for hiding this truth!"*** They scream and whisper and laugh all at once, the sound threatening to tear my skull apart from the inside.

"We need to move," Ares says sharply, obviously noticing my deteriorating condition. Without hesitation, he scoops me into his arms like I weigh nothing, cradling me against his chest. The steady thrum of his heartbeat helps ground me as reality starts to blur around the edges. "Let's get to the truck before any other complications arise. We survived this trial, but?—"

"It's only the beginning," I finish weakly, fighting to keep my eyes open. The world starts to fade in and out, like a radio losing signal.

Through increasingly unfocused vision, I watch Ren help Domino to his feet. My stepbrother sways dangerously, exhaustion written in every line of his body. "Can you walk?" Ren asks, concern barely hidden beneath his casual tone.

"Do I have a choice?" Domino manages a ghost of his usual smirk.

"Not really. But I'll help if you promise not to shoot anyone else."

Their voices grow distant as consciousness starts to slip away. The last thing I register is Ares's heartbeat against my cheek, strong and steady like a drum calling me home. Hannah's quiet footsteps follow us, her presence a silent guarantee of our safe passage.

We survived , I think as darkness creeps in from the edges. We all survived.

But as I drift toward unconsciousness, one thought remains crystal clear through the chaos in my mind: this is just the opening move in a much bigger game. One whose rules we're only beginning to understand.

The question of what we've gotten ourselves into follows me into dreams filled with masked figures and bleeding Kings, where every shadow holds secrets and even victory tastes like ash. But this time, when I wake up, I won't be alone.

My Kings – all six of them, including the one I thought I'd lost forever – will be there to help piece together whatever broken parts of us still need fixing.

After all , the thought drifts through my fading consciousness, isn't that what real obsession is? Finding the ones whose broken pieces fit perfectly with yours?

The darkness claims me completely then, but for once, I'm not afraid of what waits on the other side.

***~GEMINI~***

Consciousness becomes a game of shadows and whispers. I let my body remain limp in Ares's arms, breathing steady and deep as we make our way to the vehicles. Years of training have taught me how to feign sleep perfectly – a skill that's saved my life more times than I can count.

"Take the back route," Hannah directs from somewhere ahead. "I've got the cameras on a loop but we don't need any curious eyes following us."

The night air hits my skin, still warm from the earlier rain. Ares's arms tighten protectively as he navigates what must be stairs or uneven ground. The voices in my head have settled to a dull roar, making it easier to focus on the conversations around me.

"He's really going to be okay?" Domino's voice sounds rough, exhausted. "Zander, I mean."

"Why do you care?" Ares snaps, the movement of his chest betraying how tense he still is. "Planning to finish the job?"

"Ares," Marcus warns quietly. "Not now."

"The doctors say he'll recover," Ren interjects, obviously trying to defuse the tension. "Though he's got a long road ahead. Two bullets did a lot of damage."

The sound of car doors opening, then the subtle shift as Ares slides into what must be an SUV, still cradling me against his chest. The leather seats smell new, expensive.

"You'll both need immediate treatment," Marcus continues, his voice taking on that clinical tone he uses when focusing on medical issues. "The chemical compounds in your systems are highly unstable."

"What compounds?" Domino asks, confusion evident in his voice.

"The ones causing your dissociative episodes," Marcus replies. "Similar to what Eva experiences, though the manifestations appear different."

Similar to what I experience? The thought makes me want to open my eyes, demand answers, but I force myself to remain still.

"You mean the blackouts?" Domino's voice catches slightly. "The times when I... when it feels like someone else is in control?"

"Precisely." The sound of more car doors, the engine starting. "It's a condition my mother studied extensively before..." He trails off, and I catch the slight hitch in his breathing that always comes when he thinks about her.

"Before what?" Ren prompts gently.

"Before the fire," Marcus finishes quietly. "She was close to a breakthrough in treatment. Called it Project Mirror – studying how trauma can fragment consciousness, creating distinct personalities as protection mechanisms."

The car moves forward smoothly, but tension fills the space like smoke. Even through closed eyes, I can feel the weight of unspoken questions.

"Eva has it too?" Domino asks finally. "These... fragments?"

"You've met them, haven't you?" Marcus's voice holds a hint of dark amusement. "Gemini, the survivor. Iva, the innocent. Eva, trying to hold all the pieces together."

"And me?" The vulnerability in Domino's voice makes my heart twist despite everything. "What are my... fragments?"

A long pause fills the car. Finally, Marcus speaks: "That's what we need to find out. But first, we need to stabilize you both before the chemical interactions cause permanent damage."

"What chemical interactions?" Ares demands, his arms tightening around me protectively. "What aren't you telling us?"

"The drugs in Eva's system from the warehouse, combined with Hannah's stabilizer..." Marcus sighs heavily. "Let's just say we need to get to the recovery center quickly. And Domino needs immediate treatment for similar reasons."

"I haven't taken any drugs," Domino protests weakly.

"No," Marcus agrees. "But whatever triggered your episode with Zander – it released similar compounds naturally. Your body is basically poisoning itself trying to maintain control."

The car accelerates slightly, as if responding to the urgency in Marcus's voice. I focus on keeping my breathing steady, though my mind races with implications.

We're the same , I realize with startling clarity. Both broken in similar ways, both fighting battles in our own minds.

"How long have you known about this?" Ares asks quietly, dangerous undertones in his voice.

"I suspected since we were children," Marcus admits. "But I couldn't be certain until I saw them together tonight. The way they mirror each other's responses, the simultaneous shifts in personality..."

"So what do we do?" Ren's voice holds none of its usual playfulness. "How do we help them?"

"First, we get to the recovery center," Marcus states firmly. "Then we start the real work – helping them integrate their fragments before they tear themselves apart."

The car falls silent except for the smooth hum of the engine. I feel Ares's heart beating steady against my cheek, smell Ren's expensive cologne mixed with gunpowder, sense Domino's presence like a living flame despite everything between us.

My Kings , I think hazily as exhaustion starts to truly claim me. All trying to protect me in their own ways.

The last thing I hear before real unconsciousness takes hold is Domino's whispered words:

"So do I really despise you or is it all this chemical bullshit?”

I wonder, too.