The Golden Boys

Chapter Twelve

"Why so tense?" Zara chirped. "You can relax, you know, and take off the mask."

They had been driving for ten minutes in an awful silence. She didn't need to give Relight her address, he already knew it.

"How do you know Tommy Young?" he asked.

"Since when did you start street racing?" she shot back. Zara looked over to the guy to see that his eyes were only on the road ahead. "Okay, seriously, take off the fucking mask. I can't take you seriously when you wear that shit."

With a sigh, the boy removed the mask from his face and the hood from his head.

"Much better," Zara commented and took the mask from his hands. It was sweaty, so he was dying from the heat.

"What the hell were you doing there, Z?"

"Seeing an old friend." Zara tossed the mask in the back. "So do the other Golden Boys know about your nightlife hobbies? Or do they think you just go to strip clubs?"

The guy took a sharp turn, causing her body to fly to the right.

"You trying to kill me, Dame? I won't tell anyone about this shit, you know."

"I know you won't, Z," he sighed and came to a stop on an empty street. He put the car in park and leaned back into his seat. "I'm sorry for acting like a dick. You just caught me off guard by being there."

Zara had never seen this side of Damien before. A hardass with an attitude. He had always been competitive, calm, and consistent. No one could get him angry or spike his emotions no matter how hard they poke.

"I'm sorry for exposing your football playing," she admitted. "It was after that when I put it together that you were you. No one else wears your cologne, at least in this town."

"I came straight from practice and smelled like ass," Damien cracked a smile.

"I figured," Zara laughed. "But really, do the other Golden Boys know of this?"

"They do," Damien nodded. "None of them approve, but at least my double life is safer than the others..." There was a slight pause. "You know about Enz's situation, he told me what happened in the diner."

"Yeah, you boys like to surprise me every couple weeks."

Damien winced. "I'm not sure how you always get into these situations and you've only been in town for about a month. Cece's been with us her entire life and doesn't know this shit."

Zara wanted to ask why they wouldn't tell Cersei about their double lives, but she already knew the answer. It was the same reason why she kept some secrets from her best friend. It was the same reason why none of them would ever tell Cersei about how Andrei gets rid of the guys he doesn't approve of. To protect her. Cersei was too caring for her own good, immediately making all of her friends' issues her own.

"Why are you racing, Dame? It's not like you need the money or the fame."

"I like the adrenaline," Damien replied. "It makes me feel free when I drive and no one knows who I am when I put on the mask. It's sort of freeing."

"I understand," Zara told him truthfully. "But you don't need to get mixed up with Tommy in order to race."

"I don't have a choice, do I? Tommy Young wants something, he'll do anything to get it. If I want to continue to race, at least until I go to college, I have to play by his rules."

If Damien turned his offer down to join the inner circle, Tommy would be offended and would hurt Damien for ruining his reputation.

"And you don't want to stop racing," Zara concluded. "Even though your life is endangered and he could kill you. You're just like Enzo. Neither of you give up."

"Enzo's situation is different from mine, but yes, we don't give up."

"You must be hoping to gain something from working for Tommy. You can't just be doing this just to race for a couple more months."

Damien thought of his response for a small time before saying, "I do need the money, Z."

"Oh."

"His inner circle members get paid big time when they win or even show up to watch," Damien told her. "My parents are in debt, I've been on scholarship with the school for the past couple of years, and we need the money to keep up their image. My dad and I have tried to convince my mom to allow us to move to a smaller house, and not have her spend all of his money on fashion and cars we can't afford, and not go on her fancy trips. At one point we even cut her off completely and denied access from her accounts until she threatened to divorce him. My dad doesn't want to lose my mom, neither do I, so we made some deals."

"I'm so sorry," Zara said.

Damien nodded his head and removed his hoodie, tossing it in the back. "The money I make goes towards all of our food and fancy travels. The money he makes goes to our house. We're still in big debt and I wouldn't be surprised if we'll be paying it off for decades. My mom got her way and she allowed us to sell ten cars, only keeping her favorite four. Now we only have two houses instead of five and my mom stays in the one in Paris by herself. We're doing all of this to keep her in our lives and keep up our reputation."

"I'm really sorry, Dame."

"It was my dad who taught me how to drive. It was how he got the money to start his business," Damien said with a small smile. "Sometimes he comes to watch me race."

Zara replicated his smile. "That's sweet. Have you ever raced him before?" she asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"I had to beat him in order to prove that I was ready," Damien laughed. "I was fifteen when I finally won and I had never seen him look so happy."

"We should race sometime."

"You race?" Damien asked, clearly amused. Zara flashed him a smile. "Of course you do. Is that how you know Tommy?"

"He saved my ass a couple years back and taught me how to drive," she replied.

Damien was smart. He picked up on her vagueness of words and tone, noticing how she didn't want to be pushed on the topic.

"He called you his little sister," he pointed out warily.

"He's like my big brother," Zara admitted. "But that doesn't mean he isn't dangerous. I know he's good friends with my father."

Damien started up the engine once again. "Caddel always has his hand in everything. No wonder Tommy calls you princess. You're the daughter of the king of the world."

Zara rolled her eyes. "Just drive, Redlight. I have to switch out the camera footage before Sam wakes up in an hour. Also, why the name Redlight?"

"My first time racing with my dad, I stopped at a redlight instead of blowing through it and he gave me the nickname." There was a small pause. "When did you learn how to pickpocket wallets?"

"Pure talent," Zara replied. "Also I watched a Youtube video and practiced."

Rolling his eyes, the boy checked his phone. "Enz called early tonight and said you weren't at your house. I told him you were at the races and on good terms with Tommy. He's now worried."

"Enz has other things to worry about other than my social life," Zara said.

"He thought you were kidnapped by his family and I said that was ridiculous because─"

"No one touches the Caddels."

oh dame. poor dame. now we know his secret and situation, and all the golden boys know of it as well. but apparently zara has some secrets of her own and so does her father 🤐 how do you think tommy and zara met? next chap already up! 

note: btw i usually don't use so many emojis when I text and stuff lol. but im having fun with them. idk why but they're so amusing to me. there are so many to choose from wtf