The Golden Boys

Chapter Thirty-Two

It was Friday, the day of the Homecoming football game and parade, and Zara didn't feel like leaving her bed. The boys had left her house after dinner, Kenji needing to return to his business and strategize with his family about their competitors, and Damien wanting to check in on the twins and prepare for his big game. They both hated seeing the girls argue and didn't want to leave either of them, but Enzo assured them both that he'd be with Zara.

But by Friday afternoon, Zara was done sulking and wanted to do something fucking reckless. She wanted to feel a rush of adrenaline. Zara called up Kenji, "Let me help you."

Her friend took in her words. Kenji knew that she needed a distraction and what could go wrong if he was with her the entire time? Later on, he would wish he never had said yes. "Fine, but if you have a plan you better fucking tell Enz and I. We're not leaving you alone, you're not getting into a car with any form of mafia or gang."

"Deal," Zara said.

And with that, Enzo shook his head and the two left her house. As they drove to his location, Zara couldn't help but think of how the Homecoming court was preparing to make their march around the field. Damien and Cersei would be Homecoming king and queen, and she wondered if Andrei would show up. Zara had always wanted to be there when her friends won the crowns, she wanted to support them, but Cersei needed time. She understood that. And while Cersei needed time, she needed chaos.

They arrived at Mad Goat, a trendy bar in the middle of the city, and found Kenji sitting in a private room upstairs with his security detail. It was strange to see that Kenji wasn't smoking or even near any alcohol. He sat in his chair, reviewing a stack of papers with small ass print and taking notes in a black book. Dressed in his suit, his coat was hung up at the entrance and sleeves rolled up as we worked. Zara couldn't remember the last time she saw Kenji so focused. It was only the three of them in the room when Enzo and Zara joined him at the table.

"My father wants to fight fire with fire," Kenji told the two without looking up. "He wants to attack our competitor's facilities and flush out the crowds. Tip off the cops and government or some shit, but that goes against the code."

The code. The unspoken agreement amongst all the illegal criminals, one that even if someone is caught, they don't rat out the others. They never head to the cops or government for help or just out of pettiness as all of the most powerful already control them. Snitches get stitches or in this case a coffin with their initials.

"What do you want to do?" Enzo questioned.

Kenji shrugged. "Kill the guy."

"Who is he?" Zara asked. "Perhaps I know him."

Kenji reviewed the last piece of paper and set down his pen, closing his notebook and tucking it away into his pocket. "It's a little complicated, Z," Kenji said. "The main guy is the heir to the Santos, he's a gang lord like our Enzo here, but instead of drugs and alcohol, he mostly invests in nightclubs and fight clubs."

"I invested in your club, asshole," Enzo pointed out.

"Rightly so, after a long time of convincing. But you're mostly into drugs and alcohol and there's nothing wrong with that," Kenji said. "You always have the best weed and coc─"

"Julio Santos?" Zara cut in.

Kenji and Enzo shared a look. Both of them had a feeling this wasn't going to end well. Of course Zara knew him, she knew everybody powerful. Zara looked at the two, waiting for their confirmation.The boys slowly nodded their heads and she started to plot.

"I have a plan," she announced after a couple seconds of silence. "But I don't think you'll like it as it involves me going solo."

"Then the answer's no," Kenji declared.