Page 84 of Ruthless Kings of Obsession

"Did you see the garage?" Ren asks from his spot beside Marcus, practically bouncing with excitement. "There's space for at least twenty vehicles, plus a separate bay just for maintenance and customization."

"Perfect for working on the bikes," Zander muses, finally setting his phone aside. "Though we'll need to upgrade the ventilation system if we're going to do any serious modifications."

The conversation flows easily between us, discussing various features of our new home while pretending we're not all acutely aware of the empty chair at the opposite end of the table from Matteo. Our Queen's absence feels like a physical thing, making even this luxurious space seem somehow incomplete.

Golden morning light continues to pour through the windows, highlighting the incredible view of LeightonUniversity's sprawling campus below us. The property sits on one of the highest points in the area, offering a perfect vantage point of our kingdom-to-be. From here, we can see everything – the historic academic buildings, the modern research facilities, the carefully manicured grounds where students will soon gather.

Our territory, something dark whispers in my mind.Our hunting grounds.

"The climate control is particularly innovative," Marcus continues, clearly impressed despite his usual clinical detachment. "Each suite can be individually adjusted for temperature, humidity, even ambient lighting. The system learns occupant preferences over time."

"The security grid extends underground too," Zander adds, reaching for more coffee. "Pressure sensors, motion detectors, the works. Nobody gets within hundred yards of this place without us knowing about it."

I notice how he emphasizes the security features, his protective instincts regarding Eva clearly on high alert after recent events. Not that I blame him – we're all still processing how close we came to losing everything.

"Speaking of knowing things," Matteo's voice carries that quiet authority that makes everyone immediately focus on him, "where is our Queen this morning?"

As if summoned by the question, Hannah appears silently in the doorway. Her presence is so seamlessly professional that sometimes I forget she's probably as deadly as any of us.

"Miss Prescott is almost ready," she announces smoothly. "She'll be down shortly. I encourage patience this morning."

Something in her tone makes us all exchange glances. We've learned to read Hannah's subtle inflections, to hear the messages hidden beneath her perfectly neutral delivery.

"Is she alright?" The question escapes before I can stop it, my carefully maintained composure cracking slightly.

"Perfectly fine," Hannah assures us, though her expression suggests there's more she's not saying. "Though we'll need two vehicles this morning. The Cybertruck, while impressive, cannot comfortably accommodate all six Kings plus your Queen."

"We should probably head out soon anyway," Ren suggests, checking his watch. "First day back, we don't want to make a bad impression by being late."

"And how exactly are you planning to get there?" Zander asks, arching an eyebrow at our newest brother.

Ren's answering smirk carries all his usual playboy charm as he casually announces, "Bicycle."

The silence that follows is absolute. All movement at the table stops as we collectively stare at him, trying to process this statement. Even Hannah's perfect composure shows a crack of surprise.

"What?" Ren asks innocently, though his eyes dance with mischief. "It's environmentally friendly. Plus, have you seen these thighs?" He pats his leg for emphasis. "They don't maintain themselves."

The breakfast room suddenly feels too small for the personalities within it. Matteo's expression suggests he's questioning every decision that led to including Ren in our brotherhood. Marcus appears to be calculating the statistical probability of our new brother having suffered a mental break. Zander just looks murderous, though that might be his default expression these days.

I take another sip of coffee, using the cup to hide my own reaction. The idea of one of the Ruthless Kings of Obsession arriving at Leighton University on a bicycle is so absurd it circles back around to being almost brilliant. Almost.

"You're not seriously—" Marcus starts, but Ren cuts him off with a raised hand.

"Relax, Doc. I'm just messing with you." His grin grows wider. "Though you should see your faces right now. Absolute perfection."

"I vote we leave him here," Zander mutters, reaching for more coffee. "Let him figure out his own transportation."

"Cruel," Ren pouts, though his eyes still sparkle with amusement. "And here I thought we were building something special."

The breakfast table gleams beneath platters of expertly prepared food – fresh fruit arranged with artistic precision, pastries that smell like they just came from a French bakery, eggs cooked exactly to each person's preference. Everything perfect, everything controlled, everything designed to remind us of our elevated status.

But something still feels missing. The empty chair at the far end of the table draws my eye again, making me wonder what's taking our Queen so long to join us. The uniform she'll be wearing, the same one we all sport now – black with subtle gold, orange, and red accents, the Leighton crest embroidered with perfect precision – somehow I know she'll make it look like battle armor rather than academic attire.

The morning light shifts slightly, making the gold accents in the room seem to pulse like captured flames. Everything in this space was chosen with deliberate purpose – from the security features hidden behind beautiful facades to the strategic positioning that lets us survey our domain. Even the chairs we sit in, with their subtle throne-like qualities, speak of power carefully contained but ready to be unleashed.

"You know," Ren breaks through my observations, that dangerous playfulness still evident in his tone, "I did actuallybring a bicycle. Custom built, matte black frame, gold accents to match our new aesthetic. Even has a little bell."

"I will shoot you," Zander states calmly, not looking up from his phone. "Right here at this beautiful table. Won't even feel bad about ruining breakfast."

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